It is Mum Season!

Chrysanthemums, commonly referred to as ‘mums’, are in the family Asteraceae, making them a cool, colorful fall-blooming cousin to the hot summer daisy.  Here at Heinz Brothers, we carry two types of mums- Garden and Hardy.  

GARDEN MUMS are considered annuals here in zone 5b, Illinois, and are readily available at Heinz Brothers throughout ‘mum season’.    Discover all hues of fall colors in reds, yellows, purples, and whites - even tri-color mixes - available in a range of sizes, from small garden accents to massive statement-making mounds.  When selecting your garden mum, purchase the size you want, right now.  They will not grow much larger once they bloom.  These garden mums look lovely in pots or in the ground for the current fall season, but will not survive our cold winter. 

GARDEN MUM CARE:

SUN: Full sun until flowers fully open.  Your garden mum can be placed anywhere once the flowers have opened.  However, garden mums moved into shade will have limited re-blooming if deadheading.  

BLOOMS: NO fertilizer is needed for your garden mum.  They require a lot of food while setting buds, but that job is done by the time they go home with you!  Deadheading is not necessary, but it will keep the plant tidy and encourage the buds from below to emerge. To deadhead, remove spent blooms by cutting/pinching them off at the base of the flower.

WATER: Mums are water lovers and prefer moist, but not waterlogged soil.  Check daily- if they dry out, they will not come back! Water with a hose/watercan spout at the base of the plant, just inside the rim of the pot, until fully saturated. Watering at the base of the plant is recommended since mums are delicate plants that can’t take much pressure.  Hose spray and watering can spouts easily break their stems and leave holes in your plant.

HARDY MUMS are just that, hardy enough to survive our suburban Chicago winters.  These also come in festive fall colors, but since they are meant to be planted in the ground on purchase, they are limited to smaller sizes manageable for planting.  Hardy Mums will return and grow each year, generally maxing out around 20” tall and 30” wide.  They are located in the “Sun Perennial” area at Heinz Brothers, but availability is limited.  Plant in full sun in well-draining soil.  When growing, hardy mums will require a lot of water, fertilizer and a little care, such as bud pinching, for maximum floral impact.  For full information, refer to plant tag on the specific variety you purchase or ask a Heinz Brothers service member today!