Chrysanthemums - Give Mom A Mum
by Pamela Kock

What plant is more appropriate for a Mother’s Day gift than “Mums”? These beauties are available in a wide variety of forms and colors everywhere plants and flowers are sold. The benefit to choosing a potted flowering plant, instead of a bouquet of cut flowers is obvious – they last much longer.

There are two basic types of Chrysanthemums available: garden mums, and florist’s mums. The main difference between the two is hardiness. Florist’s mums aren’t intended to last past the blooming season, but it’s possible to coax them into bloom once more in the fall if planted outdoors in the garden. They probably won’t come back in the spring unless you bring them indoors for the winter. Garden mums, on the other hand, are hardy in northern climates and may be treated as perennials.

Florist’s mums are the type most available during the Spring for gift-giving. This is because Chrysanthemum’s natural blooming season is in the autumn. The grower forces spring gift plants into bloom by artificially controlling the amount of light they receive each day. A garden mum is generally purchased either in the spring with no flowers, or blooming in the autumn. Garden mums aren’t forced into bloom because the intention is to conserve their energy for root growth and increase the likelihood that they’ll thrive in the garden.

When treated as houseplants, Chrysanthemums will last several weeks. To prolong the blooming period, keep the plant out of bright sunlight and place it in a location with a temperature range of 60-70 degrees. The soil should be kept moist, but not wet, and the pot shouldn’t be left sitting in a tray of water. Pinch off the blooms as they fade. Since they’re not meant to last, no fertilizing or re-potting is needed. If you spray the plant for any reason, cover the flowers with your hand to keep them dry.

Once the Chrysanthemum stops blooming, you can either discard the plant or bring it outside in the hope that it’ll flower again in the autumn. Florists sometimes put more than one plant in a pot; separate them and re-pot individually. Choose a sunny location in the garden, and sink the pots into the soil. To encourage bushy growth, pinch off the tip of each new shoot when it gets about five inches long, until mid-August. You can use these new shoots to grow new plants, if you like.

Now comes the tricky part – unless you’re in a southern climate, the mums probably won’t bloom until after frost hits. When frost threatens, you’ll need to bring them back inside again; place them in a sunny window. They won’t re-bloom unless they’re kept in a totally dark location at night – even a nightlight will disrupt the process. So after sunset, you’ll have to move the plants to a dark room or closet and bring them back out the following morning. Once the color begins to show in the buds, you can leave the plants out. Don’t expect it to look as good as it did the first time, though.

Give Mom a Mum. They’re available in so many different colors and flower forms, you’re sure to find one that pleases her!

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