Can you grow garden mums year after year? Yes, with the right mum care, your cheerful garden mums can return each spring. Many gardeners treat them as annuals, enjoying their fall blooms and then discarding them. However, by following a few key practices, you can ensure your chrysanthemums thrive and provide a splash of color for seasons to come. This guide offers expert advice on chrysanthemum maintenance to help you achieve perennial success with these beloved fall flowers.
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Getting Started: Mum Planting Tips
Successful mum planting tips are the foundation for healthy, long-lasting chrysanthemums. Timing and location are crucial for their establishment.
When to Plant Mums
The best time to plant garden mums is in the spring, after the last frost. Planting in spring allows the mums to establish a strong root system before the heat of summer and the stress of blooming in fall. While many people buy mums in the fall, these are often stressed from their blooming cycle and may not overwinter well if planted at that time. If you do purchase mums in the fall, plant them as soon as possible, but know that their chances of survival are lower.
Choosing the Right Location
Mums love sunshine! Select a spot in your garden that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Good air circulation is also important, as it helps prevent fungal diseases. Avoid planting them in low-lying areas where water tends to collect, as this can lead to root rot.
Preparing the Mum Soil Requirements
Mum soil requirements are fairly simple: they prefer well-draining soil. Heavy clay soils can be problematic, so amending the soil with compost or other organic matter is highly recommended. This improves drainage and adds essential nutrients.
- Soil pH: Mums generally prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil, with a pH between 6.0 and 6.7. You can test your soil pH with a simple kit from a garden center.
- Amendments: Mix in compost, aged manure, or leaf mold to improve soil structure and fertility. For heavy clay soils, consider adding perlite or coarse sand to enhance drainage.
Planting Your Mums
- Digging the Hole: Dig a hole that is as deep as the mum’s current pot and about twice as wide.
- Loosening the Roots: Gently loosen any circling roots at the bottom of the pot. This encourages them to spread out into the surrounding soil.
- Placing the Mum: Place the mum in the hole so that the top of its root ball is level with the soil surface.
- Backfilling: Fill in the hole with soil, gently firming it around the base of the plant to remove air pockets.
- Watering: Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil and hydrate the roots.
Essential Mum Care Practices
Consistent mum care is key to vibrant blooms and a healthy plant. This includes proper watering, feeding, and a little bit of pinching.
Watering Garden Mums
Proper watering garden mums is critical. Mums are thirsty plants, especially during hot weather and when they are in full bloom.
- How Often: Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. This might mean watering daily during hot, dry spells, or less frequently when it’s cooler or the soil retains moisture.
- How Much: Water deeply, ensuring the water reaches the root zone. Aim to soak the soil thoroughly rather than giving frequent, shallow waterings.
- Best Time: Water in the morning. This allows the foliage to dry off during the day, reducing the risk of fungal diseases.
- Avoid Overhead Watering: If possible, water the base of the plant. Wetting the leaves can encourage fungal issues like powdery mildew.
Fertilizing Mums
Fertilizing mums provides them with the nutrients they need for strong growth and abundant blooms.
- When to Fertilize:
- Spring Planting: Once planted in spring, you can start fertilizing.
- Regular Feeding: Feed your mums every 4-6 weeks throughout the growing season until about 6-8 weeks before the first expected frost.
- What to Use:
- Balanced Fertilizer: A balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 or 20-20-20, is generally suitable for most of the growing season.
- High Phosphorus Fertilizer: As you approach bloom time, you might switch to a fertilizer with a higher middle number (phosphorus) to encourage flowering.
- Application: Follow the instructions on the fertilizer package carefully. Over-fertilizing can harm the plant. Water the mums thoroughly after fertilizing to help the nutrients absorb into the soil.
Shaping Your Mums: Pruning and Deadheading
Garden mum pruning and deadheading mums are essential for promoting bushier growth and more flowers, as well as maintaining a tidy appearance.
Pinching for Bushier Growth
Pinching is a technique that encourages mums to branch out, resulting in a fuller, more flower-packed plant.
- When to Pinch: Start pinching young plants in late spring and continue every few weeks until mid-July.
- How to Pinch: Use your fingers or clean pruning shears to remove the tip of the main stem, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch below a leaf node. This will cause the plant to produce two new stems from that leaf node.
- Stop Pinching: Stop pinching by mid-July. This allows the plant time to set buds for fall flowering. If you pinch too late, you’ll remove the flower buds and have fewer blooms.
Deadheading Mums
Deadheading mums involves removing spent or faded flowers. This not only makes the plant look tidier but also redirects the plant’s energy from seed production back into developing more blooms.
- How to Deadhead: Snip off the faded flower just above a set of healthy leaves or a side bud.
- Frequency: Check your mums regularly throughout the blooming season and deadhead as needed.
Dealing with Pests and Diseases
While generally hardy, mums can sometimes encounter pests and diseases. Proactive pest control for mums and good cultural practices can prevent most problems.
Common Pests
- Aphids: Small, soft-bodied insects that feed on plant sap, causing distorted growth and sticky honeydew.
- Treatment: Blast them off with a strong spray of water. For heavier infestations, use insecticidal soap or neem oil.
- Chrysanthemum Gall Midge: Tiny flies whose larvae create galls (swellings) on buds and stems.
- Treatment: Remove and destroy infested parts of the plant immediately. There is no effective chemical control for the adult fly once it’s present.
- Spider Mites: Tiny arachnids that thrive in hot, dry conditions, causing stippling on leaves and fine webbing.
- Treatment: Increase humidity by misting, or use insecticidal soap or neem oil.
- Leaf Miners: Larvae of various flies that tunnel within the leaves, creating winding trails.
- Treatment: Remove and destroy mined leaves.
Common Diseases
- Powdery Mildew: A white, powdery fungus that appears on leaves and stems, especially in humid conditions with poor air circulation.
- Prevention: Plant mums in well-spaced locations with good air flow. Water at the base of the plant.
- Treatment: Remove affected leaves. Use a fungicide, or a baking soda spray (1 tablespoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a gallon of water).
- Leaf Spot: Fungal diseases causing spots on leaves.
- Prevention: Good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering.
- Treatment: Remove affected leaves. Fungicides can be used if necessary.
- Root Rot: Caused by overwatering and poor drainage, leading to yellowing leaves and wilting.
- Prevention: Ensure proper mum soil requirements with good drainage. Avoid overwatering.
- Treatment: If caught early, move the plant to a better-draining spot and reduce watering. Severely affected plants may need to be discarded.
Overwintering Mums for Next Year
Overwintering mums is what separates casual mum growers from dedicated perennial gardeners. With a little effort, your mums can survive the winter and come back stronger.
Preparing Mums for Winter
- Timing of Cutting Back: Wait until after the first hard frost. Mums are hardy, and letting them experience a light frost can actually help them prepare for winter.
- Cutting Back: Cut the stems back to about 6 inches from the ground. Remove any dead or diseased foliage to prevent overwintering problems.
- Mulching: Apply a thick layer (4-6 inches) of mulch around the base of the plants after the ground begins to freeze. This insulates the roots and protects them from temperature fluctuations. Straw, shredded bark, or evergreen boughs work well.
Protecting Mums Over Winter
- Container Mums: If your mums are in containers, move them to a sheltered location like an unheated garage, shed, or porch. Reduce watering significantly, allowing the soil to dry out somewhat between waterings.
- In-Ground Mums: For mums planted directly in the ground, the mulch layer is usually sufficient. Ensure they are in a well-drained spot, as sitting in soggy soil over winter is a common cause of failure.
- Avoid Plastic Sheeting: Do not cover your mums with plastic sheeting, as this can trap moisture and lead to rot or suffocation.
Spring Care After Overwintering
- Remove Mulch: In early spring, once the danger of hard frost has passed, gently remove the mulch.
- Check for New Growth: You should see new shoots emerging from the base of the plant.
- Dividing: If your mums have grown large and become leggy, this is a good time to divide them. Dig up the clump and carefully separate it into smaller sections, each with roots and shoots. Replant these divisions in well-prepared soil.
- Pruning: Begin pinching back the new growth as described earlier to encourage a bushy plant for the coming season.
Table: Mum Care Timeline
| Time of Year | Key Care Activities |
|---|---|
| Spring | Plant mums (after last frost), amend soil, begin fertilizing (every 4-6 weeks), pinch back stems. |
| Summer | Continue pinching until mid-July, water deeply and regularly, fertilize as needed, deadhead spent blooms. |
| Fall | Stop pinching, allow plants to bloom, deadhead faded flowers. |
| Late Fall | After first hard frost, cut back stems to 6 inches, apply thick mulch for overwintering. |
| Winter | Keep mulched. If in containers, move to a sheltered location and water sparingly. |
| Early Spring | Remove mulch, check for new growth, consider dividing. Begin regular feeding and pinching. |
Frequently Asked Questions About Mum Care
Q1: When is the best time to buy mums?
A: The best time to buy mums for planting and long-term care is in the spring. If you buy them in the fall for immediate enjoyment, plant them as soon as possible, but be aware they are less likely to overwinter successfully.
Q2: Why are my mums not blooming?
A: Several factors can cause mums not to bloom. This includes insufficient sunlight (they need at least 6 hours of direct sun), improper fertilizing mums (too much nitrogen can promote leafy growth at the expense of flowers), or late garden mum pruning (pinching too late in the season can remove flower buds). Ensure they have good drainage and adequate water.
Q3: Can I move my mums to a new location in the fall?
A: It’s best to avoid moving mums in the fall, especially if you want them to overwinter. Planting them in the spring allows them to establish their root systems, making them more resilient to transplant shock. If you must move them, do so in early spring before new growth begins.
Q4: How do I prevent powdery mildew on my mums?
A: Powdery mildew is common in humid conditions. To prevent it, ensure good air circulation by spacing plants appropriately, avoid overhead watering, and water in the morning. If an outbreak occurs, remove affected leaves and consider using a fungicide or a baking soda spray.
Q5: My mums are getting leggy and have few flowers. What should I do?
A: Leggy mums usually indicate a need for more pinching. You should have been pinching them back regularly until mid-July. For existing leggy plants, you can try cutting them back hard in early spring, and then resume pinching as new growth appears. Dividing overgrown plants in spring can also help encourage bushier growth and more blooms.
By following these detailed steps and tips for chrysanthemum maintenance, you can enjoy beautiful, healthy garden mums year after year. Proper planting, consistent watering, strategic feeding, and timely pruning are the cornerstones of successful mum care. With a little attention, these vibrant fall flowers will be a welcomed addition to your garden for many seasons to come.