From: oway


With garden mums, folks normally will cut these back early and then keep
pinching them back until about a month or so before blooming is desired.
(You
can easily root the cuttings for lots more plants that often bloom the same
year.)

Cut back pinch back
Is there a distinction? Can't you just cut the plants back each time?

From: (Twobtold)
Date: Wed, Mar 31, 2004 6:14 PM
Message-id:

From: oway


With garden mums, folks normally will cut these back early and then keep
pinching them back until about a month or so before blooming is desired.
(You
can easily root the cuttings for lots more plants that often bloom the
same
year.)

Cut back pinch back
Is there a distinction? Can't you just cut the plants back each time?

In general, "pinching back" involves using thumb and index finger to literally
pinch or snap off the tender tips of stems, perhaps only one or two leaf nodes
down. "Cutting back" will usually involve using a clipper to take off more of
the stem, travelling down several leaf nodes where the stem is thicker. (In
some cases it can mean taking the plant almost down to the ground.) On the
types of plants that benefit from cutting and/or pinching back, you will
usually get new growth doubling at the cut/pinched ends. But if your question
is, can you use a clipper for either action.....sure.....but it's best to use a
hand clipper for pinching back, if you're not using your fingers.

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7

From: (Twobtold)
Date: Wed, Mar 31, 2004 6:14 PM
Message-id:

From: oway


With garden mums, folks normally will cut these back early and then keep
pinching them back until about a month or so before blooming is desired.
(You
can easily root the cuttings for lots more plants that often bloom the
same
year.)

Cut back pinch back
Is there a distinction? Can't you just cut the plants back each time?

In general, "pinching back" involves using thumb and index finger to literally
pinch or snap off the tender tips of stems, perhaps only one or two leaf nodes
down. "Cutting back" will usually involve using a clipper to take off more of
the stem, travelling down several leaf nodes where the stem is thicker. (In
some cases it can mean taking the plant almost down to the ground.) On the
types of plants that benefit from cutting and/or pinching back, you will
usually get new growth doubling at the cut/pinched ends. But if your question
is, can you use a clipper for either action.....sure.....but it's best to use a
hand clipper for pinching back, if you're not using your fingers.

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7

From: oway


But if your question
is, can you use a clipper for either action.....sure.....but it's best to use
a
hand clipper for pinching back, if you're not using your fingers.

Yes, that was my question. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

From: oway


But if your question
is, can you use a clipper for either action.....sure.....but it's best to use
a
hand clipper for pinching back, if you're not using your fingers.

Yes, that was my question. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

Tyra, sorry I took so long to respond ..I forgot that I had posted the
thread until just now grin

thanks for your response and the details you mentioned ... I had
presumed pinching was equivalent to snipping with hand tool or
scissors


I'm going to assume you're asking about a species of Rudbeckia, many of which
go by the common name of black-eyed susan. Yes, it's a good idea to cut these
back a couple of times in late spring/early summer to keep them sturdier and
promote more bloom. In fact, you should start before they reach 18 inches, and
you can continue well into the summer if you don't mind delaying bloom. I do
this every year with mine and I get heavy blooming over a long period from July
until fall.

With garden mums, folks normally will cut these back early and then keep
pinching them back until about a month or so before blooming is desired. (You
can easily root the cuttings for lots more plants that often bloom the same
year.) The timing of this depends on your location (dunno where Endicott
is....).

when "rooting", is it better to stand in mixture of leave mulch + soil
rather than just placing in water?

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7

OT ..Endicott is mid state NY ...original home of IBM

Stew Corman

Tyra, sorry I took so long to respond ..I forgot that I had posted the
thread until just now grin

thanks for your response and the details you mentioned ... I had
presumed pinching was equivalent to snipping with hand tool or
scissors


I'm going to assume you're asking about a species of Rudbeckia, many of which
go by the common name of black-eyed susan. Yes, it's a good idea to cut these
back a couple of times in late spring/early summer to keep them sturdier and
promote more bloom. In fact, you should start before they reach 18 inches, and
you can continue well into the summer if you don't mind delaying bloom. I do
this every year with mine and I get heavy blooming over a long period from July
until fall.

With garden mums, folks normally will cut these back early and then keep
pinching them back until about a month or so before blooming is desired. (You
can easily root the cuttings for lots more plants that often bloom the same
year.) The timing of this depends on your location (dunno where Endicott
is....).

when "rooting", is it better to stand in mixture of leave mulch + soil
rather than just placing in water?

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7

OT ..Endicott is mid state NY ...original home of IBM

Stew Corman

From: (Stew Corman)
Date: Thu, Apr 1, 2004 12:02 PM
Message-id:

Tyra, sorry I took so long to respond ..I forgot that I had posted the
thread until just now grin

thanks for your response and the details you mentioned ... I had
presumed pinching was equivalent to snipping with hand tool or
scissors


I'm going to assume you're asking about a species of Rudbeckia, many of
which
go by the common name of black-eyed susan. Yes, it's a good idea to cut
these
back a couple of times in late spring/early summer to keep them sturdier
and
promote more bloom. In fact, you should start before they reach 18 inches,
and
you can continue well into the summer if you don't mind delaying bloom.
I do
this every year with mine and I get heavy blooming over a long period
from July
until fall.

With garden mums, folks normally will cut these back early and then keep
pinching them back until about a month or so before blooming is desired.
(You
can easily root the cuttings for lots more plants that often bloom the
same
year.) The timing of this depends on your location (dunno where Endicott
is....).

when "rooting", is it better to stand in mixture of leave mulch + soil
rather than just placing in water?


One way to do this (not the only way):

When the garden mum plants are about 8 inches tall (give or take), cut them
back to four inches, and use the 4-inch cuttings to root for new plants. Strip
off the bottom sets of leaves and set the stems (one or two leaf nodes down) in
pots of rooting mix (usually a mix of moist peat and perlite/sand, but there
are alternatives). Rooting hormone can be used but it's not essential. You
can usually try 4-5 stems in a 4-inch pot......just don't jam the stems close
enough to touch each other. Make sure the medium is kept damp but not wet.
Put the whole pot in a baggie held over the cuttings with a couple of sticks so
that the plastic doesn't touch the leaves, and close the baggie loosely.

Keep the pot in a warmish place, out of direct sun. I usually keep pots of
cuttings outdoors in a shady, sheltered area. The cuttings may look wilted the
first day, but they should spring back up. Garden mum cuttings root fairly
quickly, you'll be amazed....in a few days (if the weather is reasonably mild)
you can pull one out and probably see roots forming. In general, though, let
them take their time. You'll see new growth at the tips, a good indication
that the cuttings have rooted and are making good growth. When they're strong
and actively growing, you'll want to repot them in individual pots to grow on
until they're large enough to plant out in the ground (or in larger pots for
container growing or gifts).

I've rooted mum cuttings in water, but have found that long-term, the ones
started in a rooting medium do better.

Warning: Many plants can be easily propagated by stem cuttings; it's a whole
world of addiction just waiting to getcha.

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7

From: (Stew Corman)
Date: Thu, Apr 1, 2004 12:02 PM
Message-id:

Tyra, sorry I took so long to respond ..I forgot that I had posted the
thread until just now grin

thanks for your response and the details you mentioned ... I had
presumed pinching was equivalent to snipping with hand tool or
scissors


I'm going to assume you're asking about a species of Rudbeckia, many of
which
go by the common name of black-eyed susan. Yes, it's a good idea to cut
these
back a couple of times in late spring/early summer to keep them sturdier
and
promote more bloom. In fact, you should start before they reach 18 inches,
and
you can continue well into the summer if you don't mind delaying bloom.
I do
this every year with mine and I get heavy blooming over a long period
from July
until fall.

With garden mums, folks normally will cut these back early and then keep
pinching them back until about a month or so before blooming is desired.
(You
can easily root the cuttings for lots more plants that often bloom the
same
year.) The timing of this depends on your location (dunno where Endicott
is....).

when "rooting", is it better to stand in mixture of leave mulch + soil
rather than just placing in water?


One way to do this (not the only way):

When the garden mum plants are about 8 inches tall (give or take), cut them
back to four inches, and use the 4-inch cuttings to root for new plants. Strip
off the bottom sets of leaves and set the stems (one or two leaf nodes down) in
pots of rooting mix (usually a mix of moist peat and perlite/sand, but there
are alternatives). Rooting hormone can be used but it's not essential. You
can usually try 4-5 stems in a 4-inch pot......just don't jam the stems close
enough to touch each other. Make sure the medium is kept damp but not wet.
Put the whole pot in a baggie held over the cuttings with a couple of sticks so
that the plastic doesn't touch the leaves, and close the baggie loosely.

Keep the pot in a warmish place, out of direct sun. I usually keep pots of
cuttings outdoors in a shady, sheltered area. The cuttings may look wilted the
first day, but they should spring back up. Garden mum cuttings root fairly
quickly, you'll be amazed....in a few days (if the weather is reasonably mild)
you can pull one out and probably see roots forming. In general, though, let
them take their time. You'll see new growth at the tips, a good indication
that the cuttings have rooted and are making good growth. When they're strong
and actively growing, you'll want to repot them in individual pots to grow on
until they're large enough to plant out in the ground (or in larger pots for
container growing or gifts).

I've rooted mum cuttings in water, but have found that long-term, the ones
started in a rooting medium do better.

Warning: Many plants can be easily propagated by stem cuttings; it's a whole
world of addiction just waiting to getcha.

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z7

Tyra,
Thanks again for your detailed recommendations.

BTW, your point about using a baggy over the cuttings is like a
terrarium ...aren't you concerned about fungus/mold forming in a
sealed damp environment?

Stew

OT, never heard the name Tyra before ..is there a story attached?

does anyone have a list of what deer DON'T eat?
or links about it?

--
rosie

http://airamericaradio.com/www/pub/globalDefault.htm
AIR AMERICA RADIO



"Stew Corman" wrote in message
om...
: Tyra,
: Thanks again for your detailed recommendations.
:
: BTW, your point about using a baggy over the cuttings is like a
: terrarium ...aren't you concerned about fungus/mold forming in a
: sealed damp environment?
:
: Stew
:
: OT, never heard the name Tyra before ..is there a story attached?

Tyra,
Thanks again for your detailed recommendations.

BTW, your point about using a baggy over the cuttings is like a
terrarium ...aren't you concerned about fungus/mold forming in a
sealed damp environment?

Stew

OT, never heard the name Tyra before ..is there a story attached?

does anyone have a list of what deer DON'T eat?
or links about it?

--
rosie

http://airamericaradio.com/www/pub/globalDefault.htm
AIR AMERICA RADIO



"Stew Corman" wrote in message
om...
: Tyra,
: Thanks again for your detailed recommendations.
:
: BTW, your point about using a baggy over the cuttings is like a
: terrarium ...aren't you concerned about fungus/mold forming in a
: sealed damp environment?
:
: Stew
:
: OT, never heard the name Tyra before ..is there a story attached?