Flowers of chrysanthemums
One of the things I look forward to most about fall is seeing beautiful blooming chrysanthemums everywhere I go. On a walk around the neighborhood or even a quick trip to the grocery store, I always see tons of yellow, orange and crimson mums brightening up the scenery. As soon as I set up a few pots of my own mom's, I feel like it's officially fallen. Even if you too have grown and loved this plant for years, it has a long, rich history that you may not be aware of. Keep these fun facts in mind when choosing and planting your fall mums this year!
1. Mums were raised initially in China
Chrysanthemums are long-lived; They were originally cultivated in China and were first recorded in writing in the 15th century BC (3,000 years ago). It was believed to have medicinal properties as a herb; For example, boiled roots were used as a remedy for headaches. It is one of the four noble plants in Chinese culture, along with plum blossoms, orchids, and bamboo. The four plants are widely used in ancient paintings and poetry and are thought to represent the four seasons and human virtues (chrysanthemums represent decadence and nobility).
2. Chrysanthemums have many different meanings
Mom signs can be quite different depending on where you are in the world. In some parts of the world, including much of the United States, chrysanthemums are associated with happiness and hope. Chrysanthemums are very symbolic in Japan (the flower has been used as the emperor's emblem for over 1,200 years), and they celebrate National Chrysanthemum Day every year on September 9, also known as the Festival of Happiness. However, in many European countries, including France, Belgium, and Spain, chrysanthemums are associated with death and are often given at funerals or placed on graves to honor the dead.
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3. There are thousands of varieties
The name "chrysanthemum" comes from two Greek words; "Chrysos," meaning "gold," and "anthemon" for flower. While gold is a common, popular color for mothers, it's far from your only choice. There are thousands of varieties, and mums can be yellow, red, orange, white, pink, and purple. You can also find different flower patterns; Button mums are one of the most common, and you can find anemone, quilt, spider, spoon, and pompon varieties.
4. Moms are edible
Chrysanthemum tea is a popular beverage brewed with the flowers of the plant. It is particularly popular in China and is made from dried flower heads. However, the leaves are also edible and can be added to salads or cooked like other greens. But don't start plucking your plant for kitchen supplies; If you want to try chrysanthemum tea or leaves, it's best to look for edible leaves or tea blends at your local Asian market so you know the plants haven't been treated with pesticides or chemicals that are unsafe to eat.
5. The plant's chemicals are used in pesticides
You've probably heard that chrysanthemums repel pesky insects like mosquitoes. Unfortunately, planting two mums won't rid you of mosquitoes, but the oil extracted from the flowers of certain chrysanthemum species has been used in insecticides for centuries. Check to see if pyrethrum is on the list of ingredients in your bug spray; It is one of the most popular natural insect repellents.
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How long do moms live?
Chrysanthemums will be on sale at your local garden center or grocery store long before summer ends. But hold on to your pumpkin spice latte—when is the best time to plant mums? A favorite for fall outdoor decor, mums bloom just as many summer-blooming plants, such as zinnias and petunias, begin to sprout in cooler fall weather. That's why a few potted mums sitting on your porch are a no-brainer for transitioning from summer to next season. But if you want your plants to last, take your time. Even if retailers start selling moms before fall starts, you might still want to hold off on buying them.
Mums love cooler temperatures, which can be problematic if you buy them when they're first available, and it can get up to 90°F during the day. In the heat, all the flowers wilt in a couple of weeks, so if you want to continue the colorful display throughout the season, you need to replace them quickly. If you wait until things cool down before setting up your mums, the plants will bloom for up to 8 weeks where they are. After the cold weather arrives, if you get a few warm days here and there, you can keep your mums in your house or garage until the temperature drops again.
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Two other factors to consider are the type of chrysanthemum you buy and where you plan to use it. If you want to use mums as annuals in a potted display or garden bed, you can choose florist (or cutting) mums. Enjoy the flowers until they die, then fertilize them. Hardy (or garden) moms are a different story. These mums are perennials that, when planted and cared for properly, can be a great choice to brighten up your fall garden. They are best planted in spring when the ground is not frost-free, giving them time in the summer to establish roots in the soil before knockout blooms in the fall.
If you plant hardy mums in the fall they won't survive the winter. Instead, you can try keeping the plants dormant in their pots and keeping them in a cool but frost-free indoor location, such as a garage, until next spring. As soon as the soil warms up you can plant Ammi outside in your garden. If your plant is still alive, you should see new growth from the roots soon.
For both types of mums, choose mums that are still in bloom when you pick the plants. This way you can enjoy their flowers for a long time. The bottom line to the "when is the best time to plant mums" question is that there is no "best" time, but you will get optimal plant performance in cold weather. If you want to love your moms as much as possible, mid to late September is best.
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7 Common Mistakes You're Making With Your Fall Moms
To help your chrysanthemums last as long as possible and have beautiful blooms, here's what to avoid. Beautiful mums in shades of red, yellow, orange, purple, and white are popping up everywhere in the fall. I like to use them on my porch for fall displays with dried cornstalks, gourds, and pumpkins. After the flowers finally finish blooming in my warm southern climate, I often plant them in my garden because most fall mums are winter-surviving perennials. But by the following spring, my plants are usually reduced to clumps of dead stems. After checking in with a few mum-growing pros, I realized I was planting my mums too late. In fact, growing mums in the garden are very easy once you know the following common mistakes.
1. Ignoring the type of mother
Amy Enfield, a horticulturist at Miracle-Gro, says garden mums should be planted outdoors in late summer or early fall so roots can form before the soil freezes. Also known as hardy or Belgian mums, garden mums are sold at garden centers and nurseries. They are perennial in USDA zones 5 through 9. But even if they are planted at the right time, they need other things like better drainage. Enfield adds, "There's no guarantee they'll survive the winter, especially in the northern parts of the US where you live."
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2. Planting in more shade
Cynthia Drumcool, manager of potted plants and mums with Milk Gardening, says garden mums need full sun or at least partial sun. One exception: in very hot climates, mums benefit from some shade during the hottest part of the day. Otherwise, give plenty of sunlight to the flowers.
3. Fertilize your plants more
When the leaves and branches begin to grow in the spring, you can fertilize your plants with nitrogen. But Enfield says don't fertilize your mums once they've developed flower buds. Fall mums benefit from a high-phosphorus fertilizer that promotes root growth.
4. Forgetting water for mothers
Enfield says one of the biggest mistakes you can make with fall-planted mums is failing to water them. "The days are cooler and the sun isn't as intense, so plants, even those in containers, don't dry out as quickly. However, plants will need water until the ground freezes." While you may need to water daily during the summer, only water when the topsoil feels dry after the weather cools. Do the same for the mothers in the pot.
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5. Cutting garden mums too soon
Enfield, destroy mums in your garden in the fall but leave the rest of the plants alone as much as possible. Autumn mums use their leaves to convert sunlight into energy to form roots. Wait until the following spring for additional pruning or until the stems die to the ground. Then, cut the stems about an inch below the ground before new growth appears.
6. Weaning mothers too late (or not at all)
If you don't pinch the growing tips of your garden mums, they will flower, but you'll have plants with longer stems and fewer flowers. "Pinching off flower buds helps encourage the plant to branch out and become fuller," says Enfield. "Stop pinching in early July (after mid-July) and allow buds to form and flower."
7. Drainage is not improved
Mums will not grow in soils that are poorly drained and too wet. Enfield says this is especially true in cold-winter areas. So if you have heavy clay or compacted soil, mix in some good quality garden soil or compost to loosen it up and improve drainage in your planting site.
Finally, Enfield says, the fall mangoes sold in garden centers today are not the same types of plants that were sold 20 years ago. Although garden mums are considered hardy to zone 5, breeders have produced fall mums with showy flowers in large mounds. As a result, he says, this has resulted in plants that aren't as cold-hardy as in the past. So, if your fall-planted mums aren't coming back like true perennials, consider them annuals. When you're ready to spruce up your fall foliage and enjoy their colorful blooms for a season, replace them with beautiful, fresh plants.
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