Propagation: To Pinch or Not to Pinch....., 1 by

wrote:
Hi KLSTUART:

No, I didn't grow it from seeds. This is a hardy garden mums from Home Depot, which they offer only late summer and early fall. Those offered during spring are not hardy and may be annuals. I have never seen seeds offered for hardy mums. Only seeds from the annual summer flowering types. Those are not hardy in my zone. There are many varieties but few hardy down to zone 4. I may try to save seeds from my mums and see what I get for the fun of it.

As far as pinching mums, I don't pinch mine since they are 4 years old and are bush out on their own. If you sow seeds of the other kind, yes, pinch them. Follow my guide above, then repeat when those side branches have developed 2 sets of leaves. You can repeat again if not bushy enough. They won't bloom until days are shorter and night cooler in the fall.

The photo is a new one I bought from Home Depot last fall. I hope that it is hardy in my zone. I love the color. There is never a Latin name on the tags. Only that it is a hardy garden mum. My mums begins to bloom early September, until cut down by frost.