How To Select and Use Mums for Fall Decor

I don't know what it is about the Fall season, but I love mums.  Their various colors can make any yard, porch or home stand out.  How does a person decide what colors and plants to use?  This article will supply you with some information for just that answer.

1.   First, mums are divided into early, mid, and late-season bloomers. If you want your show of color to be around Halloween, then find late-season bloomers. If you want a show in early September, find early season varieties.

2.  If you want good blooms in October, don't buy mums in August.  They will lose their color.

3.  Mums are primarily divided into cushion mums and daisy mums. Cushion mums have so many petals that the bloom forms what appears to be a cushion. Daisy mums usually have one row of petals that surround the center of the flower, the pistil and stamens.

4.  If you want to plant your mums so that they come back next year and become an integral part of your landscape or perennial garden, then purchase them early and plant them early. The longer these plants have to grow roots into their new environment, the better the chance they will to survive cold weather in the fall and winter.

5.  If you keep them throughout the year, you need to take good care of them with weeding, water and fertilizer.

6.  The hardest thing to do is thin them out throughout the summer.  They will grow out and become thick.  No, this isn't a good thing.  You will have to pick out the bad and pull them out to give the stronger plants a chance to flourish.  The longer they get to expand their roots, the better they will grow.

7.  You can get mums in almost any color accept rainbow and blue.  If they are potted, you can move them around to different locations.

8.  Finally mums are very durable and can take a lot abuse.  However, like other plants, they will thrive if you care for them.

sources:  Paul Schnare

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