Pruning Houseplants Pamela Kock

When outdoor plants grow too large, look shabby or lanky, or need rejuvenation, it’s well accepted that pruning is an essential part of garden maintenance.  Some indoor plants can benefit from pruning too, and springtime is the perfect time to do it. 

The most obvious reason to give your plants a trim is to keep them a manageable size.  Compared to outdoor varieties, most indoor plants grow fairly slowly.  Eventually, though, a large dracaena may reach the ceiling!  When a plant outgrows its pot, you might not want to invest in the next larger size pot; that plant that fit just perfectly into your decorating scheme may not be as appropriate in larger proportions.

If it’s time to re-pot and you don’t want to move to a larger pot, there’s an easy trick to stunt the plant’s growth without hurting it.  Remove the plant from the pot, trim away some of the roots, then replace it in the pot with fresh potting soil to fill in the gap.  You’ll need to remove some of the leaves, too, because the smaller root ball won’t support all of the existing foliage.  Trim a few branches, remove some leaves from a single-stem plant like a dracaena, or cut off part of a vine.

Another reason to prune your houseplants is to rejuvenate them when they’ve become leggy and lanky.  Your plant may have dropped leaves over the winter, due to lower light levels and lower humidity.  Pinching and pruning can also encourage a plant to branch out and become fuller.  Some varieties respond better to this type of pruning than others.  With vigorous, woody plants such as dracaenas and yuccas, you can simply lop off the top of the plant and wait for it to grow new shoots.  Otherwise, make the cut above a node, which is where leaves or branches attach to the stem.  Your plant will recover better if there are several leaves remaining.

Even if your plant looks great the way it is, you might want to take cuttings to propagate some new ones.  Not all plants can be grown from cuttings, but if you’re going to trim the plant anyway, why not try to root some of the pieces?  Some cuttings, like Pothos, are incredibly simple to grow – just stick the cut end in a pot of soil and keep moist.  Others take some effort, and require a dusting of rooting hormone before planting.  The plant material required for cuttings depends on the variety; some root from a leaf, some require part of the stem.  Check your plant’s care requirements to find out how to propagate its cuttings.

Whether your plant requires a pair of scissors, pruning shears, or other instrument for pruning, always make sure the edge is sharp.  Dull edges can damage the plant and make it harder for the plant to heal the cuts.  Use good hygiene; if trimming a diseased plant, always make sure the cutting instrument is cleaned well before using it on another plant.  Cut stems may bleed sap; don’t worry, this is part of the healing process.  Be careful, though, when trimming certain plants such as Dieffenbachia.  It, and many others, contain sap that can cause skin irritation; you may want to wear garden gloves or at least wash your hands well after handling the plant.

Don’t be afraid to give your houseplants a “haircut” this spring.  Check the plant’s care requirements to make sure pruning is appropriate, and if so, go for it.  It may take a few months to see results, but your plants will reward you with lusher, thicker growth.

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