Chrystanthemums - when to cut back

Grayfleur

Hello. I planted these crysanthemums last year and they have been amazing, continuing to flower throughout the mild winter. I read that I should cut them back after they finished flowering, but that hasn't happened yet! However, now they are beginning to look a bit woody in the middle and the clump is 'sagging' apart. I think I should trim them back, but could anyone advise by how much? Any other tips would be gratfeully received. They have been a great addition to the garden, so I'd like to make sure they stay healthy!

fidgetbones

I think they are Argyranthemums. Trim off any dead  flower heads, they will keep growing outwards and flowering leaving the centre more and more woody. It is easy to take young shoots off as cuttings, and start fresh plants which will flower this year.

Grayfleur

Hello Fidgetbones.Thank you very much for this information. It's a shame they have to lose their clump shape, but I'll definitely try going down the cuttings route as you suggest.

Pete.8

Your plants look like they may be Argyranthemums which are of the same family as chrysanthemums.
I've grown them a few times and they are great. Like you I have managed to overwinter some in the past, but I've not had success getting them to flower again the following year. 
The ones I didn't cut back were too scraggy to be attractive and the ones I did cut back into the old wood just died..
Sorry, but not sure what the best plan is.
Hopefully someone else will.
There's an RHS article here that describes how to take root cuttings at this time of year or you could try semi-hardwood cuttings as they describe.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/91699/Argyranthemum-Vancouver-(d)/Details
It's a different variety to yours, but the process is the same.
Wishing you luck!

Grayfleur

Hello Pete.8. Very many thanks for this. I will certainly try to do some cuttings!