When should you pinch back mums?

The first pinch is in spring when returning plants are about 8 to 10-inches tall. If you are planting mums in the spring, start the first pinch 2-weeks after planting. The second pinch is done around the summer solstice. This is the longest day of the year.

Why do you pinch the flowers off of mums?

Pinching is another way to improve the overall growth of mums and extend their flowering period. Mums have a mounding growth habit. Therefore, pinching off, or removing, their new growth to 6 or 8 inches in length during spring encourages the plants to develop new branches and grow wider.

Does cutting blooms encourage more blooms?

Cutting back the blooms before they succeed at seed-making forces the plant to try again with a new flush of blossoms. While not all plants are capable of multiple flushes of flowers during the season, those that can will produce more flowers if you regularly cut back, or deadhead, the old blooms.

Do you need to deadhead mums?

You don’t want to over-water your mums, however the worst thing that can happen is for them to get too dry. Deadhead often for lasting blooms. Take off wilted blooms and dead stems/leaves not only makes your mums look more beautiful, it helps your plant to bloom longer.

Can you put Miracle Grow on mums?

To get the most from your garden mums, place them in a sunny location and feed them every 7-14 days with an all-purpose water-soluble plant food like Miracle-Gro® Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food. Or, you can feed and water your mums at the same time with Miracle-Gro® LiquaFeed®.

Is Epsom salt good for mums?

Fertilizer Selection Ideally, mums need 40-120 ppm calcium, 30-60 ppm magnesium and 25-75 ppm sulfur (75-250 ppm sulfate) on a constant basis. Often, Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) is mixed in the stock solution of a water soluble fertilizer to provide magnesium and sulfate.

What happens when you pinch a mums plant?

Pinching (as described below) removes the terminal portion of each stem. When this is done, it forces the plant to produce lateral (or side) branches, increasing the number of branches and keeping them more compact. Pinching mums also doubles or even triples the number of flowers the plant produces.

When to start pinching back mum chrysanthemums?

First Pinching: Start pinching stems in spring when the plants have reached a height of about 6 inches in length. 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.

How can I get my mums to bloom in the fall?

Plants can either be sheared off, or simply pinched back by hand. It forces the plant to grow more shoots at a lower height, creating a fuller mum. In addition, pruning helps to delay the timing of the buds that form. All of which will help your mums to bloom later in the fall, instead of late summer.

What’s the best way to pinch back mums?

Pinching Mums: How To Complete The Task To pinch back your mums, use your thumb and forefinger to snap off the terminal portion of each stem the plant produces. 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.

What happens if you pinch back a mum plant?

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 mums, first and foremost, delays their bloom-time.

When to start pinching mums in the garden?

If you choose to pinch your mums, below are some helpful tips. This pinching process may seem drastic, but the results will be bushy, well-shaped fall-flowering plants. First Pinching: Start pinching stems in spring when the plants have reached a height of about 6 inches in length.

How often do mums bloom in the fall?

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. 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.