Gardening Flowers Perennials How and When to Cut Back Mums for the Best Blooms Pinch and cut back mums at the right times to get the most flowers. By Andy Wilcox Andy Wilcox Andy Wilcox is garden writer, flower farmer, and master gardener who has gardened all around the country. He writes about soil health, gardening, and horticulture for a wide range of publications. Andy has been gardening for over 30 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on November 27, 2023 Chrysanthemums purchased in fall for decoration won’t need any pruning this season to be beautiful. The grower already did that for you months ago. Nor will your mums need cutting back for winter. However, if you plan on keeping them around in pots or garden beds for next autumn, here's how and when to prune mums to get the same mounded and colorful beauty year after year. These same tips will help you keep mums growing in your garden looking their best too. Deadheading Mums While the fall mums you purchased this year won’t need cutting back, they will need regular deadheading. Old, spent flowers should be removed to clean up appearances and encourage more flowering. Plants will try to reproduce (make seeds) until they are successful. Removing the old flowers before they become seed heads will "frustrate" your mum, and it will start over again with new flowers in its quest to form seeds. Get in the habit of deadheading your mums a few times a week and it will only take a minute. Don’t let the entire plant’s worth of blooms get old, or the task will seem overwhelming. 7 Common Mistakes That May Explain Why Your Garden Mums Are Dying Dean Schoeppner When to Cut Back Mums Most people buy mums in late summer for a splash of fall color, then toss them at the end of the season. However, garden mums are perennials in USDA Hardiness Zone 5-9 when properly cared for. The best time to prune mums 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. If you plant those potted mums you used for fall decor in your garden in late autumn, they usually won’t make it through the winter because the roots won't have enough time to adapt to the new environment. However, garden mums planted in spring and summer have time to adjust and develop roots, so usually survive pretty well. Better Homes and Gardens Tips for Pinching Mums Pinching is what it sounds like: using your fingers to remove tender stem ends. It's not as drastic as cutting back; the goal is to encourage bushier growth and help control a mum's shape and size. This technique also can give you many more blooms per plant. Mums left to themselves grow tall and “leggy” and may develop floppy stems later in the season, so pinching at the right times results in the mounded and dense shape we love for these flowering perennials. Mums grow at a rate of about 1.5 inches a week in all directions, up and outward. That won’t seem like much in the beginning, but toward the middle of the season, your mums will seem to surge in size. Marty Baldwin Mums planted in spring or early summer can be pinched as follows: When the plant is about 6 inches tall, pinch off any existing buds using your fingers or scissors. At the same time, pinch non-budded growth tips off, removing a couple of inches of new growth. The plant will fork at the pinch point and create two stems to replace the one you removed. Repeat this process every 2-4 weeks until midsummer. You’ll want to let the plant start budding and blooming in time for the flowers to provide fall color. Pinching after mid-July could delay flowering. When pinching, remove growth to create a mounded shape. If in a pot, mums will look best when the foliage is trained to form a ball twice as wide as the top of the container. Frequently Asked Questions How often should I water my mums? Mums like moist soil but do need good drainage. Use your finger to check the soil. If it is dry an inch down, it’s time to water. Try not to let your mums wilt, as it can affect the flower’s 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. How long do mums last? Properly cared for, mums can last for several seasons. If planted in the ground, these perennials will likely need to be divided every three to four years. They will flower for 4-8 weeks each year. Why aren't my mums blooming? Mums start to flower based on the photoperiod or length of uninterrupted darkness. Outdoor lights left on overnight can confuse your mums into thinking it is still "vegetative growth" time, and they may fail to flower. Give them dark nights and bright, sunny days for the best chance of blooming. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit