How to pinch back flowers

In fact, nothing complicated in this case. Nipping referred to as mechanical removal of the upper part of the shoot with the aim to awaken dormant buds and increase bushiness or to encourage more growth of side shoots. Pinch back the plant with your fingers (nails), with the help of manicure scissors or a small sharp knife.

The nipping is carried out either in the spring, during the most active growth of plants, or in early August to improve the quality of the flowers. You need to keep in mind that pinching delays the beginning of flowering, so it should not be abused, and once the plant gets the desired form, to stop his pinch.

To properly conduct the nipping of the flower, you need to carefully inspect it top shoots and to find the growth point. Growth point called the upper, large kidney on the escape, which is due to its active growth. If left unchanged, the escape will rapidly be extended in height, giving side branches, and relaxing yourself, so it pinch.

Finding the top active kidney, with your fingers gently remove the captured part of the escape and nail pinch off a selection. For dense, stiff shafts, you can use nail scissors, secateur or knife. When pinched you need to follow to avoid wrinkling the adjacent young leaves not sheared the barrel escape.

Nipping doesn't stop completely shoot growth in height, after a while it will resume, but until then, the lateral buds will also have the opportunity to open up and go into growth. We must note that removal of the upper part of the shoot stimulates the awakening of dormant buds near the site of the pinching. Therefore, if the secondary shoots in this location is undesirable, after the first germs of the awakened kidneys will need to also carefully removed.