How to Grow Spider Mums
The spider mum, also called the football mum, is a large flowered chrysanthemum with long thin petals. The flowers grow to be about 6 inches in diameter. Although spider mums may be more difficult to grow than other flowers, it is possible for them to prosper if the planter takes an active role in their growth. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a spot where the spider mums will be in a bed by themselves, and flowers will get at least six hours of direct sunlight. They thrive in any type of soil, but you can prepare the soil with manure or compost fertilizer.
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Purchase seeds or flowers. If you are starting with seeds, you can begin the growing process indoors and transplant the flowers about a month later.
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Plant your spider mums about 18 to 30 inches apart. Mums have shallow roots, so do not dig a deep hole. Go about an inch deeper than the nursery pots they came in.
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Water the spider mums lightly in the morning and evening. They need about 1 inch of water every week.
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Begin pinching when the spider mums reach 6 inches tall. Remove the tip of the growing stem and the first sets of leaves. This will ensure the spider mums grow to their maximum size and in a favorable shape. Pinch again when the flowers are 1 foot tall, then again with every few inches of growth.
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Remove all but the three strongest stems as your spider mums grow. Remove any branches that are growing perpendicular to the main stem. This will encourage all of the growth toward the main stem.
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Remove all but one flower bud per stem as your spider mums continue to grow. Keep the biggest and strongest buds.
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Protect spider mums during the winter by transplanting them to pots for indoor care or adding generous amounts of pine needles, straw or manure to the flower bed.
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Tips & Warnings
The best time of year to plant your spider mums is early spring when you are sure there will be no more frost. Change the location of your spider mums every few years to prevent disease.
Do not pinch the flowers after July, because they will need the extra leaves to survive the winter. Do not overwater your mums. If you add fertilizer to your soil, do not add any in the fall. Less growth in the cold weather is better for the mums.
