Pinch and cut back mums at the right times to get the most flowers.
Chrysanthemums purchased in fall for decoration wont need any pruning this season to be beautiful.
The grower already did that for you months ago.
Credit:Dean Schoeppner
Nor will your mums need cutting back for winter.
These same tips will help youkeep mums growing in your gardenlooking their best too.
Old, spent flowers should be removed to clean up appearances and encourage more flowering.
Credit:Better Homes and Gardens
Plants will venture to reproduce (make seeds) until they are successful.
Get in the habit of deadheadingyour mums a few times a week and it will only take a minute.
Dont let the entire plants worth of blooms get old, or the task will seem overwhelming.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
However, garden mums are perennials inUSDA Hardiness Zone 5-9when properly cared for.
Thebest time to prunemums in your garden is in spring to remove dead foliage.
Before new growth has emerged, trim to within a couple inches of the soil surface.
Remove all dead material that feels dried and brittle.
If the mum stem bends instead of snaps, it is not dead and may come back.
This technique also can give you many more blooms per plant.
Mums grow at a rate of about 1.5 inches a week in all directions, up and outward.
Use your finger to check the soil.
If it is dry an inch down, its time to water.
Try not to let your mums wilt, as it can affect the flowers color and longevity.
Be especially careful with potted mums.
They are easy to forget about and will dry out faster than those planted in the ground.
Properly cared for, mums can last for several seasons.
If planted in the ground, these perennials will likelyneed to be dividedevery three to four years.
They will flower for 4-8 weeks each year.
Give them dark nights and bright, sunny days for the best chance of blooming.
