How much should I cut back mums in July?

Really, the last part of June up to July 4th is a great time, but doing it much more into July risks your mum from not being able to re-produce blooms by Autumn's arrival. 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.

How far down do you trim mums?

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. If you cut the mums back to the ground, fewer stems will grow next year.

What month do you cut back 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.

How Often Should mums be cut back?

Long, summer days are the ideal time for mums to create new vegetative growth. This is achieved by a special type of pruning, called “pinching.” Most growers suggest pinching mums 2-3 times each growing season. To do this, carefully remove the growing tip of the plant with a pair of pruners or garden scissors.

Can I trim mums in August?

Even if they have already started setting flower buds you can still cut them back as late as July and still have blooms in the early fall. Just prune them down to about 12 inches tall and give them a dose of all-purpose liquid fertilizer to stimulate growth.

Tips To Help Mums Survive The Winter, Should I Cut My Mums Down In The Fall Time

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 do you do when your mums get too big?

Early spring is also a good time to dig and divide mums—right before new growth occurs. Dividing is usually a good idea every two or three years. Cut the clumps into at least fist-sized pieces. For large plants that seem to be dying out in the center, keep divisions from around the perimeter and discard the middle.

Can you divide mums in the summer?

Mums are so easy to transplant that some gardeners grow them in rows through the summer in an out-of-the way place, perhaps even in the vegetable plot, until they are ready to be moved to flower beds, planter boxes, containers or wherever they are wanted for autumn color.

Should mums be cut down 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.

How do you keep mums from blooming in the summer?

Pinch each time the mums grow to about 6 inches high, reducing the stem length to about 4 inches. Pinching encourages branching, which results in more buds -- but pinching after July removes the buds and reduces bloom.

What does it mean to pinch back mums?

Pinching, very simply, is the removal of the growing tips and about 2 to 3-inches of growth. You can do this by hand or cutting back the growth with pruning shears. Why do we do this? Mums are short day plants. Their flowering responds to shorter day length.

Do mums need to be cut back in the fall?

You will be rewarded in 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.

Can you cut a mum in half?

Answer: Don't be tempted to divide your mums in the fall. They respond best to being split in the spring, just as they're starting to grow. Dig up the plant. Discard the center of the clump and replant the vigorous outer roots.

How do you take care of outdoor mums?

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.

How long do mums last outdoors?

Depending on weather conditions and mum varieties, you can expect to get a good display of color for four to six weeks. Extended periods of hot weather will age the flowers more quickly.

Can you split potted mums in half?

Since mums grow and spread easily, they are often split or transplanted into other areas throughout the yard. As a general rule of thumb, mums should be divided every couple of years to help promote regrowth and ensure health.

Why are my mums blooming in July?

Early season mums will initiate flowering during longer days, and late season varieties initiate flowering when day length is shorter. Two of the most common causes of premature budding that are within the growers' control are stress from lack of watering or from lack of fertilization.

Should I cut back mums before winter?

You may opt to wait and cut mums back in late winter or early spring when new green growth emerges or cut the plants back in late fall or early winter shortly after they finish blooming.

Do mums bloom during the summer?

Chrysanthemums, better known as “mums” to their friends, are late-season bloomers that really pack a fall punch in the garden. The chrysanthemum bloom season ranges from late summer into early winter depending upon your zone. In rare cases, mums are not flowering when they should be in full bloom.

How do I save my potted mums for next year?

Keep mums indoors until one week before the last expected spring frost. At that time, take the pot outdoors to its summer location for two or three hours, then bring it back indoors to its winter location. Each day, bring the pot outdoors and leave it there for an hour or so longer each time.

How do you care for fall mums in the outdoor pots?