Garden mum season is almost upon us. Hardy mums are mums that can handle overwintering. Thank you for choosing this service. Pruning on chrysanthemums will give you better looking plants at bloom time. Pinch monthly until mid-September to give the plant time to form flowers and bloom at the right time. It will also result in a riot of flower buds, as you have discovered. Cutting Back And Pinching Blooms. Your email address will not be published. Stop pinching your plants around mid-July. When this is done, it forces the plant to produce lateral (or side) branches, increasing the number of branches and keeping them more compact. Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not poisonous if ingested. Repeat the process about 2 or 3 times over the course of the spring and into early summer. By pinching the mums correctly you will be able to shape the plant and keep it compact. It will also increase the number of buds that appear on your plant. Copyright © 2020 EG Media Investments LLC. But to get big, bushy plants full of blooms, you'll need to pinch or cut back the plant. Pinching can be done with your fingers or a pair of hedge clippers. The best time to pinch plants is around July 4th, but you can do it earlier. Hundreds, if not thousands, of different garden mums have been bred. You can remove as many as half the total height of each stem, or you can choose to remove just the topmost growing point, if you want the plant to be taller. Simply reach down in the plant and pinch off the new buds. A far better bargain than just a week or two! Required fields are marked *. Pinch back to a pair of leaves. Godfrey says the secret to maximizing flower production is to begin pinching the stems of your mums in the springtime. If mum plants are not pinched back to remove their initial flower buds, the plants will produce their flowers in the summer instead of the fall. Pinching is one task that challenges many growers for various reasons. This will push the plant to produce bigger, fuller flowers later in the season. Pinch chrysanthemums 2 to 3 times from spring to mid-summer. Repeat the process with every 3-5 … She’s the author of five gardening books, including the Amazon-bestseller, Choose The Right Coop & Run For Your Chickens, 3 Recipes For Homemade Holiday Chicken Treats, Build This DIY Weasel Box To Keep Your Hens Safe, 6 Christmas Gift Ideas For Farmers In 2020, Recipe: Cinnamon & Sugar Brioche Is A Rich, Tender Treat. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The health benefits are exponential with the combination of nutrients, sunshine, and exercise gained through vegetable gardening. Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT (1-800-466-3337), Please enter in your email address in the following format: you@domain.com. Pinch weekly up to mid-August to give the plant … Another reason mums are pinched is to improve their growth structure. Pinch weekly up to mid-August to give the plant time to form flowers and bloom at the right time. Modern Mums Shouldn't Need Much Pinching. Hot summers can cause mums to flower later than usual. New lateral shoots will develop along the stems. When and how to pinch back mums If you decide to prune your mums, you can start pinching stems in spring when the plants have reached a height of about 6 inches. Pinching back mums and poinsettias makes the plants compact and strong, and keeps them from becoming leggy. Pinching refers … Mums and poinsettias add color and signify the holidays are near. And in the end, results in a thicker, bushier plant with more shoots for blooms. To encourage plants to branch and produce more flowers, you’ll need to pinch and remove the growing tip of every stem. You can either dispose of the removed stem tips in the compost pile, or root them according to these directions to grow more plants for subsequent seasons and to share with friends. There are many reasons to grow your vegetables, including health benefits, better flavor, and environmental protection. The stems ooze a milky sap, which irritates the skin of susceptible people. © 2000-2020 Home Depot Product Authority, LLC. 2. Keep the soil slightly moist, not wet, and plants fertilized properly to avoid stress that can induce bloom. The rule of thumb is to make your last pinch by the 15th … 1. Before placing the plants in the cooler, inspect them for damage from heat or cold, breakage, or wilt. Pinching (as described below) removes the terminal portion of each stem. Pinching mums is a necessary chore, and it must be done sometime in June or early July. All rights reserved. Unlike some perennial plants that, with an occasional deadheading, bloom off and on all season long, mums are one of many plants that flower only once each year. Please enter your email address. Snip off the top inch of any stems that are 6” or longer. Ideally, mums should be cut back and pruned starting in early to mid-June. Understandably, many growers are thinking about moving to the “no-pinch” technique but have many questions. Pinch again when these new shoots reach a length of 6 to 8 inches. Delaying blooming in climates with cold winters can take mums past the first autumn frost without yield… Many gardeners are surprised that their garden mums start to bloom in mid to late summer. To pinch them you just need to remove the first 2 inches of any new growth by holding it in your fingers and then pinching it with your nail. All Rights Reserved. It's best if you do this just below a pair of leaves however this isn't essential. Ideally, you want to pinch the stem as close to above the leaf nodes as possible. Wear gloves when cutting poinsettias. Though the mum varieties sold as “hardy mums” often do not survive the winter, especially in colder climes, sometimes the plants do return to the garden each spring. After the plants have grown 3-5 inches from the first pinching, it is time to pinch again (1-2 inches). If you prune them after that time, you may eliminate some flower buds and delay the blooming of those that remain. Q: I have lots of chrysanthemums. My mother taught me to "pinch off" the top leaves as they grow to force the plants to get bushy rather than spindly. Please let us know a convenient time to call you on, (*All time slots are available in CDT zone.). The term “pinching” comes from the fact that gardeners actually use their fingers (and fingernails if they have them) to pinch off the tender, new growth at the end of the stem. Our experts will call you on your preferred time. That task needs be done roughly one to four times each month, but don't prune the shoots after July 15 or Aug. 1 at the latest. If necessary cuttings may be stored for 2-3 days in a cooler at 33-40ºF. Mum growers know that it’s beneficial for your plants to pinch back the earliest buds of the season. The original species are often unclear, but horticulturalists generally categorize garden mums by flower shape: Pinch out the center leaves on mums when they are 4 to 6 inches tall, by pinching them free of the stem with your thumb and finger. There is error while submitting your request. 2. To pinch them back, grab a stem between your thumb and index finger about 2 to 3 inches above the base of the plant, and just above a leaf, and simply pinch it off. Pinching Back Mums: 1. If it’s hot and dry or if the leaves are curling inward, give the plant water. Remove the stem tips when the shoots are 6 to 8 inches tall. One of the secrets to encouraging flowers on mums is to pinch them back. To pinch back your mums, use your thumb and forefinger to snap off the terminal portion of each stem the plant produces. To pinch a plant, remove the growing tip of a stem by nipping it between your thumb and forefinger. Mums are phototropic, meaning they rely on day length to trigger blooming. Be certain that the rooting medium is slightly damp. The real flowers are tiny yellow clusters in the center of the bract. What look like flowers on a poinsettia are actually bracts, which are modified leaves. Local store prices may vary from those displayed. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email. Horticulturist Jessica Walliser is an award-winning radio host on KDKA Radio’s “The Organic Gardeners” in Pittsburgh. If you want fall flowers on your mums, you will need to pinch the plants back periodically throughout the summer. Some mum cultivars are more resistant to frost than others; pinching mums back hard by the Fourth of July helps to ensure vigorous bloom before first frost. Your mums can be divided every two years in early spring. Chrysanthemums or mums are one of our favorite flowers in the fall. Mums like moist, but not overly wet soil. Cushion mums are common finds at garden centers and nurseries every autumn, and many gardeners who enjoy these late-season flowers as fall decor go on to plant them in the garden after the blooms fade. 2. Garden mums can be direct stuck in the finish pot or rooted in a liner before pinching and transplanting. This procedure usually begins in spring when the plants are about 6 to 8 inches tall. If you’re one of the lucky gardeners who has a returning mum every year, early July is an important time to pay attention to them. Your email address will not be published. Pinch back to a pair of leaves. There are generally two kinds of pinching that are done on mums. When growing mums indoors, as opposed to outdoors, direct sunlight can harm them. 3. This means removing the early buds with pruners. Each terminal stem portion that’s removed by pinching will develop into two new flowering branches, substantially increasing the plant’s “flower power.” If you pinch the plant twice (once in early June and again in early July), you’ll have even more flowering branches. It is best to plant rooted cuttings immediately. This keeps the plant more compact and full of foliage. You might also want to pinch your mums’ buds to make them bloom as much as possible. The further north you live, the earlier you should pinch your mums because of shorter growing season of northern climes. Pinch your mums, please. Pinching mums back should encourge lots of new shoots which should be shorter and sturdier than if you didn't pinch at all. Continue to do this until the end of the first week of July. Pinching to Encourage Bushiness Pinch mums during late spring and early summer. Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. If you find you can’t get a clean break by using your fingers, you can also use a pair of sharp, clean pruners or even a scissors when pinching mums. One is to get more branches by pinching out the growing stem tips (soft pinch), the other is to get more flowers or larger flower size (disbudding). To pinch them back, simply grab a stem between your thumb and index finger about 2 to 3 inches above the base of the plant and just above a leaf and pinch it off. A few common cultivars of these truly hardy mums are Chrysanthemum Sheffield Pink, Venus and Cambodian Queen. "Every time they grow five to six inches, pinch the tip of each shoot about two to three inches down the stem, just above the leaves," he advises. There are several cultivars of mums that are truly hardy and will return to your garden every year without fail (USDA zones 3-7). 1. Continue pinching until early July. You can remove as many as half the total height of each stem, or you can choose to remove just the topmost growing point, if you want the plant to be taller. The summer annuals on the porch are running out of steam and being threatened by the first frosts … Pinching mums also doubles or even triples the number of flowers the plant produces. Pinching for branching is… Plant mums in containers with fresh, well-drained potting media. Cut the stems back so each stem has four leaves. Mums grow best with full morning sun, at least 5-6 hours daily. Pinching mums, first and foremost, delays their bloom-time. Let me explain. To pinch back your mums, use your thumb and forefinger to snap off the terminal portion of each stem the plant produces. Pinching mums results in bushy, compact plants with additional flowers. One final note on purchasing mums. But, these opened flowers can become heavy with rainwater … Spring-planted mums will have plenty of time for root growth. It's also adviced to pinch off the tops of stems in the … Need Help? Do not pinch mums past mid-July or you risk delaying their bloom time so much that they won’t produce any flowers at all before a hard frost arrives. You can prune the mums in the late fall or in the spring. This is especially important for chrysanthemum stems, which are brittle and can snap if they get too long. Pinch your plants twice a month to encourage leaf growth and discourage flowering. You can also use a sharp pair of pruning shears to pinch the ends. General pruning of mums begins with using your thumb and forefinger to remove the tops of new shoots that are 3 to 4 inches long, leaving two or three leaves on each shoot. These mums will bloom longer, flowering for up to 45 days or more. Perennial Mums vs. Hardy Mums When the morning temperatures turn chilly and the air smells of dried leaves, I get the overwhelming urge to buy chrysanthemums. If you're like me, and keep your fingernails clipped short, you can use a pair of sharp pruners or snips to cut the stems. When buying, look for hardy mums. Water when the soil feels dry and add more mulch before your average first fall frost date. This doesn’t need to be done on mature fall plants, but it should be done on younger mums that you plant in the spring. To pinch: remove the top inch or two of new growth once or twice a month to keep plants 6 inches tall. Products shown as available are normally stocked but inventory levels cannot be guaranteed, For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-800-430-3376 or text 38698 (standard carrier rates apply to texts). Cut the top growth back to the next branching growth area and the plant will produce more stems and bigger, more profuse buds. Pinching Mums: Tips For Pruning This Fall-Flowering Plant. These mums do not need to be pinched at all as their natural flowering time is late autumn, though pinching can help keep the plants more compact. Snip off the top inch of any stems that are 6” or longer. If you want mums that return every year with little fuss, these cultivars are worth investigating. This may seem like a drastic measure, but come fall you will be rewarded with compact bushy plants that are robust with flowers. As you pinch back the buds through mid-July, check the soil for moisture. Lost your password? Look For Mums To Keep! Pinch about half of the tender new growth at the top of the shoot; choose some stems with buds and some without. Place them in an area that provides bright, but filtered light. Please try again. Take a sharp pair of pruners and cut the entire plant back by about half.