Taking Care of Mums: An In-Depth Guide

Mums thrive during autumn and bloom with colors that match the season. Prized for their colorful beauty and their versatility to be raised as annuals or perennials, taking care of them is key. You can purchase mums at home improvement stores such as Lowe's and Hope Depot, and mass merchandise stores that have a garden center such as Wal-Mart and Target.

First , plant mums when it is at least the middle of the day and the sun is fully out. Mums that are planted in containers should be water almost every other day. Mums planted in the ground should be fine with natural rainfall, but in drier weather supplemental watering is necessary. Newly planted mums should be watered at least two to three times a week. Moist, but not soggy soil is best for mums.

Fertilizing should be accomplished at least once a month. The soil of the mums should be fertilized with a general purpose fertilizer and top layered with a compost. General purpose fertilizers can be purchased from stores such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot or Lowe's and instructions should be clearly labeled on the packaging. When planting in the fall the mums usually do not require fertilization, however it is wise to check on the plant regularly. If the new mums look unhealthy, add a liquid fertilizer such as MiracleGro or Peter's.

To encourage branching and development, it is very important to pinch back your mums during the spring season. When new growth has reached about six inches, pinch about two to three inches off of every branch. Whenever a branch grows another five to six inches repeat the pinching process. Stop pinching soon as the summer season ends because plant growth will begin to slow and flower buds will begin to develop. The flowers will begin to bloom at the end of summer (around the month of August) and the blooming can last through the beginning of winter (around the end of November).

Mums do not thrive as well in colder. When the first frosts approaches make sure that surrounding soil is moist. After several hard frosts, mulch the mums with straw. Removing dead plant material is not necessary. In the spring remove all the dead mum material and straw and use a hardwood or cypress mulch once sign of new growth appears.