Cutting Mums back

[Nanzi]

When is the right time to do that for fullness and not falling over with blooms? Mine are over a foot tall and look spindly already. I'm in Delaware right in the middle of the peninsula zone 7. TIA

[mj]

blooms? Mine are over a foot tall and look spindly already. I'm in Delaware= right in the middle of the peninsula zone 7. TIA

I have always heard and followed the fourth of July rule. Let them grow until the fourth and then cut them back for a fall bloom. MJ

[David E. Ross]

blooms? Mine are over a foot tall and look spindly already. I'm in Delaware right in the middle of the peninsula zone 7. TIA

I cut mine back as soon as they finish flowering. When new shoots appear, I then pinch them back (see below) almost every week until the

4th of July.

Pinching involves removing just about 1 inch of the tip of a shoot. I use my thumb nail against my middle finger.

Right now, however, my chrysanthemum is in full bloom -- out of season. I might not get any opportunity to pinch it.

In the third year, I root cuttings in the early spring and then discard the parent plant.

[Nanzi]

I had been told that since they have hollow stems not to cut them back befo= re winter as the stems took water to roots and would kill them if it all fr= oze. And these people raise acres of mums for commercial sale. But this was= during the growing season I was questioning cutting them back by half to e= ncourage branching and more blooms with shorter stronger, stems to avoid t= hem flopping with the weight of heavy blooms. Thanks for your answer.