This article may contain affiliate links. 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. To pinch back your mums, use your thumb and forefinger to snap off the terminal portion of each stem the plant produces. The easiest method is to simply plant your mums into the landscape. Alternatively, pinch … No matter if they were in pots, hanging baskets – or even planted in the ground. Prune the plant periodically, pinching off dead blooms to make way for new growth and to keep it looking lovely. Chrysanthemums or mums are one of our favorite flowers in the fall. 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. Pinching mums also doubles or even triples the number of flowers the plant produces. Pinching mums, first and foremost, delays their bloom-time. Mums are synonymous with fall decorating. 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. This procedure usually begins in spring when the plants are about 6 to 8 inches tall. This means removing the early buds with pruners. If the roots have grown too big for the same size pot, and they likely are, move to a larger vessel, or split and divide to allow room for root growth. Mums grow best with full morning sun, at least 5-6 hours daily. Let me explain. Repeat the process about 2 or 3 times over the course of the spring and into early summer. ( See : Our Homemade Potting Soil Recipe). When your decorating season is over, or when the temps simply become too cold, it’s time to move the plant to safety for good. the will encourage more new branches. Look for plants that are full of buds, or barely beginning to open up. Another reason mums are pinched is to improve their growth structure. The rule of thumb is to make your last pinch by the 15th of July. For starters, the plants are often labeled as “hardy”, or as a garden mum. Once subjected to even the slightest of frost, they quickly succumb. The best time to pinch plants is around July 4th, but you can do it earlier. Our experts will call you on your preferred time. This is a case where the genus name has become such a commonly used name that capitalization is often abandoned (as will be the case in this article). Copyright © 2020 EG Media Investments LLC. Pinching Mums: Tips For Pruning This Fall-Flowering Plant. A hard pinch generally doesn’t break as well as a soft pinch and adds time to the crop. Keep them watered during dry spells. Happy Gardening – Jim and Mary. Pinching (as described below) removes the terminal portion of each stem. 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 goal is to allow them to go dormant without freezing. But can they ever be expensive! Pulling old blooms off by hand is not recommended because it leaves the entire stem looking out of place, and it could also damage the stem. And when it comes to potted mums, that means indoors for the first winter, and not outside in the ground. When the plant is 4 to 6 in. 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. But what if they are not labeled? Pinching to Encourage Bushiness Pinch mums during late spring and early summer. If your mum plants appear next spring, pinch the tips (just trim off the last inch or so) of the buds a few times before July to encourage more bushiness. Garden mums are a true perennial, and with a little fall preparation, can be kept and grown year after year. When buying, look for hardy mums. 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. Pinching refers … Hardy mums are mums that can handle overwintering. As always, feel free to email us at thefarm@owgarden.com with comments, questions, or to simply say hello! If you see this, you know they are good for saving. You reach down each stem to what Mark calls "the first truly mature leaf" (which should be an inch or two from the top of the plant) and literally 'pinch' it off the same way you'd pinch a mischievous child—or be pinched BY a mischievous child; squeeze it between your thumb and forefinger. 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. Floral mums also usually tend to have smaller blooms. Here is to overwintering your garden mums and saving them for next year! Next, for best success, store in a cool corner of the basement or a semi-heated garage. You can prune the mums in the late fall or in the spring. How to save your mums all depends on what they are in, and how you will be displaying them. Don't pinch any more after the 15th of July . This process of growing and pinching should continue until August 1 when you will have a very fat, bushy plant and the flowering cycle will begin. 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. Now on to saving those mums! This will push the plant to produce bigger, fuller flowers later in the season. tall, pinch out the growing tip with your fingers or use a small pruners to snip out the tip. Pinch weekly up to mid-August to give the plant … Did you know that with just a little bit of care, you can save your hardy potted and container mums to grow again next year? After that, it’s too late, because you’ll pinch off flower buds. 20-10-20 or maybe even triple 14 (14-14-14). Pinching mums for more flowers. This allows for plenty of nutrients for the season. In fact, with just a bit of care, you can overwinter hardy mums with ease. Like with all container and basket plants, wait until the threat of frost has passed to pot up. As the warmer temperatures of spring roll around, it’s time for action! Mums can survive light frosts and cold fairly easy, but a hard freeze can kill roots in pots permanently. For these mums, do not cut back the foliage until spring, as it will help provide protection for the first winter. For a larger blossom, pinch off the side shoots so that all the plant’s energy goes into flowers opening only on the main stems. Pinch chrysanthemums 2 to 3 times from spring to mid-summer. Pinch again when these new shoots reach a length of 6 to 8 inches. Mums: Pinching will encourage more flowers. Since mums are intended to bloom in the summer, you will start to see your mums flop over by the end of July. All rights reserved. Snip off the top inch of any stems that are 6” or longer. 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. If covering is not possible or is not effective, pinch off all brown blossoms and any damaged leaves to encourage new growth. The goal is to allow them to go dormant without freezing. It's also adviced to pinch off the tops of stems in the … Figure 1. Cut mums back to within a few inches of the soil line before bringing indoors. Horticulturist Jessica Walliser is an award-winning radio host on KDKA Radio’s “The Organic Gardeners” in Pittsburgh. One final note on purchasing mums. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Simple Secrets To Overwinter Your Hardy Mums, (See: How To Care For Mums In The Summer), Fall At The Farm! If you want to instead regrow your mums in a pot or container again, you will need to re-pot them with new potting soil. After that each time you see buds, roll them off the plant. Whether grouped with cornstalks and pumpkins, or simply left on their own, they bring autumn to life. I try to have mt last pinch done by the 4th of July. Your email address will not be published. Once mums bloom, deadheading can generate more blooms. New lateral shoots will develop along the stems. A few common cultivars of these truly hardy mums are Chrysanthemum Sheffield Pink, Venus and Cambodian Queen. The mums you purchase have been pinched early and often. Well, there are a few tell-tale hints that can help you know: Smaller mums in small, shallow containers and planters tend to be floral varieties that are not suitable for saving. Next, for best success, store in a cool corner of the basement or a semi-heated garage. Simply cut apart into equal sections with a sharp knife or shovel and replant. Pinching can be done with your fingers or a pair of hedge clippers. Look For Mums To Keep! Old World Garden Farms At The Peak Of Autumn Color. Caring for Mums in the Winter Cut your mums back to the ground. Before bringing indoors, cut the mum back a few inches above the potted soil line. But if you dug them up to pot them, you will once again need to overwinter indoors until next spring. To pinch a plant, remove the growing tip of a stem by nipping it between your thumb and forefinger. The stem will produce new side branches at the pinched spot. If they have a good 4 to 6 weeks before the first frost, the roots have most likely set. Pinch back to a pair of leaves. Pinching can help. 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. Your email address will not be published. Again, this will force new growth from each stem. A far better bargain than just a week or two! Keeping your mums alive from year to year all starts with selecting the right mums at the time of purchase. 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. Or leave your mums alone for a … As the mums start to produce new growth every spring, use your fingers to pinch off the top inch of growth from the ends of each growing stem. With potted mums, the first key is to never let them endure a freeze in their pot or container. I would also put a slow release fertilizer in the ground. Talk about a serious savings to the pocketbook! If you want mums that return every year with little fuss, these cultivars are worth investigating. Always move your mums to safety on nights with a freeze, or extremely low temperatures in the forecast. 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. Required fields are marked *. Pinching Back Mums: 1. Other common names for these colorful fall characters are based on the shortened version (\"mums\") of the genus name. Take a sharp pair of pruners and cut the entire plant back by about half. This is our rough schedule that we used in the garden club as we grew mums for sale in the fall. Be certain that the rooting medium is slightly damp. Especially when you consider most are tossed to the curb at the end of the season – even though the large majority sold are hardy varieties that can be kept and grown from year to year. This one … With a hardiness from growing zones 5 to 9, it is these mums you want to purchase and save! Although formerly referred to as Dendranthema morifolium, plant taxonomy now classifies chrysanthemums as Chrysanthemum morifolium. Continue to do this until the end of the first week of July. 2. Let’s first talk about mums in containers or baskets. There is error while submitting your request. It will also increase the number of buds that appear on your plant. Best of all, it’s not hard to do. To pinch back your mums, use your thumb and forefinger to snap off the terminal portion of each stem the plant produces. You will want to water them from time to time through the winter, but only lightly every few weeks. When those new branches are 6 inches long, pinch off an inch from their growing tips. Ideally, you want to pinch the stem as close to above the leaf nodes as possible. For overly large mums, this is also the time to split and divide them to create new plants. Meanwhile, larger mums in larger pots most often tend to be savable garden mums. Be sure to keep plants well watered for the first few weeks to help establish them in the soil. They simply don’t have time to establish in the soil for protection. Repeat the process with every 3-5 … When this is done, it forces the plant to produce lateral (or side) branches, increasing the number of branches and keeping them more compact. You should encourage fuller plant growth by pinching back new growth in spring, readying the mums for the fall blooms. 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. 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. (See: How To Care For Mums In The Summer). Remember that mums left in the landscape can be left there overwinter. 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. The further north you live, the earlier you should pinch your mums because of shorter growing season of northern climes. Water when the soil feels dry and add more mulch before your average first fall frost date. 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. There are two types of mums that are for sale in the fall – garden mums (hardy mums), and floral mums. Mum blooms can be ruined if nipped by early frost or damaged by heavy rain, but browning can sometimes be prevented by covering the plants with a plastic tarp when frost or rain is expected. Pinch about half of the tender new growth at the top of the shoot; choose some stems with buds and some without. If it’s hot and dry or if the leaves are curling inward, give the plant water. As your garden mums head into summer, you will need to pinch or cut off the blooms of your mums early on. Thank you for choosing this service. Continue pinching until early July. These mums will bloom longer, flowering for up to 45 days or more. Please let us know a convenient time to call you on, (*All time slots are available in CDT zone.). 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. Before placing the plants in the cooler, inspect them for damage from heat or cold, breakage, or wilt. There are several cultivars of mums that are truly hardy and will return to your garden every year without fail (USDA zones 3-7). The stems don’t all have to have flower buds on them. Mums prefer rich, fertile and well draining soil, so adding compost when planting is a big key to success. Cut the top growth back to the next branching growth area and the plant will produce more stems and bigger, more profuse buds. By pinching the mums correctly you will be able to shape the plant and keep it compact. Pinching mums is a necessary chore, and it must be done sometime in June or early July. Floral mums on the other hand will not come back. 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. ..or do a soft pinch. 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. It is best to plant rooted cuttings immediately. You'll get more bang for your buck. It's better to buy plants with unopened buds. When the threat of frost has passed, you can plant them as you would any other perennial. If you purchased your mums in early fall and planted them in the ground for display, they can be left to overwinter. Remove the stem tips when the shoots are 6 to 8 inches tall. Simply reach down in the plant and pinch off the new buds. Mum growers know that it’s beneficial for your plants to pinch back the earliest buds of the season. She’s the author of five gardening books, including the Amazon-bestseller, Tips For Planning The 2021 Kitchen Garden, Breed Profile: The Jersey Stands Out Among Dairy Cows, Learn To Weld & Fix Your Own Farm Equipment, Sky Island Farm Puts Faith In Its Community Supported Agriculture Initiative. So how do you know the difference? One side note about fall mums. To receive our 3 Home, Garden, Recipe and Simple Life articles each week, sign up below for our free email list. Although you won't … It’s not a perfect science for sure, but a great starting point to know if the mums you are buying or have can be saved. If you are planting these mums and growing them as perennials, it is important that you continue pinching plants every spring. When those new stems are about 6” tall (the whole plant is now almost a foot tall), pinch off or prune about 1” from the top of each stem. From the first growth of buds until July, every 2-4 weeks you’ll want to pinch off half of the new growth that your mums have produced at the top of their stems. Please try again. In order to prolong the blooms- Pat suggests you pinch off the tops around the head through the summer until July Fourth – that way in a month or so you can enjoy your mums when everyone else is out buying theirs. Before bringing indoors, cut the mum back a few inches above the potted soil line. Do this after they have been killed … Pinch or cut off any flower buds that begin to develop or open in late summer or early fall before you want flowering to begin to encourage a stronger, more uniform blooming period later. Pinching is the way to get the most flowers, but if you want a taller, more natural-looking mum, do it just once. Now is the time to plant Mums so they will be big beautiful and hardy by fall. You can also use a sharp pair of pruning shears to pinch the ends. With their shallow, tender roots, they simply do not have the root structure to withstand any cold at all. If necessary cuttings may be stored for 2-3 days in a cooler at 33-40ºF. How To Save Mums! Mums are very heavy feeders. Unfortunately, mums planted back into the ground in late fall have little chance for survival. As you pinch back the buds through mid-July, check the soil for moisture. It's best if you do this just below a pair of leaves however this isn't essential. One of the secrets to encouraging flowers on mums is to pinch them back. This will keep the mums foliage tight and close, and allow the timing of the blooms for fall and not late summer. Even with heavy mulching. Pinch Mums and Basil. 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Timing of the tender new growth at the time to establish in the cooler, inspect them for from. 5-6 hours daily store in a cooler at 33-40ºF encourage Bushiness pinch during. That we used in the winter, and allow the timing of the secrets to encouraging flowers on is... Overwinter hardy mums ), and with a sharp knife or shovel and replant baskets – or even planted the! The leaves are curling inward, give the plant and keep it looking lovely perennial. In their pot or container spring when the plants in the ground late. Back a few common cultivars of these truly hardy mums are Chrysanthemum Sheffield Pink, Venus Cambodian. Saving them for damage from heat or cold, breakage, or simply left on their,. Are often labeled as “ hardy ”, or barely beginning to open up better to buy plants with buds! 45 days or more back to the ground for display, they can be left to overwinter to! Encourage Bushiness pinch mums during late spring and into early summer of purchase can! To 6 weeks before the first few weeks to help establish them in the soil wilt. Of a stem by nipping it between your thumb and forefinger now classifies as.
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