Mums Dead or Alive

Mums are favorite fall flowers often tossed after they bloom. With a little care, they can get established. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

“…you said something at the last lecture about Mums being natural bug deterrents. I planted several but now I can’t tell if they are dead or alive. What’s the secret?” — Lisa

Mums Dead or Alive

Hi Lisa, if you couldn’t tell, Mums are one of my favorite all time flowers. In addition to being long-lasting as cut flowers, they are a great bug deterrent and so easy to grow.

it helps to understand a little about how Mums grow. Mums, or chrysanthemums for short, are pinched during spring growth to make them bush out into the round shape we are used to seeing, and buying, in fall. I have several in my garden I miss pinching so I know how long and leggy they can grow. I don’t mind, though, because those are easier to add to a vase to bring inside and enjoy by themselves or with other cut flowers.

The round, bushy shape makes it hard to see new growth, which takes place at the base of the plant. Growth can also occur when you sneak a branch into soil and roots develop at the growing nodes, which are the bumps you feel along the plant stem.

So take a look at this Mum and tell me if you think it’s dead or alive:

Red mum covered in snow in my Missouri hillside garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

It looks dead, doesn’t it. And yes, it was cold and windy when I took this picture to show you looking at the plant is not how you determine if it’s surviving. Gently push the dead stems apart and look at the base. If the Mum is still alive, you should see tiny green growth:

New growth at the base of the dead-looking Mum. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Be careful when you move the dead branches, it’s easy to break them. If it’s too cold to move them, peer through the top and see if you spot any green at the bottom.

I’ve been known to sneak peeks at the base of my new Mums through winter as I water them. There is something magical about seeing the dead top and then spy new growth underneath at the root. Leaving the dead branches also provides the new shoots protection from winter elements.

Why bother? Besides being pretty and easy to grow, Mums are bug deterrents. Many of the “organic” and “safe” insect sprays these days are made with pyrethrins, basically essence of Mums. By adding a few Mums throughout your garden you can help deter insects and still enjoy pretty fall flowers.

Yellow fall Mums join a sprig of red Peruvian lilies, both long-lasting cut flowers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Just remember to water them a couple of times a month through winter to help the roots get established.

if you want that fall round shape, pinch them through spring growing season once very 4 inches. When I pinch mine, I just stick the cut off portion back in the soil to grow new roots. Or move that bunch of pinched branches to another spot and push them into the ground for a new mum. It may take a couple of years in my rough hillside soil but they do grow quite nicely.

We are having our first snow of the season today. Time to start dreaming about next year’s garden!

Charlotte