Question
Hi Will,

I have two China Doll house plants that are both around 6 feet tall. They are healthy aside from the fact that they are getting that "Mop" look. They have healthy leaves on the top, and the lower leaves are slowly dying and falling off along with the branches. The lower areas of the plants don't have any growth at all. They are also very unstable when it comes to standing on their own. They tend to lean to one side.

I don't really mind their looks too much, I still think they look great. But I'm beginning to worry about the health of the plants. I'm almost worried that they'll fall over if they don't get some support.

I'd like to cut back both of these plants as soon as possible. But I don't know a lot about pruning, I've never really done it to any of my plants. So, here are my questions.

Is it alright to Prune a plant in the Winter? I live in Washington state and temperatures can get pretty cold here. (And yes, both plants are inside. That would just be BAD if they wern't)

Does it matter where I cut the plants back to? I'd like to prune them back as much as I can so I can basically "Restart" them. Or should I only cut back to where there is at least some living branches?

There are also other smaller China Doll plants in each of the pots that are beginning to lose their branches and leaves. Is it alright to cut these back at the same time as the bigger ones? Or do I need to do it one stem at a time?

When restarting a plant, do you need to replace the dirt or fertilize the plant often to give it enough nutrients to grow again?

I'd like to make them both very bushy and full plants when they regrow. To achieve that, do I need to pinch the plants often during growth?
And is there any way to encourage them to grow more stable?

And my last question is, do you have any advice to prevent the "Mop" syndrome from happening again? Do China Dolls need bright light and moist soil? Or exactly the opposite?

Wow, that's a lot of questions... too many?

Thank you very much for your time. I really appreciate it.

P.S. What are the right light and water conditions for a Angel-Wing begonia?

Thanks again!

Ben

Answer
Hi Ben,

Most plants, including China doll, get their new growth at the ENDS of healthy branches and stems. In reduced (indoor) light, the plant can support a limited number of leaves at one time. So in order to continue to, grow the plant sacrifices the older (lower) leaves. This is what causes the leggy or mop-like look.

Increased light will help keep the growth more compact. Stronger light will also produce thicket, stronger stems.

However, inevitably, it is necessary to prune back leggy stems. Pruning can be done at any time. A healthy stem can be cut back to any point on that stem. The new growth will emerge just below the point of the pruning cut, so prune back to the place where you want new growth to come in.

If you have any dead (brittle) stems that have no leaves, cut them off completely, as they are dead.

Selective pro-active pruning is more effective than waiting until the entire plant looks overgrown. Before a plant looks like it needs to be pruned, select the tallest stem and prune it back so that new growth will start down lower. If you prune back one stem every few months, you will keep the plant full and compact without ever having to do a major pruning.

Don't mess with the roots by repotting. If your plant is healthy and you are able to keep the soil properly moist, then there is no benefit to repotting or replacing soil. If it has been in the same pot for two or more years, then fertilize it monthly at half strength to replace any lost nutrients.

Your Angelwing Begonia should get as much direct sun as you can provide. Keep it very potbound if you want it to flower. Water it thoroughly as soon as the top half-inch of soil is dry.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

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