Mums the word.

[Smiles Jr.]

DW and I are not accomplished flower gardeners but our mums did surprisingly well last year and now that spring is here they are looking very healthy again. Is there anything we should be doing for them as the rest of spring and summer progresses? The flower bed faces the southwest and is going to get the harsh summer sun. However there are a few big oak trees to provide filtered sunlight in the late afternoon.

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

I've heard that early setting blossom heads should be snipped off to encourage the plant to put on more branch growth, which will allow for more blossom heads to form. If you want big full blooming plants in the fall, you can allow all of the blossoms to bloom at once and the plant will be nice and full.

 

[Nyboy]

In Ny I always had good luck cutting them back to make more bushier. I was told to stop by July 4 so plant has time to set flower buds.

 

[lesa]

If you don't cut them back, they have a tendency to get very spindly and if it rains, when they are in bloom- they will flop right over. The first few years I had mums, I very carefully trimmed each branch- now I just cut them down a few inches in June- and they blossom every fall- no problem.