Chrysanthemums, mums for short, must be one of the most popular late summer and fall garden flowers. In fact, their intense colors remind me of the fall season even when I see florists’ mums in spring. And who hasn’t enjoyed viewing or creating arrangements of mums, pumpkins, and corn shocks?
With their immense appeal, hundreds if not thousands of varieties have been developed in colors that include white, pink, purple, yellow, orange, bronze and red.
Although several methods are used to classify these plants, often they fall into categories that describe them by flower form:
• Anemone-centered – the middle of each flower on this mum is made up of small petals that create a pincushion effect.
• Decorative – large-flowering varieties with curving petals.
• Incurved – the petals on these flowers turn up and in.
• Pompon – this mum’s flowers are globular and stiff.
• Quill – flowers in this category have long, straight, tubular petals.
• Reflexed – these petals turn down from the flower’s center.
• Single – this type of mum has flowers that look like daisies.
• Spider – these flowers have tubular petals that are long and hooked.
• Spoon – the petals on these mums are spoon-shaped.
• Sprays – this type of mum has many flowers on each branched stem instead of one flower per stem.
Almost every store you go to right now has hardy mums for sale – big pots with bushy mounds of several budded plants per container that can be fairly expensive to buy but will put on quite an autumn show, as well as smaller budget pots that contain a single plant. They all tempt me because I love to grow anything that will extend our flower season.
But, oftentimes here in our zone 4 to 5 gardens, even the hardy varieties do not survive the winter. I’d like to offer you some tips to increase your chances – I’ll be trying them right along with you.
If you haven’t bought them yet, buy now and get them in the ground in a hurry to help them establish a stronger root system before winter. Make sure you’re buying hardy mums and not florists’ varieties.
Plant in well-drained soil and grade surrounding area so that water will not puddle around them. Mums should have full sun so they develop stronger stems and larger flowers.
Dig soil 8 to 12 inches deep to improve its aeration and reduce compaction. Work in plenty of organic materials. When planting in the fall, you shouldn’t fertilize but, if you plant next spring, you’ll want to add fertilizer about a month after planting and once again later in the season. Do not over-fertilize, as it will reduce the number of flowers and cause leggy plants.
Make sure you keep your newly planted mums well watered but not soggy – about an inch of water per week is appropriate.
Although weeds will not be a problem at this time of year, do not cultivate deeply as it may cause damage to the plants’ shallow root system.
In late fall, mulch your mums loosely with shredded leaves or straw. Make sure you remove the mulch in early spring so that the new rhizomes that begin to emerge are not suffocated.
You may also winterize your mums by digging them after they bloom in the fall and planting them in a cold frame. Mulch these plants as well, cover the frame with plywood, and then cover it all with six inches of mulch.
If you don’t have a cold frame, you can remove some rooted rhizomes from around the base of the mum, pot them up, and treat them as house plants through the winter, pinching them back occasionally.
Chrysanthemums are so flamboyant, so beautiful and so easy during the growing season that I am willing to take extra effort to try to ensure their return in my garden. I hope this might encourage some of you when caring for these autumn beauties.
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