Karen's Corner: MUMS the word for the fall

For the Fall (in Georgia), I have decided to just buy baskets of Mums and place them around the deck. (Don’t worry, it’s still gardening.) Fortunately, there is a discount grower in the area with great selections and healthy plants at awesome prices. Mum is the common name for Chrysanthemum, which is one of the most popular garden plants around. My tips on Mums to make them last:

1. Pick baskets that mostly have buds, rather than open flowers.  They may look unimpressive but you will be rewarded with a beautiful full basket of blooms in a short while.
2. Water about every other day.  Do not let your Mums dry out!
3. Water at the base of the plant; not from the top.
4. My preferred watering method (you may need help here)--dunk the basket in a large container of water once weekly instead of every other day (unless needed); wait for the bubbling to stop.
5. “Deadhead” (cut off faded blooms) your basket twice weekly:  it will encourage more flowering and longer lasting blooms.  (Make this a routine or habit.)

Many people don’t realize Mums can be kept until the next Fall, but it requires patience and effort. When blooming stops, have someone plant them in the ground and prune them down to about 1” from the soil.  Maintain them as you would any other plant in your garden.  They will not bloom again until the following Fall, though.

For late Fall/early Winter in Georgia, I will be replacing baskets of ‘store bought’ Mums, with new purchases of Violas/Pansies, as well as add a few containers of Ornamental Cabbage. (But plants for Winter color is another blog.)

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Karen is a regular reviewer and blogger for Day Undefined. In her series, "Karen's Corner," she invites you to join in her love of gardening and other hobbies and shares her tips for making them more accessible.