Color For Fall
A great way to extend the beauty of your garden well into fall is to plant Chrysanthemums, or “Garden Mums.”
Our perennial Mums are the top of the top-of-the-line Belgian varieties loaded with buds and blooms. Mum flowers last 3 to 4 weeks from when they begin showing color leaving ample time for your yard or porch to be the envy of the neighborhood.
Where Do I Plant Them?
Our Mums are perennial, meaning they will come back from the same roots each year. While some gardeners use them as annuals in a patio or porch decoration, they won’t survive the winter if left in containers. If you want yours to come back, plant your mum in the garden by early October and use a root stimulator to prepare the plant’s roots before the ground freezes.
Chrysanthemums also excel in containers whether individually or mixed with Pansies, Flowering Cabbage & Kale, or other fall decorative plants. If you’re looking for a quick splash of color or a fixture for your border, choose Mums for a fabulous fall display.
Mum Tips:
- Mums need Full Sun in order to bloom
- Mums attract Bees and Butterflies
- Mums make the biggest statement when planted in masses.
- Each year they come back they will be bigger yet. Give them lots of elbow room.
A Rainbow of Colors
We have Red, Yellow, Purple, Orange & White Mums!
Each Color Has Multiple Blooming Dates Ranging from Early September to Mid October
ORANGE MUMS
PURPLE/PINK MUMS
RED MUMS
WHITE MUMS
YELLOW MUMS
- Height: 24 inches
- Spread: 24 inches
- Sunlight: Full Sun
- Hardiness Zone: 6a
Description:
Beautiful, large decorative blooms blanket fragrant green, fern-like foliage; mounded plants have a very uniform rounded habit; a lovely addition to autumn patio containers, beds, borders, or fresh-cut arrangements
Landscape Attributes
This is a low-maintenance plant and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees to your yard but is not deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Chrysanthemums are recommended for the following landscape applications:
- Mass Planting
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
They grow at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. They will usually die back to the crown each winter & regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant does best in full sun in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the Spring and Summer but not when blooming. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.
Chrysanthemums are a fine choice for the garden, but also a good selection for pots and containers. They can be used either as a ‘filler‘ or as a ‘thriller‘ in the ‘spiller-thriller-filler’ container combination, depending on the height of the other plants in the container planting. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent watering than they would in the garden.
Tips For Growing Back
- Choose the right plant – If you are not needing your plant to bloom for a specific event, it is best to choose a mum with dark foliage and tight blooms. This will allow the plant to focus its energy on the root growth rather than splitting between roots and blooms.
- Plant early – Planting early gives the plant more time to establish it’s root system.
- Plant in the right spot – Plant in the ground, in a sunny (6-8 hours of sunlight) and a moist, but well draining spot.
- Trim – Deadhead blooms after they are done flowering. Make sure you trim back the plant after it is done blooming, but leave 4-6 inches of growth.
- Mulch – Mums are shallow rooting plants. After blooming, but before the first hard frost, apply mulch or another cover (you can even use leaves that have fallen from the trees) around the roots to give the roots protection from the winter cold.
- Next Spring – When new growth starts in the spring, keep trimming back any new growth to 4-6 inches until around July 1. This will keep the plant from budding and blooming too early.
- After July 1 – Stop trimming the plant and let it grow so it can bloom in the Fall.
While these steps cannot guarantee the plant will come back and bloom, they can give it the best opportunity!