Pinch Back These 4 Flowers Before the Cold Sets In - The More You Grow Them, the Easier They Get, and Next Year They'll Bloom Even Better
Keeping a few potted flowers at home is nothing unusual these days - after all, plants and flowers have become part of everyday life for most people, an indispensable part of it. Growing flowers may seem like a small thing, but there is no shortage of knowledge and know-how behind it. Besides the key factors we all know - watering, fertilizing, light, ventilation and soil - there is one detail of flower care that many growers may have overlooked. What detail is that? "Pinching"! 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 point!
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 and put out branches and leaves very quickly. As a result, the plant's shape becomes ugly and it loses its ornamental value. On top of that, too many branches and leaves is not good for bud formation. This is especially true for flowers that need to overwinter - if the branches and leaves are too lush at this time, it adds to the care burden and makes it hard for the plant to get 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, and the sooner the better.
Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
Kalanchoe is a fairly common flowering plant in the home, and plenty of people grow it - after all, this flower not only blooms brightly but also has a long flowering period, and since it usually blooms around Christmas, it is also a flower very well suited to overwintering. If you have just started growing a pot of kalanchoe at this time, be sure to remember to pinch it back. The purpose of this, as already mentioned, is to encourage the growth of some side branches, which helps both the plant's shape and its ability to overwinter safely and form buds. Of course, if you want your kalanchoe to bloom abundantly, pinching alone won't do - you also need to care for it carefully according to its growth habits. Water so that the soil dries out between waterings, and fertilize once a month.
Rose (Rosa chinensis)
Potted roses are one of the most down-to-earth flowers, because their care and management are relatively undemanding and they can basically be kept alive by anyone. With proper care, roses bloom larger and their flowering period extends for many more days. This requires us to pay attention to a few 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 think - if every side branch on a rose plant also bloomed, it would be incredibly beautiful, with very high ornamental value. I wonder if any growers have bought multi-headed miniature 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 to grow right now. It grows best in a sunny, warm and dry environment, so be sure to place it on the balcony! Once the external conditions suit it, the geranium grows very quickly. Sometimes, if you don't look at it for a week, the next time you do it will seem completely transformed. At this point, if you don't pinch it back and just let it grow, it will actually be bad for the geranium's blooming and even worse for getting through the winter safely. When pinching, just follow the steps shown in the first picture; after pinching, no extra treatment is needed - after all, the geranium has strong vitality and is very easy to keep alive.
That's all for the flower knowledge about which plants need pinching. Thank you for reading!
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