Ever looked at your plant and thought - “I’d love to see a few more leaves on that bare stem” - well you can! with a simple technique called notching.

Just like it sounds, this involves cutting a notch into the side of your plant stem. The incision encourages new growth of branches and whilst it may sound scary, there’s nothing to fear.

1. Pick a spot on your plant where you would like new growth and identify the nodes (small bumps along the trunk) and the space between these bumps. This internodal space is where you will take action.
2. Take a sharp clean knife or secateurs and make an angled cut about a quarter of the way through the stem. Clean away any sap and me mindful it can be irritable for sensitive skin.
3. Ensure your plant is in a bright lit spot and keep up to date with your watering and in a few weeks, you should start to see some new growth.

This method works great for your Ficus friends (Fiddle Leaf Fig, Audrey) and most plants with a wood stem or trunk such as Dracaena (Marginita or Reflexa) and Schefflera.