Hi just heard about pinching,. What is that exactly, Ie; Pinching back your mums. and roses/?, Can anyone help, Excuse my ignorance but this seems to be a helpful task, yet I do not fully understand what exactly it is that I am supposed to be doing by "pinching back". THANKS> DOUG

 

Hi Doug,

Here's a website on growing mums and pinching is explained. I know there's a better website, but I couldn't find it.

http://www.kingsmums.com/growinf_info.htm

Howie and Fred use hedge trimmers on their mums. If you don't have one, pruners work OK too.

I've never heard of pinching back roses, and I'm not sure that's a good idea. Maybe somebody else knows something about that. Roses should be pruned to get rid of dead branches and shape the plant up, but that's a little different than pinching.

Gami

 

You can control the number and size of blooms on mums by pinching back. Mum enthusiasts prefer fewer and larger blooms for their exhibits. Most of us who grow mums in the yards want a bushy plant full of blooms. To achieve this, we have to pinch back a half-inch or so on the tips of the stems to get the stems to branch out. Quit pinching about 2 months before the expected bloom date in the fall. I once read that you shouldn't pinch after the 4th of July! In the fall after the blooms fade, cut back to two inches above the ground. I always use the kitchen scissors on my mums.

 

Hi Doug,
I also use the 4th of July for the last pruning date on my mums.
Early on I use my weedeater, then I switch to hand grass clippers
in June to get an even cut.
With mums it's more of a heavy pruning vs pinching. I keep mine down to about 6 or 8 inches. By September they are about 12 to 15 inche high and full of blooms.
good luck,
fred

 

Hi everyone and thanks so much for the quick replys on pinching. SO its just simply clipping a little of the new growth on the plant early in the season. THANKS SO MUCH Everyone.
DOUG

 

Do so regularly until about two months before bloom date and you should have beautiful, bushy mums full of blooms. Enjoy!