Mum's the Word
Garden mums are beginning to show up at area lawn and garden retailers just in time to decorate your landscape with a tremendous splash of fall color. You may plant mums (chrysanthemums) in mass plantings or as individual plants for different effects.
Mums need long nights before they will bloom. They grow best when planted 18 to 24 inches apart in full sun. The location should have good soil structure, good surface drainage and be protected from wind.
Winter protection is essential for ensuring survival of garden mums. Once the ground has frozen, cut the plant back to 2 to 3 inches high and apply a layer of mulch over the top. If sufficient rain and snow do not fall during winter, it may be necessary to water occasionally. Mums should not completely dry out during winter.
Fertilize mums each spring when shoots emerge with a dry fertilizer of a 1-1-1 ration (10-10-10 or similar) at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet. Fertilize a second time mid- to late July with a 1-2-1 (5-10-5 or similar) fertilizer at a 1 pound per 100 square feet rate.
Pinching should be done once plants are 6 to 8 inches tall, taking off 1 inch of each stem. Repeat this procedure until July 10 to produce bushy well rounded plants.
Mums may become overcrowded and should be divided after the last killing frost in early spring and at the first signs of growth. Wash some of the soil from the roots. You will find that several smaller plants, each with its own roots, surround the old plant. Separate the plants carefully, then plant the smaller plants and discard the old plants. Plants should be divided every two years.
-- The Garden Calendar is sponsored by K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County office and written this week by Master Gardener Roy Latham. For more information call the Master Gardener Hotline, 843-7058, between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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