Giving your Plant Baby a haircut is a true act of kindness, or even growth.
A plant expert shares how to prune plants the right way.
Erin Marino, plant expert
And thats just the beginning of how pruning can change your plants life.
It might even result in creating lovely little floral siblings.
And, yes, it can keep your plants foliage looking fresh if its grown a little unruly.
Most leafy plants can benefit from the occasional pruning, says Marino.
former director of brand marketing at The Sill
Sometimes that pruned foliageif healthycan bepropagated into an entirely new plant.
But not so fastwe dont want to give your flowers the botanical equivalent of a bowl cut.
check that that you have the right equipment before you chop.
One thing to note is I clean them after each use.
How to prune plants the right way, in 5 easy steps
1.
First, look for a node
According to Marino, this is where the magic happens.
Its where the leaf stalk, or petiole, attaches to the stem.
Nodes have dormant buds, which can be activated to cause new stems and branches, she says.
Youll want to cut just above, but not too close, to the node.
This encourages the bud at that node to begin to develop.
Keep in mind, though, that not every single plant will even need consistent pruning like this.
Calatheas, for example, would be trimmed this way, says Marino.
Remove all the unhealthy foliage above the surface of the potting mix.
This is perfectly normal.
Your plant is adjusting to the lower light levels.
Dont be afraid to prune your plants!
But, as Marino reminds me, plants are more resilient than we give them credit for.
So, give yourself permission to prune liberally when you think it needs a touch up.
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