Question
QUESTION: Hi Tom.

I have a bunch of mums along the east side of my front porch.  I don't usually need to start pinching them until April or May, but we had a very mild winter, and my mums are nearly 5-6 inches tall.  When should I start pinching them?  I plan on digging up some this Saturday and transplanting them to fill in some gaps.  Should I wait until after I transplant them, or is it okay to pinch them tonight or tomorrow and then transplant some of them?
Please give me any advice that you can.  I appreciate it.

Thanks,
Tim

ANSWER: Hi Timothy,
Thanx for your advice.  If your mums are already starting to grow, start pinching them.  If you're going to pinch, wait until after you transplant for the ones you're going to move Saturday.  They will need time to send energy to roots that are damaged from the move rather than compete with tips that have been pinched.  Start pinching the plants that you're not going to move and wait until after transplanting to pinch the others (wait about 10 days).  I hope this helps.
Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for the info.  It was very helpful.  I have just one more question.  Would it be okay to move them now?  If I moved them tonight and it frosted heavily in the morning, would it hurt the newly transplanted mums?  I know mums are pretty hardy, but I wasn't sure if frost would damage new transplants or not.  Please let know.

Thanks again,
Tim

Answer
Hi Tim,
Thanx for your question.   If you're still having heavy frosts, to be on the safe side, I would wait to move plants until the danger of frost has passed.  Mums are very hardy as you say but their roots can be damaged and killed by frosts.  I hope this helps.
Tom