We live in North Carolina near the South Carolina border. I am already seeing flowers on my mums. Is it too late to pinch back? I have never pinched them back and am afraid I will harm the blooms for fall. They look bushy right now, but I want the color in the fall and not now.
2006-06-19 10:53:53 · 7 answers · asked by felicitytoo 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Sure, I"m trimming mine this week, and I use hedge trimmers. Mine grow in full sun and I have to do this every year.
2006-06-19 11:54:10 · answer #1 · answered by M&T 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I live in a place where mums do not do well. I wish they did. You should enjoy the flowers, your lucky because you get two crops of flowers per year. They will bloom again, just like they should, with no harm to the fall crop it you let them go now.
I would let them go and cut them back after they start to fade. You can treat them in two ways. One is to just cut off the faded flowers, shear them like a hedge. The other way is to cut them back to the ground, they will resprout and bloom in the fall. If you cut them back to the ground you should feed them lightly after they start to regrow, when they are about 4-6" tall. Do not put fertilizer close to the green part of the plant, apply about 6" away from the plant. Better to feed lightly than heavy. Using timed release fertilizer is best.
Lucky gal, twice a year ;-}
2006-06-19 12:15:00 · answer #2 · answered by Dale Griep 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm in the Chicagoland area, but don't think that makes a difference. I'm pretty sure it's ok to cut the plants down until about July here. However, the flowers if any, wouldn't be anywhere near open yet. So if you really mean flowers instead of just buds, that might make a difference.
2006-06-19 11:37:59 · answer #3 · answered by Jtee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, if you pinch back now you will lose your blooms this year.
You may get a second bloom surge in the fall. Pinch off the blooms as soon as they fade so the plant isn't expending energy on seeds.
2006-06-19 11:06:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live in Massachusetts and I always pinch them hard the first week in July even if they have buds, they will reform new buds for me by September and bloom by the end of Sept. beginning of October.
2006-06-19 13:37:33 · answer #5 · answered by bugsie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my mums bloom in early spring and late summer, you will always want to dead head old blooms on any flower to promote new blossoms
2006-06-20 15:30:20 · answer #6 · answered by bllnickie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sunset Western Garden Book was and is my gardening Bible...Im sure there is one for north south and east also :-D
2006-06-19 11:22:52 · answer #7 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋