Chrysanthemum Care: Growing into a Spider Plant-like Trailing Form - On the Importance of Pinching and Topping

Hello everyone, I'm Plant Grass Insect, I love greening and growing flowers. When it comes to chrysanthemums, we naturally think of Tao Yuanming's line "Picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, carefree I gaze at the southern mountains." In Dream of the Red Chamber, we also often see chrysanthemum poems, and up to now, around the Double Ninth Festival every year there are large chrysanthemum exhibitions, and of course the highly sought-after chrysanthemum tea, which shows that chrysanthemums have been loved from ancient times to the present. The chrysanthemum we picture in our minds should look like the picture below. Today a netizen asked, the chrysanthemum they're caring for has grown and grown into a spider plant-like trailing form. Looking at the picture they sent, I can only say, this speaks to the importance of pinching and topping chrysanthemums.

The netizen said, around April this year, they bought two chrysanthemum plants to grow, and they had always been caring for them well, and the chrysanthemums were doing their part, but seeing that other people's chrysanthemums already have lots of flower buds, why does mine look so severely leggy, and even trailing and lodging like a spider plant, and fixing it with a stake is useless, will it still bloom? Looking at the picture, I can only say, if you want chrysanthemums not to grow leggy and lodge, and to bloom on time, you can't do without pinching and topping to promote branching.

The picture above shows the chrysanthemum seedlings the netizen bought. These two chrysanthemum seedlings are very good, because the root system decides everything. Seeing such a good root system, good later growth is certain, but the picture below shows how the chrysanthemums look now, looking severely leggy, and trailing like a spider plant, and looking closely there are still no flower buds. No wonder the netizen is anxious and frustrated, why is it that with such good care there are no flower buds?

You can see that to prevent the chrysanthemum seedlings from lodging, the netizen even fixed them with bamboo stakes. The chrysanthemum branches have grown thick and strong, which counts as very good care. The only shortcoming is that pinching and topping were not done at the right time. Pinching is to promote branching, topping is to ensure the distribution of nutrients, and chrysanthemum flowers are at the tips of the branches, so you must pay attention to the timing of pinching and topping.

Looking at the netizen's several pots of chrysanthemums, it's really a pity. It's already September now, and with normal care they would have flower buds. The reason the netizen's have no flower buds is insufficient nutrients, but don't worry, buds will come soon, it's just that this year you can't pinch and top anymore, it's a bit late now. If you pinch and top now you might not see flowers later, so the netizen's chrysanthemums can only be left to grow normally this year, and after the flowers fade, cut back hard, then take the branches for cuttings, and try again next year.

Why do chrysanthemums need pinching and topping?

The purpose of pinching and topping chrysanthemums is to promote branching and nutrient distribution. To get more branches we pinch to make many branches grow out, and to avoid wasting nutrients and to concentrate the nutrients on the flowers at the top, we top to prevent leggy growth. This is easy to understand.

When is the time to pinch and top chrysanthemums?

For the timing of pinching chrysanthemums, we generally choose to do the first pinch once the chrysanthemum seedling has six leaves, to promote branching, then after the branches that grow out have ten leaves, pinch again. Generally after several pinches the chrysanthemum's crown has taken shape, so then stop pinching, just make sure it covers the flower pot. To prevent leggy growth, we do the topping around June, then let the chrysanthemum move from vegetative growth into reproductive growth, and with normal care afterward we can get the potted chrysanthemum we want.

How should these chrysanthemums of the netizen's be handled?

For this pot of the netizen's chrysanthemums, see the picture below, I would suggest pinching and topping when there are six leaves, but now they have already grown severely leggy and lodged and it's almost time to bloom, so pinching and topping are not recommended. Wait until this round of flowers finishes, then prune and take cuttings. Remember to pinch and top next year.

Finally, Plant Grass Insect's advice on caring for chrysanthemums: if you want chrysanthemums not to grow leggy and lodge, and to bloom on time, we need to pinch and top the chrysanthemums to promote branching, otherwise you'll get severe leggy growth like a trailing spider plant. Of course, besides pruning, nutrients are very important in chrysanthemum care, and nutrients must be supplied on time.