Prune Incense: [Importance, Time, Tools, Considerations and Steps]
The idea of pruning incense is mainly aimed at controlling the growth of its branches after an annual cycle.
This beautiful plant is frequently used indoors, although it can also be potted on terraces or balconies protected from sunlight.
Due to the characteristics of its leaves, it is usually very striking and when well cared for, it represents a true ornamental gift. Pruning is one of its basic care and here we will tell you in detail how to carry out this process.
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Why prune the frankincense plant?
The primary goal when pruning incense is to reduce the length of the branches that have grown throughout the season. Although it may not seem like it right away, the incense plant can grow up to 2 meters in height if it is not paid attention around this care.
In addition, this action encourages the pruned branches to regrow more vigorously, which promotes the plant to look much more beautiful and healthy. If it is dry or with damaged parts , pruning will make it easier to get rid of those areas that make it ugly and that can be a gateway to diseases.
When is it better to carry out incense pruning?
In order for you to prune your incense plant, you will have to wait until the winter is over and the chances of a late frost are non-existent.
When coming out of vegetative rest, the incense plant will be very capable of recovering from its wounds quickly and regrowing to continue adorning the space where you have it.
If you live in an area with a constant warm climate throughout the year, pruning will be possible at any time. Preferably in the fall .
What tools should we use when pruning incense?
Frankincense can be pruned with the help of simple garden shears because cutting application is usually very easy due to its thin branches. Of course, it is essential that the edge is adequate and that you carry out a disinfection process before any cut . With pharmacy alcohol is more than enough.
If you want to protect your hands, it is a good plan to use gardening gloves and even glasses to prevent accidents with particles.
What considerations should we take into account when pruning incense?
In any pruning work, it is essential that you first evaluate the condition of the same to define which route to follow. In this way, you will not be executing cuts according to what you think at a certain moment, but you will do them fulfilling a goal.
This will make your task easier and will prevent the specimen from suffering from excessive damage. Here take into account if there are parts in poor condition, the branches that are longer and the final shape you want to achieve.
How to prune incense without damaging the plant?
Pruning can be implemented with the following series of steps:
- Start by eliminating all those parts that you already saw that were in bad condition . This corresponds to a maintenance pruning and you often have to do it several times a year. The idea is that your incense plant looks flawless, with no wilted leaves or branches that make the rest of the structure look ugly.
- Locate the longest branches and decide how long you consider appropriate for them to remain . Ideally, you should trim more or less the same amount from all of them so that the plant looks balanced.
- Reduce the branches that are located on the sides to improve the structure of the plant . These tend to be the ones that look messiest first when pruning is not applied on time.
- Lighten the center a bit if the leaves don’t let in the light. Remember that the correct flow of light and ventilation is very important to promote good growth and prevent it from becoming an ideal space for the settlement of fungi or diseases.
It is necessary that you identify the shoots that have just emerged from the center of the plant so that you do not touch them with pruning. It is from them that you will achieve a better structure as they grow.
Sometimes pruning is the ideal time to transplant the incense when its roots are already too large. As a last recommendation is that you take advantage of the following days to apply a fertilization since this will nourish it and it will be able to recover with more energy from the wounds.
