How to Prune Leggy Carnations

Pinch or trim back the overgrown stems on seedlings when the plants reach a height between 6 and 8 inches. Pinch to the topmost bud to prevent legginess. If the stems are exceptionally weak, pinch back to the second or third bud from the top but do not remove all the buds along the stem. The stem branches at the pinch point, resulting in a denser plant.

Trim back the plants in midseason if they have sparse leaves on the top of the plant or are beginning to sprawl or fall over. Remove up to a third of the carnation plant when trimming, making each cut near a leaf bud.

Cut back the plants if they are flowering poorly or producing few buds, even if they are not badly overgrown. Trimming back all the main stems to the topmost bud forces a new flush of growth and flower bud production.