Get Snippy: the Secret to More Flowers
You’ve done the hard part: seeds planted, carefully watered and weeded, and now your little flower babies are finally growing tall. It feels like a victory! But just when they start to look like “real plants,” here comes the next scary step:
It’s time to pinch them!
It might feel a little counterintuitive (and honestly a bit emotional) to snip the top off a plant you’ve lovingly grown. But pinching is one of the kindest things you can do for certain flowers. It encourages them to grow stronger, fuller, and more bountiful—kind of like how our kids flourish with a little gentle guidance.
🌿 What is Pinching?
Pinching is simply removing the top few inches of a young plant—usually right above a pair of leaves. When you do this, the plant gets the message to branch out, sending up new shoots from the sides instead of just growing one tall stem.
More stems mean more flowers. And more flowers mean more smiles (and fuller mason jar bouquets on the kitchen table!).
🌿Why It’s Worth It
Fuller plants that don’t flop over or grow too tall and spindly.
More blooms over a longer season.
Stronger stems that are easier to harvest and arrange.
It can feel a little scary—like you’re undoing all your hard work—but this little snip makes a world of difference.
✂️ How to Pinch - Grab your blindfold
Wait until the plant is about 8–12 inches tall.
Find a healthy pair of leaves, and look just above them.
With clean fingers or snips, gently remove the top growth right above that spot.
That’s it! It takes just a moment, and the results will be worth the wait.
🌿Flowers That Love a Pinch
These cut flowers respond beautifully to a little pinch early on. They’ll reward you with armloads of blooms later in the season:
Zinnias
Cosmos
Snapdragons
Celosia
Dahlias
🚫 Flowers That Don’t Need Pinching
Some flowers are naturally well-behaved and don’t benefit from being pinched. These usually grow from one central stem or branch out on their own:
Single-stem Sunflowers
Stock
Lisianthus
Scabiosa
Bupleurum
Feverfew
Dara (a cousin of Queen Anne’s Lace)
🌿A Gentle Snip for Happier Flowers
If it’s hard to snip something you’ve worked so hard to grow—know that you’re not alone, my heart sinks every time I do this.
So grab your snips, take a chill pill, and pinch with confidence. It might feel ruthless now, but your future self—waist-deep in blooms and rocking those garden clogs—will thank you.