By Stacy Risenmay | @stacyrisenmay
Aside from watering, it can be easy to kind of forget about our houseplants. But there are some tasks we need to do periodically to keep them healthy and happy. One of those things is to prune your plants. So let's talk about why you should prune and how to do it!
Pruning isn't just to keep your plant a more manageable size. Pruning your houseplants helps the overall health of the plant as well. Just like with outdoor plants, when you prune, it signals the plant to put on new healthy growth. Make sure to use clean, sharp snips or pruners. I love mine from Digz! If you don't ever trim up your plant, it will eventually get leggy.
Take this pothos plant for example. I have had it for two years and have neglected to trim it during that time. It is bald on the top. But we can fix that with a combination of pruning and propagating.
What is propagating? For this example I am referring to taking cuttings from a plant to create new plants. There are a few different ways you can get a cutting to root.
You can simply add the plant cutting to some water and wait until roots start to form. This is my preferred way to propagate because it is easy and has consistent results.
Another way you can propagate is by using soil or your favorite growing medium. Adding a cutting to a pot of dirt can work as long as the soil stays at a consistent moisture level. That's why this method can be a bit tricky.
So if you are wanting to try the soil method, I suggest creating greenhouse-like conditions. I like to add cuttings to my terrariums. Occasionally I will leave them in there indefinitely and other times I remove them and pot them up once they root.
A small clear tote is another way to create a high humidity environment. Add the growing medium of choice. Make sure it is moist but not soaking wet. Add your plant cuttings and put the lip on.
Remember my legging hanging plant? By pruning it, the plant will respond by adding growth to both the base and to the vines. But I can also add rooted cutting to the pot to help it fill in even more. I do this to all my plants to keep them bushy and full.Â
Head to my blog for a more in-depth discussion with even more information about pruning and propagating! Plus come see how I make propagating stylish and blend in with my decor!
