Fall mums need sun or shade, but do they do better in sunlight?
We only recommend products we back, so we don't earn commission from links on this page.Why should we trust you?
Do you see showy corsages on homecoming queens or the all-too-familiar orange and yellow varieties in grocery stores at this time of year?You will be amazed at the choices you have for growing what is still the most reliable fall-blooming flower.
As dainty as a powder puff, mum's blossoms may be as extravagant.They come in a rich color scheme that is similar to autumn's vibrant golds, garnets and corals, as well as bicolor and even tricolor flowers.
Whatever your style, there's a mother for you.For home gardeners, mums are pest- and disease-resistant, making few demands beyond ample sunshine and consistent watering.
When other plants call it quits in late summer, mums hit their stride.They're photoperiodic, meaning they rely on specific amounts of light to send a signal that it's time to start putting on a show.
The nights last about 10 hours and garden mums don't start to set buds until then.There are blooms in six to 10 weeks.Cool temperatures don't bother mothers.When the weather is cold, blossoms look fresh until a hard, killing frost strikes.You will enjoy a full seven weeks of bloom if you choose early, mid, and late-blooming varieties.
There's a wide range of types to choose from, including decorative daisy, low-growing cushion mums, and early-blooming anemones.The new European-style Prophets Series from Greenhouse Grower has more than 100 blossoms per plant.Each November first, All Saints' Day is celebrated in Belgium with extravagant mum displays.
mums are grown as annuals due to shallow root systems that heave right out of the ground during winter's freeze-thaw cycles.Early-blooming varieties are more likely to come back in subsequent years if you live in a cold area.If you live south of Zone 6 you can push the envelope and choose varieties that need more time to reach their full potential.To help plants survive the cold weather, apply a mulch of evergreen boughs.
Several years ago, horticulturists at the University of Minnesota developed a new hybrid that was described as a "hardy shrub mum."As far north as zone 3b, the My Favorite Series plants were reliably perennial.They returned to the market this year under a new name after being hard to find the past couple of years.
True to their new designation, these oversize mums can measure 2 to 3 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet across by their third season, with a massive canopy of flowers.These shrubby wonders are popular with monarch butterflies.
If you want to increase the odds of your chrysanthemums surviving winter, you should plant them in the spring, instead of late summer.
While mums thrive in just about any soil type, they do benefit from generous helpings of homemade compost.Topdress with more and dig in a spade.Plants will rot if the soil is not well drained.
Mums in full sun bloom more profusely than those in partial shade.The optimal site gets six to eight hours of light.
Water quickly dries out shallow-rooted mums.During dry spells and in the fall when plants are storing energy for winter survival, be sure to water consistently.
Pinching back if you don't like the look.Remove the tips of stems early in the season to encourage branching.The process is repeated every two weeks.In late summer, mums don't need this treatment.
It's easy to create new plants from your favorite mums, says the executive director of the National CHRYS.Simply remove the stem and put it in a pot filled with a soilless medium, such as vermiculite.In a bright spot, keep it moist.
After a couple of weeks, repot the cutting to a small container filled with soil.It's a good idea toFertilize once a week.After two to three weeks, transplant it to the garden.You will enjoy flowers that fall.