Gearing up for garden mums

Garden mums initiate flower buds easily and develop rapidly if plants are stressed. Univ. of Mass. extension floriculture specialist Tina Smith said if cuttings arrive with terminal flower buds, plants should still perform satisfactorily. She said when cuttings with terminal flower buds are planted they should be pinched 4-5 days after planting. Make a hard pinch when cuttings are turgid allowing 4-5 leaves to remain. The pinch forces out lower breaks which tend to be more vegetative. She said if cuttings arrive with both terminal and lateral buds developed, avoid planting the cuttings because they most likely won’t perform satisfactorily.

During the first few weeks of production mums are heavy feeders and need to be provided adequate fertilizer to prevent premature buds. Smith said plants should not be stressed during the first 4-5 weeks of growth, and especially during the first 10 days of production. Stressed plants will develop buds prematurely and will finish short. She said keep plants sufficiently watered, well fertilized and properly spaced and inspect roots regularly to monitor overall health.