With the UK experiencing a dry spring, gardeners are looking for ways to keep their plants thriving without relying on constant watering. Liam Cleary, outdoor plant expert at Old Railway Line Garden Centre, said: “Pinching out is a straightforward technique where you remove the growing tip of a plant to encourage it to branch out.

“This results in a fuller plant with more flowers, and it’s especially beneficial during dry spells, as it helps develop a more robust structure that can better withstand drought conditions.” It’s not just for dry weather either, as it also sets plants up to cope well with rain, preventing them from becoming leggy.

Pinching out may sound technical, but according to the expert, it’s “easy” and “takes seconds to do”.

It involves removing the soft, growing tip at the top of a plant’s main stem.

While it might feel wrong to snip off healthy growth, it sends a signal to the plant to stop growing tall and instead put its energy into producing side shoots, resulting in a “bushier, sturdier plant”.

Wait until the plant is at least 15cm tall with several healthy sets of leaves, then locate the top growing tip, just above a pair of leaves.

Use your fingers or clean scissors to gently pinch or snip off around one to two centimetres of soft growth, repeating once or twice more during the season.

Liam added: “It’s really satisfying and only takes a moment, but the results are impressive.

“You’ll notice your plant start to branch out within a week or two.”

Pinching out works best on fast-growing annuals and tender perennials, especially those that shoot up quickly and can become tall or spindly without regular shaping.

According to the pro, this includes sweet peas, fuchsias, cosmos, snapdragons, basil, mint and pelargoniums.

It helps keep them bushy, encourages more blooms or leaves, as well as stopping them from becoming leggy or top-heavy later in the season.

Avoid pinching on woody or slow-growing plants such as lavender or shrubs, which require more specific pruning techniques.

The expert noted: “If in doubt, check whether the plant is known for producing side shoots.

“If it is, it’s likely to respond well to pinching out.”