Chrysanthemums, better known as their nickname, "mums," are popular perennials that display a wonderful array of color when the tree leaves are also turning on a show of similar colors. Not only do mums come in a wide variety of colors, but also come in numerous sizes from small dwarf to giant shrub. Mums are easy to grow and can provide years of enjoyment if care is taken to select an appropriate variety. Chrysanthemums like the sun, do best in well-drained soil, and need proper winter protection.
Plant chrysanthemums in the spring after all danger of frost. They grow best in a variety of soils but need excellent drainage. Growth is poor and winterkill is likely if they are planted in poorly drained wet soils. Sunny locations are the best sites for most varieties. Plants in semi-shady locations will be taller, have weaker stems, and bloom later in the fall. It is a good idea to incorporate peat moss, compost, or rich manure into the soil.
Space plants 18 to 24" apart, depending on the mature size of the cultivar. Mums maintain a bushy compact plant form if pinched or pruned regularly. Pinching the mums' branches produce stockier plants. Continue the pinching practice until mid-June for early flowering varieties, late June for September flowering varieties, and early July for October varieties. Complete pinching by July 4th to assure flowering prior to frost. Mums may flower late if they are exposed to very high summer temperatures. Water plants regularly if the summer is dry or if soil is light and sandy. Most mum flowers are resistant to frost and this tolerance makes it possible to still enjoy them when other plants have gone dormant for the winter.
Several diseases and insects attack mums, so make sure to buy plants that are free of diseases and insects. Typical problems on mums include verticillium wilt, septoria leaf spot, powdery mildew, aphids, leafhoppers, plant bugs, leafminers, and spider mites. A good way to avoid these problems is allowing plenty of air circulation by spacing them properly when planting, not over crowding your garden.
Lack of flowering is occasionally a problem with mums. Possible causes include wrong cultivar selection; insufficient sun, fertilizer, or water; late pinching; root competition from nearby trees and shrubs; unusually hot weather in August, unusually cold weather in late August and September; and insect or disease injury.
Plants can be dug and divided in spring as new growth begins. Stronger shoots are usually on the outside of the clump. Set the growing tip of each division just below ground level. Mums have shallow roots. So, keep them well watered near the surface. Apply a balanced fertilizer on a regular basis. Chrysanthemums make excellent cuttings for indoor vases because of all the different colors they can show.
Asters are another favorite perennial this time of year that are also easy to grow similar to chrysanthemums in that they grow best in well-drained soil and like a sunny location. Asters come in blues, purples and a variety of pinks. All Asters are yellow in the center of the flower. They are daisy-like in appearance even though they are a member of the sunflower family. However, chrysanthemums are a member of the daisy family. Asters are easily grown from division and asters do best if they are divided every two to three years. Simply dig out half to two thirds of the plants, leaving the remainder in place. Then split the portion you dug out into two sections and plant in another location.
You can also grow asters from seeds sowed directly into your flower garden or transplanted from indoor seedling pots in the early spring. Of the two methods, proper spacing is best achieved when the plants are transplanted from the seedling containers into the ground. Spacing depends upon the size: with miniature varieties space four to six inches apart and giant varieties get spaced one to two feet apart. Place smaller varieties around the front of your flower garden as a border, and plant the larger, taller variety towards the back of your flowerbed. If you want asters to grow more bushy and less tall, pinch them back once or twice in the spring to early summer. Trim the stalks down to about 6 inches tall after they finish blooming. That way you will remember where they are come spring before the new sprouts begin to surface.
