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Should I cut back these mums? If so, when? (pictures included)

12 years ago

Hi everyone!

I'm in need of some plant wisdom. I have two chrysanthemum plants (not sure what they are), and I've heard that they should be cut back in the summer in order to keep them healthy and beautiful for the fall. Problem is, I never know the best time to do the cutting. I certainly don't want to make a mistake and cut them back too late or too early. Every year I chicken out of doing it, but I figured I would go ahead and ask for some advice.

Here are pictures of each of the plants and their stems, just in case that would help in assessing them. Any help would be appreciated!

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Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
i would ... i seem to recall 6/6 and 7/6 cutting, if not another in august ... looking for late fall bloom ... in my z5 MI

second pic.. look down the long stems.. and see where there are little florets in a leaf node.. if you trim just above one of those ... it will trigger growth ... and that part will take over leadership ...

and when that one gets another 6 inches tall.. look for the next one.. 3 inches back ...

ken
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
12 years ago
There are 3 reasons people usually trim mums. First, if they are flopping over. Second, if they want to delay the blooms until later. Third, if they are leggy and thin. Yours don't look floppy, and are bushy and full, so the decision would hinge upon whether or not you want blooms sooner or later.

If you want, pull the dead leaves from the bottom of the stems. The plants will look more tidy.
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I'm no expert, but agree with calliope. I have one similiar in shape to yours. I'd asked the cutting back question last year, since Mom always said "keep cutting back until 4th of July (you're right, Ken) but that was for ones that get all tall and leggy. I was told this type (or at least mine) is called a 'cushion mum' and bred to remain compact and rounded. I never cut mine back (except for initial cutting it down after dying) and it blooms magnificantly throughout the season. Here's a pic of mine (bad quality) late in the season (fall?) as it was dying off. You'll notice it did start to lay down and have a gap in the center, but because if you'll notice, there's a dark semi-circle thing above it which is a giant bush. And if I don't keep THAT trimmed back, it crowds out and shades the mum so it can't grow in a full 'cushion' shape. But other than that, you can see it kept its rounded shape all season, never got leggy. I haven't tried the pinching back after first bloom but will try that this year, since later on it does start to look pretty shabby so TKS calliope for that hint!! Also, just checked mine out and it's dead inside NOW but you say it's advised not to pinch back now. So I gather these types are not made to rebloom if I cut it back now?? (I'm sure you answered that, but can't see your response now).
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Unless you consider them very unsightly right now, there's no reason not to let them stay green as long as possible. You can cut them back after they have frozen and died, or even cut them back in spring. They will naturally die down all the way to the ground when they do go dormant. The stems should basically fall out on their own or you can cut them down to 1-2 inches. They may be established well enough survive winter whether you cut them or not, but you'll certainly improve your chances even more if you leave them green as long as possible. September-planted mums sometimes make it and sometimes they don't. But the green leaves will allow the roots to continue getting deeper.
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Comments (7)
if you are forcing them for fall bloom ... then you should cut them back 3 times ... forcing them to bush out.. and bloom later ... otherwise you could just let them bloom when they usually do ... and if not pruned into the bush form.. yes.. they would flop ... when mine got to 6 inches.. i cut them back to 3... then when they grew 6 more inches.. to 9 inches .. i cut them back again 3 inches ... etc ... by about 9/1 .. in my MI ... they were a nice mound ... and i would let them be.. to bloom in late sept or oct .... you are coming in kind of late.. to have gone back to 3 inches .... but with no insult to the roots .. i dont see why they shouldn't reflush in a week or 3 .... think in plant time.. they will react in their own time ... and you might want to cut them back 3 inches.. in about 4 weeks ... and in your zone.. maybe one more time in sept.. but i would defer to peeps more local to your zone .. [and note.. not cut back to 3 inches.. just cut off 3 inches ...] you might be able to find some videos on a search engine of your choice ... ken
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
up here in the great white north known as MI ... these are pruned for fall bloom ..

since nothing else is blooming in sept/oct ...

is that different the further south you go?????

BTW.. you can root any cuttings in a glass of water ... every easily ...

anyway ... all plants have one goal .. procreation ... once they bloom .. and once they set seed, they are done ... some/most can be deadheaded to prolong bloom ...

but if it blooms in a few weeks.. no matter how much you deadhead ... it isnt going to be much of anything by fall ..

so it comes down to you .. when do you want it to bloom ???

ken

ps: let it bloom on its own schedule.. and buy some new ones for fall bloom .... what the heck ... lol
mxk3 z5b_MI
12 years ago
I pinch (or clip with hand pruners) in order to encourage greater abundance of blooms and also to delay blooming, as Ken mentioned. To my eye, mums blooming in mid-August look, well...odd.
athenainwi
12 years ago
I gave up on pinching them back last year. They still bloomed until frost.
mumsymum
Original Author
12 years ago
I really appreciate all the responses!

What I'm gathering is that pinching the mums will encourage and delay the blooms. If I decide to do that, should I just remove the top one to two inches of new growth?

I certainly don't want them to bloom mid-August, and I will probably buy new mums when fall comes around. I know I probably won't be able to resist!

Thanks again everyone!!

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