Petunias are a favorite annual flower for many gardeners. With their trumpet-shaped blooms in vibrant shades, they add cheerful color to beds, borders, containers and hanging baskets.
However, petunias have a tendency to get leggy and scraggly as the season goes on. Their stems elongate, flowers get smaller and less abundant. The plants open up and lose their shapely, mounded form.
Pinching back petunias is a simple technique to keep them lush, full and floriferous all season long. By routinely removing just an inch or two of tender new growth, you can transform scrawny, undisciplined petunias into gorgeous, dense, flowering machines!
Why Pinching Petunias is Important
Pinching off the tips of growing stems serves multiple purposes:
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It encourages branching and a bushy compact plant form. Petunias normally grow tall and stretched without pinching.
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More blooms are promoted by stimulating axillary bud growth where leaves meet stems.
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It controls plant height keeping plants full and dense rather than leggy and open.
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Periodic pinching prolongs the flowering period
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Removing spent blooms keeps plants looking tidy and attractive.
When to Pinch Petunias
Proper timing is important when pinching petunias. Follow these guidelines for best results:
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Pinch back the tips of young seedlings when transplanting into the garden. This spurs bushy growth right from the start.
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Pinch established plants every 7-10 days during the peak growing season. Frequent, minor pinching prevents legginess.
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Remove spent blooms anytime they appear to encourage new flower buds.
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Cut back long, lanky stems halfway to force out shorter, bushier new growth.
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Stop pinching 6 weeks before your average first fall frost date. This allows time for tender new growth to harden off in preparation for winter dormancy.
How to Pinch Back Petunia Stems
Pinching petunias back is quick and easy to do correctly:
With Your Fingers
- Locate the top two sets of leaves on a stem.
- Grasp the stem just above the second set of leaves.
- Use your thumb and forefinger to pinch off the tender tip above the leaves.
With Hand Clippers
- Position the blades about 1/4 inch above a leaf node.
- Snip off the soft stem tip, taking care not to damage leaves below the cut.
Remove Spent Blooms
- Old, faded flowers should be promptly pinched off to improve appearance.
- Pinch them off at their base, where the bloom meets the stem.
- Avoid leaving unsightly bare stem stubs.
Pinching Tips
Follow these tips for successful pinching:
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Only pinch stems on actively growing plants. Avoid pinching when plants are stressed.
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Always pinch above leaf nodes to avoid dieback down the stem.
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Discard pinched-off tips rather than leaving them around plants.
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Spread pinching out over weeks for a natural look.
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Pruning shears can pinch back thick, woody stems that resist finger pinching.
Correcting Leggy Petunia Stems
Sometimes petunia stems are allowed to elongate too much, ruining the shapely form. Here is how to rejuvenate leggy plants:
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Use hand shears to cut each leggy stem back by half its length.
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Make cuts just above a set of leaves to retain some foliage.
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This severe pinching spurs fresh compact growth and flowering.
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Bushy new stems will emerge from below the cuts and conceal the stubs.
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Resume regular tip pinching once new growth appears.
Special Pinching Tips for Container Petunias
Petunias confined in pots and hanging baskets often need more frequent attention:
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Check containers every 5-7 days for pinching needs.
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Cut back wayward stems straying outside the pot silhouette.
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Pinch crowded inward-facing stems to open up center space.
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Deadhead spent blooms before they can form seeds.
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Reduce water and fertilizer after pinching to avoid overly lush regrowth.
When to Stop Pinching Petunias
Be sure to stop pinching petunias in late summer:
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Discontinue pinching 6-8 weeks before your expected first fall frost.
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Allow time for tender new growth to properly mature and prepare for winter dormancy.
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Pruning too late risks removing protective foliage and delaying bud set for winter.
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Allow plants to naturally decline as daylight fades in autumn.
Pinching for Fabulous Petunias
Learning the simple techniques of proper pinching pays off with fuller, neater petunia plants smothered in colorful flowers. Just taking a minute every week or two to pinch back those soft shoot tips stimulates the bushy, compact performance you want from these classic bedding annuals.
How to fix leggy petunias
You cant fix those leggy stems (gasp!). But you can help the plant grow fuller and look good again. Yes, many petunias, especially wave petunias, are more maintenance-free and dont require you to deadhead petunias. But they keep growing longer and longer, and the new growth with the new blooms is at the very end of the long stem.
All the spent petunia flowers with faded blooms and wilted flowers get cut off with good pruning. Let me show you step by step what I look for, and then Ill tell you what I do. This is what the planter looked like at the end of July. Its not too bad because weve been getting rain and cooler days to break the heat. But the planter is getting messy, and some plants (hey, petunias!) look a little overgrown.
I like using these little pruning shears. They are inexpensive and allow you to do some very accurate trimming. I actually have a few tucked away around my yard.
DO NOT just randomly start cutting flowers and stems. You do not want straight lines or trim like a hedge. Returning to the haircut analogy, you dont want to cut your bangs straight across. Or, even worse, have a bowl cut. Dont embarrass your poor planter or hanging basket with a bad trim! Start with a plan.
Do you see how far these circled petunias have reached from the pot? They stuck out over a foot. It looks messy to me!
What needs to be pruned (pinched back).
I look for plants that are dry/yellow or look unhealthy. In this case, some of the King Tut grasses (that Ive circled) were dry and brown. I find that distracting in the summer. In the fall, its OK because I like the dried, whispy look then.
After a major trim, it usually takes 1 to 2 weeks, and the flowers blossoms again, and the plant/planter looks nice and full. A major trim (prune) feels aggressive, but the plant feels much better after a few days.
Pinching back petunias
FAQ
How to prune petunias to keep them blooming?
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Utica Observer Dispatchhttps://www.uticaod.comKeep petunias healthy with proper pruning: Here are some tipsJun 27, 2023 — Cut stems back by one fifth of their total length. Cut each stem just above a leaf set to encourage branching from that point. Regular pruning once …
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Garden Designhttps://www.gardendesign.com4 Tips to Keep Petunias Blooming All Summer – Garden DesignJul 27, 2022 — Use a sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears to trim back up to 1/3 of the volume of the plant. … Or you can cut just some branches each week so…
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Real Simplehttps://www.realsimple.comHow to Deadhead Petunias to Keep Them Blooming All Season LongAug 12, 2024 — Deadheading petunias is a pretty easy task—no gloves, pruning shears, or extra equipment required. Just use your thumb and forefinger to pinch off s…
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Mississippi State University Extension Service |https://extension.msstate.eduHow to Deadhead Petunias | Mississippi State University Extension …5 days ago — Get the most out of your petunias by properly deadheading them! Deadheading the wilted or dead blooms only encourages new blooms to grow and keeps the…
Do you pinch out petunia?
Pinch out the growing tips of your plants during the early stages of growth, and do this two or three times before planting out to encourage side shooting.
How do I keep my petunias looking full and flowering?