Harvesting the Advantages of Herbal Pinching: Something Essential to Understand and Proper Execution Guidelines
In the world of gardening, maintaining healthy and productive herb plants is essential for any green-fingered enthusiast. One common practice is pinching back, a technique used to encourage bushy growth and prevent flowering. However, not all herbs benefit from this method, and understanding which ones to pinch back and when is crucial.
Basil, a popular herb in many kitchens, is one that benefits from pinching. Tips should be removed when stems have six to eight leaves. On the other hand, herbs grown for their flowers or seeds, such as chives, cilantro (or coriander), dill, fennel, and sage (once mature), should not be pinched back. This is because pinching discourages flowering, which can be detrimental if you're aiming to collect seeds or enjoy the herb's blooms.
Lavender, often grown for its fragrant flowers, should not be harvested for leaves and instead be allowed to grow throughout the season. At the end of the season, stopping the pinching process will encourage the plant to flower and produce seeds for the following year.
Rosemary and thyme, however, do benefit from pinching. Rosemary benefits from pinching off the tips of young stems and periodic pinching back of the longest stems, while thyme benefits from regular pinching of tips and removal of up to half of the length of stems.
Mint is another herb that benefits from pinching. Stems should be pinched when they are 4 to 6 inches long, and flowers should be removed to keep the energy in leaf production and ensure leaves have good flavour. Oregano also benefits from regular pinching and removal of flowers.
When pinching herbs, it's important to locate a dormant leaf bud on a stem and pinch off the stem just above the node. This encourages bushier growth, reduces legginess, promotes lateral growth, makes an herb plant more productive, and delays flower formation, extending the harvest season.
A good general rule when pinching herbs is to remove no more than one-third of their growth at a time to keep plants healthy and thriving. It's not necessary to remove the entire stem; only the top portion with two leaves can be pinched off to trigger lateral growth.
Remember, herbs are herbaceous perennials or annuals that grow in a bushy, clump-forming habit. By understanding when to pinch back your herbs, you can ensure a bountiful harvest and a beautiful garden all season long.
Basil, a popular kitchen herb, is one that benefits from pinching, with tips being removed when stems have six to eight leaves. Contrarily, herbs such as chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, and sage (once mature), lavender, which is grown for its fragrant flowers, and oregano should not be pinched back as it discourages flowering, which can be detrimental if you aim to collect seeds or enjoy the herb's blooms.
