What is Pruning?
Pruning is the practice of selectively removing parts of a plant. It is important for maintaining plant health, preventing pests and disease, and promoting new growth and fruit/vegetable production. It can be done reactively, like if you notice a leaf is infested with pests and want to remove it to prevent them from spreading, or proactively, such as trimming the end of a cucumber vine to prevent it from growing into a walking path.
Why You Should Prune
There are a number of reasons why pruning is beneficial but here are the most common:
• Maintains healthy plants by getting rid of overgrowth and promoting airflow
• Allows for a cut and come again style of harvesting
• Removes unhealthy parts of a plant to prevent pests or disease from spreading. Look out for discolored, severely wilted, or dead outer leaves to prune off regularly as needed.
• Prevent plants from shading each other out by removing leaves or growth that blocks sunlight
• Keeps growth manageable by trimming growth that extends into walking paths, living spaces, or other undesirable areas
• Promotes new growth and fruit production by redirecting energy and resources away from old growth
Pruning tenents
- Always use clean scissors or garden shears to avoid introducing diseases, or pinch off leaves with fingers, being careful not to rip off any more than intended.
- Never prune more than 1/3 of the plant at a time to keep it healthy.
- Remove any yellowing, weak, or leggy stems regularly.
Learn more about how to prune in the video below!
Variety Specific Pruning Tips
Lettuce and leafy greens
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Remove the outer, mature leaves first.
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Snip about 1/2 inch above the base of the plant to avoid damaging the crown (growth center).
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Leave at least 4–6 inner leaves to allow continued growth.
- Regularly prune off any wilted, yellow, or damaged leaves to prevent disease and pests.
Coriander and Parsley
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Start early: Once the plant has at least 4–6 inches of growth (about 4–5 true leaves).
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Regularly: Every 1–2 weeks during the growing season.
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Before it bolts: As soon as you see flower stalks forming, cut them back.
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The outer leaves are the oldest. Start pruning from the outside inward.
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Leave the central (inner) growth intact so the plant can keep producing.
- Pinch flower buds
- If the plant starts forming a tall central stalk with buds, pinch or cut it off immediately to delay bolting.
Other herbs (basil, thyme, mint, etc.)
- Start when the plant has at least 6–8 leaves.
- Continue pruning regularly every 1–2 weeks during the growing season.
- Find a leaf node
Look for the spot where a pair of leaves meets the main stem. Tiny new leaves (side shoots) often form there. - Cut above the node
Using clean scissors or your fingers, cut the stem just above that set of leaves. Don’t cut too low, or you’ll stunt the plant. - Remove flowers
If you see basil starting to flower, pinch or snip off the flower buds immediately. Flowering makes leaves bitter and slows leaf growth. - Don’t over-prune
Never remove more than ⅓ of the plant at once. This ensures the basil keeps photosynthesizing and growing back. - Tips
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Always prune the top growth first, not the bottom leaves. This encourages the plant to branch outward.
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Don’t Forget the Roots
As mentioned in the video above, plants’ root systems can develop extensive growth as the plant gets bigger. This can block or divert water inside of the Farmstand from reaching seedlings which will cause them to wilt. Large root systems can also grow into the reservoir where they can clog the Farmstand’s pump. Occasionally trimming no more than 1/3 of your plants' roots, once every 6 - 8 weeks, can keep your plants healthy and your Farmstand running smoothly.