*Refers to the latest 2 years of stltoday.com stories. Cancel anytime. Well-pinched mums Q: I planted some mums that I bought last fall, and they’re growing well so far this spring. A friend told me I ...

Pruning mums helps them grow fuller with longer-lasting blooms. Pinch tips at 4–6 inches tall, again at 12 inches tall, and stop about 100 days before bloom. Deadhead spent flowers once blooming ...

Some of my taller flowers last summer grew too tall and flopped over. Can I pinch these back next year to control height without losing flowers? Most types of annual and perennial flowers can be ...

You might have heard that little gardening trick about “pinching back the mums” — the pruning technique that keeps our favorite fall-blooming flower from flopping apart. But what few realize is that ...

Prune hostas in fall after frost for tidy beds, but waiting until spring protects crowns and roots. In summer, remove dead or damaged leaves and spent flowers to keep plants healthy. Always cut with ...

This week's column addresses when to pinch back annual and perennial flowers, characteristics of a good potting mix and caring for indoor azaleas.