Mum's The Word

To encourage bushy plants and prevent them from becoming leggy, pinch out ½ inch of new growth at the top of each stem (even if there is a bud there) from spring until mid-July. Pinching any later than mid-July will delay flowering.

In colder winter climates as temperatures drop, you may want to move your chrysanthemums into the garage or plant them in the ground. To help them survive the winter, keep the soil moist as winter approaches and mulch the ground after it begins to freeze. If you over-winter them in the garage, water well before moving the containers, mulch lightly and they will go dormant until spring. Don’t prune the plant back until the following spring.

Chrysanthemums look striking massed in groups by an entrance door or in a corner of a patio. Plant several of the same color for a dramatic look, or mix and match to complement the colors of your house or the rest of your garden. Mums can also be combined with other plants for increased interest. Try adding them to a container with ornamental grasses (such as Muhly grass, Muhlenbergia) with its feathery plumes. Mums also combine well with ornamental cabbage, which is readily available in nurseries in the fall, and pansies, which come in many of the same colors. Parsley added to your containers of mums will create a textured look with its brilliant green, curly foliage.

A Chinese philosopher once said, “If you would be happy for a lifetime, grow chrysanthemums.” That’s an attractive proposition! Start growing mums this fall.

This article is part of the Suite101 "Container Gardening" topic area. For the other Suite101 articles and discussion forums on Container Gardening, see the Welcome Page on Suite101.

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