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Pinching Plants: How to Pinch for Better Growth

If you’re looking to grow fuller, bushier plants with more blooms or herbs with better harvests, pinching is your secret weapon. It’s a simple and gentle way to promote branching, delay flowering when needed, and shape your plants — all without fancy tools or advanced knowledge. Here’s everything you need to know about pinching plants successfully.

Close-up of gardener pinching basil stem with fingers

What Is Pinching?

Pinching involves removing the top portion of a growing stem, usually just above a node (the spot where leaves or branches emerge). This encourages the plant to redirect energy to its side shoots, resulting in a bushier and more productive plant.

Which Plants Should You Pinch?

Many annuals, flowering herbs, and late-blooming perennials benefit from pinching. These include:

  • Annual flowers: Petunia, Zinnia, Cosmos, Verbena, Snapdragons, Impatiens
  • Perennials: Chrysanthemum, Aster, Sedum, Phlox
  • Herbs: Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Lavender, Sage
Healthy basil, rosemary, and thyme plants ready for pinching

Plants You Should Avoid Pinching

Some plants do not respond well to pinching, especially those that flower from a single stem or have a rosette growth habit. Avoid pinching:

  • Daylilies and other lilies
  • Columbine
  • Astilbe
  • Hydrangeas (on woody stems)
  • Hosta, Iris, Peony

How to Pinch a Plant (Step-by-Step)

No tools required — just your thumb and forefinger. Here’s how to do it:

  • Locate a fresh, soft stem with healthy leaves
  • Identify a node (where the leaves branch out)
  • Pinch off the top 1–2 cm just above that node
  • If needed, use clean scissors or shears for tougher stems
Gardener demonstrating pinching on a green stem near node

When to Pinch

Timing matters. Pinch plants during active growth, not when they’re stressed or dormant. For most herbs and annuals, start early in the growing season. For late-season bloomers like chrysanthemums or asters, stop pinching by early summer so they have time to develop flowers.

Why Pinch? Benefits You’ll See

Pinching helps plants:

  • Grow bushier and more balanced
  • Produce more flowering stems
  • Delay or stagger blooms for longer color
  • Yield bigger, better herb harvests

Pinching is especially useful in small-space and container gardens where vertical growth can quickly dominate a space or cause plants to flop over.

Other Cutting Techniques to Know

Pinching is just one of several light pruning techniques. Here’s how it compares:

  • Deadheading: Removing spent flowers to extend blooming
  • Pruning: Removing woody or diseased stems for structure or health
  • Shearing: Trimming across the surface of hedges or shrubs to create uniform shape
Comparison of pinching, deadheading, and pruning methods

Don’t Be Afraid to Pinch

It may feel strange at first to remove healthy growth, but pinching is one of the best things you can do for many flowering plants and herbs. It’s quick, easy, and effective — and it only takes a few minutes to see long-term rewards.

Plant. Grow. Thrive. Green Starts Here.