If today’s income tax deadline is stressing you out, here’s a timely garden activity guaranteed to provide relief. Pinching. Not pennies, and not the person next to you, but pinching the new growth off of fast-growing branch tips.
Pruning
The recent changes in the weather, warm sunny days after such a marvelous wet winter, have caused almost everything to spring to life. The tender new growth you see on almost every shrub (i.e.; coffee berry, Sugarbush, toyon) and sub-shrub (i.e.; sage, buckwheat, sagebrush) is supple and soft, and vulnerable to surprise attacks by aphids, or wilt when the sun hits it directly (mid-day depression, that’s actually the term for it!). If left alone, the branch will continue to grow until hot weather and long days kick in, and the leaves start to “harden.” You can use the next few days to properly shape your plants, keep the insect pests at bay, and prepare your whole garden so that you will not need to do a lot of major pruning later. And you don’t even need any tools. Pinching.
When you see lots of new growth on the branch tips, you can envision much bigger plants this summer, because they will continue to grow unchecked. If the plants are crowding other plants, or encroaching on a walkway or patio, getting too tall or too wide, or losing their nice shape, don’t wait until June to prune, pinch now.
Simply remove the bud or buds at the very tip of the branch by cutting them off with your fingernails or with a pinch and a pull. By removing the tip, you are pruning off what is called the terminal bud, (“nip it in the bud”), which will cause the plant to put its growth energy into the lateral (side) buds on that branch. Your plant will get bushier. It is easy and fun, but you have to do it when the growth is tender and new, so like, today.
As a bonus, if you are pinching aromatic plants, you will get a good whiff in the process, and you can take the little cuttings indoors for more aromatherapy or fresh potpourri. Note: don’t pinch branches that have flower buds at the very tip. You can groom those plants after they bloom. Many plants, such as coffee berry make their flowers on older wood, so the new growth can be pinched now and the plant will actually make more side branches to support even more flowers and attractive berries in the future.
Pinching is a basic springtime garden task that has become a lost art. Enjoy. You’ll know how much to pinch out. If it can’t be cut with your fingers, the wood is too old, or you are taking out too much branch.
Cut near a bud that is heading where you want the next branch. Direct the plant’s growth with this most intimate connection involving sight, touch, and smell. And don’t stress about your taxes. Life goes on. Just watch your plants respond to pinching if you need convincing of this.
From the Garden,
Mike Evans
Questions? Help is just one call or one email away. Call (949) 728-0685 or email (with pictures if you like) our special helpline: gardenhelp@californianativeplants.com