Useful tips on how to prune a money tree without problems

Let's figure out why it is needed?

"Money tree" (crassula or crassula) is a succulent plant belonging to the Crassula family. A very undemanding indoor flower that adapts well to various conditions. The adult plant itself grows an awkward shape that you want to correct. Therefore, minimal care includes a process such as pruning. It contributes to:

• Formation of a beautiful crown of the plant.
• The appearance of new shoots and shoots.
• Rejuvenation of an adult flower.
• Thickening of the trunk.
• Uniform growth, without breaking branches.

Care after formation

The money tree does not require any special care after pruning. But there are several recommendations, mostly of a restrictive nature:

• conditions of detention should not be changed abruptly;
• the best place for a money tree after formation is partial shade or diffuse sun;
• transplantation is done no earlier than 2 weeks after pruning;
• water the crassula until the largest wounds heal, you must be especially careful;
• You can’t spray the roots;
• additional feeding and stimulants are not needed;
• The columns remaining after pruning should be allowed to dry out on their own, then they will fall off; if the owners decide to help, a new area will begin to dry out.

How to do it right?

All crown formation processes should be carried out during active plant growth. This is spring and summer - the beginning and peak of the growing season. So that the fat woman has time to release leaves from new buds.

These processes are divided into two types of operations. Pinching - stimulating fresh buds and creating framed foliage on a young plant. And pruning of elongated and straightened branches with the subsequent formation of the crown of an adult plant.

IMPORTANT! There is a belief: if the Crassula is characterized by healthy growth and a lush crown, then the financial well-being of the family will increase.

Its leaves look like coins. To enhance the effect, gardeners place a coin at the bottom of the pot.

Why do you need to trim the fat plant?

The money tree at home needs to be pruned regularly. This is one of the essential parts of caring for this plant. Why do you need to prune a money tree at home? Here are the main reasons why this procedure is performed:

• The need to renew the plant and accelerate its growth;
• Carrying out sanitary measures;
• Giving the tree crown the required shape;
• Rejuvenation of old plants.

Young plants and older specimens sometimes need updating. Over time, the old leaves die and fall off, the branches become greatly elongated and become bare. The plant looks unkempt and undecorative. Such a specimen must be pruned in order to restore its beauty, rapid growth and development.

If the money tree is not pruned, it will not be able to form a beautiful crown.

Usually, without pruning, plants branch poorly, become very elongated and lie down. They don't look like trees. Pruning to form the crown will help with this. Sanitary pruning is necessary to remove dry and damaged branches, as well as to combat fungal infections on the leaves and branches of the plant.

Pruning will help extend the life of very old plants.

This is a radical intervention that causes rapid growth of new shoots. After this, Crassula retains its attractiveness for several years. When can you prune the crassula? This procedure is useful only at the end of the dormant period, when the plant has not yet begun its active growth, so you need to prune the fat plant in early spring.

Step-by-step instructions for pinching a young plant

It is recommended to start forming the crown of a young seedling.

• Selection of capacity. To grow a beautiful, neat tree, only one Crassula cutting should be planted in a pot.
  The bowl should be shallow, but wide enough, since the root system of the plant is superficial and branched. A shallow container slows down the growth of roots, and all efforts are spent on the formation of a powerful trunk, which will become woody faster. Then, as it develops, the “money tree” is transferred to a pot of larger diameter, but the depth increases slightly.
• First pinching. It is produced when four pairs of leaves appear on a small seedling, and a bud, the future fifth pair, has formed between them.
  You need to remove it by taking it with two fingers and turning it around its axis. Or pinch off using nail scissors, making two cuts towards each other. In this case, you must not damage the leaves. Two or three fresh buds will appear in place of the removed bud. They will be the main branches on the future tree, which form a lush crown. If only one new kidney appears, it should be removed again. Next, as the foliage develops, we also pinch off each embryo of the fifth pair of leaves on each branch. Thanks to such actions, the foliage of the crassula will take shape, the branches will not stretch out and will not be overloaded with fleshy leaves, which, in large quantities, lead to fractures of the branches.

REFERENCE ! In winter and autumn, the pruning procedure cannot be carried out, since during this period the plant is in a dormant stage. Cuts can cause rotting, which can result in wilting of the plant itself.

Optimal time for pruning

It is recommended to prune indoor plants strictly after a period of dormancy or flowering. The money tree “sleeps” from September to February. The optimal time for pruning is at the beginning of spring (March). But the procedure can be carried out in other months of spring and early summer. Emergency pruning of a sick fat plant is carried out regardless of the time of year.

You cannot combine several traumatic procedures, such as transplanting and pruning. You must maintain an interval of at least 30 days.

Adult succulent

An adult awkward tree can also be given a neat look.

Selection of capacity

The grown plant is transplanted by transferring it into a larger pot. Let us reveal the secret: the diameter of the bowl should correspond to the diameter of the future crown of the “money tree”.

In this case, the flower will stand steadily on the windowsill.

Preparatory

You need to examine the foliage and understand for yourself what shape you want to give it.
Make a mental note of which shoots need to be trimmed and which ones should not be touched. You also need to prepare inventory. While nail scissors are suitable for young seedlings, pruning shears are used when pruning adult Crassula. Its blades must be sterilized with alcohol to prevent the development of diseases.

The process itself

It is recommended to adhere to the following scheme: cut a branch or shoot a few millimeters above the fourth pair of leaves, after a dormant bud. This rule will allow you to get rid of unsightly stumps and control branching, creating rounded forms of foliage, and also stimulate the growth of the fat plant after pruning.

There is no need to be afraid to remove large branches, as this encourages the tree to send out new shoots and grow vigorously. Renewal and rejuvenation are important for the plant.

ATTENTION! You should not combine pruning the “money tree” with replanting it. A weakened plant will take a long time to recover.

Treatment of wounds

The cut must be sprinkled with activated or charcoal, or ground cinnamon to prevent rotting.

New shoots will appear near the cut, which will need to be pinched in the same way, giving it a framed shape.

How to prune a money tree correctly

If you can shape the crown of a young plant in any way you like, then you need to take a closer look at an old, overgrown one. During the rejuvenation process, experienced flower growers will give it any shape.

But, in order not to put a lot of effort, it is better to trim according to the location, thickness and number of branches:

• if the central stem is clearly defined, smooth or interestingly curved, you will get a standard tree;
• It is better to form a bonsai from Crassula with several thick branches;
• when there are many shoots, they are approximately the same diameter, some are located at the base of the plant, the trunk differs little from them, you can cut everything short and make a lush bush.

Formation of a money tree with a thick trunk

Only a strong main stem can support a massive crown. If trimmed correctly, supports will not be needed even for a spreading fat plant that has grown in height and width.

To make the trunk thick, you need:

1. First branch the plant - cut off the top. If this is done in the spring, during the period of active growth, the money tree will quickly produce side shoots and grow the main stem.
2. To prevent the flower from wasting energy on forming long branches, which will still have to be cut off later, you should regularly pinch the money tree.
3. The lower shoots should not be cut off, but made short, leaving 1-2 internodes.
4. Spinning tops (hatched dormant buds) will have to be removed as soon as they appear.

When the Crassula trunk becomes thick enough, they begin to create a crown of the desired configuration.

How to form a money tree into a lush bush

The lower branches are not cut off completely from the very beginning, they are only pinched so that they grow and become thicker. The trunk is shortened the most - this way it will give a lot of forks and side branches.

If you started to form a bush late, you need radical pruning. Several internodes are left on thick shoots; young ones are pinched halfway or shorter so that they are approximately the same length and do not “go out of order.”

At first, the money tree will look ugly, but it will quickly grow overgrown with side branches. The owners will have to trim or pluck out the tops of new young stems to finally give and maintain the shape of a fluffy ball.

If you manage to grow a large specimen, the lower branches of the bush will grow together with the trunk, the base of the Crassula will become massive, which will add decorativeness to it.

Crassula on a trunk

The flower will really resemble a tree in a pot if you form one straight or intricately curved trunk with a crown at the top. The upper branches need to be trimmed, giving the appearance of a fluffy sphere, oval, or inverted pyramid.

If you leave a few shoots on the top, allow them to develop freely, and immediately pluck out others and side growth, you can make a weeping tree. The formed trunk must be constantly freed from tops.

How to Prune a Money Tree Bonsai Style

It is not difficult to shape even an old crassula in an oriental manner - this way you can renew a neglected adult plant, turning it into an original tree sculpture.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Take a close look at the fat woman.
2. Select several of the most powerful strong shoots going in the “right” direction. They should not cross or interfere with each other. These will be frame branches.
3. Cut off the remaining thick stems located in the lower part of the crown.
4. Leave several branches on the skeletal shoots, directed in different directions.
5. Open the bonsai trunks - cut off all the tops, “extra” growth, but don’t touch the top of the head.
6. You will get several straight or curved trunks with side branches and many thin shoots at the tops. They need to be trimmed to 1-2 internodes.

The money tree will look strange at first, but the tops will quickly grow.

Regular pinching of the ends of the apical shoots and complete removal of the lateral shoots will make the fat plant look like a bonsai. It will not become a full-fledged wood miniature, but it will look beautiful and original.

Such a plant will have to be formed and pinched all year round, even in autumn or winter.

How to form the crown of a Crassula?

By pinching and pruning, the crown of the plant is formed. And the condition of Crassula foliage depends on lighting and watering.

If you place an indoor flower on a south window, where there is the most sunlight, it will respond with abundant growth.

We must remember to turn it in order to avoid one-sided stretching of the branches and to obtain a symmetrical, uniform appearance of leaves.

But it should be remembered that direct rays of the sun can harm the “money tree”, reddened leaves will tell about this.

The fat plant will respond to moderate and frequent watering with lush, healthy growth. Overwatering will lead to stagnation of water in the pot, followed by rotting of the roots. One of the reasons for waterlogging will be falling leaves.

Possible difficulties

Crassula can be called a hardy plant. It is rarely affected by diseases and is resistant to pests. However, if the owner does not comply with the recommended conditions and ignores care tips, the plant begins to hurt. Here are the most common difficulties that may arise when growing Crassula:

Did you know? Many plants from the succulent group are able to camouflage themselves with their environment - stones, sand, soil, animals. For example, faucaria has leaves with spikes, similar to an open mouth with teeth.

So, pruning is part of the set of mandatory measures for caring for the money tree. It allows you to form a beautiful shape, achieve a well-groomed appearance of the plant, and get an interesting tree in the bonsai style.

Making a lush crown in bonsai style

“Money tree” is suitable for creating miniatures in the bonsai style. Some difficulties may arise, but practice shows that Crassula copes well with the main role in this art.

The fragility of the stems and the heaviness of the leaves of the Crassula complicates the task. Facilitates the existence of bonsai, its tenacity and ease of emergence of new shoots.

The first step will, of course, be to select a container, which should be small and shallow, with holes in the bottom. Also, as the plant develops, it should be replanted by transferring it to a wider but shallow container. The purpose of such a container is to stop the growth of the tap root, thereby slowing down the stretching of the cutting.

Further, the creation of the crown is carried out by the same actions: pinching and pruning, giving the future bonsai tree an elongated or rounded shape.

If you follow the recommendations, the bonsai-style “money tree” will have a thick, beautiful crown that can be decorated with coins.

Such a symbol of lush and growing financial well-being will decorate any interior.

REFERENCE! Popular belief says that the “money tree” will work for the benefit of the house only if its sprout was stolen and not given as a gift or bought in a store.

Read more about superstitions and omens in a separate article on the website.

Caring for Crassula at home after pruning

Immediately after pruning, the fat plant must be moved to partial shade. Reducing lighting promotes faster healing of damage. It should also be noted that with intense lighting there is a risk that the tree will begin to shed its leaves. After 2 weeks, you can start replanting the tree.

Transplanting the fat plant into new soil promotes the rapid growth of green mass.

Transplant the plant by transferring it into a pot of larger diameter. You should not take a very spacious flowerpot. It should be 1 cm larger than the previous one. A drainage layer up to 3 cm thick is placed on the bottom of the pot.

The transplanted tree should also not be immediately placed in bright light. After transplanting, it is advisable to keep it in partial shade for another 1 week, and then resume bright lighting. If the fat plant was transplanted last year, it should not be transplanted again.

In this case, you can get by with regular feeding. If there is no need to replant, the plant can be brought into the light after 2 weeks in partial shade. Watering does not change after pruning. If the plant is replanted, after replanting it is not watered for 2-3 days.

It is advisable to feed the fat plant with fertilizers for succulents.

They nourish Crassula much better than other formulations for indoor plants. But if there are no special fertilizers, you can use mixtures for ornamental foliage plants. They are diluted to obtain 2 times less concentration.

Plant care after the procedure

The plant should receive at least four hours of sunlight every day. A favorable daytime temperature for the fat woman will be 18-23 degrees, and the nighttime thermometer readings should not fall below 10 degrees. Another condition for healthy growth is the absence of drafts. Watering in spring and summer should be frequent, but not abundant. And in autumn and winter, during the dormant period, the lump of earth must dry out between irrigations.

An important point for the development of Crassula will be feeding , which should be done from late spring to mid-summer, at intervals of once a month.

The advantage of growing a “money tree” and giving it an extraordinary shape is its ease of propagation. If something doesn't work out, you can start over. After all, you don’t have to wait decades for results. And the formation of the crown and the creation of a neat looking Crassula can develop not only into a hobby, but also into something more...

How to trim a young fat plant at home

The youngest specimens of money trees are very easy and quick to prune. Usually a young fat plant is a rooted and growing cutting. It has no side shoots. If you don't prune the money tree, it grows upward without branching. Pruning the Crassula at home will help make it look like a tree.

The cutting is trimmed depending on its height. A long cutting more than 20 cm in length must be cut so that the remaining stump is 15-20 cm high. The cut is made 1 cm above a pair of leaves. Then, over time, side shoots will begin to grow from the axils of the upper leaves.

If the cutting has a length of 15 to 20 cm, it should not be cut, but pinched. To do this, the highest growing point on the cutting is removed. This can be done with tweezers, nail scissors or even your fingers.

If a young money tree is already grown and has several side shoots , its crown can be significantly increased. To do this, pinch off all the upper growth points of the shoots. After this, the crown of the tree begins to branch intensively.

Let's learn how to correctly form the crown of a money tree. What do we have to do?

For any plant, the correct selection of a pot for it plays a very important role. For the fat woman, this is also a very important point. If you choose a large pot in volume, then the root will actively stretch down, but the fat plant itself will stretch out greatly. In this case, the plant will be thin, and thin stems cannot be strong and strong. So, from a large pot, the fat plant must be “relocated” to a smaller one.

For the correct formation of the crown, the soil itself, that is, its composition, is also important. This should be a high-quality mixture of two components - fine gravel and sand (usually mixed in half). You can simply buy such soil in a store, rather than making it yourself.

When it comes to replanting a money tree, be sure to look at the root of the plant. If, by this time, it has grown long enough, then it is simply shortened with scissors. As a result, it should fit completely into the pot.

When watering, there is no need to pour a lot of water onto the fat plant. It is better to water it more often, but little by little, so that there is no stagnation of water in the pot. Otherwise, its roots may simply rot, or your plant may get sick. Read about the possible problems with a money tree here.

How and when to start pinching the money tree?

Of course, everything described above is very important during the formation of the crown of the Crassula, but these are only accompanying conditions. The plant itself is formed directly by competently pinching it.

You need to start doing this when the fat woman is still very small, about 15 centimeters in height. At this stage of its growth, the top two leaves on it are pinched off. To do this, choose the smallest leaves. You can pinch off not just two leaves, but more. The main thing is to make sure there are two large leaves left at the end of the plant. Time will pass, and the place where you plucked off the leaves will begin to branch. Usually there are already 2 pairs of young leaves appearing there. True, it happens that only one couple appears. In this case, it is pinched off again.

If you haven’t done pinching at this stage of plant growth, you can do it later. If the money tree is already quite large, then its branches are simply shortened. In this case, however, stumps will certainly remain from the branches, so it is still better to form the crown of the Crassula much earlier. When the plant is young, you need to carefully examine it, and then pinch off the top leaves in the place where, in your opinion, the tree will branch beautifully.

There is no need to make any extra efforts when caring for the fat woman. It is very unpretentious and can easily survive, for example, a long absence of watering. This plant is also not difficult to propagate. A small branch is simply placed in water, it only takes a few days, and it usually already produces roots.

Do not delay the process of forming a money tree. You need to do this with a young plant. Then you can get a really beautiful miniature of a real tree.

They will tell you about the secrets of forming a beautiful crown of a money tree in this video. Look.

When is pruning necessary?

There are several reasons why your money tree may need to be pruned:

• giving an attractive decorative look;
• removal of diseased and fungal-infected shoots;
• stimulating growth;
• inhibiting plant growth.

It is necessary to remove excess shoots if the flower becomes too tall or wide for the space allotted to it. Branches or leaves protruding from the top of the tree spoil the appearance and create an uneven shape. As soon as these appear on the flower, it's time to prune them to change the shape of the crown. Pruning also helps stimulate the growth of new, healthy shoots. From time to time it is useful to rejuvenate the plant, but this should be done during a strictly designated growing season.

There is only one justification for the procedure during this period: the crassula is sick and immediate removal of shoots affected by bacterial rot is required, otherwise the entire flower will die. Remove brown or wilted leaves regularly. If a grower notices dry, wilting or brown shoots, you can remove them without worrying about the tree. Such changes in appearance may be a sign that the indoor air is too dry, or the plant is in a draft, perhaps not getting enough natural light, or it is falling directly on the foliage, burning it.

Crassula undergoes the procedure at any time of the year when infected with bacterial rot. This disease cannot be treated, there are no effective remedies, so the only thing that can help save the plant is timely pruning. It also requires pruning of any new branches on the tree that grow downward: this is how the crown forms correctly. Remove branches that intersect or are at the wrong angle. Pruning is needed to create an open space, thanks to which the air blows well over the crown, moisture does not collect in it and, accordingly, the foliage does not rot.