Pinch back mums one more time?

by Amy
(Rochester, NY)

I've pinched back my mums a few times this year, but still they are very large and I am afraid they will flop over when they bloom. There are a few tiny buds at the tips, but I vaguely recall pinching back in early August a few years ago without losing the flowers. How risky do you think it would be to try it now (August 9th - Rochester, NY)?

Doug says that he seldom pinches back more than once or twice. The rule of thumb for me is to do it when the plant gets to 12-18 inches tall - cut it back to half that. Repeat with a fast-growing mum but have never done it after mid-July.

I want a big tall plant with tons of flowers. If your plants are flopping, you may have too little sun or too much fertilizer.