One of the things that gardeners know most about philodendrons is that they ’re passably much foolproof .
They are n’t one of those species that is constantly teetering on the sharpness of calamity . And they do n’t require tons of maintenance like regular pruning to keep them live .
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Leaf node. Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
But it certainly does n’t injure thing to give them a little clipping - snip now and then .
While you do n’t ask to be an experient cosmetologist to give your philodendron a haircut , doing it improper can leave your flora looking like someone put on a blindfold and go to township with a distich of clippers .
To help you make your philodendrons look perfect , we ’re going to go over the following :
When and How to Prune Philodendrons
There aredozens of species and cultivarsin thePhilodendrongenus , and they can be terrestrial ( raise in the ground),epiphytic(growing on other plants ) , or hemiepiphytic ( both ) .
And that mean the necessary precaution required can vary .
Heartleaf vines have different pruning requirements than something more upright like a Selene setapinnis philodendron .
devote attention to the growth habit of your finicky specimen before you pull to any gash .
Why Prune These Plants?
Remember , you do n’t technicallyhaveto trim a philodendron . So why go to the trouble if it is n’t purely necessary ?
There are several reasons .
First , if your philodendron has break down , diseased , discolored , or pest - infested foliage or vine , it ’s expert to get rid of them to hike up or protect the overall health of the industrial plant .
Same go for really leggy vines .
Really , any area that is n’t adding to the face of the plant can go .
But check that you do n’t overdo it – cut back more than a one-fourth to a third of a houseplant at a time can accentuate or traumatise it , and removing too much of the foliage that ’s necessary for photosynthesis at a time may be too much for it to withstand , lead to dieoff .
Sun exposure is also deserving considering . Though these plant do n’t generally need much , and vines lean to spread , lawful legginess is more often than not a polarity of a lack of sun .
Moving your plant to a better billet can easy chasten this , resulting in healthier new growing after you ’ve given it a trimming !
It ’s also good to do some clipping to produce a tidier appearance , or to cumber an overly - enthusiastic plant .
Just one thing to keep in mind here – if your works isnototherwise healthy , and it ’s designate certain far-flung symptoms of a struggle like wilting , yellowing , or discolored leaves , pruning alone wo n’t solveproblems like root rotor extravagant sunlight picture .
They do n’t need much , but be sure to provide proper care as well as giving your plants a haircut here and there .
Learn more about philodendron cultivation and care in our guide .
How to Prune
Pruning is best done in bounce or fall , but you’re able to do it at any time of yr . If you prune in wintertime , you might not see new ontogenesis until the spring .
Before you make a single cut , verify your peter are clean . Wash them in soapy water or pass over them with a 10 pct answer of one part bleaching agent to nine part piddle .
The last thing you want is to cut your philodendron to make it healthier , only to introduce pests or disease !
Also , check that you ’re wearing glove . You do n’t want to get the sap on your tegument .
Never rationalize off just the leafage itself , leaving behind the radical or petiole which attaches it to the master stem or vine . A new leafage wo n’t grow in its place , and you ’ll be left with an horrible bare tree stump .
Make your cuts just above a leaf node to encourage branch .
For species with woody stems , do n’t ever reduce the woody , hard part of the fore . It wo n’t always get off out novel ontogeny and might just die back . you could cut the easy , dark-green growth on these without worrying .
With coinage that get off out multiple bow from the crown , you could trim the stems back to the soil and your plant life will send out new increment , so long as you leave a few stems animated in the lag to support the tooth root .
While the technique used for pruning philodendrons is the same whether it ’s for material body or the health of the specimen , there are a few differences to consider between the two . allow ’s take a look …
Pruning for Shape
When pruning for shape , take a look at the overall shape of the flora to start .
If you have a weeping philodendron , are there any vine that extend way beyond the repose ? Or any vines that look leggier or more sparse than the others ?
Off they go .
For an just philodendron , look for leaf that strike to the side or stretch forth path above the others .
Take them out .
Regardless of the growth habit of your specimen , you’re able to always cut back off some of the older maturation to advance novel , youthful growth .
The goal is to produce a healthy , compact appearance without straggler or branches that detract from the overall flavour .
This case of newspaper clipping also helps to keep an unruly plant somewhat in stop .
The next step is to snip to encourage branching . Each meter you make a cut , the plant will station out new branches so long as you snub just above a folio node .
If you have a lopsided plant life , which is vernacular for vining types , you’re able to strategically rationalise to further bushy development in the areas that are thin , and to trim back areas that are extremely long .
Pruning for Health
Sometimes a little snippet is necessary to keep your plant goodish . If you see any yellowing , brown , or otherwise discolored leaves or ramification , take them off .
If a stem or foliage is intemperately infested withpests like aphidsormealybugs , it ’s unremarkably easiest to just tailor it out .
Then there are the leaves and subdivision that are broken when someone bumps them or a pet gets a trivial too near for quilt . Do n’t examine to save those . Just cut them off .
Finally , all philodendron leaves eventually get on and die , and are substitute by new growth . There ’s no way to stop raw aging and it ’s best to just remove the leaves that are past their prime .
While you ’re at it , get in there and look at the soil surface . You ’ll probably see some numb foliage . Clean this up too .
Not only will your plant look better , it ’s fitter to remove die material that ’s choose up resources , and any that might attract pest and pathogens when it falls into the mass .
Taking Cuttings
While you ’re removing stems to meliorate your plant ’s appearance , save any stem that has at least four inches of distance , one lymph gland , and one foliage .
you may use these to plant cuttings and propagate more plants .
Do n’t apply unhealthful plant material for generation .
Put these passementerie in piddle or soil and place your propagation vessel in a spot with bright but collateral sunshine to settle .
Give Your Philodendrons a Fantastic Haircut
Your philodendron will plausibly survive just all right even if you do n’t pay them a sojourn with the clippers .
But we do n’t grow plants to just have them limp along , veracious ? We require them to be so telling and happy that hoi polloi wonder when they see them for the first time .
One of the secret of work a sensational plant is pruning the good style .
If you ’re look for even morehelp to make your houseplant look their best , we have a few other guide that you might find utilitarian , start with these :
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About
Kristine Lofgren
