Grow Great Chrysanthemums ~ Down A Cow Trail

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Grow great chrysanthemums in your perennial garden to brighten up the fall garden landscape. Mums are easy to grow and reward you with bountiful blooms.

Fall is officially here. The cottonwoods are starting to get golden hues and the bugs are finally dying! The mosquitos were horrible this year, so I’m thankful for chilly nights to rid our yard of those nasty little pests!

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One of my favorite things about fall is the beautiful chrysanthemums! I can’t help but be reminded of the spelling test in Anne of Green Gables where Anne Shirley emphasizes the “e” and comes out the victor. I have never had a problem remembering where the “e” falls!

1.) Plant In A Sunny Location.

Although it is best to plant your new Chrysanthemums early in the spring, I tend to pick up the sad looking Mums during the late fall sales at our farm store or local nurseries. Partially because I love a bargain and partially because they look so sad. I just have to give them a chance!

Give them time

When first planted, the scraggly ones might look pathetic. Give them a little love, some time, and they will grow to be the belle of the fall ball (if you get them in a few weeks before the first frost!).

Plant in a sunny location. I have planted some on the north side of my house and they do okay, but the plants that get full sun are the most vibrant and happy!

2.) Pinch!

Keep “pinching” till early summer.

Mums benefit from pruning or “pinching” off new center growth throughout the spring and early summer. If you keep them trimmed back and don’t allow them to bloom early, more energy will go to their root system and you will have big beautiful bushy Mums come fall!

3.) Propagate new Mums easily.

Keep the trimmings from the spring and dip them in root tone to start new plants, or you can just stick them right in the dirt. Keep them watered and you’ll have baby Chrysanthemums in no time!

Here’s a tutorial on how to propagate Mums from cuttings.

4.) Fertilize.

Fertilizing your Mums in the spring and throughout summer will give them a boost to be vibrant through the fall season. I like to use this simple homemade fertilizer recipe void of harmful chemicals. Next year I plan to start raising worms, and look forward to seeing the how my Mums react to nutrient rich worm castings.

Chrysanthemums make beautiful accent points in the fall garden after all others have faded from frost. Their dark green foliage and bright blooms are a welcome sight on chilly fall days. Mums can also be enjoyed inside your home. A simple cutting of Mums in a vase can bring life to your home. The flower and leaves hold their color for a long time compared to dahlias or zinnias, I’ve found.