CHRYSANTHEMUMS
Originally
from China and cultivated for centauries in Japan, chrysanthemums remain a very
popular autumn flower. Commonly called mums, these delightful plants can be
easily found at your *local garden centers as well as grocery and even hardware
stores.
Mums are available
in many colors from white, pink and purples to my favorites the yellow and gold
and orange. I love the way they blend
with changing hues of the trees. There
are even varieties with multi-colored flowers. Whichever color you
choose you will be rewarded with weeks of additional color in your garden.
Like all flowering plants, mums need a good amount of water to stay healthy; more than most. If planted in the ground they need water every other day. In pots on your front steps they do best if watered every day. If you can store a gallon of water within arm’s reach, this task will be much easier. The easier I can make a job the more likely I am to do it. The Japanese claim the success to great flowering mums is watering twice a day; once in morning and then again in the late afternoon. The popular soilless potting mixtures dry out incredibly fast.
Like all flowering plants, mums need a good amount of water to stay healthy; more than most. If planted in the ground they need water every other day. In pots on your front steps they do best if watered every day. If you can store a gallon of water within arm’s reach, this task will be much easier. The easier I can make a job the more likely I am to do it. The Japanese claim the success to great flowering mums is watering twice a day; once in morning and then again in the late afternoon. The popular soilless potting mixtures dry out incredibly fast.
If the winter is mild mums can come back for years. This
is not dependable and is a major reason why chrysanthemums are so inexpensive compared
to other garden perennials. They are generally considered an annual.
At the end of the season cut your mums down to the ground
and cover them with mulch, in the spring pull the mulch away to see if your
plants have survived. If they have come back, give them a good feeding and cut
back at least twice, late spring and mid-summer to encourage them to become
bushy. Bushy mums will produce many more flower heads. You will have better luck if you plant
young mums in the spring so they have a few months to adjust and root in.
Happy Gardening,
James
*Although you can easily buy mums everywhere, our local garden centers
offer the best selection of plants maintained with the finest care. Garden
Centers depend on this seasonal business. Please support them.
James
