Why You Should Buy Perennial Mommies Instead of Annuals (and Where to Find Them)
As the summer season draws to a close, gardeners like me become desperate to keep flowers in the garden. At the same time, piles of potted one-year-old mums fill grocery stores and big box stores, marketed as the perfect gift. But mums are annuals: they will die when the first frost hits, so this is a very short-term investment. Many people don’t realize that perennial chrysanthemums, sometimes called “show mums,” are a giant, perennial showy version of those sad mums from the grocery store.
Multi-year mothers are the best investment
Although there are thousands of types of flowers, there is a particular type of showy flower that is quite popular: giant zinnias and dahlias have symmetrical flowers across the entire color spectrum. If you like zinnias and dahlias, then perennial mums will definitely suit you. They are a little harder to find, so make sure you ask for perennials.
Remember, annual flowers like zinnias will bloom for one season and then at the end of the season the plant will likely die and never come back. However, perennial plants such as the dahlia or perennial mother die back, but then return year after year and usually increase in size and volume.
Mums serve a great purpose: they add late-season color to your yard. They are hardy and will fill in spots in the garden where other plants have died during the season.
How to Find Multi-Year Moms
The easiest way is to go to a specialist mummies supplier, such as Heritage Mums , who only sell mummies and offer a wide range of them. Since specialty houses like Heritage sell out early, look at the garden center for pots of perennial mums.
Just as there are types of zinnias and dahlias, there are different types of chrysanthemums. Spoon moms have curled petals with an open end, while spider moms have crazy string-like petals. Incurve Moms are gorgeous large balls with slightly curved petals that curve inward.
Moms don’t require much specialized care.
Cynthia Stringham, who owns Heritage Mums and raises every mum they sell each year, told me how to care for these show mums. They usually appear as “plugs,” a small two-inch plant with several roots. Once you have hardened off the mums, you will need to plant them in a sunny location in well-balanced loam soil. Add compost and slow release. fertilizer into the hole in which the mother is planted. While moms enjoy a light fertilizer during growth, cut back the fertilizer as soon as buds form. While mums tolerate partial shade, you won’t get the same blooms, so provide at least six hours. Mums love moisture, but should not be watered; Well-drained soil will help prevent plants from drowning. Plants should be spaced one to two feet apart.
If you have cold winters, you’ll want to protect your mums by mulching them. In the most extreme cases, you can dig up your moms and keep them protected inside.
There are tricks that will help mom bloom more
The key to getting mothers to bloom profusely is to pinch the plant back. You do this to encourage what’s called “branching”: instead of just a few stems, you want to stimulate as many stems as possible. By pruning the plant many times throughout the summer, starting in July, you will encourage it to grow more. stems, branching at the point of cut.
Mothers, like dahlias, need support. You can use stakes or mesh, but to prevent plants from tipping over, install the trellis in advance. To get the best cut flower, you can harvest the mums when the bloom is almost fully open.