HOW TO CARE FOR OUTDOOR HARDY MUMS
BY GREG POWELL - "POWELL THE FLORIST"
Colorful Hardy Mums are a great way to preserve the bright colors of your summer garden into the fall season, and complement the autumn leaves, as well.
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When you take your mums home to plant them, pick a spot with good drainage and, if possible, close to your foundation or someplace with a little protection from winter winds. Keep them watered well, and maybe feed them a little liquid fertilizer.
After they frost, cut them back to about two inches above the ground. Cover them with mulch or leaves to protect them during the winter.
In the spring, keep them watered and feed them every few weeks. Through the growing season, make sure to pick off dead blossoms, as this will help promote new blooms.
Around the fourth of July, prune them back a little so they will branch out and become bushy. You may trim them back again if needed, but they will take about two months to flower, so don’t wait too late. Keep watering them and feeding them until they bloom again. After the first heavy frost, repeat the process for next year.
You may want to cut some flowers to decorate inside the home for fall color. You can cut a few stems here and there without ruining the plant. Bring the flowers in and give them a fresh cut with a knife, (scissors may pinch the stem) put them in tepid water to let them hydrate. You may put them in a vase, or stop at your florist and pick up some floral foam to fit your container. To help give them the fall look, grab a few brown leaves or sticks from the yard to mix in with them. Be sure to add water on a daily basis and change the water every few days.
By doing this your mums should give you plenty of enjoyment!
Greg Powell is a respected florist in the Michiana area, providing fresh flowers, greenhouse flowers and plants, as well as gifts. Powell The Florist has been in Mishawaka at the same location for 115 years.
