From our perspective, pruning is not an act of violence but one of collaboration. Our primary goal is to capture sunlight and convert it into energy through photosynthesis. Over time, some of our stems may become excessively long, leggy, or unproductive. These sections can actually drain more energy than they produce, as they require resources to maintain living tissue that contributes little to the overall health of the plant. By removing these inefficient parts, you redirect our precious energy reserves—our sap and stored nutrients—toward developing stronger, more vibrant new growth and, most importantly, a spectacular floral display. Pruning also helps us maintain a manageable and aesthetically pleasing shape, preventing us from becoming a tangled, top-heavy mess that could lead to broken stems and open wounds.
Timing is critical for our well-being. The ideal moment for you to intervene is shortly after our flowering cycle has concluded. This is a period of natural transition for us. We have just expended a tremendous amount of energy to produce those beautiful blooms, and we are preparing for a phase of active vegetative growth. Pruning at this time allows us to immediately channel our recovery efforts into the growth points you leave behind, rather than into sustaining sections that are no longer productive. It is absolutely crucial that you avoid pruning in the late fall or winter when we are dormant, or just as flower buds are forming in the spring, as this will severely disrupt our cycle and cost us the very blooms you cherish.
When you decide to proceed, your technique matters greatly to prevent stress and infection. Always use a sharp, sterilized blade—a clean knife or pair of pruning shears wiped with rubbing alcohol is perfect. A clean cut heals far more quickly and cleanly than a ragged tear, which is an open invitation for pathogens. Look for natural segments on our stems; these are the points between the flattened leaf-like sections. Make your cuts at a 45-degree angle approximately one-third to one-half of an inch above one of these segment joints. This angled cut helps shed water away from the sensitive growth node, reducing the risk of rot. Your primary targets should be any stems that are dead, damaged, diseased, or excessively old and woody. You can also trim back unusually long stems to a desirable length to encourage branching from the base.
After the pruning is complete, our needs shift slightly. It is wise to hold off on watering us for about a week. This allows the fresh cuts to form a protective callus, sealing themselves off from the moist soil environment that could promote rot. Place us back in our preferred location with bright, indirect light. You may notice a slight pause in growth as we redirect our internal resources, but this is normal. Within a few weeks, you should see new, bright green growth emerging from the nodes just below where you made your cuts. This is the surest sign that we have accepted your assistance and are putting our energy into a more compact, robust, and floriferous future.
