"Carolyn LeCrone" wrote in message
...

"Max Caviar" wrote in message
om...
How precisely, is this done? I keep reading about this, but not sure
I understand what is being suggested. Are you to just pinch new buds
once, multiple times, ...? How hard are you to pinch these things
anyway? Enough to slightly crush them, or less?
In case you weren't being a jokester, "pinch" means to remove. So you
remove buds from chrysanthemums early in the season so that the plant
bushes
out and blooms later. Usually you remove each bud with you fingers so
that
you don't just shear the plant and ruin its shape.



Now that we've gotten this far:

You pinch so there's maybe 1/8 to 1/4" of stem above the next lower set of
leaves. Or, if the plant needs more of a trim, go lower, but don't leave a
long piece of stem. Most plants won't grow new leaves from the stub. Don't
remove too many leaves at once from plants that are stressed for some
reason, such as lack of water, physical damage, etc.

For plants whose growth is brittle and you're afraid to stick your hand
among the stems, pick up a pair of florist's scissors. They have very short
cutting blades made for small places. Keep the scissors closed as you insert
them into the growth, and open them when you're near the stem you want to
cut. If you can't find these scissors in stores, get a pair of Joyce Chen
kitchen scissors at a supermarket, Bed Bath & Beyond, Linens & Things - that
sort of place. They work fine and because they're made to cut through
chicken bones, they'll handle tough branches, too.