That’s a good gardening principle. A more complete explanation would be:
A few smart snips can keep the garden looking fresh without overworking yourself. Regular, light pruning is often more effective than waiting until plants become overgrown. By removing dead flowers (deadheading), trimming damaged or diseased branches, and cutting back excessive growth, you can:
- Encourage many flowering plants to produce more blooms.
- Improve air circulation, which can help reduce some plant diseases.
- Keep shrubs and perennials neat and well-shaped.
- Remove dead or damaged growth so the plant can direct energy to healthy stems and leaves.
- Make larger pruning jobs less necessary later in the season.
A few tips:
- Use clean, sharp pruning tools to make smooth cuts.
- Prune at the appropriate time for each plant—some flower on old wood, while others bloom on new growth.
- Avoid removing more than about one-third of a plant’s healthy growth at one time unless you’re following specific recommendations for that species.
Regular, gentle maintenance usually takes less time than infrequent, heavy pruning and helps keep a garden healthy and attractive throughout the growing season.
