How to Move Mums in the Spring
The best time of year to dig up and transplant garden chrysanthemums is in early spring, just before the new green growth begins. If the dead stems of the mum plants aren't already trimmed back to 1-inch stubs before the transplanting time frame, do so immediately. Moving the mums to a new planting location in very early spring allows the roots to reestablish in cool, moist soil. It also allows the new growth ample time to sprout and grow, leading up to the flowering display by late summer or early autumn. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Brush back any mulch 12 to 18 inches away from the base of the mum you wish to move. This serves several purposes. You have an unimpeded view of the soil to dig. The increased air and sunlight to the soil around the mum's base can dry out and warm up better in early spring. In addition, any lingering frost or soggy soil can diminish before trying to dig.
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Slice the shovel blade 6 to 8 inches away from the clump of stem bases of the mum. Plan on digging up the mum before any new, sprouting green stems or leaves are taller than a half-inch.
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Cut a root ball around the entire mum, never getting closer than 6 inches from the basal clump stumps of the plant. Carefully lift the root ball upward from the soil with the shovel blade. Retain as much soil around the roots as possible.
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Lift the root ball, still supported or cradled by the shovel's blade, into a wheelbarrow or cart to transport to the new garden location. Support the root ball with your free hand to ensure the top of the dormant mum -- the crown of stem bases from where new growth sprouts -- doesn't get damaged. You also don't want to drop the root ball as it will break apart.
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Roll the wheelbarrow or cart with the dug mum root ball and your tools to the new planting site.
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Measure the size of the mum's root ball in depth and width with a ruler or retractable tape measure. You may also estimate the root ball by sizing it against your shoe or the shovel blade as a rough guide.
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Dig the planting hole twice as wide as the root ball's diameter, but the same depth. Carefully lift the mum from the wheelbarrow and place it into the hole, preventing the root ball's soil from crumbling away.
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Backfill the soil around the root ball in the planting hole. Gently tamp the soil with your finger tips to help eliminate air pockets. Add soil until the hole is filled up to the exact level of the top of the mum's root ball. Do not plant the mum too deeply, as this leads to root and stem rot later on in the growing season. Conversely, do not plant the root ball too high, as this dries out the plant, making it dehydrate more quickly during the heat and seasonal dry spells the rest of summer.
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Water the newly transplanted mum root ball immediately after planting it. The water compacts the soil and brings soil particles in direct contact with the roots and surface of the root ball. If the soil level drops after watering, scrape a little more soil around the mum so that the root ball's top is again level with the rest of the soil grade.
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Tips & Warnings
You can cart back excess soil left over at the planting site to fill the hole made by digging up the mum.
Once the mum's new growth sprouts later in spring and the plant seems vigorous, you may place a 2- to 3-inch organic mulch layer around the plant to prevent weeds and conserve soil moisture. Keep the mulch at least 3 inches away from any stem bases, to help prevent any rot or disease issues from overly moist conditions.
A month after transplanting, begin a regimen of applying a balanced liquid fertilizer in tandem with a watering every six weeks. Mums respond well to nutrients to produce lush growth and more branching. Overfertilizing causes long-stemmed, unnaturally tall plants.
Supplement natural rainfall as needed for the first month after moving and replanting the mum. Keep the soil evenly moist to help the roots grow outward into the surrounding soil. Avoid creating a soil that is soggy, but you also don't want dry soil.
References
- "A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants"; Christopher Brickell, et al., eds.; 2004
Resources
- Photo Credit Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
