Winter: 2026
Technical Guide to Pruning, Post-Pruning, and Composting of Mirabilis jalapa
Hi everyone! How are things? Today I’m sharing a
very special post about a pruning and composting
technique—I hope you like it!
Pruning Activity and Tools
The maintenance and control pruning of the Mirabilis
jalapa plant (commonly known as four o'clock flower
or
marvel of Peru) is carried out by executing clean
cuts at the base of the primary stems. Due to its
herbaceous,
succulent, and semi-woody nature, the procedure
requires sharp execution to prevent tearing the
plant's
vascular bundles.
Tools Used:
Sanitsed bypass pruning shears (curved blades),
treated with 70% isopropyl alcohol to avoid
cross-contamination or transferring fungal pathogens
to the remaining crown.
Process:
Selection of overgrown branches, performing a
bevelled cut (at a 45-degree angle) a few
centimetres above ground level. This angle ensures
rainwater slides off the wound, preventing rot and
stimulating vigorous resrouting from its tuberous
root system.
Here's the first video of the pruning
Interactive image viewer: Cross-section and it can be seen that the tissue did not deform.
Post-Pruning and Material
Classification
Following the biomass collection, the organic matter
is classified according to its moisture levels,
texture, and
Carbon-to-Nitrogen (C/N) ratio to balance the
microbiological degradation environment:
Wet Waste (Green / Nitrogen-Rich): Fresh green
leaves, developing flower buds, and fleshy upper
stems
captured in the visual logs. These provide internal
cell moisture and essential nutrients for
early-stage
bacterial activation.
Dry Waste (Brown / Cellulose-Rich):
Dried leaves and pre-dehydrated grass clippings
layered into the mix.
These materials absorb excess moisture and structure
the pile.
Lignin-Rich Waste (Structural):
Fleshy basal stems which exhibit higher mechanical
resistance. These
require manual shredding (chopping into 2 to 5 cm
pieces) to increase surface area for lignicolous
fungi to
colonise efficiently.
Step-by-Step Composting Bin Layering
Method
Recycling within the plastic domestic composting bin
follows a meticulous layering or homogeneous mixing
strategy to avoid compaction and secure aerobic
decomposition:
Base Structural Layer (Lignin): Placing
chopped,
thick stems at the bottom of the bin to establish
natural
air channels that promote continuous oxygenation.
Cellulose Dry Layer: Laying a uniform portion of dry
grass clippings and brown leaves over the base to
regulate moisture levels and absorb incoming
leachates.
Fresh Wet Layer (Fresh Mirabilis):
Distributing the
freshly pruned green biomass over the dry layer to
kickstart the endothermic breakdown process.
Mixing and Microbial Inoculation: Lightly
incorporating the new layers with the pre-existing
compost and
active soil visible in the bin. A superficial
turnover is conducted to sustain an adequate
air-to-water balance.
📸 Rooting process log
Unpruned plant
With seeds
To prune
Pruned plants
With a length of 20 cm
To be post-composting
Mixed material
Leaves and stems
With grass and compost from the compost bin
Balanced biomass
For vermicomposting
Damp
