Any good articles on pruning? (stem plants in particular)

[gfink]

I often wonder what is the best way to handle my stem plants. If I cut the tops off and replant, I have to remove the bottoms to keep from overcrowding. However, the plant then seems to go into shock and stop growing for several days. It is also a shame that the stem has to grow all new roots again.

If I cut the tops off, growth is stunted also.

What do you reccomend?

We need a sticky for pruning.

 

[travis simonson]

Different species take well to topping, others almost require you to top and replant them. The APC Plantfinder is great for finding out which method of pruning works best for any given species.

Another tip is to use very sharp scissors to prune your plants. This prevents bruising the tissue at the site of the cut, allowing the plant to recover more quickly. I know that ADA actually makes a tank additive designed to help plants recover faster from pruning. Can't say if it actually works though.

 

[czcz]

Its also okay if it takes a couple of days to recover. I find it beneficial to grow tops and bottom stems beside one another to figure out how to grow stuff. It is often difficult stem plants that do best with only replanted tops, but not all difficult stem plants are this way. Dosing in the water column makes sure the cuttings are not dependent on roots.

 

[Simpte]

Try to clip just below the nodes. More topping means fuller growth as stem plants may branch out after being clipped.