Shears for Shaping & Cutting Back Mums

Pinching Mums

• Gardeners often pinch mums instead of cutting them. From the spring through July 4, mums should be pinched back to about 6 inches. Pinch growing tips back by an inch by taking the tip between your thumb and forefinger and breaking the end off. Repeat as the tips grow out, once every two to four weeks. Stop pinching early flowering varieties in mid-June.

Pruning Mums

• Mums can also be pruned, using hand-held pruners. Bypass pruners create a neater cut than anvil pruners and cause less damage to plant materials, but either can be used to shape the plant. Just like when pinching, keep the plant cut back to about 6 inches in height until July 4 and then allow it to grow out. Trim the plant sparingly if it becomes lopsided.

Dormant Mum Care

• Mums require year-round pruning and care. Once all the flowers have dried up, remove them with pruners and discard them. Leave the foliage and other materials until the plant has gone completely dormant. Some gardeners then snap the foliage and mount it on the crown of the plant, then cover the mound with mulch. Other gardeners leave the material until spring, when they snap the dried materials off at the crown.

Chrysanthemum Bonsai

• Chrysanthemums are a favorite among bonsai enthusiasts because they are inexpensive and yield quick results. Chrysanthemum bonsai are trimmed heavily and trained to a central leader and a pair or trio of lateral shoots. In contrast to bonsai created from trees, chrysanthemum bonsai can be trained in as little as five or six months.