Southern Spirit Hunters
Gardening => Posies => Topic started by: duh on Jul 09, 2007, 09:25:31 AM
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Since I don't have much blooming I've decided to quit pruning the mums and let them bloom. a few have already started to bloosom but not the entire plant in the front yet and there are no blooms on the back one yet. But I can't wait to see them.
I will definitely divide the one in the front pot this fall. I should be able to get 5 plants out of it. One I will keep indoors and the rest I will replant 3 in the back yard and one back in the planter.
And the one that I have in the back is much smaller but I'll divide it after I've amended the soil and only split it in half. Then I'll put one in the front in the other container and leave the other one in the back.
I love mums for fall color.
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I love mums, too, Duh. There are a lot of different colors out there and I just can never decide which color that I love the best. I love the rust color, but then I will see a vibrant red or yellow or purple, etc... :grinnnn:
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I would like to add a cream colored one to my garden. I think with the burgandy that would be fantastic. And your right about there being many colors to choose from. Did you also know that their are thirteen different types of cultivators of the mum?
I was researching them back awhile ago and ran into a website with all kinds of information on them. It was fun finding out stuff about them.
One thing I found out the hard way is if they aren't divided they are short lived. I lost 3 of my original bushes because I didn't divide them the first year when I got them home. They were the overgrown ones that are sold at a discount at the grocery store. I had no idea they were old plants. Well at least for mums. lol.
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Really??? I haved had mine for a good 7 years now and they come back up looking better every year!!
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That's great, I'm relying on research and everything on the internet isn't 100%. Do you divide them or just leave them alone?
My neighbor doesn't grow them anymore because they were very short lived for her too.
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I have never divided them or anything... they die down in the winter and pop back up in the spring.. all I ever do is water them...
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That is so cool. What zone are you in?
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I am in zone 6 Northern Massachusetts right near the Hew Hampshire boarder..
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I hope my mums are like your mums because I love the colors I have and don't want to loose them.
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I always think of more questions after I post a topic. Sorry, I don't mean to do it but my mind is alittle slow.
Does anyone know how early in the fall I can begin dividing the mums? And how large each section should be?
The reason I'm asking is that one is so large that it is crowding everything else out of the container.
So I would like to take divisions out around the edges so there is more room for everything else.
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Uggg I just pushed esc and there went my post LOL
I have never moved mine either so I am not sure when the best time to divide them would be most other flowers are early spring before growth!!
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Thanks for the information.
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Duh, mums should be divided in the spring after the last hard frost and after you start to see new growth starting. :)
For winter protection, I would always mulch with about 3-4" of mulch and they would come back. I'm in zone 6a.
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Thanks patches. I don't think I can leave them in the containers over the winter. And there is nowhere I could put mulch around them because they have literally overgrown the container. And it's 3 feet across. I had no idea they would get that big.
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Can you plant them in the ground now and mulch around them in the winter??? :SmileyQmarks:
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The landlord likes them where they are so they have to stay there until they are finished blooming. Then I can remove them to the back and mulch them heavily along with bringing in some of the herbs and putting others in the back. I was hoping that at the same time I transplanted them I could divide them but it sounds like that isn't a good idea huh?
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Duh, I've always heard that Chrysanthemums should be divided in the spring when the new growth first starts coming up. ;) I'm not sure if it would be a good idea to do it in the fall when they're trying to settle in for a long winter's nap! :unsure:
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I guess I'll just have to wait for the spring then. I hope I'm still here then.
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Actually, Duh, Chrysanthemums are extremely easy to propagate from cuttings, so why don't you take some cuttings and try starting them in pots. :idea:
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I did that and your right I was very sucessful. But the parent plant is outgrowing the container it is in. So it needs to be divided. And it can't stay in it's current container over the winter because it would freeze and I would loose it.
Interesting thing about the cuttings. Their flowers bloom mostly yellow while the parent plant is burgandy. Can you shed any light on that?
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the parent plant is outgrowing the container it is in. So it needs to be divided. And it can't stay in it's current container over the winter because it would freeze and I would loose it.
Well, Duh, I can't say I always follow the rules of gardening, because I don't. :smileyNo: Back in July, when we had a "COLD" spell and the temperatures were way below normal, I was transplanting and dividing some of my plants. :yikes: I moved some of my Asiatic and Oriental Lilies, divided my 'Moonbeam' Coreopsis, as well as some of my Shasta Daisies, Dianthus, 'Stella De Ora' and some other Daylilies and they all took root and are doing well. :ThumbUp: However, if you're experiencing these extremely hot temperatures where you live, I know that NOW would definitely NOT be a good time to try this. :smileyNo: :smileyNo: :smileyNo: I would wait until it gets much cooler and make sure you get a lot of the dirt in each division. :feedback:
Interesting thing about the cuttings. Their flowers bloom mostly yellow while the parent plant is burgandy. Can you shed any light on that?
Geesh, I don't know about cutting, but, several years ago, when I worked at a friend's greenhouse I had a chance to buy starter Mums at bargain prices. I believe they were 25 cents each when you bought 50 plants. :Yahoo: Well, who could resist that, NOT me!!! :rofl1: Of course, I didn't want 50 Mums all the same color. :smileyNo: Well, since she was already ordering quite a few different varieties, she let me trade off 40 of mine for 10 each of four of her other colors. :ThumbUp: So, I ended up with 50 Mums in five different colors and they were awesome!!! However, the next year I ended up with many of them being multi-colored and some of them were colors that I never had :SmileyQmarks: because I think she said they cross-pollinated. :dunno:
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Their flowers bloom mostly yellow while the parent plant is burgandy. Can you shed any light on that?
I ended up with 50 Mums in five different colors and they were awesome!!! However, the next year I ended up with many of them being multi-colored and some of them were colors that I never had :SmileyQmarks: because I think she said they cross-pollinated. :dunno:
I don't know the first thing about Mums, cuz I've never had them, but... it's my understanding that pollination has absolutely nothing to do with the "mother color" that comes from tubers, bulbs, corms & rhizomes plants. I may be misinformed, but since the DNA blueprint can only be altered when they are propagated from seed (rather than from cuttings or division), I believe that it's genetically impossible to get a different color any other way.
In other words, the only way you should be getting a different color would be from plants that were started from seeds... or from the offspring tubers, bulbs, corms & rhizomes that form on those plants.
(https://www.southernspirithunters.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi75.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi309%2Fgottahavegraphics%2FSmileyHmm.gif&hash=03637d579ac4c4fe32b65926e809f6f73809c153) If anyone has another explanation as to why subsequent plants would produce a different color, I'd be very interested in knowing the answer, myself.
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since the DNA blueprint can only be altered when they are propagated from seed (rather than from cuttings or division), I believe that it's genetically impossible to get a different color any other way.
In other words, the only way you should be getting a different color would be from plants that were started from seeds
Patty, I think you may have answered your own question. I can't quite remember how Pam explained it to me because sometimes she's hard to follow. :ScratchHead: But, from what I can remember in my Horticulture class this type of cross-breeding in nature happens the same way it does then they cross-pollinate plants in a nursery to get different colors and varieties. From what I can remember, I think they take the stamen from the pollen parent and brush it against the anther on the stigma of seed parent to get cross-pollination. I don't know if I explained this exactly right, :dunno: but I think you can get the idea. ;) If I could only find my Horticulture book I know there was an experiement in there that we could do, and I actually did try it with my Lord Baltimore and Kopper King Hibiscus, but it didn't work for me!!! :crying: :SmileyFit:
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I tried that with my iris last year... but I think it was too late when I did it. The directions for cross-pollinating iris said to do it when the blossoms first opened, but I didn't get around to it for a few days. I had marked the ones I worked with, as to what colors I was mixing, but none of those plants made seed pods for me. I totally forgot to try it this year! :SlapSelf:
I was just IMing with Peggy & mentioned this conversation to her, & she asked me if the pH of the soil could have any effect the color. :ScratchHead: (I told her to come on board & ask that question, but Clyde was turning the lights out.)
I altered the colors of a few plants after dividing a big Hydrangea, by adding varied amounts of Dolomite to the holes before I planted them... but I don't know if other plants respond to pH the same way. :dunno:
:ThumbUp: Good question, Peg!
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Patty, I know the pH of the soil will change the color of Hydrangeas, but I really don't know if it works on any other plants. :dunno: As you can well imagine, this Hydrangea concept was very interesting to me, because it meant I could change the blue blooms on my 'Nikko' Hydrangea into one with PINK flowers!!! :Yahoo: :Wow: :ThumbUp:
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Hi everyone,
I have alot of mums in my flower beds.........
Do any of you know about trimming mums back after they bloom in the Summer, so they are again nice and full for the Fall bloom. I heard about doing this somewhere but of course I didn't hear how much to cut.
Any help would greatly be apreciated....
thanks,
Charlotte
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It must be environmental because now the mother plant and the plant that was bronze last year are doing it too. But only on some of the bloosoms farthest away from the sun. It is weird. The one plant is in the same place it was in last year and hasn't been moved.
Well everything else has been weird this year I guess the mums didn't want to get left out.
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Do any of you know about trimming mums back after they bloom in the Summer, so they are again nice and full for the Fall bloom. I heard about doing this somewhere but of course I didn't hear how much to cut.
Charlotte, I think what you're referring to is pinching them back a couple of times until mid-July, so that they will be bushier and fuller and get a lot more blooms in the Fall. I believe it's too late in the year to cut them back and expect to get any flowers for the Fall season. :ScratchHead:
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I prune to shape it but that's about all. Then it's all about deadheading as we get into the fall blooms.
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Duh, I've never had to prune my mums to shape them, :smileyNo: but I think your mums are much larger than any I've ever had. Since I really don't care for many tall flowers I always bought the shorter varieties, and most of them usually grew in a rounded, global shape. :smile:
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Patti, could you name some of the shorter varieties? I like mums, too, but like them a little on the short side, also... :)
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mine are the normal 12 to 18 inches tall. And yes they have a compact habit but there are still some sections that manage to grow larger than others and I trim them so they stay even.
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Dianna, as a rule the "cushion" type chrysanthemums tend to have a more compact grown habit and with regular pinching they can be formed into a small, global shape. You certainly don't want any of the Pompom mums :smileyNo: because they can get rather large, and I think the Spider mums do too. Dianna, there is no way I could remember all the different varieties :unsure: because it was five years ago when I worked at the greenhouse; but, I do remember one that was my favorite. ;) It was "Cecelia" and it had pink, daisy-like flowers. :smile: It was gorgeous!!!
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someone on another site mentioned devolution and I think that sounds like the right answer to my original question.
I knew that it happened to roses but never even thought it could happen to mums but of course it can if they have been crossbred for color.
Anyway I'm happy to have an answer.
Now if I just knew what caused it. I know with roses it can be caused by cutting them to short when pruning.
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An update on the mums. Since the temperatures have cooled because of the rain we have been getting, all the new blooms are Burgandy. Can you imagine that? I had no idea the plant would respond to 90 degree temperatures that way.
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Thanks for some names to look for, Patti! ;D
:ScratchHead: Hmmm, Duh. That does sound odd... :unsure:
I saw in the Lowe's weekly ad that they have some mums on sale for 88 cents this weekend. Can't remember what size pot, though...
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Dianna, I saw several ads for some decent prices on mums for the Labor day week-end, but the with the lousy weather we've been having here, I'm not sure I want to invest any more money this season in my garden. :smileyNo: As it is now, I'm having enough trouble just trying to keep all my flowers alive. :SmileyFit: Actually, I'm about ready to throw in the towel for this year and it's not even September. :Vent:
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All of the baby mums that I finally got planted out are doing great so far. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
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Duh, mums are really tough plants, so if they're doing great now they should continue to do well. :ThumbUp: I can't think of any plants that can take the abuse that mums sometimes do and they still make it. ;) They are almost worry-free! :Whis:
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Well the mums are back in pots. This is crazy. But hopefully next time they are planted they will be in a spot where they can stay.
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That's great! :ThumbUp: I hope they find a permanent home too! Hey, Duh, how many pots of mums do you have? ???
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I kept 3 of the cuttings and they are currently in pots. I have one 2 year old plant that is bronze that is in the back yard right now but I'll be digging up that one pretty soon. And then there is the huge burgandy plant in the front pot. That will have to be divided. I can't afford a pot large enough for that plant. So I currently have a total of 5 mums.
Which considering all told I have about 120 square feet of garden space is quite a few lol.
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Geesh, it sounds like it's going to look like Fall at your place! ;) Duh, mums are very easy to propagate. :Whis:
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thanks for the vote of confidence. I really do better with seeds than with divisions but your right that did work pretty well this year.
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:Cool1: Sounds like your doing a great job Duh!! :Blush: I have not divided my mums up in ohhh the last 7 years ... I think I better do something this spring with them.. I may pull them all this fall so that we will have something a bit brighter! :ThumbUp:
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If I could take on a lot of jobs this fall I'd say send them to me but I couldn't afford the postage nor the energy to get them all situated. I'm alittle scared that I'll lose plants because I just can't take care of them while they are out of the ground.
I love the deep rich colors.
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Duh, if you have them potted up, keep the watered and see that they get the proper light, you shouldn't have any problems, and they should be fine. ;)
By the way, when I was saying mums are easy to propagate I was talking about doing it with cuttings. It's a piece of cake!
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I always bought the cushon mums at walmart and divided them to get good stands of mums and they do quite well. And I am no expert at all but cuttings ie:clones would not give a different color cause they would be identical copie :dunno:s of the parent plant but you would certainly chance getting different colors from cross pollination. I really like the hydrangeas too of which there are several different colored ones. One of my favorites is the pee gee tree hydrangea. I have one of those which I planted last year but I have it in a bush form but as a tree I think they will grow 12 to 20 feet if you let them. :dunno: :ScratchHead:
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About the mums it was a summer thing. Once temperatures cooled down they became the color they were suppose to be.
I only have one stand of bronze mums left but they are doing to do great in a planter on my deck. At least that is the plan.
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My oldest mums clump is doing interesting things. When I pulled all the dead wood and leaves out of it I noticed that it had decided to be two separate clumps. And between the two clumps was a depression. Now I know that mums are heavy feeders but I never expected to actually see the results of the feeding. So I filled the depression with compost. That should keep those little suckers happy for another growing season I hope. I also hope I can buy some mulch this year.
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good luck on them! i need to get my beds in order, but it isn't happening, not today anyway.
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It was beautiful here today. I got out in the garden twice. Never for very long but I'll take anything I can get.
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gosh duh. Talk about a blast from the past. I miss Kratz. I see her on facebook once in a while. I'm gonna ask her how her mums are doing.
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Tell her hi for me. I haven't seen her in ages.