Fall mums are a popular choice for gardeners who want to add some color to their outdoor space in the autumn months. However, as Noelle from Petitti Garden Centers explains, fall mums are not as hardy as they used to be. To ensure that they come back for you in the garden, it’s important to plant them as early as possible and give them six to eight weeks of root establishment.
In this article, readers will learn about the planting process for fall mums, including the importance of digging a hole twice as wide as the pot and mixing the soil with Petitti planting mix and bio-tone. They will also discover the best way to plant the mums to ensure that the roots aren’t sitting in any water and how to care for them post-planting, including fertilizing and pinching back.
Key Takeaways
- Fall mums are not as hardy as they used to be, so it’s important to plant them early and give them time to establish roots.
- When planting fall mums, it’s important to mix the soil with Petitti planting mix and bio-tone, and to plant them slightly above the soil level.
- To care for fall mums post-planting, gardeners should fertilize them with plant-tone and iron-tone, pinch them back to prevent them from growing too tall, and water them thoroughly and deeply.
Understanding Fall Mums
Fall mums are not as hardy as they used to be in the past, and they are considered semi-hardy annuals or sort of hardy perennials. To ensure that they come back in the garden, they should be planted as early as possible. It takes about six to eight weeks for the root establishment to make them hardy.
To plant mums in the ground, dig a hole twice as wide as the actual pot width. Make sure the hole is just as deep as the pot and mix the soil with Petitti planting mix in a 50/50 mixture. Add bio-tone to stimulate the roots to get it anchored in quickly. Do not add normal plant fertilizer at this time of year, as it could damage the plants.
Break up the roots on the mums before planting them, as they are typically root-bound. Plant them slightly above the soil level so that the roots are not sitting in any water down in the bottom. Backfill right around them and add an inch or so of mulch around the edge of the mum, following the drip line of the mum.
Mums should be left to stay and die back, stem and all, in their first year. Their stems will trap leaves and things, which will help insulate them over the wintertime. In the spring, look at the base of the mum stems to see new green growth fleshing out. Cut the mums all the way down to where that new green growth is flushing out.
Mums need to be fertilized just like any other flowering plant material. Use plant-tone and iron-tone once in the spring and repeat in midsummer. They also need to be pinched back, starting around the fourth of July. Cut them back about two inches or so, and if they start getting tall again, do it again in three weeks.
Water the mums thoroughly and deeply, about one inch of water per week. Keep an eye on them, as they will wilt if it’s too hot and too dry for them.
Planting Process
Preparing the Ground
To plant fall mums, the ground needs to be prepared first. Dig a hole twice as wide as the actual pot width and as deep as the pot. Mix the soil taken out of the hole with Petitti planting mix in a 50/50 ratio.
Mixing the Soil
After preparing the ground, add bio-tone to the hole instead of a normal plant fertilizer. Bio-tone is a root starter that stimulates the roots, anchoring them in quickly.
Adding Bio Tone
Break up the roots on the mums, which are usually root-bound, by scoring the root system with a knife or spade. Plant the mums slightly above the soil level to avoid sitting in any water down in the bottom. Backfill around them and add an inch or so of mulch right around the edge of the mum, not against the root system.
Planting the Mums
During the first year, mums like to stay up, so don’t cut them back. Allow them to stay and die back, stem and all, which will trap leaves and insulate them over the wintertime. In the spring, look at the base of the mum stems for new green growth fleshing out. Cut the mums all the way down to where the new green growth is flushing out.
Mulching and Backfilling
Mums like to be fertilized like any other flowering plant material. Use plant-tone and iron-tone once in spring and repeat in midsummer. Pinch back the mums to prevent them from growing tall. Start pinching back around the fourth of July, cutting them back about two inches or so. If they start growing tall again, repeat the process in three weeks.
Remember to water the mums after planting and keep an eye on them. They will wilt if it’s too hot and too dry for them, so water them thoroughly and deeply once a week.
Post-Planting Care
Winter Care
Fall mums are not as hardy as they used to be, so it is recommended to plant them as early as possible to give them enough time to establish roots. Mums are semi-hardy annuals or sort of hardy perennials, but not quite. During winter, mums should not be cut back, and their stems should be left to trap leaves and insulate them from the cold.
Spring Care
In the spring, check the base of the mum stems for new green growth. If new growth is present, cut the mums all the way down to where the new green growth is flushing out. Mums like to be fertilized, and it is recommended to use plant-tone and iron-tone once in the spring and repeat in mid-summer.
Fertilization
Mums need to be fertilized just like any other flowering plant material. It is recommended to use plant-tone and iron-tone once in the spring and repeat in mid-summer.
Pinching Back
Mums need to be pinched back to prevent them from growing too tall. Start pinching back around the fourth of July, cutting them back about two inches. If they start growing tall again, repeat the process after three weeks.
Watering
Mums need to be watered thoroughly and deeply, and it is recommended to water them about one inch per week. Keep an eye on them, as they may wilt if it’s too hot and dry.