Do you have indoor plants?
If you are one of the many people who take care of indoor plants, then you know how fulfilling it is.
Even science says that indoor plants have many benefits and could even give a therapeutic experience.
Taking care of plants would enable you to feel different emotions.
You get excited about watching them grow, you also become more responsible, and even with plants, a strong bond is formed.
What if your indoor plant is not growing as you expected or is wilting?
Before you decide to quit raising plants or give up on them, have you tried pruning them?
What is pruning, anyway?
Pruning is when you selectively remove some branches from a plant or tree.
We prune plants to remove unwanted branches, redirect new branches, improve your plant’s structure, and start healthier growth.
Richard, the YouTube channel Sheffield Made Plants owner, posted a video on how he “decapitates” his plants and the excellent results he experienced.
At first, you might think that his term is harsh, especially for our beloved plants, but he later explained the reason behind this process.
There are two types of pruning, soft and hard.
Soft pruning is the gentler and kinder approach to removing the tips and leaves of your plants.
This encourages the plant to become bushier and healthier.
Soft pruning works well for plants like Tradescantia and Pothos.
When you regularly pinch the tips of the stems, it encourages them to branch out, thus giving you bushier plants.
Hard pruning is, according to Richard, the braver and the bolder approach to pruning.
He calls it resetting a tired-looking plant by removing large sections of it, such as entire branches or stems.
Sometimes, after a hard prune, he says that he’s only left with a single stem, without any leaves.
Sounds drastic?
For some, yes, but according to him, the results would be amazing.
When should you prune your plant?
If your plant has diseases, or if you’re not happy with your plant’s shape or growth.
The most common issue is when your plant is growing lopsided or growing in one direction.
Richard then shows what he did with his large rubber tree and how he decapitated it.
According to him, sometimes, you end up having two new branches that could correct your plant, or in his case, he ended up with three branches, all on one side.
Before you decide to prune your plants, here are some tips to remember!
1. Not all plants could be pruned.
2. Don’t prune your Monstero since the new leaves will be really small and have no slits.
3. Do it in spring or summer.
4. Yes. Pruning is stressful for your plants. Make sure to hydrate them before the process.
5. Clean your tools before using them.
6. Watch out for the plant’s sap.
7. Use the right type of pruners for your plants to achieve a clean cut.
8. After pruning, give them plenty of indirect sunlight.
9. Don’t give them fertilizers just yet. Wait for the leaves to take their time and grow.
10. Hydrate your plants but don’t overwater them.
Pruning is a process that will benefit your plants, but like many other processes, we should study how it’s done before we do it.
The last thing that we would want is to hurt our plants, right?
What do you think of Richard’s method? Watch the full video below.
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