Blooming Tough Chrysanthemums: A Guide to Cultivation for Vibrant Autumn Colors and Beyond
In the heart of autumn, gardens across the UK and beyond come alive with the vibrant colours of hardy chrysanthemums, also known as garden mums. These resilient blooms bring a splash of colour to the late-season landscape, extending the garden's life well into the colder months.
To ensure the best results when growing hardy chrysanthemums, consider the following practices.
Choosing the Right Location
Hardy chrysanthemums thrive in locations with at least six hours of sunlight daily and well-drained soil to prevent root rot, especially over winter. For heavy clay soils, amend with compost or consider raised beds to improve drainage.
Planting Time and Method
Plant chrysanthemums as soon as the soil warms in early spring. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper, keeping the crown level with the soil surface.
Watering
Water thoroughly after planting and keep the soil moist, especially during dry spells, but avoid soggy conditions.
Pinching/Pruning
Pinch back new shoots multiple times from late spring until mid-summer (usually stopping by early July) to promote bushier growth and delay blooming until fall, resulting in more vibrant flowers. After flowering, deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers.
Fertilizing
Regular fertilization during the growing season supports optimal blooming.
Winter Protection
After the first hard frost, cut back stems or wait until spring, leaving stems to insulate crowns. Once the ground freezes, apply a thick mulch (4–6 inches) of straw or similar material to protect roots from temperature extremes.
Dividing Plants
Established mums should be divided every 2-3 years in early spring to maintain vigor.
Growing Hardy Chrysanthemums in Containers
Hardy mums can also be grown in containers with well-draining soil. They pair well with other late-season bloomers such as asters and sedum to extend garden colour in fall.
A Selection of Stunning Chrysanthemum Cultivars
- 'Bronze Elegance' boasts complex, bronze pompoms and grows to 80cm.
- 'Brennpunkt' offers blood red, double flowers and grows to 80cm tall.
- 'Dixter Orange' is much admired for its persistent double blooms of glorious, rusty orange and grows to 80cm.
- 'Ruth Treff' is a bright-yellow single that is low growing with masses of relatively early flowers.
- 'Coup de Soleil' is a long-lived selection with bronzy orange flowers that grow to 70cm.
- 'La Damoiselle' has large, pale pink flowers and grows to 60cm.
- 'Granatapfel' features nearly spherical, double flowers of intense red edged with golden yellow and grows to 60cm.
- 'Herbstkuss' is a single chrysanthemum that benefits from pinching out in June and grows to 40-60cm.
- 'Bienchen', introduced in 1974, has golden yellow pompoms marked with a reddish brown heart and grows to 70cm.
- 'Rumpelstilzchen' has smallish, double red flowers and grows to 70cm.
- 'Dernier Soleil' produces soft apricot-orange flowers and can bloom as early as August, growing to 80cm.
- 'La Damoiselle' is an unusual pale pink chrysanthemum for so late in the year and produces large flowers on a branching, compact plant.
- 'Poesie' is a creamy-white cultivar that helps reignite interest in hardy chrysanthemums and grows to 60cm.
- 'Jolie Rose' has semi-double pink blooms with a white halo in the centre and grows to 60-70cm.
Sources:
[1] RHS (2021) Growing Chrysanthemums. [Online] Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=246
[2] HTA (2021) Growing Chrysanthemums. [Online] Available at: https://www.the-hta.org.uk/advice/growing-chrysanthemums/
[3] Thompson & Morgan (2021) Growing Chrysanthemums. [Online] Available at: https://www.thompson-morgan.com/advice/growing-chrysanthemums/
[4] BBC Gardeners' World (2021) Growing Chrysanthemums. [Online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/howto/grow_chrysanthemums
Business Listings
- Daisy Roots, Jenningsbury, London Road, Hertford SG13 7NS, UK, Tel: 07958 563355, website: daisyroots.com
- Cotswold GardenFlowers, Sands Lane, Badsey, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 7EZ, UK, Tel: 01386 833849, website: cgf.net
- Norwell Nurseries, 5 Marstons Cottages Woodhouse Road, Newark on Trent, Nottinghamshire NG23 6JX, UK, Tel: 01636 636337, website: norwellnurseries.co.uk
- Halls of Heddon, West Heddon Nursery, Heddon-on-the-Wall, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 0JS, UK, Tel: 01661 852445, website: hallsofheddon.com
- Kwekerij De Hessenhof, Hessenweg 41, 6718 TC Ede, the Netherlands, Tel: +31 (0)318 617 334, website: hessenhof.nl
- By incorporating hardy chrysanthemums into your home-and-garden lifestyle, you can extend the vibrant colours of your landscape well into the colder months, transforming your gardens into a stunning display of autumn hues.
- Not only do hardy chrysanthemums add beauty to your outdoor living space, but they also thrive in gardens and containers alike, making them an ideal choice for those seeking to enhance their home-and-garden landscapes.
- In making the right choices for planting hardy chrysanthemums, consider their location, proper planting and watering techniques, regular fertilization, pinching/pruning practices, and winter protection measures to ensure a successful and colourful bloom.
