Pruning House Plants

Shaping is probably a better word than pruning to describe the needs of most houseplants, but some vigorous plants do need catting back.

Pinching Out

You can encourage some plants to bush out by pinching out the leading growth lower down the stem. Tomato and pepper plants respond well in spring and summer.

Dead-Heading

The act of picking off any flowers that are past their best, known as dead-heading, will encourage the plant to produce more. Their aim in life is to reproduce, so removing the flowerheads jolts them into producing more flowers (and so seed-heads). Indoor roses will last much longer if they are treated in this way.

Cutting Back

If a plant becomes too large, cut it back using a pair of secateurs (hand pruners). The weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) responds well to cutting back quite severely. This is best done at the end of the dormant period in late winter or early spring as it causes less shock. You can stop climbing plants, such as Jasminum polyanthum, becoming straggly by cutting back slightly after flowering and tying in wayward shoots to a framework of canes or wires.