A series that highlights a given task performed in that same week. This aims to give you guidance on timings and actions, however always be mindful of your climate.

I’ve previously written on pinching our Podocarpus Tōtara, so if you haven’t had a chance to read that, I recommend you check it out on the blog.

Pinching the new spring growth is not a one time event, it happens continuously over a few weeks. Eventually the growth starts to harden off and you notice the tree momentarily stop elongating and start setting buds. This is the moment I go in and make any cuts where I may have missed an elongating shoot or where I can cut further back. Doing this now before the next flush starts means you don’t waste the trees energy and time by growing from a bud further out on the branch that eventually you would cut off anyway. You are now basically set as you were before the initial spring growth, the only difference is that you have gained more branches (density) and so the cycle then repeats.

A reminder, you are pinching to the silhouette. Pinching doesn’t create back buds. It’s energy distribution. A tree or branch in development where thickening is required, pinching is not performed.

Happy pinching!