What is the best month to buy mums?
In particular, it’s when the night temperatures begin to sink. When this temperature drop occurs, you know fall is here, and it’s time for mums. Mid-September is the earliest time you should consider buying. However, the longer and hotter summers each year push that date into late September, even into October. For best blooming they need to be in the sun for about six hours a day, minimum. If they are kept in too much shade and the buds are still tight when you get them, you could end up without open flowers. Mums used to be bred for cold hardiness but now, the focus is more on bloom color.Mums prefer crisp fall weather, and their blooms can be expected to last 4-6 weeks before fading. At Family Tree Nursery, we offer mums beginning in late August through early October. The mums that we produce are designated as early, mid-, and late-season blooming mums.In Ohio, mums bloom from late summer into the fall, typically starting in late August and lasting through early November. The longevity of mums depends on how well they are cared for. With very little care, mums may last 3-4 weeks indoors. However, with proper care, mums may last 3-4 years.Mums require moist, well-draining soil combined with six hours or more of daily sunlight. Edwards said planting depth is also a factor. Plant your mums at the same depth as the size of their original containers,” she said.
What is the best way to buy mums?
Buy before it blooms Unless you want blooms immediately, buy mums with a heavy load of unopened buds. Look for nice, tight flower buds. It’s fine if you see a little color on a few buds, plus that will help ensure you are purchasing the color you want. Closed buds will start typically opening within one to two weeks. Mums are “photoperiodic,” which means they will set buds when the days get shorter in late summer! Then, they will bloom from late summer to fall for about eight weeks.INSPECT THE PETALS for damage or hidden bugs and remove them. PAIR MUMS with other late-season garden materials such as fall leaves, crabapples on the branch, ornamental cabbage, dried grains, and dahlias. EXPECT MUMS TO LAST a long time in the vase, often more than two weeks.Depending on your area of the country, mums become available in garden centers in late summer to early fall. Growers trim Garden Center mums for a pleasing rounded shape that brings light into the plant and produces the full flower effect.Blooms follow in six to ten weeks. Different mum varieties will come into flower at different times in fall, based primarily on their responses to day length.
Are mums worth buying?
Garden Mums are hardy and will come back every year when planted in a sunny spot in the garden. They’re typically sold outdoors. Florist Mums are not hardy. These beautiful plants are best grown as annual flowers for fall decoration — then composted. Mums are ideal for containers because of their shallow root systems. Plant perennial mums in beds or borders in the early spring or fall as perennials.Mums are shallow-rooted and require regular watering to maintain soil moisture in the root zone. Plants perform best when the soil is moist, but not too wet. The containers for potted mums must have drainage holes. In general, mums require 1 inch of water per week.The easiest way to keep your mum plants alive for next year is to bring the plants indoors. For potted plants this means cutting off the brown foliage and stems about 3–4 inches long above the soil, wrapping the pot, and bringing it inside to an unheated garage or shed.You can keep mums right in those containers if they are not too pot-bound. However, putting the plastic container inside another larger, more decorative container is much more attractive. You want to enjoy the beauty of your mum plant, so make sure the container you put them in is decorative.Caring For Planted Mums Gardens are basically just large outdoor pots for your flowers. In fact, many garden mums start out as potted plants in people’s homes. Mums only bloom once while indoors, but potted garden mums can be transferred outdoors if they are kept green and healthy until the following spring.
What to look for when buying mums?
Check Out the Buds When it comes to flower buds, the goal is to select plants with buds that are tight and just barely starting to open. No one wants to do this, but the best way to get mums to last is to buy plants that you can’t even tell what color they will be because the buds haven’t started opening yet. General Care Place them in an area that provides bright, but filtered light. When growing mums indoors, as opposed to outdoors, direct sunlight can harm them. Mums are phototropic, meaning they rely on day length to trigger blooming. Reduce the amount of light the get to below 10 hours per day to trigger blooming.There are several ways you can help to get these mums to live through the winter. First, make sure that you keep them well watered through the fall and into the winter. And also apply a light layer of mulch to help insulate and protect the root system.The easiest way to keep your mum plants alive for next year is to bring the plants indoors. For potted plants this means cutting off the brown foliage and stems about 3–4 inches long above the soil, wrapping the pot, and bringing it inside to an unheated garage or shed.Whether in a pot or your garden, mums like lots of light. Choose a spot in full sun that gets at least six hours of light a day. Plants that don’t get enough sunlight will be tall and leggy and produce fewer, smaller flowers.
What color mum to buy?
For a harmonious look, coordinate mums with the colors of your yard. If you have trees that will turn bright colors in the fall, choose mums in shades of red, orange, yellow or white. If your yard has lots of evergreens, try pink, lavender or pure white mums. Mums prefer well-drained soil, so don’t plant them areas with poor drainage or occasional standing water. They also prefer full sun (greater than 6 hours of sunlight per day), which is needed for plants to thrive and produce large, extensive roots that can survive winter stress.Depending on your area of the country, mums become available in garden centers in late summer to early fall. Growers trim Garden Center mums for a pleasing rounded shape that brings light into the plant and produces the full flower effect.Among the season’s most popular are chrysanthemums. Lovingly referred to as the queen of the fall flowers, the “mum” is symbolic for so many reasons. Mums symbolize joy, life, friendship, luck, and rebirth. Part of its beauty is its resilience in the face of a sudden drop in temperatures.After your mums have finished blooming in the fall, and the foliage has gone completely dormant, you can cut the dead stems back to just above the ground. That being said, northern gardeners can leave the dead stems there to help insulate the roots from severe cold weather during winter.
How long will mums keep?
Mums are “photoperiodic,” which means they will set buds when the days get shorter in late summer! Then, they will bloom from late summer to fall for about eight weeks. Water your mums every other day, but be sure to water them from the *bottom*! Pull back the leaves and water directly into the soil to avoid mold issues and ensure full absorption. Transfer your mums to a larger pot with drainage holes. This gives them room to grow and prevents them from getting soggy.Garden mums, on the other hand, are usually planted in the spring and will bloom all summer and autumn. With plenty of time to put down roots, garden mums can live for three to four years in USDA zones 5 through 9.General Care Place them in an area that provides bright, but filtered light. When growing mums indoors, as opposed to outdoors, direct sunlight can harm them. Mums are phototropic, meaning they rely on day length to trigger blooming. Reduce the amount of light the get to below 10 hours per day to trigger blooming.Potted mums are thirsty plants. They don’t like to be dry. Water them every other day. Or water them every day.Mums planted in the ground won’t dry out as quickly and may only need watering once a week. Plants in containers may need watering every other day or daily. In either case, work your finger into the soil under the mum. If the soil feels dry below the surface, it’s time to water.
What is the best time to buy mums?
Buy Mums Flowers with Intention I usually wait until mid-late September, unless I need them earlier for a specific reason. If you buy early during hot weather, you’ve got to keep them well-hydrated! Thus, if you purchase them in late August through early September on impulse, they won’t last well into October. Chrysanthemums are the ultimate fall flower thanks to their long-blooming growth cycles and hardy nature. If you find yourself wanting to add more color to your fall garden or want pots full of long-lasting flowers, you really can’t go wrong with mums.Mums (Chrysanthemum spp. Considered mildly toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, mums are by far one of the most popular fall flowers. If consumed, you may see vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, incoordination, and dermatitis in these animals.Did you know that If you take care of them properly, these cheerful flowers can last up to 6-8 weeks indoors? During the fall, you’ll find chrysanthemums (aka mums) sprinkled throughout my home. They are perfect for adding a touch of color and for reinforcing my cozy fall vibe.Planting Mums If you’re using a mum as a perennial, plant in early spring or in the fall at least six weeks before the first killing frost. You’ll find smaller plants for sale in the spring than you might in fall. They likely won’t be budded or flowering, and the color selection may be minimal.