Pruning is the process of trimming away dead, dormant, or overgrown parts of a plant to promote healthier, more vigorous growth. This simple yet essential task helps your plants thrive by encouraging new shoots, improving airflow, and preventing disease. For indoor plants, pruning is equally important. It involves removing dead leaves, spent flowers, and cutting back excessive or unruly stems and branches. By following the steps outlined here, you can confidently care for your plants and keep them healthy for months or even years to come.
How to Prune a Plant
Step 1: Clean and Sterilize Your Pruning Tools
Before you begin, ensure your pruning tools are clean and free from harmful pathogens. Wash them with warm, soapy water, and then sanitize the blades with 70% isopropyl alcohol. This reduces the risk of transferring diseases between plants. If you’re pruning multiple plants, clean your tools before switching from one to another.
For woody plants with stems ranging from ¼ to ¾ inch (0.64 to 1.91 cm) in thickness, use lopping shears. For larger branches, a pruning saw may be necessary. Larger tools can be disinfected with a diluted bleach solution (9 parts water to 1 part bleach).
Step 2: Remove Dead or Dying Leaves
Inspect your plants for any leaves that appear unhealthy, yellowing, or shriveled. These should be removed to allow the plant to focus its energy on healthy growth. If only part of a leaf is damaged, you can trim the affected portion with sanitized scissors, leaving the rest of the leaf intact. This helps maintain the plant’s overall health.
According to plant specialist Andi Xoch, pruning is most beneficial when leaves begin turning yellow, as this indicates they are no longer contributing to the plant’s health.
Step 3: Deadhead Flowering Plants
For plants with flowers, regularly remove spent blooms, a process known as “deadheading.” Pinch off wilted flowers using your fingers, or for plants with thicker stems, use pruning shears to cut the flower and stem just above the next bud. This encourages the plant to divert energy toward new blossoms, rather than wasting it on spent flowers. Deadheading should be done regularly, especially on plants that bloom frequently.
Step 4: Trim Stems, Vines, and Branches
To shape your plant and encourage more growth, cut back up to 25% of the plant’s stems, vines, or branches. Always make your cuts just above a node—the small bump or bud on the stem. Pruning at the node stimulates new growth from that point, often resulting in two new shoots. For woody plants, use pruning shears or loppers to cut about 1 cm above the node. For vine plants, trim them back to a strong section of wood or a healthy bud.
The general rule for pruning is to remove no more than 25% of a plant’s overall structure at a time, which is also a common guideline for professional landscapers.
Step 5: Propagate Leftover Cuttings
Don’t throw away the plant cuttings you’ve just removed! Many indoor plants, like pothos or philodendrons, can be propagated to grow new plants. Place your cuttings in a glass of water, ensuring the bottom-most node is submerged. After a few weeks, roots will start to form. Once they are a few inches long, you can transplant the cutting into soil to grow a new plant.
When to Prune
The timing of pruning depends largely on the plant species and the growing season. Generally, spring is the best time to prune most plants, as this is when they are actively growing. However, some plants may benefit from pruning later in the year. Beyond seasonal pruning, it’s important to regularly check your plants to ensure they remain healthy. Look for signs such as yellowing leaves or excess dead foliage, and prune as needed to maintain the plant’s overall health.
By regularly pruning your indoor plants, you not only keep them looking their best but also promote their long-term growth and vitality.