How to Use Plant Training Clips: More Sun on Every Branch, at Your Fingertips

Plants grow where they like. A tomato sends three branches into the same crowded corner, a pepper leans until a loaded branch cracks, and a pothos wanders off its pole toward the window. A little steering early on fixes most of that.

Our Plant Training Clips do the steering. Each one holds a branch out at a wide, rounded angle, goes on in one squeeze and comes off just as fast. This guide covers why opening up a plant helps, when to start, how to bend and clip without snapping anything, when to move or remove a clip, and how to use them on tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, houseplants and young fruit trees.

The short version: start while the stem is young enough to bend gently, ease the branch outward a little at a time over several days, squeeze a clip on to hold each step, move the clip outward as the branch thickens, and take it off once the branch holds its new shape on its own.

What the clip does

• A rounded 110-degree bend. It holds a branch open without kinking it, and the rounded mouth spreads the pressure instead of pinching one point.
• Interlock two for 180 degrees. Hook two clips together when a branch needs to turn all the way around.
• Fits stems up to 3/8 inch thick, from young plants to mature branches.
• Built to resist at least 10 lb across the arms.
• On and off in seconds. No knots to tie or pick apart later.
• Washable and reusable, season after season, indoors and out.

Why open up a plant at all

Air. Extension specialists keep coming back to airflow. Virginia Tech's guide to vertical gardening says training plants upright can help air move through the leaves, which reduces disease pressure.^[1] For Septoria leaf spot on tomatoes, NC State recommends staking plants to improve air circulation and help the leaves dry, and Wisconsin Extension notes that removing selected branches may slow the disease by increasing airflow and shortening the time leaves stay wet.^[2][3] Steering a branch outward, instead of letting it fold back into the middle, works toward the same goal.

Off the ground. Rutgers lists less disease and fewer damaged fruit among the advantages of staking tomatoes, and its system keeps foliage and fruit off the ground to prevent diseases.^[4]

Sun on the leaves. The clearest case for light comes from fruit trees. Wisconsin Extension's apple guide says that when all of the leaves get more light, the tree can produce higher quality fruit, and that long upper branches shade the lower ones.^[5] On a crowded vegetable plant, spreading branches apart means fewer leaves stacked on top of each other.

But keep the fruit shaded. Sun on leaves is good; sun on bare fruit is not. Maryland Extension explains that sunscald hits tomato and pepper fruit exposed to prolonged direct sun in hot weather, and recommends strong plants with good foliage cover.^[6] So bend branches apart, don't strip them bare.

Support. Pepper branches can turn semi-woody and brittle by the end of the season and break under a heavy fruit load, and heavy fruit can tear unsupported tomato branches.^[7] A clip lets you ease a heavy branch into a gentler curve instead of leaving it to hang at a sharp angle.

When to start

Clip once a stem is long enough to bend gently. Young growth is the easy part: Wisconsin Extension says apple branches are most easily positioned when they are only 3 to 6 inches long with very soft wood.^[5] Wait too long and the job gets harder. The University of Missouri warns that once woody branches get older, they cannot be bent sharply and risk being injured or broken.^[8]

A quick test: hold the branch between finger and thumb and move it outward a little. If it curves smoothly, it is ready. If it feels stiff or starts to crease, give it a smaller bend or leave it.

How to clip a branch, step by step

1. Pick the branch. Choose one that is growing into the middle of the plant, crossing another branch, or heading somewhere you don't want it.
2. Find the spot. Work on the smooth stretch of stem near where the branch leaves the main stem, where it still flexes easily.
3. Bend gently. Ease the branch outward toward the angle you want. Stop well before it resists. A smooth curve is the goal, never a sharp corner.
4. Squeeze the clip on. Hook one end of the clip around the main stem and settle the branch into the other end. One clip, one squeeze, no knots.
5. Check it. The stem should sit loosely in the rounded mouth, not pinched. If the branch is creasing, take the clip off and give it a smaller bend.
6. Go further over several days. If the branch needs to move further, do it in small steps a few days apart. Wisconsin Extension describes training espalier branches gradually over a period of time, and Oregon State's orchard guide puts it simply: bend, but don't break the branch.^[9][10]

Interlock two clips for a sharper turn

One clip holds a wide 110-degree bend. When a branch needs to come all the way around, for example to turn a vine that has wandered off a pole back toward it, hook a second clip into the first. Together they make a 180-degree turn. As with any bend, take it in stages rather than all at once.

Move clips outward, then take them off

Stems thicken as they grow. Move each clip outward along the branch as it thickens, so the clip never sits tight on a stem that has outgrown it. The same thinking applies to any tie: Missouri's espalier guide says to tie shoots loosely to avoid girdling as the branches grow in diameter, and warns that tight wire ties can damage branches if left on too long.^[8]

Once a branch has set, the shape holds without the clip. To check, unclip it and watch: if the branch stays where you put it, it is done; if it springs back, clip it again and wait. Wisconsin Extension's espalier guide removes the ties once the final form is reached, and on fruit trees, Oregon State suggests keeping a bent limb in place for one growing season so it can stiffen and stay at that angle.^[9][10]

Crop by crop

Tomatoes

Clip side branches that are heading into the center of the plant out toward the edge, so air can move through and the leaves dry sooner after rain.^[2] When a branch gets heavy with fruit, a clip can ease it into a gentler curve instead of a sharp angle. Keep the plant itself on a stake or in a cage, and leave leaves over the fruit in hot weather.^[6]

Peppers

Peppers get top-heavy in August. Maryland Extension says pepper plants should always be staked, caged or otherwise supported, and Missouri adds that staking keeps the plant upright and prevents it from splitting under a heavy fruit load.^[7][11] Clip early in the season while the branches are still soft, since they turn brittle later.^[7] Open the plant enough for air to move, but keep a roof of leaves over the fruit to guard against sunscald.^[6]

Cucumbers and climbers on a trellis

Training cucumber vines on a trellis or fence lifts the fruit off the soil, and Maryland Extension lists straighter fruit, vines that dry off faster and easier picking among the benefits.^[12] Oregon State reminds you to make the support sturdy enough for the weight of mature cucumbers.^[13] Tie the main vine to the trellis with soft wire, and use clips to turn side vines that are heading away from the trellis back toward it.

Houseplants on a moss pole

NC State notes that pothos, given a support to climb and enough light, begins to produce large, mature leaves.^[14] Tie the vine to the pole with soft wire, and use a clip, or two interlocked, to turn a vine that has wandered away from the pole back toward it. Monstera stems are often thicker than 3/8 inch; NC State says monstera needs sturdy support to keep its stems from breaking, so give the thick stems soft wire and a solid pole and keep the clips for thinner, younger growth.^[15]

Young fruit tree branches

Fruit growers do a similar job with clothespins. New Mexico State's apple guide uses wooden clothespins on new shoots 4 to 6 inches long to push them out from the trunk, and leaves them on for the season; it says this early start is easier than using branch spreaders later.^[16] The reason is strength: narrow crotch angles are weak and break easily, while branches at 45 to 60 degrees from the trunk are stronger and can support heavier crops.^[16] The same guide warns not to push branches past 60 degrees.^[16]

Because the clip holds a wider bend than that, it suits espalier and fan shapes, where side branches are trained out along wires, better than a free-standing tree. On an espalier, use a clip to hold a soft young side shoot out toward its wire, then tie it to the wire with soft wire.^[8][9] On a free-standing apple or pear, set the angle with soft wire tied loosely to a stake instead.

Pair the clips with soft garden wire

Clips and wire do different jobs. A clip holds one stem at an angle to another. Our Soft Garden Wire ties a stem to something else: a stake, a trellis, a moss pole, or the grommets on a fabric grow bag. It has a stainless steel core under a soft rubber coat, so it is gentle on the stem and stiff enough to hold the shape, and you cut it to length.

If your plants live in grow bags, tie a length of wire from a branch to one of the bag's aluminum grommets to hold it out from the center. Our guide on how to use fabric grow bags shows the full setup. Check wire ties every couple of weeks and loosen them as stems thicken.

The Clip and Wire Starter Pair puts a 20 pack of clips and a 50 ft coil of soft wire together for less than buying them separately.

If a branch snaps

It happens, usually when a bend goes one step too far. Don't cut it off right away. Our Branch Repair and Grafting Tape is made for this: line the stem up straight, wrap it firmly with each turn overlapping the last, press the end to seal, and leave it on until the break holds on its own. The tape sticks only to itself, not to the plant, so it comes off clean.

How many clips do you need?

For one or two large plants, the 20 pack. For three or four, the 40 pack. Both come in yellow or black.

Buying for a gardener? The Gardener's Gift Set has 20 yellow clips, a 50 ft coil of yellow soft wire and a 90 ft roll of yellow repair tape: the three small things every gardener runs out of, for less than the three bought separately.

Cleaning and storing

At the end of the season, pull the clips off, wash them with soap and water, let them dry, and store them for next season. Keep them together in a jar or bag so they are easy to find in spring.

FAQ

Will the clips damage stems?

The rounded mouth spreads the pressure along the branch instead of pinching one point. Bend gradually, and move the clip outward as the stem thickens so it never sits tight.

How long do I leave a clip on?

Until the branch holds its new shape on its own. Unclip it and watch: if it stays, it is done; if it springs back, clip it again and check later. On young fruit trees, Oregon State suggests one growing season.^[10]

Which plants are they for?

Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, climbers and houseplants with stems up to 3/8 inch thick, and soft young shoots on fruit trees.

What if a stem is thicker than 3/8 inch?

Use soft garden wire instead. It ties a thick stem to a stake, trellis or pole without biting into it.

Can I use them indoors?

Yes. They work indoors and out, on houseplants as well as garden plants.

Can I reuse them?

Yes. Wash them with soap and water and store them for next season.

I bent a branch too far and it snapped. Now what?

Line it up straight and wrap it with branch repair tape, each turn overlapping the last. Leave the tape on until the break holds on its own.

I have another question.

Email hello@onlinegardenco.com. Fastest customer service: get responses in minutes, not hours or days.

References

1. Settlage, K. and Hessler, A. "Vertical Gardening Using Trellises, Stakes, and Cages" (HORT-189NP). Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech. ext.vt.edu/content/pubs_ext_vt_edu/en/HORT/HORT-189
2. NC State Extension. "Septoria Leaf Spot of Tomato." North Carolina State University. content.ces.ncsu.edu/septoria-leaf-spot-of-tomato
3. Wisconsin Horticulture, Division of Extension. "Septoria Leaf Spot." University of Wisconsin-Madison. hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/septoria-leaf-spot
4. Nitzsche, P., Kline, W., Infante-Casella, M. and Maletta, M. "The Stake and Weave Training System for Tomatoes in the Home Garden" (FS1102). Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. njaes.rutgers.edu/FS1102
5. Dillon, J. and Roper, T. R. "Training and Pruning Apple Trees." Wisconsin Horticulture, Division of Extension, University of Wisconsin-Madison. hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/training-and-pruning-apple-trees
6. University of Maryland Extension, Home and Garden Information Center. "Sunscald of Vegetables." extension.umd.edu/resource/sunscald-vegetables
7. University of Maryland Extension, Home and Garden Information Center. "Vegetable Plants Fall Over or Stems are Broken." extension.umd.edu/resource/vegetable-plants-fall-over-or-stems-are-broken
8. Trinklein, D. "Espalier: Pruning as an Art Form." Missouri Environment and Garden, University of Missouri, June 2021. ipm.missouri.edu/MEG/2021/6/espalier-DT
9. Mahr, S. "Espalier." Wisconsin Horticulture, Division of Extension, University of Wisconsin-Madison. hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/espalier
10. Oregon State University Extension Service. "Training and pruning your home orchard" (PNW 400). A Pacific Northwest Extension publication. extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pnw-400-training-pruning-your-home-orchard
11. University of Missouri Extension. "Growing Sweet Peppers in Missouri" (G6372). extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6372
12. University of Maryland Extension, Home and Garden Information Center. "Growing Cucumbers in a Home Garden." extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-cucumbers-home-garden
13. Oregon State University Extension Service. "Grow your own cucumbers." extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/vegetables/grow-your-own-cucumbers
14. NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. "Epipremnum aureum" (pothos). North Carolina State University. plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/epipremnum-aureum
15. NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. "Monstera deliciosa." North Carolina State University. plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/monstera-deliciosa
16. Yao, S. "Training Young Apple Trees to the Central Leader System" (Guide H-333). New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service. pubs.nmsu.edu/_h/H333