Pruning Houseplants
Pruning houseplants isn't too much different than pruning plants in the outdoor landscape. Below are a few guidlines and tips for pruning houseplants
1 - Always remove broken, diseased or weak branches so the plant will not expend energy to try to repair the damaged or diseased foliage or branches.
2 - Prune with clean, sterilized pruners or clippers to avoid spreading disease. Rubbing alcohol or a 10% solution of bleech work well for sterilization. Do not use Pine Sol as this will corrode metal.
3 - Prune stray or tall branches that have grown beyond the desired shape of the plant. When cutting stray or tall stems, cut them just below or inside the the rest of the foliage.
4 - Cut branches out that cross through the center of the plant to facilitate good air circulation and prevent diseases. When removing an entire branch, cut close the the trunk or branch it is attached to.
5 - If you desire a bushier plant, use clippers to tip the ends of branches. Wherever you make a tip cut this will force several new branches to emerge just beneath the cut. Frequent tip pruning will keep you from having to do major pruing later on and keeps your plant bushy and healthy.
SEE:
Planting In Containers
Fertilizing Houseplants
Insect Control For Houseplants
Disease Control For Houseplants
Container Gardening
Choose from a category below to find pruning instructions for other types of plants: