Question
I know nothing about plants.  In fact most plants I try to grow I kill. I planted some blooming mums last fall.  They did well, but in the early spring they started coming up.  I couldn't figure out what they were for the longest time, so I did not cut them back.  Now they are blooming and some of huge and some very small.  What should I do to make sure the survive or come back in the fall?  Should I have cut them back when they first started coming up?  Is this just a fluke d/t the weird seasons?  I am in Southwestern OH.  Thanks for your assistance.

Answer
Hi Tricia,
Thanx for your question.  It's too late now to trim the mums back but in the future, in the spring, after the plants reach 6 to 8 inches tall, start pinching them back a couple inches until July 5th.  This will cause the plants to fill out and they should begin blooming in September.  In the fall, after the frost kill, trim the plants back to a couple inches off the ground and discard the rubbish.  I hope this helps.
Tom