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Chrysanthemum morifolium, commonly known as chrysanthemum or garden mum, is a compact, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial that typically grows to 2-3′ tall.
Flowers generally last about two or three weeks, depending on the outdoor temperatures and how far along the blooming process was when the plants were purchased. Flowers don’t last as long when it is still hot and daytime highs are in the eighties.
After they finish blooming, cut back the stems to about 8 inches tall. Or wait until spring and cut back the dead stems and foliage when new growth starts to emerge. Do not cut to the ground now. Transplanting can be done in the spring or fall, so next April will be fine.
A Chrysanthemum plant is really an outdoor plant that has become a popular floral gift and flowering plant for home and office. It is second only to the rose as the most popular cut flower in the world.
Early-flowering chrysanthemums can be planted in ornamental borders and will flower from late summer to autumn. … For a reliable perennial chrysanthemum, choose hardy garden varieties that can be left in the ground all year round.
Chrysanthemum x morifolium grows best in areas of your garden with full sun and well-drained soil. To maintain these plants, cut them back three times during the spring and summer– the last cut around August 15– to encourage bushy, compact growth and prevent spring flowering.
A: They won’t flower again this year, but should next fall. You can keep them in containers or plant them in the garden in an organically enriched, well-draining soil and in five to six hours of sun. Since the blooms have faded, cut the plants back to 2 inches above ground and mulch heavily.
- Give mums plenty of space. It’s wise to plant your mums about 18 inches from other plants so their roots have room to expand.
- Water, but not too much. …
- Deadhead. …
- In colder climates your mums may need to be mulched using leaves, wood chips, or straw. …
- If frost gets your mums, don’t fret.
WHEN your chrysanthemums have finished flowering in late autumn, they can be dug up and stored for the following year. It is easy to overwinter chrysanthemums, simply dig up the plants and cut back all the stems to about 6in.
Chrysanthemums do not normally bloom twice. They put on foliage growth throughout the spring and summer, then produce buds in the late summer and fall. … If you purchase these, it’s possible to get them to flower twice by pruning them back.
To prolong the blooms, keep the plant in bright indirect light, rather than full sun. Water Mums from Bottom: Protect your mums from rain, and water them carefully without splashing the foliage or blooms. This will help keep the blooms from spotting and browning.
When learning how to grow chrysanthemums, you’ll find they’re adaptable to soil types, but do best in organic soils. Mums also prefer a sunny spot in the landscape. Chrysanthemums will grow in partial shade, but may get leggy when reaching for sunlight.
Indoor Mum Care: Growing Chrysanthemums Indoors. … Chrysanthemum houseplants require lower light to force blooms. They can be quite difficult to get to re-bloom in an interior setting, but in warmer climes they should be planted outside where they can get the appropriate lighting and resume their normal bloom schedule.
The chrysanthemum lifespan is only three to four years and while it could last longer than that, it will get more susceptible to winter damage with each passing year.
Technically, however, they can be planted in your garden any time before the first frost of fall. This means you can try removing the mums from your pot and planting them in the ground in the fall. … Plant them at the same depth as they were in the pot and water them thoroughly after planting.
Chrysanthemums are often grown as annuals, especially in climate zones north of USDA zone 5 or south of zone 9. However, mums grown as perennials spread rapidly and may become unsightly and overgrown. To keep the plants at a manageable size, divide chrysanthemum every one to two years.
Chrysanthemums are sun-loving plants. Although they technically require only 6 hours of sunlight each day, the more light they receive, the better their growth, bloom and hardiness. Slight shade in hot, summer afternoons is appropriate in warmer gardening zones to prevent scorching.
Plant the mums in well-draining soil that receives full sun. Fertilize well to encourage blooms. If the mums produce spring blooms, pinch them back before late summer to encourage fall flowering. Before winter, cover plants with several inches of mulch or straw.
- Pinch off spent flowers just under the fading heads to encourage your mums to continue blooming throughout fall. …
- Cut potted mums back to within 2 inches of the soil after they finish blooming. …
- Pinch back stems just under a leaf set in spring after the stems grow to be 4 to 6 inches tall.
According to the USDA map, the lowest minimum temperatures mums can survive are right around 20 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. … Mums planted this late will not likely survive cold winters because they have shallow roots. Container plants are a bit more protected from the cold, so they have a better chance of surviving.
Deadhead often for lasting blooms. Take off wilted blooms and dead stems/leaves not only makes your mums look more beautiful, it helps your plant to bloom longer. Once your mums stop blooming, you can place them in the ground outdoors once the weather starts to warm.
However, deadheading mums are worth the trouble. The plants benefit greatly from it and look much better when finished. If you keep up with deadheading, chances are the mums will last longer and may repeat bloom.
Newly purchased potted mums need to be kept consistently moist but not wet and in bright, indirect light indoors. They need at least five hours of full sun outdoors to stay healthy enough to successfully come back the next season.
To herald the change of seasons, mums (Chrysanthemums spp.) burst into bloom in late summer and fall, welcoming the shorter days and cooler season with brightly colored flowers. However, mums require proper care from the time you plant them in spring to ensure the best blooms later in the year.
Early season mums will initiate flowering during longer days, and late season varieties initiate flowering when day length is shorter. Two of the most common causes of premature budding that are within the growers’ control are stress from lack of watering or from lack of fertilization.
Shortly after Fall or in late winter, when the mum has finished blooming, ensure you cut the plant’s stem to 6 to 8 inches above ground level. However, if you find the dead stems of winter valuable to wildlife or of interest, you may choose to leave the stems intact until the spring growth develops.
The flowers may wilt and die quite suddenly. … Mealybugs and aphids are two that do this, while chrysanthemum thrips attack the buds and flowers. Finally, poor environmental conditions such as overly wet or dry soil weaken the mums, which can lead to the plants becoming more susceptible to fungi, diseases and insects.
Early in the season mums should be watered like your lawn, about one inch a week. As the plants increase in size and summer brings warmer temperatures, your watering should increase proportionately. By flowering time in September and October, watering three times a week would not be too much.