How to Take Care of the Mum Flowering Plant
Chrysanthemums, also known as mum flowering plants, add bright bursts of color to the autumn garden. Multiple-petal flowers cover a well-groomed mum plant from August until the first hard frost. Florist chrysanthemums, grown in pots, make lovely gifts and add beauty to fall decorations. Flower colors range from white and bright yellow to soft orange and deep burgundy red. Whether you grow garden chrysanthemums or have a potted type, spend a few moments each week to take care of the mum flowering plant and enjoy the reward of a vivid, colorful blooming season. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Water mums once a week or more frequently in hot, dry weather. Sprinkle water on the plant in the morning so water droplets can dry off the leaves. Water only at the base of the plant if watering late in the day, or if you are watering potted florist chrysanthemums.
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Place mulch around the base of your mum flowering plant to retain moisture in the soil. Pull and discard weeds or grass that may sprout around the plant.
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Pinch the main stems back 1 inch when they reach a height of 4 inches. Use your thumbnail and forefinger or small garden scissors to make a clean break. Continue pinching the new growth of garden chrysanthemums back by 1 inch each month through July in order to form a bushy plant.
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Apply fertilizer once a month, at the same time you pinch back the stems. Use an all-purpose fertilizer formulated for garden flowers. Water the fertilizer well so it gets all the way down into the roots. Continue fertilizing monthly through the blooming season.
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Control such pests as aphids with a pepper and garlic oil spray. If you prefer, dust with an insect control powder available from garden centers. Follow the manufacturer's label instructions precisely.
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Tips & Warnings
Fill a planter with flowering bulbs for springtime color and a mum flowering plant for autumn garden color.
Chrysanthemums may get verticillium wilt from too much moisture, especially on the leaves. Remove stems with brown, wilting leaves completely and discard in the trash away from other garden plants. If more than one stem becomes infected, remove and discard the entire plant.
