Can You Pinch Back Leggy Pansies?

Pinching

• Pinching helps prevent legginess before it occurs. You can begin pinching when the pansies have produced multiple stems and six or more leaf sets. To pinch, grasp the tip of a stem between your thumb and forefinger and break it off just above the topmost leaf. This forces the stem to branch and produce more flower buds on a compact plant. If a stem becomes overgrown and leggy, pinch it back to any leaf at the desired stem height. Pinching back the plants weekly so they don't become too overgrown can help you avoid more severe pruning later.

Deadheading

• Although dead flowers won't result in leggy plants, they do reduce future bud formation and result in a less attractive flower bed. Pinch off the dead blooms as soon as they begin to wilt, removing the entire old flower back to the topmost leaf. Deadheading prevents the pansy from forming seeds, thereby encouraging it to produce more flowers. Pansies require deadheading as frequently as once a week during the height of the blooming period.

Shearing

• Badly overgrown and leggy pansies might require shearing back, especially in midseason after they have been flowering for awhile. Like pinching, shearing the plants removes the overgrown stems and old flowers, but it allows you to prune multiple plants quickly. Always use clean shears disinfected in a solution of one part bleach and nine parts water to prevent the spread of plant disease. Cut back the pansies by up to half their height. Within a few weeks they will produce fuller growth a new flush of flower buds.

After Care

• Proper care after pinching and shearing encourages healthy regrowth. Pansies need about 1 inch of water weekly from irrigation or rain, or enough water to keep the top 6 inches of soil moist. Morning irrigation ensures the moisture penetrates deeply into the soil while giving the foliage time to dry quickly. An application of ½ pound 5-10-5 fertilizer for every 25 square feet of bed, applied after cutting back, encourages rapid regrowth. Sprinkle the fertilizer on the soil 6 inches from the base of the plants and water it immediately so it soaks in.