Pinch Back These 3 Flowers Before the Cold Weather - The More You Grow Them, the Better They Thrive, and Next Year They'll Bloom Even More Vigorously
Having a few potted flowers at home is nothing unusual these days - after all, plants and flowers have become part of everyday life for everyone, an indispensable part of it. Growing flowers may seem like a small matter, but there is no shortage of knowledge and expertise involved. Besides the key factors we all know - watering, fertilizing, light, ventilation and soil - there is another detail of flower care that many flower lovers may have overlooked. What detail is that? "Pinching back"! Of course, you can also call it "topping". People who grow vegetables know that some vegetables need topping, and some flowering plants need it too - don't overlook this!
Why Should You Pinch Back Flowers? Can't You Just Skip It?
With some types of flowers, if you don't pinch them back, they grow in a loose, sprawling way, branching out and spreading leaves quickly. As a result, the plant's shape becomes unsightly and its ornamental value is lost. In addition, too many branches and leaves are not conducive to the formation of flower buds. This is especially true for flowers that need to overwinter - if the branches and leaves are too lush at this time, it increases the burden of care, making it hard for them to make it through the cold winter. So which flowers need topping and pinching back as early as possible? The 4 flowers I'm about to share all need pinching back, and the earlier the better.
Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
Kalanchoe, as a fairly common flowering plant in the home, is grown by quite a few people - after all, this flower not only blooms brightly but also has a long blooming period. On top of that, it usually blooms around Christmas, so it is also very well suited to overwintering. If you have just started growing a kalanchoe at this time, be sure to remember to pinch it back. The purpose, as already mentioned, is to promote the growth of some side branches, which helps both the plant's shape and its ability to overwinter safely and form flower buds. Of course, if you want your kalanchoe to bloom abundantly, pinching back alone won't do - you also need to care for it carefully according to its growth characteristics. Water so that it dries out between waterings and fertilize once a month.
Rose (Rosa chinensis)
Potted roses are a very down-to-earth kind of flower, because their care and management are relatively simple and they can basically be kept alive by anyone. With proper care, roses bloom larger and their blooming period extends for many more days. This requires us to pay attention to some details when caring for them. Besides watering and fertilizing, topping and pinching back are also necessary, as this helps the rose send out side branches. Just imagine - if a rose plant had flowers on all its side branches too, that would be truly beautiful, with very high ornamental value. I wonder if any flower lovers have bought multi-headed mini roses - a single plant can sell for over ten yuan!
Geranium (Pelargonium)
This flower is a typical balcony plant, blooming brightly and generously, and it is quite suitable for growing now. It grows best in a sunny, warm and dry environment, so be sure to place it on the balcony! Once the external environment is suitable, the geranium will grow very rapidly. Sometimes, if you don't look at it for a week, the next time you see it, it will seem completely transformed. At this point, if you don't pinch it back and just let it grow freely, it will actually be detrimental to the geranium's blooming, and even more so to getting through the winter safely. When pinching back, just follow the steps shown in the first picture - no need for any extra treatment afterward, since the geranium has strong vitality and is very easy to keep alive.
That's all for the knowledge about flowers that need pinching back. Thank you for reading!
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