How to Trim the Flowers Off a Mum
The chrysanthemum is one of the most popular cut and potted flowers in the United States, according to Illinoistimes.com. Often called a "mum" for short, it's available in several beautiful different shades. There are three times you'll want to trim the flowers off a mum: to use the fresh flowers in a colorful arrangement, to deadhead the mum as the blooms die and to prepare the mum for winter. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Cutting a Bouquet
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Cut fresh flowers off a mum to make a colorful arrangement.
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Cut the flowers early in the day before the dew dries, according to The Backyard Gardener.
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Use sharp pruning shears to cut the stems either short or long, depending on how you're going to use the flowers.
Deadheading the Mum
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Trim the flowers off a mum as they die during the growing season. Removing the dead blooms prevents the mum from spreading seeds. It also conserves the mum's energy and resources. The plant can use those to grow new flowers and roots instead.
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Cut the dead blooms off down to a lateral bud, according to the University of Minnesota Department of Horticulture Science.
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Use pruning shears to cut the stem down to the lateral bud. This bud connects to the stem from the dirt up, but shoots off to the side.
Winterizing the Plant
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Use pruning shears to trim the dead flowers and dead stems off a mum after the ground freezes.
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Cut the stems down to the basal foliage, including the leaves around the crown.
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Lay the trimmings on the crown, according to the Illinois Times. The trimmings plus 3 to 4 inches of organic mulch will help protect the roots during the winter.
The crown of a mum is the place where the plant stem meets the roots. Plants are usually planted so the crown is at the soil level.
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