Pruning

Good day, and welcome back. God is a gracious God, always assisting us to do well. Hopefully, these will be the last technical challenges we have. But whatever challenge may arise, we will always rise above it in Jesus' name.

In the 2020/21 period, I enjoyed a wonderful harvest from my herbs because of the pinching process. By pinching the new growth from my plant, the plant starts growing two other branches opposite to the pinched branch. Pinch as close to leaf nodes as possible, being careful not to injure the tiny buds beneath. Each time you remove the main stem, your plant will try to grow two new stems beneath the pinch or cut. As a result, you will have a healthy green bushy plant, which works out perfectly for herbs. With herbs, we are more interested in the leaves than the rest of the plant.

I applied this method to Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Lemon balm, Cayenne pepper, and Lemon verbena. I had a great harvest from all the plants but more so on Oregano. 

This reminded me of the scripture: Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.John 15:2 NKJV

 Even though this is not the pruning we are used to. The selective removal of diseased, damaged, dead, or otherwise unwanted tissue from plants. Pinching, otherwise known as tipping, is a pruning method generally used on young plants to encourage branching. Others use the same process to delay the plant to flower.  

When he prunes you it's because you are bearing fruits. With the above method, I then understood why God used pruning to elaborate on His point. The more I pinched the new growth, the more fruitful my herbs became. 

God prunes us because he loves us and wants more out of us. Remember in the beginning God said be fruitful and multiply. Pruning is one of the methods to multiply the plant.

Next week we will look into the definition of pruning and look into how God the vinedresser prunes us as his children. Enjoy