Gygal 
tae 
WEST CHICAGO 
ILLINOIS 
Delaying of final pinch is a simple means of growing shorter 
pot Mums—and with more flowers on them. The principle 
applies both to normal season and to year ‘round production. 
While ‘’delaying’’ is not necessary on all varieties at all sea- 
sons, every grower seriously interested in quality plants should 
understand it and use it where needed. Among other things, 
it will often eliminate need for tying. 
Delayed pinching simply means making the final pinch 
a week—or two or three weeks—after short days are started 
(lights off or start shade date). Some pot Mums are given 
short days starting the day the cuttings are potted—no lights 
at all. We seem to get better quality plants by lighting them 
for a week or so after potting. Until the advent of delayed 
DELAYED PINCH - 
WHY AND HOW 
pinching, it was customary (in most cases) to make the final 
pinch on the same date that short days were started. 
The longer the final pinch is delayed, the shorter will be the 
final height of the plant—and the more flowers per plant. The 
Illini Snowdrift series pictured below shows clearly that if 
carried to the extreme, you can grow them too short! 
The significant point: we have definite control over height 
of pot Mums, so why grow them too tall? Retailers in our 
area favor a plant 12 to 15 inches high (from pot rim). 
We have ‘‘delayed’’ many of the schedules on our year 
‘round pot Mum schedules in this edition of the BALL MUM 
GUIDE. If your plants finish too tall grown to these schedules, 
simply delay the final pinch another week or ten days next 
year. 
Here’s what delayed pinch did for Masterpiece in pots. Center plant delayed one week. Plant on right delayed two weeks. 
The gradual shortening of plants with more delaying was equally apparent 
greater number of blooms per plant on the two weeks delay. 
Note especially the 
on this series—tho it doesn’t show up in these photos. Plant on the left: not part of delayed pinch tests, but was included to show results of 
“pot, pinch, and shade” (no short day period) 
under our conditions. The week or so of lighting given the center and right plant does seem 
to pay off in a heavier, better quality plant. 
Effect of delayed pinch on Illini Snowdrift. Plant on left was given final pinch one week after short days were started, center plant de- 
layed three weeks, right plant delayed five weeks. 
For our demand, the one week delayed plant was best. 
Note that the plant delayed 
five weeks is a little later blooming. Actually this plant was shaded 10 days earlier than the other two in anticipation of this—and it 
still flowered later. 
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