Hey #TheWateringHole , let’s talk pruning ✂️ ! It’s an ar...
Hey #TheWateringHole , let’s talk pruning ✂️ ! It’s an area of plant care I haven’t delved into, but need to,
as some of my plants could benefit, both visually and physically, from a little haircut 💇🏻♀️! What are your pruning practices? Here are a few of my 🪴 babies that I stare at day after day and am too nervous to prune, any advice? #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #mamalinne #Philodendron #DancingBones #watermelonpeperomia #raindroppeperomia #peperomia #rhipsalis #NewGrowth #PlantTherapy
as some of my plants could benefit, both visually and physically, from a little haircut 💇🏻♀️! What are your pruning practices? Here are a few of my 🪴 babies that I stare at day after day and am too nervous to prune, any advice? #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #mamalinne #Philodendron #DancingBones #watermelonpeperomia #raindroppeperomia #peperomia #rhipsalis #NewGrowth #PlantTherapy
60
🏷️ @CutePolypremum @lifeis2short @AC73LoveCats @theloveofplants @PoisedAlbo @ultrakoreanfir @CourtlyKingfern @PlantJedi @ILoveMyPlants @TheOddAsity @SweetAzurebluet @Ninabeena @MariansOasis @Amateurbotany @Arid_oasis @Babevila @elisenavidad @FitBrowallia @JenniB81 @JenniferNoel @Michelle5986 @debbiedo @PrizedShadscale @planthoe40 @AmusingRedhill @Pineapplemom @Popcornjoness @idplantthat @craaa777 @preciousplants @TRose @AmyM @Motheroforchids @BuffCaperspurge @PrincessPitStop @Plants_Galore @Prentyce @PioneerRutabaga @blueberrypie @motheroforchids @refinedsandwort @elk @baobab_zig @dogs-equal-joy @TheConservator @littlesongbird @toouniquel @PHILO @DreamMachine @ponytailmom
@MamaLinne
Hi Deb!
I'm sorry but I'm the last person to ask.
For sure, our pruning whisperers will.join in soon to help you.
Just wanted to pop in for a minute to say hi...beautiful plant people! 🤗
I hope to be joining in later.
Hi Deb!
I'm sorry but I'm the last person to ask.
For sure, our pruning whisperers will.join in soon to help you.
Just wanted to pop in for a minute to say hi...beautiful plant people! 🤗
I hope to be joining in later.
@CutePolypremum thank you so much! It’s a Hatiora salicorniodes, or “dancing bones” cactus. Just got it a month or so ago! It’s an epiphytic cactus - I think it’s fascinating!
@MamaLinne Deb thanks for this topic I have tried several times and they die. Can’t wait to see the post so the next one doesn’t die
I play it fast and loose with pruning 😜 By that I just mean I'm not afraid to chop it down if need be! I'm a savage pruner with all my Tradescantia, especially the really fast growers. I prefer a full, bushy pot to a few sad scraggly vines any day 🤓 Any plant that be stuck straight back into the soil, I'm going to chop n prop it regularly, year round. For plants that do best propped in water, I'm slightly less savage. One reason is my impatience. But I also have several cuttings that have been in water for over a year, that I keep meaning to move to soil but never seem to get around to, so I'm less inclined to start new water props ☺️
@MamaLinne If I had your raindrop peperomia, it would be chopped down in no time! 😂 Whenever mine starts getting a bit too tall, I hack it down and stick the cutting right back in the soil.
Here are two plants I've been meaning to prune for ages but just...haven't 😋 My Three Kings Syngonium is practically toppling off this shelf. And I've wrapped my variegated string of hearts vines around this trellis a thousand times to keep it from reaching the floor, instead of just biting the bullet and trimming it!!
@MamaLinne If I had your raindrop peperomia, it would be chopped down in no time! 😂 Whenever mine starts getting a bit too tall, I hack it down and stick the cutting right back in the soil.
Here are two plants I've been meaning to prune for ages but just...haven't 😋 My Three Kings Syngonium is practically toppling off this shelf. And I've wrapped my variegated string of hearts vines around this trellis a thousand times to keep it from reaching the floor, instead of just biting the bullet and trimming it!!
@MamaLinne Fun topic! 🙌 I’m a bit like @stephonicle in that I prune pretty freely ✂️
I like to let my plants just “do their thang” as much as I can AND sometimes that thang just doesn’t fit my space or look the way I want 😂
I’ve had some luck putting cuttings right back on/into the soil (cacti, succulents, tradescantia), but I do more water propagating than anything.
I like to leave them until they have decent root development, then put them in their own pot with soil, then later add them to the mama pot if I’m looking to make a plant fuller.
Patience is definitely the toughest part 😬 But it’s so fun watching them push out lots of new growth after a haircut 🤩
I like to let my plants just “do their thang” as much as I can AND sometimes that thang just doesn’t fit my space or look the way I want 😂
I’ve had some luck putting cuttings right back on/into the soil (cacti, succulents, tradescantia), but I do more water propagating than anything.
I like to leave them until they have decent root development, then put them in their own pot with soil, then later add them to the mama pot if I’m looking to make a plant fuller.
Patience is definitely the toughest part 😬 But it’s so fun watching them push out lots of new growth after a haircut 🤩
@MamaLinne @CutePolypremum @debbiedo @FitBrowallia @stephonicle
Ooh funny topic because I was just doing that yesterday with micans and lemon lime philo. For those (arg!! My phone keeps autocorrecting “those” to “thise” WHY?? 🤦♀️) and other fast growing vines that already have ridiculous aerial roots started, I just cut, let sit for 20 min to callus over a little (if I’m feeling patient) or they just go straight into the pot, if it is watering day. If it’s not watering day I might root in water. So I try to do that on watering day because I’m horrible at remembering my water props. Tradescantias, like Steph, ALWAYS go straight back into the pot.
Yesterday I actually stuck some micans and lemon limes philo cuttings into perlite to see how fast they would root in it, with a little bit of water at the bottom of the cup. I’ve never rooted in straight perlite before, so I wanted to experiment. 🔬 🤷♀️ I’ve heard they make roots more similar to soil roots than water roots in perlite.
Of course Deb, thise are plants I don’t have, so I couldn’t be confident in telling you how to prune most, except for that raindrop peperomia is it? I’d def chop and prop 😁
Ooh funny topic because I was just doing that yesterday with micans and lemon lime philo. For those (arg!! My phone keeps autocorrecting “those” to “thise” WHY?? 🤦♀️) and other fast growing vines that already have ridiculous aerial roots started, I just cut, let sit for 20 min to callus over a little (if I’m feeling patient) or they just go straight into the pot, if it is watering day. If it’s not watering day I might root in water. So I try to do that on watering day because I’m horrible at remembering my water props. Tradescantias, like Steph, ALWAYS go straight back into the pot.
Yesterday I actually stuck some micans and lemon limes philo cuttings into perlite to see how fast they would root in it, with a little bit of water at the bottom of the cup. I’ve never rooted in straight perlite before, so I wanted to experiment. 🔬 🤷♀️ I’ve heard they make roots more similar to soil roots than water roots in perlite.
Of course Deb, thise are plants I don’t have, so I couldn’t be confident in telling you how to prune most, except for that raindrop peperomia is it? I’d def chop and prop 😁
@MamaLinne @CutePolypremum @debbiedo @FitBrowallia @stephonicle
Forgot my pics again. I put a humidity dome on the Micans cuttings because it fit. The lemon lime leaves are a bit too big.
And when pruning, I just clip and snip where my heart tells me, before my brain says “uh oh, too much!”
Forgot my pics again. I put a humidity dome on the Micans cuttings because it fit. The lemon lime leaves are a bit too big.
And when pruning, I just clip and snip where my heart tells me, before my brain says “uh oh, too much!”
I would never give advice re: a peperomia because I haven’t been too successful with them. But I have pruned several philodendrons with great success. They propagate easily and then you can either create a new plant or add it back to your existing pot to add fullness to the mother plant. I just snipped my Cebu Blue that was getting a little leggy and hope to add the props back in when they’re ready.
@DreamMachine I mean, we all use "thise" so often it's not surprising it autocorrects to that 🙄 great, now my phone will start doing it too...three times force typing "thise", I'm doomed. Reminds me of how my phone always thinks I'm using the word the "ducking", or telling some to "duck off", or pontificating on some "mother ducker" who pulled out in front of me 😂
@DreamMachine Nadia. I bought some domes and I didn’t get any condensation. Propping doesn’t like me
@FitBrowallia do they perhaps have some holes on top? I had to block mine with a piece of tape. And did you water the prop? Condensation usually starts happening with 24 hours, but not right away.
@FitBrowallia sometime soon I’ll take pictures as I do my props so you can have a step by step visual. Because I really want to figure out how they don’t work for you, and I want you to be able to prop!!
@CutePolypremum @DreamMachine @Forbes57 @stephonicle @debbiedo @LaLaslovlies @Melty208 was hoping yall would pipe in, thank you! Steph, I hope to be as fearless as you lol! I’m so mad at myself- last year I pulled apart a perfectly nice raindrop pep and now have 3 anemic looking ones. Can you show me where you’d chop? Peps root right from the stem? I followed your advice on the tradescantia a few weeks ago and it looks so much better!
Nadia I just love the long trailing philo leaves and can’t bear to cut them off! But the bushy philos like this one - I’m curious how to cut it to make it look better and less…wild? It’s so thick and unorganized. @FitBrowallia thank you for the compliment! I do love them so!
Nadia I just love the long trailing philo leaves and can’t bear to cut them off! But the bushy philos like this one - I’m curious how to cut it to make it look better and less…wild? It’s so thick and unorganized. @FitBrowallia thank you for the compliment! I do love them so!
@MamaLinne me too!! This time around the lemon lime is just so I can fill out the pot a little more, and then Micans I’m sorry to say I put in slightly lower light than he prefers, and he showed me with some verrrrrry long internodal space 🤪 So he gets to have his pot filled out a bit too 😅
Which philo is that? There are so many it’s hard for me to keep track of but I can poke around for you 🥰
Which philo is that? There are so many it’s hard for me to keep track of but I can poke around for you 🥰
@DreamMachine Greg thinks it’s a blushing philodendron. I’m not so sure as it doesn’t blush much. 🤭
@DreamMachine yes I did water them I did forget to cover the holes on the bottom. I’m going to try again and cover the holes
@MamaLinne ha, blushing philodendron. One of Greg's go-to IDs for any philo with semi-dark green leaves 😂
I'm so glad the chop n prop directly into soil worked out for your tradescantia! It really is sooo much easier. For your raindrop pep, I've drawn a line where I would cut it (it was a little hard to see but I *think* I made the line right below a node!). Also shared a pic of mine, which needs to be chopped again. The little plant in the pot next to it is the piece I chopped off last year. I had no issues sticking it right back in the soil. Since these take a bit longer to root than, say, tradescantia, I did find that the leaves would get slightly wrinkly right before watering. This goes away once it's established some roots, so don't be concerned if it looks a little wonky for the first little bit 😉
I'm so glad the chop n prop directly into soil worked out for your tradescantia! It really is sooo much easier. For your raindrop pep, I've drawn a line where I would cut it (it was a little hard to see but I *think* I made the line right below a node!). Also shared a pic of mine, which needs to be chopped again. The little plant in the pot next to it is the piece I chopped off last year. I had no issues sticking it right back in the soil. Since these take a bit longer to root than, say, tradescantia, I did find that the leaves would get slightly wrinkly right before watering. This goes away once it's established some roots, so don't be concerned if it looks a little wonky for the first little bit 😉
Here’s a brief how to on pruning o found using AI. This is the “craft” part, the “art”part is more difficult I find. That’s called trimming and requires a lot of looking and hesitation on my part to get the shaping right.
How to Prune Houseplants
Prune houseplants in spring or early summer to encourage bushy growth, using sharp, sterilized tools to make clean cuts just above a leaf node. Remove no more than 20–25% of the plant at once to avoid stress, focusing on dead, damaged, or leggy stems. Key tips include cutting at a 45-degree angle, wearing gloves for sappy plants, and using cuttings for propagation. Essential Pruning Techniques
Locate Nodes: Cut roughly
1/4inch above a node—the point where leaves attach to the stem—to promote new growth.
Shape & Density: To make plants bushier, trim back long, straggly stems. This forces the plant to branch out from the lower nodes.
Remove Dead/Yellow Leaves: Cut off dying foliage at the base to improve appearance and prevent disease.
Handle Sap: For plants like ficus or rubber trees, wash off sticky sap with water or wear gloves to protect skin.
Best Practices
Sterilize Tools: Use rubbing alcohol or soapy water to clean shears between plants to prevent spreading pests or fungi.
Don't Over-prune: Never remove more than 20–25% of the total foliage, as this can severely stress the plant.
Timing: The best time is the start of the growing season (spring/summer), though minor cleaning can be done year-round.
Post-Pruning Care: After pruning, keep a close eye on watering needs, as the plant may need less water until new growth appears.
Tools to Use
Small Scissors: Good for soft-stemmed plants.
Bypass Pruners: Ideal for woody stems to ensure clean, non-crushing cuts.
How to Prune Houseplants
Prune houseplants in spring or early summer to encourage bushy growth, using sharp, sterilized tools to make clean cuts just above a leaf node. Remove no more than 20–25% of the plant at once to avoid stress, focusing on dead, damaged, or leggy stems. Key tips include cutting at a 45-degree angle, wearing gloves for sappy plants, and using cuttings for propagation. Essential Pruning Techniques
Locate Nodes: Cut roughly
1/4inch above a node—the point where leaves attach to the stem—to promote new growth.
Shape & Density: To make plants bushier, trim back long, straggly stems. This forces the plant to branch out from the lower nodes.
Remove Dead/Yellow Leaves: Cut off dying foliage at the base to improve appearance and prevent disease.
Handle Sap: For plants like ficus or rubber trees, wash off sticky sap with water or wear gloves to protect skin.
Best Practices
Sterilize Tools: Use rubbing alcohol or soapy water to clean shears between plants to prevent spreading pests or fungi.
Don't Over-prune: Never remove more than 20–25% of the total foliage, as this can severely stress the plant.
Timing: The best time is the start of the growing season (spring/summer), though minor cleaning can be done year-round.
Post-Pruning Care: After pruning, keep a close eye on watering needs, as the plant may need less water until new growth appears.
Tools to Use
Small Scissors: Good for soft-stemmed plants.
Bypass Pruners: Ideal for woody stems to ensure clean, non-crushing cuts.
@MamaLinne @BEsucculent @debbiedo @DreamMachine @FitBrowallia @Forbes57 @LaLaslovlies @stephonicle
Good morning 🙏🏻 🌄 ☺️!
A couple of belated photos:
Rattlesnake plant and Peperomia.
It's probably time to snip and clip our Peperomia before she literally pops out of her pot!
She's growing vertically because there's no room horizontally. Lol ❤️ 😆
As far as Mr. Rattlesnake goes...I just moved him lower from a high shelf and am amazed at his growth and beauty!
Have an awesome 👌 day, my wonderful plant friends 😀 😊
Good morning 🙏🏻 🌄 ☺️!
A couple of belated photos:
Rattlesnake plant and Peperomia.
It's probably time to snip and clip our Peperomia before she literally pops out of her pot!
She's growing vertically because there's no room horizontally. Lol ❤️ 😆
As far as Mr. Rattlesnake goes...I just moved him lower from a high shelf and am amazed at his growth and beauty!
Have an awesome 👌 day, my wonderful plant friends 😀 😊
@CutePolypremum ooh he’s gorgeous!! And so is your pep. I’ve never seen one as beautiful full and lush as yours, What happy plants 🥰🥰
@CutePolypremum whoops my comment sent too soon! Have you propagated your pep before? Where do you make the cut?
I hope you have a lovely day my friend ☀️✨
I hope you have a lovely day my friend ☀️✨
@stephonicle @DreamMachine 😆 love thise and duck off !! For me my phone 💯 changes orchid to orchard because you know, I’m always out in my orchards 🍎🍏🍑🍒🥑 😂
@CutePolypremum oh my goodness they are gorgeous. I would sit in front of them and stare at them. Joanie you are brave I would be to scared to touch
Good morning @MamaLinne what a great topic! I always learn so much from everyone at #TheWateringHole 👍✅. I’m a bit like Steph @stephonicle that I’ll go through ruthlessly ✂️. But I do hesitate on some because I don’t want to set the plant back. However with SOP SOD 🐬 I trim whenever strands get too iffy at the top and prop those. I can’t bear to toss out SOP cuttings so I currently have 5 SOPs and a vase with props 🥹🤪. Tradescantia and pothos for sure I trim a lot because they get do leggy otherwise but green ♻️ 🚮 the cuttings because I don’t want more of them. Syngoniums don’t always do well for me after a trim 😔 I think I wait too long, feel like the cuttings that do best (to prop) are more towards the newer growth rather than further down the vine 🤷♀️. I got frustrated with one of my blushing syngos and chopped her completely off, rooted the cuttings in water and they’re coming back great 👍. When the roots were long enough I put all of them in one pot and I’m happy with how that’s going. Much fuller. I’ve never chopped a Hoya, oops take that back, except kerrii 😊. Hoyas I keep wrapping around the trellis. Most however I prefer to have trail. All the trailing philos get a trim every few months of any scrawny vines. Never have trimmed my Black Pagoda Lipstick 💄 😬😳🫦 too nervous to upset her, I like her the way she is rn but would love to hear how others treat their lipstick 💄 🪴👍 @CutePolypremum @debbiedo @DreamMachine @Forbes57 @LaLaslovlies @stephonicle @Melty208
Okay @stephonicle I’ve been on a rampage this morning. ✂️🪴What about this one? I *think* they’re supposed to be standing straight up but it was like this when I got it at a plant swap last summer. Should I chop the long ones into multiple pieces? I’m thinking of doing that and repotting the whole thing with cuttings into terracotta.
@MamaLinne well Deb, I couldn’t confidentially ID your number one, but from what I can see, they have plenty of aerial roots? I would just prune off a smallish segment with aerial roots at a time until you like the general shape, and then get those babies in some kind of substrate! 😁
@MariansOasis Good morning Marian ☀️♥️ ooh I would love to ask you how you prop your string of pearls? Water? Or straight back on top of the soil? ☺️
@MamaLinne oh my goodness, the curly ends are pretty dang cute! 🥰
(Deleted and reposted with screenshot)
(Deleted and reposted with screenshot)
@DreamMachine soooo manyyyy aerial roots! The whole thing reminds me of me when I go to bed with wet hair- my daughter warned me about this, as you know!! 👩🏻🦱🌪️🌪️
@DreamMachine it is cute and wonky- I haven’t even been able to truly ID it, other than it being some type of euphorbia?
@MamaLinne @debbiedo Debbie do you have this cutie too or know what it is? I feel like I might have seen you post it before, but maybe not!
@DreamMachine @FitBrowallia
Hi ladies!
Thanks for the lovely compliments🤗
I've only pruned Peperomia once before and it was a only a few sprigs at the top.
Haven't yet given him a good haircut...am waiting until it's totally necessary! Lol.😅
Hi ladies!
Thanks for the lovely compliments🤗
I've only pruned Peperomia once before and it was a only a few sprigs at the top.
Haven't yet given him a good haircut...am waiting until it's totally necessary! Lol.😅
@MamaLinne I promised myself no more plants for at least a month. Then I found this Philodendron Yellow Ghost at my grocery store for $10! How coud I resist?
@MariansOasis
Oh gosh Marian 😶
For some reason I didn't include you in my post about Rattlesnake and Pep plants...I'm sorry and surely meant to.
If I go back and add your @, for some reason, the app deletes most of my photos!
Oh gosh Marian 😶
For some reason I didn't include you in my post about Rattlesnake and Pep plants...I'm sorry and surely meant to.
If I go back and add your @, for some reason, the app deletes most of my photos!
@DreamMachine I have a Starfish Cactus that looks a bit like this. But I think yours is a Euphorbia Knuthii @MamaLinne . It’s so pretty! When I look them up I see pics of them growing in all different directions just like yours. I do think they propagate pretty easily so it’s really up to you and how you want to encourage it to grow! 🪴
@DreamMachine
Hi my dear Nadia!
Gosh...I've looked at your post asking about how to prop a pep (say that over and over again, really fast...it will drive you nuts ) 😆
To be honest, honey, I have no idea!
The only things I have ever propagated are an avocado seed and a sweet potato.
When I trim my guys, the stems and leaves usually go into the compost.
So far, I've given random cuttings of Golden Pathos, English Ivy, Rubber plant, and Pepemonia to friends and family. My cuttings are willy nilly but the folks told me they all propagated just fine!
Hi my dear Nadia!
Gosh...I've looked at your post asking about how to prop a pep (say that over and over again, really fast...it will drive you nuts ) 😆
To be honest, honey, I have no idea!
The only things I have ever propagated are an avocado seed and a sweet potato.
When I trim my guys, the stems and leaves usually go into the compost.
So far, I've given random cuttings of Golden Pathos, English Ivy, Rubber plant, and Pepemonia to friends and family. My cuttings are willy nilly but the folks told me they all propagated just fine!
@debbiedo @MamaLinne yes, omg euphorbia knuthii—SO cool!! I was telling Deb I had just listening to a planty podcast about caudexes! 😱🤩😍
@CutePolypremum good afternoon my dear Joanie! I love sharing cuttings too 🥰
I had a pretty funny oopsies moment the other day. I have never tried “air layering” as a propagation method before, which basically entails wrapping damp sphagnum around a node thats still attached to your plant, and trying to grow roots first, before you cut the baby off.
Well, I had my marble Peperomia who was getting quite tall so I thought, who better to experiment with? You have to shave the top layer of the stem/bark off first, so I suuuuper carefully went all around the stem with a very sharp paring knife, thinking I was merely scratching the surface….but as I got to the end, BAM, the whole top fell off. 🫠
So, I ended up just making the most careful cutting I ever had 😜🤪😂
I had a pretty funny oopsies moment the other day. I have never tried “air layering” as a propagation method before, which basically entails wrapping damp sphagnum around a node thats still attached to your plant, and trying to grow roots first, before you cut the baby off.
Well, I had my marble Peperomia who was getting quite tall so I thought, who better to experiment with? You have to shave the top layer of the stem/bark off first, so I suuuuper carefully went all around the stem with a very sharp paring knife, thinking I was merely scratching the surface….but as I got to the end, BAM, the whole top fell off. 🫠
So, I ended up just making the most careful cutting I ever had 😜🤪😂
@DreamMachine
Oh no!!!!
Talk about being too careful!
That must have been such a surprise 😶😄😍
And...A very good one at that 🤗✨🎊🦄
Oh no!!!!
Talk about being too careful!
That must have been such a surprise 😶😄😍
And...A very good one at that 🤗✨🎊🦄
I've only pruned when a leaf or stem has died or is turning yellow/brown. I'm terrible at doing it to make a plant bushier. The only time I propagate is after I break a stem off accidentally... I do know you are only supposed to trim about 1/4 off at a time so the plant does not go into shock... Oh! Wait, I have done it with some of my Cactus. After I've trimmed some of the arms/pads, I've let them sit over night to callous and then plant back into dirt. My Bunny Ears Cactus needs prunning all the time. I have 3 plants now... And my Thimble Cactus is the same way. But I haven't pruned my Vining plants...
I have a fish tank. No fish. Fluval in the bottom, moderate lights. My chop and prop is bipolar like me. I let them sit over night to callus over. Sometimes I seal them with glue. I currently went crazy and chopped my whole window of plants. Mostly I prop in water and leca or fluval. Moss hates me they always rot. If i don't like the way a certain plant is growing I'll chop.
