When Should mums be cut back?

Give them a trim after they frost.

After the first few frosts hit, your mums' leaves will start to brown and die. Cut their stems to 3 or 4 inches in height to help ensure you'll have a full plant next year. Overcutting could cause their stems to grow back more sparsely.

How far back do I cut mums for the winter?

After the foliage of the plant has died back, you will need to cut it back. Cut back the stems of the mums to 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm.) above the ground. Leaving a little bit of the stems will ensure that next year you have a full plant, as the new stems will grow from these trimmed stems.

When should I trim back my mums?

It's always best to cut mums back every spring shortly after they first begin to grow. Timing is everything. If you don't cut mums back in early spring, then they are more likely to produce a premature and disappointing period of poor bloom in summer and a lackluster season of poor bloom in fall.

Should mums be cut back in fall or spring?

As mums begin to grow through the spring and into summer, they're going to start producing buds. To get the most out of a mum, it's best to prune those buds, pinching them back until the time comes to let the plants develop new leaves, branches, and flowers. That way they'll look gorgeous next fall.

Do you cut back mums after they bloom in the fall?

In late fall, after your mums have bloomed, do not cut back their dried foliage. Leave it in place over the winter to provide a little extra protection for the roots. Cut it back in spring.

Spring Pruning of Fall Mum's

How do you prepare mums for winter?

Prepare mums for winter after the first hard frost. Mulch up to 4 inches with straw or shredded hardwood around the plants. Pinch off dead blooms to clean up the plant, but leave branches intact. Mums have a better chance of surviving if you wait to prune old stems until spring.

Do potted mums come back?

You will have some buds on them by then, but don't worry. They will grow back and your plant won't look dead in the middle." Many people buy mums in the fall thinking the plants are annuals. These people toss the mums in the trash once the blooms have faded.

Can mums survive the winter in pots?

With potted mums, the first key is to never let them endure a freeze in their pot or container. Mums can survive light frosts and cold fairly easy, but a hard freeze can kill roots in pots permanently.

How do you prune mums in the fall?

What ya do is quite simple: Pinch or take scissors and trim back your mums until they are about 4-6″ high from the ground. Do not trim them to be lower than that as it could damage the plant or the plant not grow enough again to produce a bloom this fall.

What do you do with mums in the summer?

Ideally, mums should be cut back and pruned starting in early to mid-June. This keeps the plant more compact and full of foliage. And in the end, results in a thicker, bushier plant with more shoots for blooms. Without pruning, mums planted in the landscape tend to develop “leggy” bloom stems.

What to do with potted mums after blooming?

After they finish flowering, garden mums should be cut back far enough to remove all of the faded flowers (about one-quarter their height). If the winter stays very mild, some mums will produce a few more flowers. In late January or early February, garden mums should be cut back to about three inches from the ground.

What do you do when your mums get too big?

Mums grow in clumps, which grow larger each year. If these clumps are getting too big for your flower bed, divide them and re-plant the divisions in other garden spots. Clemson Cooperative Extension recommends dividing mums every couple of years, but you can also routinely divide them once a year.

How do I save my potted mums for next year?

Choose a mostly dark cool area, such as an unheated garage shed or basement, which has temperatures between 32 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If temperatures could fall below freezing, wrap the pots with several layers of newspaper to protect the roots. Water your mums so that the soil is slightly moist.

What do you do with mums at the end of the season?

Mums will generally lose their top growth after a hard frost and go dormant for the winter. After this happens, cut the top growth back and cover all the plants with a thick layer of mulch. The following spring, after the threat of frost has passed, pull the mulch back off the plants.

How do you take care of outdoor mums?

How do you get seeds from mums?

Gathering Chrysanthemum Seeds

Do not pick green seed heads because the seeds will not finish ripening once removed from the plant. Snip off the mum seeds with pruning shears and break them apart, spreading the seeds on a sheet of paper towel to dry out for a day or two before storing them in airtight jars.

Do mums come back from year to year?

But if you've ever failed to see your mums come back the spring after you planted them, here's why: While chrysanthemums are perennials, you have to get them in the ground early in the growing season for them to come back.

Are potted mums perennials?

There are potted florist mums, which look just like garden (hardy) mums and even share the same botanical name (Chrysanthemum x morifolium)—and they're perennials, but their survival depends on when you get them and where you live. Garden mums, also known as hardy mums, are perennial mums.

Can mums survive frost?

Most garden mums should be able to endure a light fall frost. Cover the plants at night when freeze warnings are in effect. To keep the plant attractive and healthy, snip off any dead blossoms as soon as they wilt.

What's the difference between garden mums and hardy mums?

Garden mums are the same thing as hardy mums. Nurseries and garden centers have stopped calling them hardy mums overtime. Mums need special care to over make it through the winter. Mum overwintering is dependent on placement, pruning and conditions.

Do mums need sun or shade?

Chrysanthemums are sun-loving plants. Although they technically require only 6 hours of sunlight each day, the more light they receive, the better their growth, bloom and hardiness. Slight shade in hot, summer afternoons is appropriate in warmer gardening zones to prevent scorching.

Can you keep potted mums inside?

Growing chrysanthemums indoors is easy and requires little special care beyond watering, good soil and drainage. Once the blooms are spent, you can keep the plant around for its deeply etched foliage.

Can you save mums for next year?

It is important to note that not all mums can be overwintered and kept from year to year. There are actually two distinct types of mums, hardy and floral. In short, hardy mums can be kept, while floral mums cannot be saved. The difference between the two is mainly in their roots.