Hello, Big Jim here:

Pruning to me seems straightforward. You get some new growth, and you cut most of it off with the hope that the tree will branch out, right?

As for pinching, beyond the elementary school vernacular, it is out of my league. What does pinching mean as it relates to plants and when is it useful as opposed to pruning?

Thanks in advance,

Big Jim

Sometimes "pinching" is used to describe the act of pinching off tomato suckers when they first emerge in the forks of the tomato plants. Thumb and forefinger, grab and pinch off.

Pinching just means its small enough to remove with fingers, usually anything non-woody,

Thank you!