Yes Tom they're pinchable, I always pinch annuals, snaps, petunias, marigolds, salvia, the list goes on. You'll end up with much nicer plants if you do. I pinch a lot of my perennials too.

Annette

Thanks. I pinch a lot too, but I was worried about pinching off the blooms. Last year I got three plants to germinate and had exactly three flower spikes. I want to make a difference this year with the larkspur.

Tom, if I bring 6 packs home from the garden center not only do I pinch them, if flowering I pinch those off too. I used to work for an english nurseryman of the old school way back when :o), he instructed me when the customers brought their 6 packs up to the counter I was to pinch all the tips out and explain to them why doing this would give them much nicer plants.

Annette

I tried to teach a few customers about pinching petunias and salvia last year. Oh no! You're not gonna pinch off my flowers. One stopped by the house and wanted to know why my salvias were huge and hers were still tiny with just two little flower stalks. I showed her what I do and she promised to go home and do it. I haven't seen her since to find out.

I just get worried with plants I've never grown before. I don't have lots of larkspur in some areas, so I don't want to ruin it if pinching doesn't increase the blooms. I mean, it makes sense that it would, but if you pinch a stargazer lily, you have no flowers all season. I think.

LOL, no, you sure don't want to pinch the lilies or other bulbs for that matter, you might end up with bigger bulbs but the flowers would be history for that year.

I learned that chrysanthemums need pinching! I had a tiny division from a plant swap, and i didnt think it would need pinched. It flopped and splayed and looked awful in bloom!
This is a great thread to learn from!

I don't limit my pinching to flowers-- I also pinch the tops off trees and shrubs to control growth and to shape plants.

Me too Ianna. I went out yesterday with the pruners to take the tops out of some shrubs I planted last fall. I want to force lateral growth. It's so easy. Just a snip off the end of each branch.

Hollies especially respond well to tip pruning, which is the same as pinching out except I use my clippers. Mine were open and a little straggly until I pruned off the tips of the branches one year and they really started to fill in.

You can root the 'pinchings' of the petunias!! The others I am not sure about.

Nancy.

Pinchings work most especially on pines. You can pull out the candles and not leave a mark on the tree.