As soon as your outdoor plant starts to look leggy, all you have to do is trim the flowers and foliage back a bit! Trimming your plants serves a dual purpose — not only will this get rid of leggy growth, but this will also encourage new, bushy growth to form on your plants.
How to trim your outdoor plants:
Step 1
Gather your supplies. You’ll need a pair of sharp scissors or pruning shears. Be sure to clean them before use with rubbing alcohol. Always clean your tools before using and in between plants!
Step 2
Locate the spots where you want to trim. You can trim your plant back as far as you like, but be sure not to cut off more than ⅓ of the plant at any given time, which will help prevent stress to the plant.
While trimming, check to make sure the plant looks balanced. Remember to remove trimmings from in and around the pot. Leaving dead flowers and leaves in the pot to decay can lead to diseases and encourage pests to take up residence in your planter.
Step 3
After trimming, be sure to water regularly and fertilize your plant within the following week to ensure that it gets the boost it needs to start growing again! Always make sure the soil is a bit damp before applying any type of fertilizer.
