How and When To Prune Curry Plant?

Curry leaves the plant as a good ingredient in any curry that we make in the kitchen. It has many medicinal properties, also known as Murraya koenigii which is native to India, and Asia. If we want to grow it better bushier, and strong we need to prune it properly.

Curry leaves plant should be pruned in Spring (around 40F to 85F temperature) or in Fall (below 80 F temperature) and shouldn’t be pruned in summer or winter season. start pruning with a sharp pruner by removing old leaves and make a clean diagonal cut of at least 1/3rd of the plant from the top, (branches by 1/3) to make it stronger and bushier.

I always prune my curry leaves plant alternate years in spring when the temperature is around 40F to 85 F or in Fall which is below 80F temperature to encourage my plant growth multiple branches, to get more leaves for a good harvest.

I also Fertilize my curry leaves plant every 3rd or 4th week to give enough nutrients for plants to grow bushier and stronger. For faster growth grow on the ground than pot.

Don’t fertilize in winter as it will be in winter dormacy and reduces its growth at that time.

When To Prune Curry Leaves Plant

Curry leaves plant should be pruned in Spring (around 40F to 85F temperature) or in Fall (below 80 F temperature) and shouldn’t be pruned in summer or winter season.

Now you know the trick when to prune the curry leaf plant.

when the curry leaves plant are small and try to pinch the top of the plant where it has small growth of leaves to stop the vertical growth and encourage the multiple branches for the stronger and more leaves in the plant.

How to Prune Curry Leaves Plant

Start pruning with a sharp pruner by removing old leaves and make a clean diagonal cut at least 1/3rd of the plant from the top, (branches by 1/3) to make it stronger and bushier.

To make curry leaves bushy pruning the curry leaves plant branches is one of the important things to do. If you prune the plant you will get more branches, more branches result in more leaves.

pinch the tips of the branch when they are young to have multiple branches, which will encourage the curry leaves the plant to grow curry leaves plant busy and fast.

Obviously, you will get more leaves at the time of harvesting.

To maximize the growth of leaves prune the curry leaves plant during spring, the more you harvest the bushier the plant will become.

1. Before Pruning Repot Curry leaves the plant in a bigger pot to grow bigger

If you report in the next size pot you are giving the plant enough room to grow well.

Fertilizer is needed, if you potted your plant more than 4 months ago, put that fertilizer even though there are no leaves on the plant (only left with a bare stem).

It’s gonna survive a couple of winters, It will be strong enough to withstand other coming winters.

2. After pruning Applying Fertilizer for curry leaves plant

Don’t give strong fertilizer to young curry plants. If you are applying fertilizer to the pot, apply it at the rim of the pot.

If it is grown in-ground, fertilizer at the canopy of the curry leaves the plant.

Apply fertilizer to curry leaves plant every 3rd to 4th week with a liquid fertilizer for growing more leaves.

To keep foliage healthy give 3 teaspoons of iron sulfate or 1 teaspoon of iron chelate every 4-5 weeks.

To grow curry leaves faster prepare fertilizer by dissolving 1 teas spoon of Epsom salt in 1 liter of water and feed. Try to give it every 3 months by doing this plant will grow green leaves throughout the spring, summer, and fall.

You can use Buttermilk as fertilizer, diluted curd is said to be the best homemade fertilizer for curry leaf plants.

3. After Pruning Planting curry leaves planted on the Ground for faster growth

The potted plant has less growth compared to the one which is planted on the ground.

The bigger the plant, we get more branches and leaves.

Still pruning and fertilization is required even if it is planted in a pot or ground.

4. After Pruning Plucking the flower bud to give more energy to curry leaves plant

pluck the flower buds when they grow in branches of the plant.

This will conserve curry leaves plant energy and uses that energy to grow new leaf.

Otherwise, the plant will be growing more flowers than leaves (which we don’t want).

5. After Pruning in Spring take good care of curry leaves plant during winter

1. Winter Dormancy

Curry leaves plants will go to a resting state in the winter season which is commonly known as winter Dormancy.

Curry leaf plant doesn’t get full sunlight due to winter; Due to low temperature (more cooling), the major problem is for leaves.

Leaves may turn yellow color (chlorosis). This is one of the signs that it is moving to the Winter Dormancy state.

Due to more cold, all leaves may fall down from the plant and there may be no leaves left in the plant (the only stem is left in the plant), This is one of the common things regarding the Curry leaf plant in winter Season. To fix this here you go.

Preparing Curry plant for Winter Dormacy

1. Cut down on watering until the winter season ends

The major thing you need to consider cut down the watering to plant until the winter season end.

This will help the plant to stay in a resting state.

2. Move your plant Indoor

If you move your plant indoors or increase the temperature by any means you can save the curry leaves in the plant.

The better option is to move the plant indoors and place it near the south-facing window. This will give a warm temperature and enough sunlight to plant.

If you cannot take the plant indoors for any reason. At least try to cover the pot (roots), with some black cover or something this increases temperature by 5 degrees, compared to outside.

3. Increase the temperature

Increase the temperatures of plants, slow down the winter Dormancy period, and save the curry plant’s leaves.

Place the curry leaves plant in sunlight during the day and at night you can take it indoors to protect it from cold.

If you forget to take the plant inside, it will die no matter whatever you take care of after that. So be cautious not to forget.

If there are no leaves in the curry plant and only the stem is left, you need to take care of the plant. Otherwise, the plant may die.

You can increase the temperature of the plant by moving your plant inside and giving enough sunlight by keeping it near the window.

If that is not possible, you need to cover the plant with a black cover to decrease the plant’s temperature by 5 degrees compared to the outside temperature.

If you are traveling or out home for some days, request a willing friend to take care of your plant.

4. Pour the warm water instead of cold water

This will help keep up the temperature of the curry leaves on the plant.

2. Less Exposure to Sunlight

Curry leaves will curl down and bent downside if you give less sunlight to the plant.

Experts say that for the best results we need to grow curry leaves plant in full sunlight and more than equal to 40F temperature.

If we consider the above climate conditions Curry leaf plant will have less winter dormancy period.

Being a curry plant Vulnerable to the cold climate we need to take good care of the plant by exposing the plant to sufficient sunlight.

If you are there in freezing climate conditions, you need to consider giving your plant an artificial white light instead of sunlight.

3. Low Temperature

When plant atmosphere temperature drops then plant leaves may shutter, bent down, and lose out all the leaves, those leaves were helping the plant to survive the winter reason.

How to overcome the low-temperature problem in Curry plants.

1. Limit watering to plants

As we discussed earlier, you need to cut down on watering in the winter season. Plants will be in a resting state.

If you don’t cut down on watering Root rot can happen to curry leaf plants and plants may eventually die.

2. Pour Hot water instead of cold

Please pour hot water to increase the temperature of the plant.

3. Move your plants indoor

As we discussed earlier you need to move your plants indoors to give the warm weather to plant or keep the pot in the black cover so that there will reduce in-plant temperature compared to the outside temperature.

4. Give sufficient sunlight or artificial light

To revive your plant which is suffering from low-temperature problems, you need to give them enough sunlight to survive.

You also should not give a bright light to the plant, this may shock the plant. Needs to increase the light gradually.

4. Soil (Dirt)

Fertilizer is needed, if you potted your plant more than 4 months ago, put that fertilizer even though there are no leaves on the plant (only left with a bare stem).

It’s gonna survive a couple of winters, It will be strong enough to withstand other coming winters.

Things to consider while you repotting the curry leaf plant.

We need to put a good potting mix for a pot that will drain well.

You also should consider the next pot size while you are repotting and make sure it has a drainage hole at the bottom.

If you are pruning roots use sanitized tools, otherwise your plants may affect by a previous plant that was suffering from some disease.

Bonus tip: Feed the plant with Baked salt or Epsom salt twice every month as fertilizer to improve the plant

5. Over-watered

Over-watered curry leaves mostly suffer from root rot. Root rot will occur to more frequent watering.

Not leaving the water to drain from the soil or there is no proper drainage hole in the pot causes root rot. Which will make the plant eventually die.

How to fix an over-watered curry leaf plant?

1. Prepare plant

Remove the plant from the pot and clean-cut the roots which are brown in color and rotted.

Leave the plant for some days to heal up the roots which you have trimmed.

2. Repot with proper soil

If you are repotting the plant in the same container, you need to sanitize the pot before you put the new soil.

If you are planning to put old soil, before that you need to boil the soil with hot water, this makes any bacteria that affect plants die.

Pot the plant with a good potting mix, which can be well-drained.

3. Limit the water supply to plant until the roots heal

Once you plant, you should wait for at least 1 week to water; roots need to be healed and adjust to the pot’s new atmosphere.

4. Give enough sunlight and maintain temperature

Move your new pot to inside and give a good amount of sunlight, and don’t let the plant sit at a cold temperature.

6. Under-watered

Under-watered curry leaf plants look like withered leaves, bent, yellow leaves.

Even if the leaves are yellow you should not prune, pluck them because these leaves

Tips:

1. Feed Curry leaf plant with a tablespoon of Epsom salt (which contains magnesium)/ baked salt into yogurt or 1 gallon of water twice a month (every 15 days) to improve the plant growth. If you overdose you will burn the plant. (My grandmother taught this.)
2. Feed buttermilk to plant during warmer months to improve growth ( when there is no mold).
3. cut the seed-bearing part to get new shoots and leaves to grow healthily.

FAQ

Best natural fertilizer for curry leaf plant

The best fertilizer for curry leaf plants is the buttermilk or diluted curd method. We need to wait until the soil is fully dry before applying fertilizer for better results. Mix well two teaspoons of sour curd into one gallon of water, and pour them into the base of the curry leaves plant (apply weekly for better results).

How to prune curry leaf plant

Curry leaves plant should be pruned in Spring (around 40F to 85F temperature) or in Fall (below 80 F temperature) and shouldn’t be pruned in summer or winter season. start pruning with a sharp pruner by removing old leaves and make a clean diagonal cut of at least 1/3rd of the plant from the top, (branches by 1/3) to make it stronger and bushier.

My curry leaf plant not growing

Curry leaves Plant not growing, due to its winter dormancy (the plant is getting ready for winter season), less exposure to sunlight, or low temperature. The other reasons will be improper soil, over or underwater for plants. These are usually grown slowly.

How do grow curry leaves faster?

To grow curry leaves faster, pruning is necessary, this encourages multiple branches and gets more leaves for harvesting. Fertilizing (liquid fertilizer) is necessary every 3rd to 4th week to give enough nutrients to the curry leaves plant. For faster growth plant on the ground instead of a pot.

When to hard prune the curry leaf plant?

Curry leaves plant should be hard pruned in Spring (around 40F to 85F temperature) or in Fall (below 80 F temperature) and shouldn’t be pruned in summer or winter season. start pruning with a sharp pruner by removing old leaves and make a clean diagonal cut at least 1/3rd of the plant from the top, (branches by 1/3) to make it stronger and bushier.

Final Thoughts

Let me know in the comments are able to prune the curry leaves plant correctly.