Mum's the word around here. Fall has made a landing at our place and nothing says Autumn like mums, pansies and pumpkins, right? While many of our tropicals are beginning to fade, we like to keep our gardens bright and cheery with mounds of mums that provide our landscapes with bountiful blooms throughout early Fall. Want to grow the world's best mums? Follow these few easy tips:
Placement. As with most plants of bright and bold colors, mums enjoy lots of light. Consider the location you choose to plant your mums by the amount of light they'll receive. We suggest they get around six hours of sun each day.
Soil. If you're using your mums as a part of a container garden, regular potting soil will do them just fine. If you're sticking them in the ground, check out the soil. Does your yard have a lot of clay? Amend it with mulch if the answer was yes.
Fertilizer. You're in luck! Your mums probably don't need fertilizing just yet. More than likely, they're already full of blooms. After the cooler winter months, fertilize about once a month with a 5-10-10 plant food.
Water. It may feel like Fall on some days but when the sun is shining bright like summer is still among us, be sure to water your potted mums daily. With outdoor plants, there's no real guaranteed watering method because we're dealing with Mother Nature. If it rains, she's giving us gardeners a break. If it's hot, stick your finger in the ground. A little dirt won't hurt! If the soil is dry, your plants could use a little sip from the water hose.
Groom. Everyone wants those gorgeous Southern Living-like blooms and here's the real trick––deadhead. Once your old blooms die off, pinch them off at the head to encourage new growth. Pinching your mums back might sound like a chore, but that's how we keep our mums full and happy. This is something you'll want to really keep an eye on when your plants begin to grow back during the Spring. Once you see new buds, begin pinching them back through mid-summer to keep their round shape and eliminate side shoots for the Fall.
Interested in seeing what else we have in store for Fall? Come in and see us and be sure to join us for our annual GSCO Fall Festival for a garden to table food, gardening demos, specials and more! Take a look at our calendar to find out what's going on around Garden Supply Co this month and register for one or a few of our many classes and events!