It never fails. Customers come into the nursery in mid-August asking for mums. Our competitors are offering them for sale by the end of the month. Yet, we hold out until mid-September to bring in these Fall standards. Why is that?
If you buy mums which have started to bloom in August, they'll last only a few days. The heat will hasten the bloom and wilt the plants. Mums require lots of water. If you miss one day watering, the plant will shrivel up and blooms will be ruined.
We suggest waiting until at least mid-September to buy mums. The cooler nights will slow down the opening of the buds, and keep the blooms looking great for a much longer period. If you buy plants that are just beginning to break bud, you'll be able to enjoy your mums for many weeks.
The best way to water your mums is to place a tray or saucer under each plant and keep them filled with water. Your mums will drink the water from the tray as it needs it. If you plant them in the ground, water every day when it is hot and every other day as the weather gets cooler. It would be best to water with a soaker hose; an irrigation spray or mister will shorten the life of open flowers.
Pinch off spent flowers to keep your mums looking good and to encourage more buds to open.
Lots of folks just throw their mums away after they finish blooming. You can plant them in your flower bed. Just cut them back to about 4-6 inches above ground. Next spring, they'll put out new growth. Cut them back in June to about one-half their size to make them bushier and to generate blooms in the Fall.
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