Caring for Garden Mums
How to Care for Garden Mums: Tips for Maximizing Their Beauty
Garden mums (chrysanthemums) are a staple in fall gardens, offering vibrant, showy blooms that enhance the landscape. Whether you plant them directly in the ground or keep them in containers, these colourful beauties can thrive and brighten your space with the right care. However, it’s important to note that garden mums are generally not hardy enough to survive our Ontario winters due to the wide variety of cultivars bred for their spectacular range of colours. So, while they are a wonderful addition to your fall garden, they’re best enjoyed as seasonal plants. Here’s how to care for your garden mums and extend their lifespan as much as possible.
Ground-Planted Mums
- Planting Location: Choose a sunny spot in your garden. Mums thrive in full sun and need at least six hours of sunlight a day to bloom their best.
- Soil and Watering: Mums prefer well-draining soil to prevent root rot. Water them deeply but infrequently, ensuring that the soil is moist but not soggy.
- Mulching: Applying a layer of mulch around the base of the plants helps retain moisture and keeps the roots cool, promoting longer-lasting blooms.
- Deadheading: Remove faded or spent flowers regularly to encourage the plant to produce new blooms and maintain a tidy appearance.
- Fertilization: For mums planted early in the season, a balanced fertilizer can be applied to support healthy growth. However, avoid fertilizing late in the fall as this can encourage tender growth that won’t withstand cold snaps.
Container-Planted Mums
- Container Selection: Choose a container with proper drainage holes to prevent water buildup. A pot that’s slightly larger than the root ball will give your mums enough room to grow.
- Watering: Containers dry out faster than ground soil, so check the moisture level often and water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Be careful not to overwater, as mums don’t like sitting in soggy soil.
- Positioning: Place container mums in a sunny location, either on a patio or near a bright window if you plan to bring them indoors for temporary display.
- Winter Care: Unfortunately, most container mums won’t survive winter outdoors, but you can try to extend their lifespan by moving them into a sheltered area and reducing watering once the temperatures drop.
Enjoy Them While They Last
Garden mums are typically not hardy enough to withstand Ontario winters due to the extensive breeding for their beautiful variety of colours and forms. These cultivars prioritize ornamental appeal over cold tolerance. While some types of mums may come back year after year in milder climates, it’s best to treat them as annuals in our region. Enjoy their bold and cheerful blooms throughout the fall season, and when the cold finally arrives, let them go with grace, knowing they’ve added plenty of warmth and beauty to your garden!
With proper care, your garden mums can flourish and provide vibrant colour from late summer through the fall. Whether in a garden bed or a stylish container, they are the perfect way to celebrate the changing season.
