To pinch or not to pinch? That is the question. Pinching is a technique that can shape a plant; increase production of herbs, flowers and fruits; determine the size of blooms and fruit and even keep ...

Plant pinching allows you to stimulate growth and encourage early bushiness, more rapidly, by removing the tip of the plant. Ever wonder why the plants you raised from when they were small don’t often ...

When new gardeners hear about "pinching" plants, they're understandably puzzled. Just where do you pinch them? And why? The "where" is the growing tip. You can literally pinch off the tip between your ...

For common tall garden varietals, pinch dahlias when the plant reaches around 12 inches and has four pairs of leaves. “Stopping” dahlias involves cutting off the top of the main growing stem to ...

Taller growing perennials are nice additions to larger landscape beds and borders — until they flop over. This detracts from the plants beauty, the gardens appearance and flopping plants fall onto ...

All right! We are a week away from the traditional planting-out three-day weekend. Given the lateness of birch leaf opening, it may have sneaked up on many of you. The finally warm weather has helped ...

As annual and perennial flowers are planted, and as established perennials begin active growth, don’t overlook pinching some of them. A pinch here and there will reward you with sturdier plants and ...

Dear Master Gardener: I am interested in growing hot peppers so this year I purchased vegetable grow bags with handles, planted various types of hot peppers and placed the grow bags on my parent’s ...

THREE DIFFERENT CONCERNS and/or horticultural alarm bells went off last week, so I thought I’d make this triad a time-appropriate garden column. First, and as always in early April, my hackles got ...

Water zinnias at the base and space them out properly to prevent mildew and other fungal issues. Regularly deadhead and pinch plants to encourage more blooms and fuller growth. Ensure zinnias get full ...