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Pinching petunias: step-by-step photos. What is pinching plants - main characteristics At what age should you pinch petunia?

Every gardener wants his favorite indoor flowers to have a beautiful shape and look well-groomed and aesthetically pleasing. Thanks to this, plants fit perfectly into the home interior, complementing it with an unusual and much-desired zest.

The formation of a plant crown can significantly help in achieving this goal. However, this is not an entirely easy task, since some flowers can be trimmed, but for others it will be harmful. In addition, you need to know how and when is the best time to start forming a green “pet”. Therefore, having learned all the intricacies of this difficult but important procedure, you can provide real care and concern for your indoor pets.

Why do you need to form a crown of indoor flowers?

Among the main goals of plant formation are:

The main techniques for forming the crown of indoor plants are pruning, pinching, pinching and tying.

Pruning indoor plants

Pruning is the process of reducing the size of a plant by removing shoots and branches. By carrying out proper pruning you can achieve the following goals:

When is the best time to prune? The most suitable time is after a period of dormancy or flowering. If we talk about the time of year - spring. It is better to prune some time after transplantation, when the plant has already become accustomed to the new conditions. Otherwise, its growth may slow down.

Some types of indoor flowers need to be pruned every year, others every few years.. You cannot carry out the procedure at random, because in this way you can cause significant harm to the plant. Some “pets” may not bloom at all, while others may acquire an ugly shape over time. Before pruning, you should read the recommendations for each species separately.

It is correct to make a cut above the leaf pointing outward. Otherwise, the shoot will grow inward.

The cut is made a few millimeters above the bud, slightly obliquely. Mostly weak shoots and crowns directed inward are removed. The main, powerful shoots can be shortened by 1/3.

To carry out the procedure, clean and very sharp objects are used - a knife, pruning shears or blade. It is important that the cut is smooth. If the damage is large enough, it can be sprinkled with crushed charcoal to prevent the plant from getting sick. If several plants are pruned, then before each new one it is necessary to disinfect the blade, for example, with alcohol.

Depending on the goals, pruning is divided into:

Sanitary;
Rejuvenating;
Formative;
Pruning for flowering.

Sanitary pruning

It is often impossible to do without sanitary pruning. If yellow, dry leaves and shoots affected by diseases or pests appear on the plant, they must be removed as soon as possible.

This need is due to the fact that weakened parts of the plant are a sweet spot for. Therefore, in order to prevent fungi, bacteria and insect pests from moving onto healthy shoots and leaves, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning in a timely manner.

The main rule in this is to quickly and completely remove all affected, aged parts of the flower.

In this case, the shoot is cut close to healthy tissue, and if it goes into the ground, to its base. It is important to trim dry leaf tips, such as those of dracaenas and palms, regularly.

At the same time, a small dry strip is left - the healthy part of the leaf remains untouched. If you cut off a living leaf, a dried strip will still form at the end and the process will continue. In addition, the risk of infection with fungal diseases increases.

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Anti-aging pruning

Some plants, especially those that grow slowly, can do without rejuvenation. But most indoor green “friends” still have to be pruned for this purpose. For example, these are flowers that quickly stretch out when there is a lack of light. Plants with long shoots especially need this type of pruning.

Over time, due to lack of light, too high a temperature or insufficient air humidity, their leaves at the base dry out and fall off. And the flower takes on an unattractive appearance. This is, for example, . Their lower part quickly becomes exposed, and the only way to maintain a well-groomed and attractive appearance is to trim them regularly and thoroughly.

Anti-aging pruning is best done in the spring before the start of the growth period. or soon after, or in the fall, when the plant is dormant (you can read more about the life phases of indoor plants).

The shoots are cut almost to the base. It is important that there are 2-4 living buds left on the “stump”. Only 10-15% of the entire flower may remain.

However, the more thorough the pruning, the more vigorously new shoots will grow. If it’s hard to decide to trim the entire plant at once, you can do it in 2 stages. First, half of the shoots are cut off. And when new ones grow from them, the remaining half is cut off.

After rejuvenating pruning, the flower needs feeding, because it will undergo intensive growth.

Watering at this time is slightly reduced, because the shortened upper part does not need a lot of moisture. It is better to place the pot in partial shade, away from direct rays of the sun. After such pruning, the flower produces many healthy, strong shoots and acquires a luxurious appearance.

Formative pruning

It is one of the most difficult. Its goal is to give the plant the desired shape. Vigorous and branchy green “pets” especially need it. For example, crown formation is necessary for,. You need to approach formative pruning creatively, observing the plant and finding out which shape will be most suitable for it.

It is important to choose the right place for the cut. So, in order for the branch to grow horizontally, it is necessary that the last bud remaining after pruning be directed downward or outward of the crown. For vertical growth, on the contrary, the bud should “look” up or towards the center. It is also important to know which shoots need to be cut to obtain the desired shape. Depending on the wishes of the grower and the type of flower, the following forms can be obtained using pruning:

Pruning for flowering

Sometimes pruning of a flower is carried out in order to ensure the flowering process or to make it more abundant - this is pruning for flowering. To carry out such a haircut, it is important to know the characteristics of each type of plant. For example, at what time of year the green “friend” will delight you with buds, on which shoots they appear: young or old.

As a rule, for plants that bloom in summer, pruning for flowering coincides with spring formative pruning. Different species that bloom several times a year require pruning twice: in the spring and after flowering.

It is interesting that in most plants flower buds form only on annual shoots. These are pelargonium, passionflower, citrus fruits. Therefore, without pruning, they may simply not bloom. The optimal time for cutting is in the spring before the growth period begins. If the process is delayed, the shoots will not have time to grow enough, and the buds will not appear.

Pinching indoor plants

What is pinching plants? It is the removal of a bud from the end of a shoot (pinching). Its goal is to form a beautiful bushy plant and rejuvenate the crown. The procedure is carried out with hands, scissors or a knife after transplantation and growth begins. Let's look at how to pinch indoor plants in detail.

To form the desired bush, you need to pinch off the top of the main shoot, which has reached a height of 6-7 cm. When new side shoots grow to 15-20 cm, they also need to be pinched.

The result is a thick, curly bush. But it also needs shaping. Periodically you need to remove weak shoots and those that grow inward.

It is important to know that pinching may delay the flowering process or may not begin at all. Therefore, when the plant acquires the desired shape, pinching should be stopped.

It is important to carry out this procedure for pelargonium, myrtle, heliotrope, fuchsia, and indoor roses.

It is not recommended to pinch some plants. Among them are scindapsus, ceropegia, and asparagus.

It is mainly thanks to pinching that bonsai, which are widely popular today, can be formed. Myrtle or fuchsia are better suited for this. It is important to pay attention to the plant variety: only bush varieties are suitable for bonsai; hanging trees will not form.

Growing indoor flowers

Stepsonning is the removal of excess offspring or stepsons. It is carried out mainly on flowering plants.

Basically, the appearance of stepsons is observed in rosette flowers in the axils of the leaves of the main shoot.

Sometimes the presence of such “babies” does not affect the development and growth of the plant. However Removing stepsons promotes abundant flowering, larger flowers may appear.

Removed offspring can be used for reproduction. Saintpaulia is an example of a plant that needs pinching.

Garter and support for indoor flowers

A garter and support are necessary in order to give the flower stability and contribute to a more decorative appearance. These methods are especially used for plants with weak trunks.

Different types of hanging and vines especially need garter. To do this, use braid, tape, woolen thread.

For larger plants, wrapped wire is used. It is necessary to tie it very carefully so as not to damage the plant.

For some flowers, directing and fixing the shoots in a certain position stimulates flowering.

So, if you point the shoot down and bend it, you can soon expect buds to appear.

Knowing all the intricacies of forming the crown of indoor plants, you can provide truly professional care for your beloved green “pets”!

Forming the crown of fruit trees in the garden

Thanks to a properly formed crown during the first 3-4 years of life, the tree will be able to grow well and bear fruit abundantly.

First year

After planting in the ground, annual trees require pruning of the top to form a lush crown. It is recommended to prune apple trees at a height of 80-90 cm from the ground, and pruning pears at a height of 90-100 cm.

All lateral branches on the trunk (parts of the trunk from the surface of the earth to the lower skeletal branch) are cut out. Varieties with a spreading crown are pruned higher, and pyramidal ones - lower. If annual seedlings have several branches, they are shortened so that 2-3 buds remain on each.

All blossoming buds and young branches starting to grow on the trunk should be removed up to a height of 60 cm from the ground surface. Otherwise, the rate of growth and development of the crown is significantly reduced. It is necessary to leave shoots that are close to horizontal and evenly distributed in space.

Depending on the quality of the seedling and the degree of care for it, from 3 to 5 young branches appear on the tree. These young shoots need to be given a more horizontal position, increasing the angles of departure to 60-80 degrees. To do this, in May - June, soft shoots, 5-20 cm long, are bent using ordinary clothespins. Side shoots longer than 70 cm are shortened by 1/3 so that they do not become bare.

Second year

When sap begins to flow from the tree, it is necessary to remove all shoots on the trunk, competitors of the guide, or in other words, shoots that grew from the lateral buds adjacent to the apical ones, as well as branches that have formed sharp angles of branching. It is recommended to prune trees with rapid growth in May.

In seedlings that have a strong conductor reaching a length of more than 60 cm, it can be replaced with a weaker side shoot (competitor) having a length of about 40 cm.

The guide is the part of the trunk from the first lower branch to the top of the tree. The conductor, which has lost its vertical position, is cut so that 2-4 buds remain on it. Subsequently, from the regrown shoots, one most suitable for the formation of a new conductor is selected.

To prevent the conductor from deviating from the vertical, all buds, flowers and ovaries should be removed from it.

The shoots should be shortened very carefully, since the crown can become very thick due to improper pruning. The side shoots of fast-growing varieties with a pyramidal crown are repeatedly bent to a position close to horizontal. In seedlings with weak growth and weakly branching varieties, the tops of last year's growth are cut off to stimulate branching.

In the summer, bending the shoots should be repeated. At the end of June, the guide is shortened again, vigorous shoots growing vertically at the top of the crown are removed. For apple trees of early-fruiting varieties, it is important to tear off the flowers and ovary on the central conductor and ensure that thin branches do not break off under the weight of the fruit.

Third and fourth year

The formation of young trees is carried out in the same way as in the second year. In this case, the conductor must reach a height of 2-2.5 meters, and the crown is supported in a cone shape. The lower branches can grow until they fill the space that is allocated for the tree.

If the crown is thickened, thinning is carried out. At the same time, low-growing branches are cut off first to increase the height of the trunk. It is important to remove branches that grow vertically, cannot be bent, and disturb the balance of the tree. At the top of the crown, all competitors of the conductor and shoots with sharp angles of departure are removed.

By the fourth year, active crown formation is almost complete. The size and shape of the trees are maintained according to a specific planting pattern. It is important to know that you should not shorten annual growth, as this activates growth processes.

Long branches that extend beyond the allotted space are shortened. An important role in the further formation of the crown is played by its lightening, which is carried out, for example, by removing vertical shoots.

Pruning fruit trees and plants

Successful growth and development of fruit trees is impossible without annual renewal pruning, which is carried out by cutting 2-3-year-old branches onto an oblique replacement branch. When the tree reaches a height of 2.5 meters, the guide is removed and replaced by a competitor. Strong shoots at the top of the crown are removed at the end of summer or in the spring of next year.

If the tree was actively growing last year, pruning dates are often postponed until the growing season. If necessary, root pruning can be done.

Timing of pruning. It is recommended to prune weak-growing varieties of fruit trees during the dormant period.

At this time, the active processes of growth and development practically cease, and most of the nutritional components move to the trunk, skeletal branches and roots.

Trimming methods. Among the main methods of pruning are shortening and thinning.

The purpose of shortening, or pruning, is to prevent excessive growth of branches. The top part of the branch is cut off. Thanks to this, the buds located below the pruning site “wake up”. Pruning makes the crown more luxuriant, stimulating the emergence of new shoots and improving the growth of fruit formations. As a rule, shortening pruning is carried out at a young age during the formation of the tree crown.

The cut is made so that the upper remaining bud “looks” outward. If the branch deviates to the side or down, it shortens above the bud, which will give rise to a shoot growing in the desired vertical direction. The conductor's competitor is completely removed. The central conductor is trimmed so that it rises 15-20 cm above the crown.

Thanks to thinning pruning, excessive crown density is eliminated. Excess branches are removed completely, from the beginning of their growth. Competitors, branches growing vertically downwards or towards the center of the crown, are subject to pruning.

Thanks to thinning, the crown is better ventilated and illuminated by the sun, and is less susceptible to diseases caused by high humidity.

Many housewives dream of beautiful and admirable flower beds or flowerpots on windows and balconies. Petunia is perfect for this. All over the world, this beautiful flower is among the top ten most popular summer flowers. Interesting fact: petunia is a distant relative of the tomato and potato, because it belongs to the nightshade genus. Petunia is a perennial, but in our harsh winters the root system of the plant dies, so it is grown as an annual.

Petunia tolerates heat well, but requires constant watering. In cool weather it continues to grow, but blooms reluctantly. There are several hundred types of petunia and only 4 groups: multi-flowered, large-flowered, ampelous and floribunda.

We will talk about because it is simply irreplaceable in decorating balconies, windows, flower beds, flower pots and hanging baskets. Many have tried to grow a beautiful flower on their own, but not everyone was able to achieve lush flowering. The main secret is pinching the ampelous petunia. Now we will figure out how and when to do this.

The easiest way, of course, is to buy seedlings, but since we are not looking for easy ways, we will grow them ourselves. Seeds need to be sown from February to the end of March. Use containers 6-7 cm deep. Since they are very small, they need to be sown on the surface and lightly sprinkled with fine sand. It is better to water with a sprayer so as not to move them. Shoots will appear in 5-9 days. Under favorable conditions, after approximately 3 weeks, petunias can already be picked and transplanted into separate containers. Many people use plastic cups for this.

When should you prepare to pinch petunias?

In order to achieve maximum flowering, pinching petunias must be done twice. It is recommended to do this for the first time after the seedlings are planted in open ground, but not immediately. Give the plant time to get stronger. Now watch: the shoots will begin to actively grow and stretch - the moment has come (about the month of May). Count 3-5 full leaves from the bottom of the stem (this is the plant’s growth point), and everything on top needs to be plucked or cut off. Don't be alarmed if the flower's growth slows down a bit, but it will begin to send out side shoots. The result will be abundant flowering and large buds.

Do not throw away the cut stems; they can be placed in water and they will take root. Before planting, leave only a couple of leaves, and cut off the rest, as in the first case.

Don’t forget to do the second hanging a month later.
How pleasant it will be to admire such a flowering plant as ampelous petunia. Pinching will form lush bushes filled with bright, beautiful flowers.

However, plant care does not end there. As faded flowers appear on the petunias, they should be removed immediately. Don’t forget to regularly water and fertilize your plants. Then the ampelous petunia will delight you all summer and autumn with its colorful colors. The photos presented in the article give an idea of how beautiful plants can grow and how they can decorate your life and evoke admiring glances from passersby.
Grow flowers - give joy!

In order for your plant to grow well, not get sick and always enjoy flowering, you need to take care of it: remove dried shoots at the right time, fertilize and pinch.

Why do you need to do this? First of all, for rejuvenation of the bush and reproduction, as well as for the formation of the desired shape.

Petunias are often planted in hanging pots and flowerpots, and are grown in. This plant is quite common in...

Petunia lovers are constantly finding new ways to decorate using unusual varieties, and it looks simply amazing.

Pinching Instructions

You need to remove overgrown shoots of petunia (pinching) on a strong bush with high upper shoots with 4-5 large leaves on them. Follow the rules below:

The first pinching should be done at the seedling stage, when the plant has grown to five centimeters in height and has stronger leaves (5-6 pieces). This is done very simply and even an inexperienced gardener can pinch a plant at home. If the shoots are not removed in time, the plant will bloom ahead of schedule even before planting in open ground.

If this has already happened, you need to pinch off the flower. Do not regret cutting the bud, because the plant simply does not need it at such an early stage of development. First, the roots must become stronger and only then allow the flower to fully develop. If this is not done, the petunia will get sick and bloom less often in the future.

Good to know: seeds are sown already in December and January, but only under the condition of round-the-clock lighting, otherwise the plant may lose its decorative shape or die altogether.

You need to pinch petunia a second time after a week from the moment the plant is planted in open ground. This procedure can be combined not only with benefits for the flower, but also with benefits for the housewife and her garden. If you cut off the top shoots with several pairs of leaves, you can root them and get even more flowers.

Note: There should be at least four or three leaves left on the parent stem.

Rooting of cut shoots can be done in a glass of water, in a peat tablet or in a light peat mixture. In order for the cuttings to take root, you need to plant them in the mixture, compact it after planting with your fingers and water with warm water. You need to make a small greenhouse over the plant using a bag or special film.

To correct the shape of the plant, you need to pinch the petunia regularly, skipping a month between this procedure.

Seedling care

In order not to destroy the plant, you need to properly care for it and monitor each new shoot:

Seedlings should be planted in the ground in the second half of May, close to each other. The soil should consist of a mixture of humus and turf soil;
cuttings need frequent watering, and in hot weather you need to add spraying;
once a week you need to feed the cutting at the root and spray it (you can read about feeding petunia at home);
if your flower does not want to grow, you need to “help” it with this using growth stimulants;
try to remove dried flowers in a timely manner. This way the flower will develop faster and form new buds, and will have an attractive appearance in general.

Petunia is a very beautiful flower with many different types, varieties and color palettes. It will become one of the main accents of the flower arrangement in your garden.

To achieve good and timely flowering, the plant needs to be looked after. If you don’t do this, then achieving gorgeous flower beds will become an unattainable dream. So keep an eye on the condition of your petunias, pinch them on time, fertilize them, and they will thank you with bright blooms.

From the following video You will learn how to properly pinch petunia:

Geranium, or as it is also called pelargonium, is a perennial plant that blooms long and luxuriantly. The flower has many medicinal properties and is practically not afraid of insect pests, which it repels with its specific smell. We find geraniums not only in gardens and flower beds, but also on many window sills.

Thanks to its unpretentiousness and beautiful flowering, geranium has gained great popularity in our country. But so that this beautiful flower remains compact and attractive. And it didn’t take up half of the window sill, behind it you need to do timely pinching and pruning (read about how to care for geraniums at home in a pot so that they bloom, and from there you will learn about recommendations for caring for a flower in the open ground). By using these simple geranium shaping techniques, you will achieve two important goals:

Timely pinching will allow the plant to bloom beautifully and profusely.
In addition, pinching will rid the plant of diseased and weak branches that slow down the growth and development of the flower.

Important! Pinching delays the flowering period of geraniums, since the nutrients that should be supplied to the upper growth point are spent on the formation of new side shoots.

Therefore, this procedure can be used as a regulator of the flowering time of a flower. You need to stop pinching the plant after it has acquired the desired shape and bushiness.

The principle of pinching is to remove the growing point from which a new branch arises. Simply put, the very top of the geranium stem is cut off. This procedure causes the trunk to sprout more and more new shoots, and the flower becomes more and more branched.

Young pelargonium should be pinched several times a month while the flower grows in height and gains strength. Usually all leaves on the stem are removed, except for 5-6 of the largest and strongest leaves.

You can pinch out growing points in any month of the year, except winter, when the plant needs to rest and should not be disturbed (you can learn how to care for home geraniums in winter).

How to do it correctly?

The algorithm of actions here is as follows:

Before pinching, carefully examine the upper shoots of the flower and find the growth point on them, the largest upper bud of the shoot, which is responsible for the active growth of the plant. If this point is not removed in time, the begonia will stretch in height, preventing side branches from forming.
Having found the main active bud, pinch it off carefully with your fingers or nails. On denser, woody shoots, you can use nail scissors or garden pruners. When carrying out the procedure, make sure that the neighboring young leaves do not wrinkle, and try not to break the main trunk of the shoot.
After pinching, the shoot does not completely stop growing in height, and after some time it will begin to stretch out again. But thanks to pinching, the side buds will have time to open and sprout new shoots.
Remember that removing the top point of the shoot will cause the neighboring dormant buds to awaken. Therefore, if you do not want shoots to appear in these places, awaken the buds. After the first shoots appear, they must also be carefully removed.

Important points:

When working, you can only use clean, alcohol-treated tools. Secateurs or scissors must be well sharpened so as not to unnecessarily injure the flower. Hands should be washed thoroughly to avoid infecting the geranium with any disease.
If pinching is done with nails, without using a tool, the shoots should not be pulled too much, as this will injure the plant.
After completing all procedures, the flower should be placed in a warm, sunny place. Young sprouts need a large amount of light for rapid and vigorous growth.
If unhealthy, infected shoots appear on the plant, they must be immediately removed along with a 3-4 centimeter portion of the healthy trunk.
Pinching areas must be treated with disinfectants: alcohol, brilliant green or charcoal ash. Otherwise, the cut areas will begin to dry out, and the pelargonium may get sick.

What to do to make the bush grow thicker?

On a note. In order for geranium to grow into a lush bush, its apical bud on the main shoot above the stem node must be pinched.

This stimulates the growth of lateral buds on the lower nodes of the stem. After During this event, the seedlings will slow down their growth, but will begin to gain strength. The geranium will eventually take on a beautiful spherical shape due to the appearance of many side stems.

How to prevent the flower from stretching too much upward?

To prevent geraniums from stretching out, pinching should be done at the most important upper point of stem formation. If after this procedure the shoots begin to grow again from the upper axils of the leaves, they must be removed, then allowed to grow a little and pinched back again. During this time, the buds are removed so that the flower devotes all its strength only to the growth of side shoots.

What to do for lush flowering?

Only young shoots bloom in geraniums. Therefore, in order for it to develop quickly and bloom luxuriantly, young shoots must be pinched after the formation of the first 4-5 pairs of leaves. As a result, the remaining strong shoots will begin to actively grow and develop, turning into a lush crown with many flowers.

Features for pelargonium grown from seeds

Geraniums grown from seeds should begin to be pinched at 6-8 leaves. In this case, only axillary shoots are left, growing below the topmost pair of leaves. If, after pinching the axils of the upper leaves, shoots begin to appear again, they must be removed immediately, otherwise new shoots will not begin to grow in the lower axils.

Photo

Below you can see step-by-step photos of the process of pinching geraniums.

Possible errors and their correction

When pinching geraniums, a very important condition must be observed. You cannot pinch out all the top shoots at once; some of them must be left untouched. The role of these shoots is that they will take on the bulk of the nutrients, preventing new shoots from appearing prematurely.

But if you still unsuccessfully deleted more top points than necessary, don’t worry.

Reference. Remove new shoots, burning these places with brilliant green, until the upper buds reappear in the right places.

What must you do after pinching?

With regular pinching of shoots and buds, geranium actively grows and develops. Due to this, the color especially needs constant feeding with growth stimulants and a full range of mineral fertilizers (read about when and what is the best way to feed geranium, and from here you will learn how to properly use iodine with hydrogen peroxide to feed a flower). If there is a lack of nutrition, the plant will begin to sprout many thin stems, weakening the plant.