Fall mums...

[Garden_of_Mu]

I have not had the best luck with mums. Of the five I put in three years ago only wo have survived, and only one is really lookin good. But wow is it looking good! I just love this sort-of apricot-pink-cream blending of colors in it.

[newtohosta-no more]

That's very pretty! I have not had success with mums in the past either....not their fault...mine ,I'm sure.. ...but after seeing Dave's pic of his hosta with mums in the Hosta forum I just had to get some more and give it a go. I went to the Garden Center where my son was working today and picked up lots of different mums. Now I need to find a nice sunny spot for them. I'll be happy if just half of them survive and look nice.

[ShadyIndyLady]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one that can't grow Mums!!
But....I'm trying yet again this year. I'm hoping something
will "kick in" and take this time! I just love this dark
Brick Red.....got this huge plant at the last day of Farmer's
Market for $6. Have another one this color in front and two
other colors. I just planted them all today...and even expanded one of my beds in the front to accomodate them. I hope they take!! What is it with Mums anyway???!!! I love that color you have, Mike....
VERY pretty.

[LucyGoose]

Oh, I like that Mike!! It's kinda different.......Cool!!

All I can say is you need to cut them back a few times......I am going to do mine harder next year.....Most of mine did good, but then I had a yellow that did the flop thing....I hate when that happens....

Here is another one in the front that I babied for the last couple years.....Durn mole almost did it in.....I mean, this one one literally one little twig at one time, and I babied it cutting it, so it would branch out....It's looks a lot like that big one I have in the back......It's just now opening up good, too.....

Hope you all have better luck next year....They really are nice to have....

[Garden_of_Mu]

Great color LG. I think I'll add some new ones to my next garden. There is one called 'matchsticks' that I had but lost. It was really wild.

[Noxtra]

The most hardy mum to grow here in zone 6 is "Single Apricot Korean" and I think it actually classified as a dendranthema. This one is about 5 foot across from a cutting my wife started in the Spring of 2003. I'll root some cuttings in the Spring if anyone would like a start!

Lee

[IBOY]

I've done absolutely nothing to (or for) my mums. I never seem to get around to pinching them back (and it shows) because I'm always busy at that time of year doing something important like trying to stuff six hostas in a three foot space. But, I kind of like the overgrown look anyway.
Don

[newtohosta-no more]

Oooh...Lovely arrangement of colors, Iboy!!

[LucyGoose]

Lee, your mum looks like my Clara Curtis I got from Dori a couple years back....Does your spread by runners? CC does.

[Dirtpig120]

Nice pictures all

[wild4flowers]

My background with mums is the ones as I was growing up. Mom never pinched them back, just let them grow. They were a spot of color in the fall but leggy and sparse. I always hated to spend the money on big beautiful mum plants if they were just going to end up looking like moms. So I didn't . 3 years ago I bought some starter mums from WalMart at the end of the season when they were 50c and dryer and deader than all get out. I babied the greenest ones back to life and the next year--look out-drop dead gorgeous. CHAR

The second pic you can see the big mounded clumps of my previously poor pathetic mums.

[doublemom2]

Mums are one thing I haven't tried... but I think I need to after seeing all of your pictures! I'd love to add some into the beds between my front yard and the street to give a bit of color out there while everything else is dying down for the winter.

Andi

[Gardendollee]

Dendranthema rubellum 'Clara Curtis' this is the hardiest mum for zone five- very pretty pale pink blooms- I think a few of the above pix were of this little gem.

I can also tell you one thing to look for in the fall mums are basal leaves in fall- if they make a clump of baby leaves at the base of the stems, in fall they will most likely live.

I don't usually cut my plants down in spring until I see significant new growth- but rather than a nec. cultural practice I think that is more superstition.

[Gardendollee]

In fact I think LG has pix of Clara Curtis above:)

[LucyGoose]

Wow, nice picture Char!! I know, doesn't it kill you to see the mums at Wal-Mart go all dead and dry? Man, yours is really loaded with blooms and flowers! It's really pretty!!

Yep, that's me Dolly with the Clara Curtis mum.....I love it and think of Dori every time they come up & bloom!

[DryGulch]

Overwintering Mums...interesting topic...this is the deal: Mums are the most chemical abused plant on the planet. Big growers use all sort of chemical and lighting techniques to grow mums and have them bloom at a particular time. There are chemicals to force bloom, to keep the plants fromm getting to legging, to force massive bloom at one time, to bloom out of season. All these things take a lot out of a plant...a lot like forcing tulips to bloom in February.

The trick is to buy mums that are blooming when they would actually bloom. I have never had a lot of luck with the forced spring bloomers. Second, not all mums are actually hardy in the area in which they are sold.

As for cutting, pinching, dividing-- divide in spring into 4" clumps, prevents center die-out, and pinch until June15 to July 15 depending on zone (later/warmer). Pinching does not seem to delay bloom and does a lot to make bushy.

DryGulch

[newtohosta-no more]

And THAT is what I need to remember to do this spring...pinch ...pinch...pinch! That is if the mums I planted in the Fall have survived.