By Mike Raley
I am very fond of fall and winter. I always have been. Among the delights of that time of year are the many colors—from pumpkins to corn stalks to apples to mums. You have probably heard the saying many times that “chrysanthemums remind one of fall; they are so striking, but they fade and then they’re gone.” This is often the tragic life of the mum. I am partial to those bright yellow mums where the color really jumps out at you. The maroons, purples, and oranges are nice, too. If you are a fan of the flower show area at the NC State Fair, as I am, then you are aware of the “mum tower” that is popular with attendees. This year, there was a huge display of mums in various colors placed strategically to form a prominent likeness of the North Carolina flag. It is a spectacular way to display flowers. Just like pansies or most other annual or perennial flowers, plant them en masse.
Mums are treated as seasonal annual flowers, but they are actually perennials. Some experts do point out that mums are not usually raised to survive cold weather and may not bloom well the next year. But you can actually plant them and spur blooming for several years with a little care. First things first: Go ahead and get them in the ground before the first frost, which is usually in early November. Chrysanthemums like full sun and well-drained soil. They prefer to be planted at the same depth as they are in their container. Some experts advocate that you break up, loosen, or spread out the roots. Do this if you plan to keep and plant your mums. Go ahead and switch the mums to a new, bigger container or place them in the ground. Add some good organic matter and mix it with your native soil. You may incorporate Black Kow, Daddy Pete’s, or maybe you have seasoned a little compost of your own. Cover the root ball and tamp down the soil to stabilize the newly planted mum.
Everything needs water. Your chrysanthemums need water, but like most plants, they don’t like wet feet. Meet their water needs diligently until they are established. What do we mean by well-established? The plant should have a strong root system—give it a tug. Plus, it should have some new growth. That’s well-established.
I always say everyone seems to enjoy feeding their plants. Sometimes we overfeed our plants, just like we overdo it with our own eating habits. Add some slow-release fertilizer when you plant your mums in a container or the ground. If you are serious about this project, you should fertilize your mums with a water-soluble or liquid fertilizer during the spring and summer.
One of the most important tricks for maintaining a chrysanthemum is “pinching” back the flower heads down to the first leaf. You should do this in the fall when the flowers start fading and turning brown. You need to continue that process during the spring and summer. Mums will form flower buds during these seasons and will try to bloom, but if you are diligent, you can prevent the plant from blooming until fall comes around again. Mums will go dormant when it finally gets cold. That’s when you should check the mulch. Three to four inches of hardwood mulch or pine straw will help keep the roots from freezing if you choose to plant the mum in the ground.
As I stated in the beginning, I love mums in the fall. Try a season of mums and see how it works out. If that’s not your thing, buy mums in September, care for them for two or three months, and then ditch them or add them to the compost pile. Why not some fall mums to get in the spirit of the season and to support the nursery industry?