When I think of the perfect weathered arrival of autumn I think of crisp chilly mornings, fall leaves, pumpkins, sunflowers, cornfields, candy, and mums! All the hardy mums, all the time.
Is it even legal to celebrate the return of the best season of the year (in my humble opinion) without these favored flowers? Of course it is! But why would we? Exactly! We wouldn't! And I'm sure you are way ahead of the game here and have a few decorating the patio and front porch already; whereas I'm still catching up from back to school season. I'll be decorating my house with pumpkins, spiders, and everything creepy and Halloween-y by time mums hit my front door. This will be happening about a week out from Halloween because I'm a procrastinator like that!
Even before walking through our door you may have seen a plentitude of colorful hardy mums outside to greet you. Did you happen to pick one up? Or two or a few more? What makes mums so special? Besides their popularity in low maintenance and abundance in blooms; these hardy mums also are available in multiple colors, sizes, and are generally insect and pest-free!
Of course there are rules for cultivating these bountiful beauties! Let's break it down real quick before the first hard frost visits us so we can welcome our favorite fall flowers back next year!
1. Plant before the frost bites!
Here's a handy frost calculator from Farmer's Almanac
for estimating frost dates! Typically mums are planted between
late August-September. The sooner the mums are in the ground to
establish roots the better off they'll be. They also grow best in full
sun but can be persuaded to flourish in half days of direct sunlight.
2. General Care
After planting your mums, keep a close eye on whether they need
to be watered. Mums do best in well-drained soil with plenty of
water. Make sure not to let them wilt! You do not have to fertilize this season but during the next growing season begin to your mums as new growth begins with fertilizer. Feed at least monthly until August.
3. Overwintering
After the first hard frost mulch about 4 inches with shredded hardwood or straw. Spread mulch well between the branches and fill in around the entire plant. Dead blooms can be pinched off to clean it up but do not prune the brancheds until the spring. Mums have a better chance of survival with the branches intact. Once the weather warms up again move away the mulch and watch your pretty plant return to it's abundantly fall glory!
4. Dividing
If your mums are grown as perennials, they will need to be divided every couple of years. More mums? Yes, please! After the last hard frost and new growth is seen is the right time to divide the plant. Dig it up in one piece and separate outer pieces with a clean large knife or spade. Discard the original center of the plant and replant the outer portions in a freshly rejuvenated bed and voila! More hardy mums for your viewing pleasure!
There you have it! Easy care for these low maintenance fall favorite plants. Think it's too late to plant this year? Check the frost calculator, I bet there's a good chance there's still time to plant before fall gets frosty!
