Expert Reveals Simple Pruning Trick for Fuller, Bushier Hanging Plants

For those struggling with leggy, sparse hanging plants, an expert offers a simple yet effective solution: pruning. Gynelle Leon, owner of the London cactus shop Prick, explains that cutting back healthy-looking stems can actually promote more vigorous growth, restoring a plant's lush appearance.

Leon advocates for a technique called "pinching" or "tipping." This involves removing the very tip of a stem just above a node, which is where new shoots can emerge. By doing this, the plant redirects its energy from simply elongating the existing stem to developing new side branches, leading to a denser plant.

“

It might sound cruel, but this is the kind of damage plants are built to recover from – and thrive even better after.

Species like hoya, pothos, and tradescantia can benefit from this. Leon suggests cutting stems, leaving one or two nodes, and then rooting the cuttings in water. Once roots develop, these can be planted back into the original pot, either alongside the pruned plant or in a new one, further filling out the plant's appearance.

While it might seem counterintuitive to cut healthy parts of a plant, Leon assures that plants are resilient and often thrive after such "damage." She notes that this pruning is best performed during the spring and summer growing seasons. Her own tradescantia, initially sparse, became significantly fuller after she applied this technique, with new shoots appearing within weeks and the rooted cuttings adding extra density.

“

Maybe it sounds cruel, but this is the kind of damage plants are built to recover from – and after which they thrive even better.