How many tips and how often to pinch?

[annafl]

I am trying to follow Phil's advice of pinching early and pinching often. However, I don't know how often. When do you know it's time again? How many flushes of leaves inbetween? Do you just pinch a couple of ends at a time, or most of the ends in the spring time? I kind of went on a pinching frenzy a month or two ago without asking. What about the slower cultivars? Do you pinch those often also? What trends do you follow? So much to learn! Thanks.

Ana

 

[koki]

If its a single leader it's probably worth pinching. If its a good brancher, don't bother, IMO.

 

[annafl]

Toby, do you think it ultimately doesn't make a difference in the fullness of the plant if you pinch or not? I mean, if it's already a pretty good brancher. Do you think you won't improve on its appearance? I'm just curious what others think and do in this regard.

In February or March I pinched some of my new plants at every tip at the same time. They have several tips at each point now, but some are dropping leaves in the center of the plant where less sun shines. Don't know if this would have happened irregardless. I'm wondering if the plant is placing so much energy on the many new tips that it's dropping older leaves it cannot support as well anymore. Maybe the trick is to pinch one or two at a time and do it every couple of weeks?

What do you do? Thanks.