Citronella plants, known for their distinct lemony scent, are popular additions to gardens and patios. While two main types exist, the scented geranium (Pelargonium citrosum) is widely cultivated by home gardeners. Pruning is a fundamental practice that helps maintain the plant’s health, shape, and vigor, ensuring it thrives throughout the growing season.
Benefits and Timing for Pruning
Pruning citronella plants promotes healthier, more robust growth. Trimming encourages bushier growth, preventing leggy or spindly stems. It also improves air circulation within the plant’s canopy, which can reduce the risk of fungal issues and pest infestations by making the environment less hospitable for them. Removing dead, yellowing, or diseased foliage directs the plant’s energy toward new, healthy growth. A well-pruned plant can also enhance its aromatic properties, as healthier foliage tends to release a stronger scent.
The optimal time for significant pruning is in late winter or early spring, just before new growth emerges. This timing allows the plant to recover and channel its energy into developing new stems and leaves as the growing season begins. Throughout the spring and summer, light maintenance pruning can be performed to keep the plant tidy and encourage continuous new growth. Avoid heavy pruning late in the season, especially in colder climates, as this can stimulate tender new growth vulnerable to frost damage.
Pruning Techniques
Always use clean, sharp pruning shears or scissors to make cuts, which prevents tearing stems and minimizes disease risk. Disinfecting your tools between plants, especially if disease is suspected, further safeguards your garden.
For general maintenance and to encourage new branching, make clean cuts just above a leaf node or a branching point. A leaf node is a small bump on the stem where a leaf or branch emerges, and cutting above it stimulates growth from that point. When addressing dead, yellowing, or damaged leaves, snip them off at their base. This prevents the plant from expending energy on compromised foliage.
To control the plant’s shape and size, or to promote a bushier appearance, pinch back the growing tips of young stems. This encourages the plant to branch out from lower nodes. For an overgrown or leggy plant, more significant cuts can be made. Prune stems by as much as one-third of their length, or hard prune to about 6 inches from the soil line in early spring to rejuvenate the plant. This encourages vigorous new growth from the base.
After Pruning Care
Providing adequate water immediately after pruning helps the plant manage the stress of the cuts and supports the development of new growth. Ensure the soil is moist but not waterlogged, allowing it to dry slightly between waterings to prevent root issues.
A light application of a balanced liquid fertilizer can support the surge of new growth that follows pruning. This provides essential nutrients for the plant’s recovery and development. Monitor your plant closely for signs of new growth, which indicates successful recovery. Also, check for any signs of pests or diseases, especially if pruning was done to remove affected plant parts.