How to Grow Flowering Fall Mums

Fall-blooming chrysanthemums come in a range of colors.

Flowering fall chrysanthemums are often called hardy mums partly because they survive over winter and require little care. Mums come in a wide variation of colors, sizes, shape and types. Easily grown, they can be planted in garden beds or containers. Hardy mums are usually disease and insect free as well as drought resistant, making them easy to grow. Mums are generally purchased and planted in late August and into September

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Balance fertilizer
• Mulch
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Plant mums where they will receive a full day of sun, although at least a half day of sunlight is fine. Plant them in well-draining, fertile soil for the best results. For optimum growth of young plants, plant them 18 to 24 inches apart, while larger more mature plants may be planted closer together, but far enough apart so not to crowd each other. If you opt for planting in above-ground containers, they should be re-planted in the ground before the hard frosts strike.

2. Prepare the garden bed with 2 pounds of balanced fertilizer per 100 square feet of soil. Mums are heavy feeders, according to University of Delaware Extension. Remove pot-planted mums from their pots and rough up the root balls, which tend to be root bound, before planting to encourage lateral root development.

3. Check new plants every few days to be sure they are receiving enough water, particularly if they were planted during a dry spell. Water your new plants thoroughly. Keep soil moist until winter sets in.

4. Cut mums back to soil level after several good frosts and the plants have darkened. Cover with a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch to provide winter protection.

5. Pinch off about 1 to 2 inches of your mum's new growth in early spring when they get to be about 4 to 6 inches in height, then again when they have grown another 1 or 2 inches in height. Stop pinching altogether in mid July. Doing this gives you full bushy plants and large beautiful flowers come fall.

Tips & Warnings

• After a season or two, dig up your chrysanthemums and break off the strongest rooted pieces and replant to increase the number of mum plants in your garden.

• Stop pinching mums back in mid-July

References

• Ohio State University Extension: Growing Chrysanthemums