Keep your yard dazzling with vivid reds, golds, and yellows with the addition of mums.
Perhaps no other fall flower creates as much excitement as chrysanthemumsor mums as we like to call them.
Fromhigh school homecomingsto gardensbursting with color, we Southerners cant get enough of them.
Credit: Rena-Marie / Getty Images
There are two main types of mums: florist and garden.
Florist mums are annuals, enjoyed for a season and then gone.
Garden mums, however,are perennial, able for us to enjoy year after year.
just bear in mind that the Chrysanthemum is toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
They need plenty of sun each day and regular watering in well-draining soil.
Fertilizing weekly can help encourage blooms, and these flowers are hardy across the South.
If you’re growing mums in containers, water every other day.
Soil
Mums prefer well-draining sandy or loamy soil.
The optimal temperature for garden mums outdoors is between 62 and 72.
Mums thrive in humid conditions, which should be between 70% and 90%.
This makes the South prime territory for this gorgeous plant.
The humidity level will affect their mass and growth.
However, too much humidity can be a breeding ground for fungi.
Encourage air circulation by spacing plants at least 1 foot apart.
Do not prune your mums in the winter.
Do this again when the plant is 1 foot tall.
Propagating Mums
There are several ways to propagate mums, from cutting and dividing.
Get started about six to 10 weeks before the last frost is expected.
This usually lands in a timeframe between February and March.
Potting And Repotting Mums
Mums are ideal for container planting because of their shallow root systems.
Tuck the mums in beds, borders or planters to keep the color coming until frost.
You’ll need to repot them and give them plenty of room to breathe.
Use a loamy potting mix, and add some mulch or fertilizer to the soil.
brought on by fungi,powdery mildewlooks like white or gray flour dusted on plant leaves.
It can stunt the plants growth, cause leaves to drop, and decrease flower yields.
Treat by pruning infected areas with clean shears and treat with a fungicide, like neem oil or sulfur.
Regularly inspect your mum for aphids.
Spider mitesare another common pest.
These tiny mites are more prevalent during hotter temperatures and suck the sap out of the plant.
Treat with neem oil and insecticides and consider throwing out badly impacted plants.
You’ll want to ensure enough buds are showing to check the color of the plant you’re buying.
Once the buds open up more, you are practically guaranteed flowers.
As your mum grows and flowers, you should deadhead, orremove spent and faded blooms.
Pinch off buds every two to four weeks to ensure you have sturdy plants come fall.
Common Problems With Mums
Mums are relatively easy to care for.
The challenges that present with mums largely have to do with water and light issues.
If you place them in all-day sun and keep the soil moist, not oversaturated, they should thrive.
Here some issues you may encounter and how to handle them.
Woody Stems
Stems can sometimes become too woody, and this is due to poor watering.
Water when the top few inches of soil are dry or the leaves are wilted.
Leaves Turning Yellow
The discoloring of leaves could be a result of too much watering.
Lack of nutrients, poor fertilization, and a fungal infection can also cause this symptom.
Do a soil test to determine what nutrients the soil is lacking if necessary.
Water the plant at its base, and don’t wet the leaves to avoid fungal infections.
Mums need six hours of sunlight a day, but too much sun will shorten their blooming cycle.
Put your indoor plants in a place where they will experience partial shade.
Protecting potted mums from heat stress will keep them blooming longer.
M. Rawlins.How to Grow Large Chrysanthemum Blooms.
Franklin NJ, Kluepfel M, McLeod Scott J, Blake JH, Gorsuch CS.Chrysanthemum Diseases & Insect Pests.
Clemson University Home & Garden Information Center.
Published October 3, 2024.
