FROM: JUDITH, MOTUEKA

good Pinching

I never really understood what was meant by ‘pinching out’ a plant, nor did I understand how it was different from pruning one. That was until my big sister came to visit when my basil plants had started getting attacked by a fungal disease. She showed me how to thin the plants out in a way that promoted more growth throughout the season, allowed more air to flow through the leaves and stems for better circulation, let more light into the centre of the plants and helped them to keep fungal spores away. She gave them a light organic insect and fungal spray, too, which helped them immensely. I now pinch out my tomato plants and they grow bigger fruit and seem to be happier and healthier for it.