How To Prune A Curry Leaf Plant To Make It Bushy

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Curry leaves are one of the must-have ingredients for many regional Indian dishes. If you’re lucky enough to own a curry leaf plant in your kitchen garden, you know how important it is to have that curry leaf plant thrive and produce fresh, fragrant leaves. But did you know that the secret to getting your curry leaf plant to grow more leaves is regularly pruning the curry leaf plant?

Most inexperienced curry leaf plant owners are afraid to prune a curry leaf plant. They avoid trimming the plant in hopes of getting a big curry leaf tree. Many of them don’t bother with pruning the plant until they notice that the curry leaf plant is starting to grow a little too tall, leggy, or, worse, leaning on one side. 

At that point, they wonder:-

Should I prune my curry plant?

Yes, you should prune your curry plant when it reaches at least 12″ tall. Pruning will help the curry leaf plant branch out, become bushy and avoid becoming leggy. It is best to prune the branches with flowers from mature plants because the flowers will take away the plant energy from growing more leaves. Avoid pruning the plant in winter, as this can damage the plant. Finally, wait at least 2-3 weeks before pruning a recently transplanted curry leaf plant.

Take a look at the image below:

The plant on the left is 2 years old and never been pruned before. It is tall but leggy and top-heavy. It is leaning towards one side and topples over often.

The plant on the right is 3 years old and been pruned every year. It has lots of branches and even producing baby curry leaf plants from the bottom. At the time of the photo, this plant was stored indoors for the last 4 months. It will gain its vigor back once moved outdoors.

It is important to understand that a curry leaf plant does not produce leaves on the old wood. Once the existing leaves are harvested or die down, no new leaves will grow from that place. To produce new leaves, the plant will either grow tall or need to grow new branches.

Pruning is essential for producing more leaves, keeping your curry leaf plant healthy, and looking its best. However, one of the most common problems people face when pruning a curry leaf plant is not knowing when to do it. Another common issue is not knowing how to properly prune a curry leaf plant, which can lead to over-or under-pruning, which can also have negative consequences for the plant’s health.

 If you’re not sure when or how to prune your curry leaf plant, don’t worry! This article will give you all the tips and information you need to do so confidently.

With a little bit of care and attention, you can help your curry leaf plant branch out evenly and produce more leaves for you to harvest.

What are the benefits of pruning a curry leaf plant?

Here are a few reasons why you might want to prune your curry leaf plant:

1 Pruning encourages new growth

In plant physiology terms, the tip of a branch (apical bud) is responsible for producing hormones that decide the direction in which the rest of the plant grows and prevents the plant from growing sideways. Therefore, when you prune the top off a branch, you remove the apical bud. When the apical bud is gone, the side buds are no longer suppressed from growing, and they begin to grow more quickly, which causes the plant to put out new growth from the side.

This pruning concept is described in detail with images in growing pepper plants article.

2. Pruning makes the plant bushier

Pruning the top of the branch (By removing that dominant tip), the plant will start to produce side shoots to fill the void left behind by the main stem. Those side shoots will eventually grow into new branches, filling out the plant’s shape and making it bushier. 

3. Pruning makes the plant produce more leaves

Each branch will produce fresh leaflets. Thus, more branches mean more leaves on the plant.

4. Pruning controls the size of the plant

In non-tropical climates, a curry leaf plant is grown in a container or a pot. You can keep the plant size from getting too big for the pot and the growing area by pruning the plant regularly.

6. Pruning keeps the plant manageable

A curry leaf plant can not survive below-freezing temperatures. Therefore, the pot-grown curry leaf plant needs to be moved into a temperature-controlled indoor environment during the colder months. By pruning the plant in early fall, the plant can be moved in and out quickly as the temperature changes and needs less space indoors.

Check out this detailed guide on seasonal curry leaf plant care, for more information.

7. Pruning helps to keep the plant healthy

The plant has better air circulation by removing the dead stems and leaves during pruning. It can help reduce the chances of diseases and bug infestation on the plant. Crossed branches are also removed when pruning the curry leaf plant, so they don’t rub on each other and scar the outer layer, which may give an opening to bugs and bacterial spores to enter into plant tissues.

If any of these resonate with you, then read on to find out when the best time to prune your curry leaf plant is and how to prune curry leaf plant correctly!

When is the best time to prune a curry leaf plant?

The best time to prune a curry leaf plant is when it is actively growing, i.e., during spring, summer, and early fall. You should avoid pruning your curry leaf plant when it is preparing for the colder weather in late fall and during the winter months. During these times, pruning a curry leaf plant can shock the plant and damage new growth.

How to Prune a Curry Leaf Plant

Pruning a curry leaf plant is relatively easy and only requires simple steps. Make sure to use sharp scissors or clippers, and disinfect them with alcohol or bleach before and after each use. Be careful not to damage the plant’s roots while pruning.

Here are some tips on how to prune a curry leaf plant for the best results.

Step 1: Start by removing any dead or dying leaves.

Keeping the dried, dull, or yellow leaves on the plant will do more harm than good to the plant. Instead, remove the dead leaflets by snapping them off from the stem.

Step 2: Cut off any dead or dried-up branches.

Inspect the plant stem, starting from the tip. If the stem looks brown or dead, keep tracking down the stem until you see dark green color on the stem. If you are not sure whether the branch is dead, try bending it down towards the plant’s main stem. If it breaks with a snap, the branch is dead. If there is still life remaining in the branch, it will bend but not snap.

Cutting on any dead or diseased branches will encourage new growth.

Step 3: Decide where to make the cut.

Experts suggest removing the curry leaf plant’s top one-third to one-half growth. It may feel drastic for the new gardeners to do so but trust the process. In just a few weeks, the curry leaf plant will reward you with many lateral branches and new leafy growth.

For the larger and more mature plants, remove the growth above the stem before it becomes as thick as a pencil.

Also, look for branches growing from the plant’s main stem and crossing over other branches. By pruning these criss-cross branches, you will open up the plant from the center, allowing more air circulation and fewer chances for bug infestation.

Using sharp pruning shears, cut the branch at a 45-degree angle.

Apply a paste of honey and cinnamon on the cut. The mixture will protect the cut area from infection and provide a dose of growth hormones to encourage faster leafy growth from just below the cut.

After making each cut, don’t forget to wipe the scissor blades with an alcohol wipe to prevent any infection from spreading.

Repeat step 2 for all stems

Continue repeating the above step until you have removed all the branches you want to prune. For the mature curry leaf plant with multiple stems, make sure to vary the height of each cut so the new growth can have plenty of space to span out without rubbing other branches.

Here is how one of my curry leaf plants looked like when I pruned it. Yes, it is drastic!! I removed all branches that were thinner than a pencil. Overall, the plant height was chopped in half.

So naturally, you might wonder how that pruned curry leaf plant would look like when it grows back the leaves? Here is your answer:

3 months after pruning, the curry leaf plant sent out 8 more branches. Each branch is covered with new tender leaves. Remember, more branches mean more leaves to harvest!

How often should you prune a curry leaf plant?

Although there are many benefits of pruning a curry leaf plant, don’t prune or harvest leaves from a young curry leaf plant. Wait for 6 to 9 months between pruning a small young plant. If your curry leaf plant is more than three years old or have many branches, make a habit of harvesting the leaves from the top by pinching the stem off 3-5 inches deep. Pinching off the top leaves will naturally encourage the plants to shoot out new side branches. Wait for a few months before pinching off or harvesting from the same stem again.

To learn how to grow curry leaves faster, read this best natural fertilizer for curry leaf plant guide.

How to use curry leaves

Now that you trimmed your curry leaf plant, most likely, you will end up with plenty of fresh curry leaves. So what can you do with these curry leaves?

Here are some ideas:

Uses of fresh curry leaves:

-Adding fresh curry leaves to Indian food dishes while cooking is the most common way to use green curry leaves.

-Fresh curry leaves can also be used as a garnish on top of dishes.

-Curry leaves can be ground with other herbs like cilantro and mint to make mouthwatering chutneys. 

-Curry leaves can also be used to make tea. Just steep some fresh or dried curry leaves in hot water with a teabag for a few minutes and enjoy!

Uses of Dried curry leaves:

If you have too many curry leaves, you can dry them and use them later. Dried curry leaves can be used in various dishes in place of fresh curry leaves.

If you are making a curry powder, you can add some dried curry leaves into the mix.

Uses of curry leaves for health:

Curry leaves are not just a great way to add flavor when cooking; they’re also packed with health benefits! 

Curry leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C and antioxidants. In addition, curry leaf contains an array of minerals that can help with digestion by regulating blood sugar levels or reducing inflammation in the body.

Uses of curry leaves for beauty:

Curry leaves are a great way to get rid of dead cells and dirt from your skin and provide you with some natural antioxidants. If you have any skin problems such as acne, curry leaves can help clear it up. They can be used in many different recipes like :

-Curry leaves can be used as a natural exfoliant.

-Curry leaves can be used to make a face mask.

-Curry leaves can be used to make a hair mask and hair tonic.

-Curry leaves can be used as a body scrub.

-Curry leaves are packed with antioxidants, which can help protect your skin from free radical damage.

-Curry leaves can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age spots.

Conclusion:

Pruning a curry leaf plant is vital for keeping the plant healthy and bushy. By pruning the plant, you encourage new growth and more new leaves on the plant. You can also control the size of the plant by trimming it back regularly during the growing season. Just pay attention to when and how you are pruning your curry leaf plant, and it will reward you with plenty of new leaves in a short time.

If you find this information helpful, don’t keep it to yourself! Share the link to this article on your Facebook page or gardening group. Your fellow gardeners will thank you for it!

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