What to Pinch & Why
And what to leave alone so you don’t mess up your blooms
If you’ve ever heard the advice to “pinch your plants” but weren’t quite sure what that means—or why it matters—this is for you.
Pinching just means removing the tip of a young plant to redirect its energy. Instead of growing tall and spindly, it grows bushy and full, with more stems (and more flowers). But not every plant wants to be pinched—some will sulk, stall, or stop blooming altogether.
Here’s your guide to what to pinch, what not to pinch, and why it makes a difference.
What to Pinch — and Why It Works
Zinnias
→ Pinch when they’re about 6–8" tall, just above a set of leaves.
Why: You’ll get 3+ blooming stems instead of one tall one. More flowers!
Cosmos
→ Pinch early when plants are about 8" tall.
Why: Encourages branching and delays early flowering so plants get stronger before they bloom.
Dahlias
→ Pinch at 6-8"" tall, above a set of leaves with visible side shoots forming.
Why: More branching means more flowers per plant. Skip this if buds are already forming.
Basil
→ Pinch the tops regularly—especially if you see a flower bud.
Why: Once basil flowers, the leaves get bitter and the plant stops growing. Pinching keeps it productive.
Calendula & Marigolds
→ You can pinch or deadhead regularly.
Why: Keeps plants compact and encourages them to keep blooming instead of going to seed.
What NOT to Pinch — and Why to Leave Them Be
Sunflowers
→ Especially the tall, single-stem types—don’t pinch.
Why: They’re designed to produce one big bloom per stem. Pinching will delay or prevent that. You CAN pinch branching sunflowers
Tomatoes
→ Don’t pinch the main stem.
Why: Removing the tip can reduce yield. You can remove suckers if you want a tidier plant. I don’t remove them
Squash, Cucumbers, Pumpkins
→ Let them sprawl.
Why: These plants need their vines to grow and produce fruit. Pinching can reduce yields or stress the plant.
Perennials with visible buds
→ Don’t pinch plants like Echinacea or Black-Eyed Susans once they’ve formed buds.
Why: You’ll lose this season’s blooms. Pinch only early in the season if you want to delay blooming or shape growth.
A Few Tips to Keep in Mind:
Pinch in the morning when plants are well-hydrated.
Use your fingers or clean snips.
Pinch just above a leaf node or branching point.
If you’re not sure—skip it. You can always cut later, but you can’t glue a flower bud back on.
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