How to properly pinch a money tree for beautiful branching?
The money tree (crassula, bastard) is a grateful, easily forming plant. Florists recommend starting to pinch the money tree at a young age, when there are no more than 4-5 pairs of leaves on the trunk. The pinching procedure is simple, but it has its own subtleties.
Why pinch a money tree?
Nips and shaping trims are the fat woman's best friends. Without them, the plant loses its decorative appearance. At home, too few branches are formed in the money tree, the trunk grows long and thin, does not have time to grow stiff. Often it breaks under the weight of shoots with fleshy leaves.
Pinching growth points allows:
- create new branches;
- increase the thickness of the trunk;
- shape the plant into a beautiful bush or tree;
- control the height of the fat woman.
Pinching - removal of young shoots at the tops of the shoots.
How to pinch correctly?
In general, the money tree tolerates formation (especially at a young age). But unforeseen consequences are also possible - diseases, decay of the trunk, etc.
In order not to harm the plant, you need to know how to pinch it correctly. Important:
- observe the timing of pinching;
- carry out the procedure with clean dry hands (instrument);
- do not wet the plant before and after formation for 3 days;
- pinch only a healthy money tree;
- pinch strictly after recovery from the previous formation, transplant.
You can use medical alcohol to disinfect the instrument. Pinching places are usually not treated with antiseptics. But you can play it safe and sprinkle the wound with crushed activated carbon or cinnamon.
Timing
Early spring is considered the best time for crown formation. In late February or early March, the money tree wakes up from hibernation and begins to actively increase its green mass. After spring pinching, the fastest growth of shoots and leaves is observed. But you can also continue to pinch the crassula throughout the summer.
Optimal terms:
- for good branching - from late February to early September;
- for building a wide trunk - all autumn and winter.
During winter pinching, it is important to maintain the air temperature around +15 degrees and reduce watering so as not to wake up the plant. All lower leaves and shoots are removed, and new buds are pinched until spring. Then the trunk hardens and stiffens.
For branching, pinching a bastard in the cold season is pointless. If shoots grow, they are very weak.
It is better to pinch Crassula in the morning hours, so that the wounds have time to heal and dry in the sun by the evening.
Procedure
You can pinch a tree without special tools. In most cases, the growth point is removed with the fingers. If it is too small, use disinfected nail scissors or tweezers.
Algorithm of actions:
- Take the shoot in your hand and examine the top.
- You will see a bud between the top two leaves.
- Pinch it off carefully without damaging the leaves and trunk.
The growth point at the money tree is removed by turning around the axis. It is important not to leave extra elements, otherwise the growth of the kidney will continue.
The procedure does not end there. The money tree regenerates for some time and releases several new buds at the pinch site. This is how branching begins. It is optimal to leave 2-3 kidneys, and remove the rest. Rarely, but it happens that only one kidney is tied. In this case, it is removed again.
Scheme
To get a strong and beautiful money tree without "hemp", they begin to engage in its formation in the first year of life:
- The first pinching is done when 4 pairs of leaves are formed on the plant. At this stage, the trunk height is 15–20 cm.
- After the first pinching, shoots are expected to appear - 3-4 branches of the first order. They are also allowed to form 4 pairs of leaves. The growth points are then removed again.
- The next stage is the formation of branches of the second order with 3-4 pairs of leaves. After that, the stimulating pinching is stopped. Further procedures are directed to maintaining a given shape.
This is the standard pattern for crassula formation. You can change it to your taste, give the tree a curved, creeping shape. However, experts do not recommend using wire.
Follow-up care
A money tree that has been pinched or pruned needs special care.
For a quick recovery you need:
- provide the plant with good lighting;
- maintain the temperature at + 15-18 degrees;
- feed Crassula with complex fertilizers for succulents;
- water the plant regularly (2 times a week), avoiding stagnant moisture;
- wipe dust from the leaves.
The first watering is organized 3-5 days after the wounds on the shoots are completely healed. Water is used exclusively warm, separated for 6 hours. At the same time, you can feed the money tree.
For the most part, young plants need to be pinched. Adult Crassulae are pruned more often. Sometimes pruning is combined with pinching.
Subtleties of formation
Forming a money tree is partly a creative process. With proper patience, you can literally "blind" the plant with your own hands. Most often, a fat woman is formed into a lush bush or tree.
- Bush.
Almost all fat women bush without difficulty. It is enough to regularly pinch or cut off shoots that have become very elongated and gone beyond the neat bush.
- Tree (bonsai).
Growing a tree-shaped fat woman is more difficult. To begin with, a skeleton is formed - a stiff trunk with shoots of the first and second order. In the first 2-3 years, the money tree is not allowed to grow its crown. The growing point is regularly pinched, the lower shoots and leaves are removed, and the soil is fertilized with minerals for succulents. When the skeleton of the tree acquires a sufficient volume, they begin to form the tops of the leaves.
The money tree is a famous plant. He is loved for its interesting shapes, beautiful coin leaves. The fat woman refreshes any interior. Many people believe in its magical properties: to attract money, stability and well-being into the house. It is believed that the richer the crown and the thicker the trunk, the more power the plant has.
To grow a sprawling bush or a showy tree, it is important to regularly pinch the jellyfish during the first years of life. This will give you a strong, resilient plant. It is pointless to pinch an overgrown money tree. At first, anti-aging pruning is carried out, after which the crown is formed practically from scratch.
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