How to prune asparagus fern? Different pruning methods produce very different results

Opinions vary on how to prune asparagus fern. Some say asparagus fern is best kept small rather than large, because once it grows large it loses that graceful, free-flowing feel. Different forms call for different pruning methods. Below, the editor introduces several ways to prune asparagus fern, for your reference only.

Pruning and shaping asparagus fern

Pinching

When a new branch grows to a suitable height, pinch off its tip to encourage side branches (yellow circle).

Cutting old branches back partway along their length will also produce some side branches (red circle). Very old branches can, depending on the plant's shape, be cut off right at the base to keep the overall form loose and elegant.

Pruning tangled branches

There is another situation: for plants 1-2 years old, the branches are fairly thin, and at this point you should prune the branches that grow too fast and too thick, as well as the tangled side branches.

To keep the asparagus fern's form attractive, when new shoots emerge, cut off any that come out thick and sturdy; the shoots that come up afterward will be thinner. You can also snap them off at the base; the new branches that grow will be delicate and dainty, giving the plant a beautiful shape.

Pruning dead branches of asparagus fern

When the asparagus fern grows beyond the range you intended, becoming too crowded, dead branches and withered leaves need to be pruned promptly. But many plant lovers cannot bring themselves to be ruthless, letting the asparagus fern grow taller and taller until it is unrecognizable. A runaway asparagus fern can reach over 6 m - how could your small home hold it?

So cut the yellowed, dead branches of the asparagus fern off at the base. Around Qingming, replace the soil with one containing humus. Strictly control the height of the asparagus fern.

Labor-saving pruning methods for asparagus fern

Pot control method

You can prune according to the size of the pot, keeping the ratio of pot to plant at 1:3; this limits root growth and keeps the plant's size unchanged.

Remove growth points promptly

In fact, asparagus fern does not have to grow to 20-30 cm before you can prune it; you just need to control the growth of the buds.

When a new bud grows to 2-3 cm, remove the growth point to encourage new branches and leaves on the stem, and to keep it from growing vines, so the branches and leaves spread out flat and the plant becomes fuller and fuller.

Make full use of the asparagus fern's phototropism

Many plant lovers prune because the asparagus fern grows unevenly and its branches are ragged. Actually there is no need; simply turn the pot's direction at the right time, and you can correct the shape of the branches and leaves, keeping the plant full and graceful.

Using different pruning methods for asparagus fern will of course produce different shapes, but the shape that suits the asparagus fern you grow at home is always the most beautiful! Of course, if you have your own one-of-a-kind method for pruning asparagus fern, that would be even better.