Why are my chrysanthemums blooming in May?

Chrysanthemums can bloom as early as May, although the timing depends on weather, variety, and the amount of darkness they receive. Left unpinched, chrysanthemums may produce flowers from May through July, while the familiar fall-blooming plants sold in garden centers are carefully pinched back during the growing season to encourage branching and create a full, rounded plant before allowing them to flower. Chrysanthemums are sensitive to day length, responding primarily to the length of the night, so plants growing in different locations can bloom at different times. Varieties also naturally fall into early-, mid-, and late-season bloomers. For chrysanthemums that flower in the fall, regular pinching when shoots reach about 6 inches and again when new branches reach 6 to 8 inches can help delay flowering and produce the classic fall display.

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