Planting Mums
Planting mums is an easy way to get color into your garden.
Chrysanthemums come in a wide variety of colors and are easy to plant and care for. The different varieties offer different flower sizes and bloom times so you can plan a whole garden area around these popular plants
When planting mums, keep in mind that they like a sunny area and moisture, but don't like standing water so a well drained soil is best. They like to be fertilized with manure or peat moss or in the early spring, you can fertilize them with a 5-10-5 fertilizer and may want to reapply in fall.
Click For More On Garden Flowers
You can grow mums from seeds, cuttings or plants purchased from a nursery. When planting mums from seed, make sure you plant them at least 2 months before the first frost. Cuttings should be dipped in a rooting hormone and grown indoors in vermiculite inside a little greenhouse (you can make one out of clear plastic bags) in a sunny spot but out of direct light. They can be planted once roots have been established.
When planting mums, space them about 18" apart. Dig a hole that is as deep as the pot your plant is in and carefully remove the plant from it's container. Loosen up the dirt around the edges and spread the roots out in the hole. Make sure the hole is wide enough so the roots don’t get cramped. Replace the soil and water thoroughly. Feed every other week with a general fertilizer. You can get bushier plants if you pinch a bit off the end of each branch once they start growing and reach about 8".
| 
