Mums are the name given to chrysanthemums that bloom in the spring. Mums are best planted in the spring for maximum bloom output in the summer and fall.
Flowers come in a variety of colors, including yellow, pink, red, lavender, and vivid orange.
To eliminate summertime legginess, pinch the plant’s young branches gently in May and June. Pinching produces a bushy shrub with many fall flowers.
Do Mums Come Up In The Spring?
If you’ve ever wondered why your mums didn’t grow back after you planted them in the spring, here’s why: While chrysanthemums are perennials, they must be planted early in the growing season to return.
If you don’t grow mums in your garden until they emerge in plenty at nurseries and garden centers as fall approaches, they won’t have enough time to establish themselves before the cold weather hits.
However, if you plant them earlier in the year, particularly in the spring, they will settle in and return to greet you as the winter fades and new life emerges.
Read also: How To Grow Chrysanthemums In Pots
What Do Mums Look Like In The Spring
Mums will begin to produce buds as they keep growing in the spring and into the summer.
Pruning those buds back until the time comes to enable the plants to develop new leaves, branches, and flowers is the best way to get the most out of a mum. That way, they’ll be stunning in the fall.
Planting Requirements
In a sunny place, plant spring garden mums. The soil on the location should be well-drained. Plant mums are at least 18 inches apart for little dwarf versions and up to 36 inches apart for bigger, more robust growing varieties. Garden mums should be kept damp but not flooded.
Fertilizing
In May, June, and July, fertilize mums one every month. Apply 2 or 3 pounds of granulated 5-10-10 or 5-20-20 fertilizer per 100 square feet of garden mums. Ensure that the fertilizer is properly soaked into the soil.
After flower buds form in late July, do not fertilize since the fertilizer will stimulate the mum to yield more foliage rather than flowers.
Pinching
To generate a bushy, appealing plant that is not lanky, pinch the fresh shoots of the mums. Pinch off any new growth that arises. Only two or three leaves should remain on the shoot.
Pinch the very last bit. Pinching should be done in May, June, and July. Only pinch each plant once a month. If your mum variety produces flowers early, don’t pinch in July or the new flower heads will be pinched.
Read also: Do Mums Like Sun Or Shade?
Mulch, Weeds, Pests, And Disease
Pull weeds around mums as soon as they appear, so that the weeds don’t have to contend for light, nutrients, or water.
Mums benefit from a 2-inch layer of mulch over their root system in the summer to keep it cool and wet.
Mulches made of peat moss, sawdust, bark chips, or recycled plastic are good. Mums are immune to pests and diseases.
Aphids can be washed away from new plant growth by spraying them with a powerful burst of water every few days until they are gone.
The mums’ foliage is frequently affected by white powdery mildew. Mildew manifests itself as white fungus growth.
For control, get a fungicide powder for mums from a garden supply store and follow the advice on the label.
Removing Mums
Because most gardeners regard the mum to be an annual, they just cut it off and trash it when the first strong cold kills it.
To add potential nutrients to the soil, use a hand trowel to work the root system into the ground.
Mums that make it to the following season have minimal bloom production and are frequently rather leggy.
How To Care For Mums In Spring
- All of the dead sections should be pruned down to the roots.
- Add a small amount of new compost or fertilizer into the soil.
- Place the pot in the sunlight.
- Thoroughly wet the area.
- As the new growth develops itself, keep a close eye on the plants and take additional care watering and looking for insects.
What Is The Difference Between Spring Mums And Fall Mums?
Unless you bought anything that looks like mums but is another species, there is no distinction between spring and fall mums. They’re all Chrysanthemums.
Mums can be ‘tricked’ into blooming in greenhouses by varying the amount of light they get.
