Should I pinch now? Tx z9a

9 years ago

Is it really better to pinch? Our heat gets high so I'm not expecting prize winning blooms, but I hope to get SOMETHING, lol. Pinching makes me nervous. It's my first year and I planted many, most of them recommended by the DAoG, but some not, so my garden is mostly trial and error this year. Are there some that do better than others if pinched? Does it make a difference? How far down do I pinch?

these are just a few to give an idea of size most of them currently are. About 6-8 inches tall.

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Comments (3)

cicivacation
9 years ago
Pinching the center forces the plant to start growing lateral branches from the top junction of the leaves and stalk. If you don't pinch out the center, often (not always) the side branches will wait until the terminal (very top) flower blooms before developing. My bet is that the top image's plant has a bud tucked in the center tip already.

Would you gain anything by pinching out that bud? It depends... I pinch center buds and 'top' plants by pinching the center out because I am eager for the first full flush of blooms from the lateral branches, which should be better quality and more then just the lone one bloom. But if this is your first year... you might rather see the first bloom, as a reward for your labor. There is no 'better' way; just preferences.

Here is what I suggest-
1. The last image is two plants off of the same tuber. Pinch the center out of one of them, and leave the other grow as-is. Compare their growth, and pay special attention to the flowering for the next month.
2. If you have any really lanky plants with the leaf sets really far apart, top those plants, leaving 4 leaf sets intact. Let the compact plants with tightly placed leaf sets grow on their own, so you can see the first blooms. Keep an eye on how soon the lateral branches form... some varieties (especially miniature and small sized blooms) will grow the laterals before the top flower blooms. Learn, enjoy and apply what you've gleaned from this process for next year's dahlias.
123 456 Tx z9a thanked cicivacation
123 456 Tx z9a
Original Author
9 years ago
You were right! There was a bud hiding in there. I found out after I pinched it! Lol. I don't care though, I'm excited to see those laterals. Thank you for your knowledge!
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J Pru
9 years ago
I usually wait until they have at least 4 leaf sets before I pinch out the center, or until the plant gets about 12-18" tall. Some people are much more scientific, changing the pinching height depending on the size of flower, etc. Your plant will recover and become more "bushy" no matter what you do, but I know how nerve wracking it can be to "get it right". In case you are worried about how particular you have to be, some of the really large growers do not pinch by hand - they take a machine with a buzz saw attachment and mow everything off at the same height!