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What do I do with this Mum now?

20 years ago

My neighbor bought me a beautiful Mum yesterday in a 4.5" pot. It's a pretty semi-double bloomer; green eye and petals are yellow with dark orange margins.

I can't tell you if it's a Hardy Mum or not since it's just marked as a Mum. Even if it is hardy it is too late to plant it out. How well will it do indoors until next spring? I know how to care for them as far as greenhouse production (including pinching, forcing bloom, ect.) but a whole different ball game then my dry winter home! Also it is in bad need of re-potting into a 6"...do it now or wait until early spring?

Thanks!!

Vera

Comments (5)

  • 20 years ago

    I don't do well with things overwintering indoors.

    What I would do (and I see we are in the same zone), is plant it out now. Be sure to work the roots free b4 planting, since it is probably rootbound. Try to plant in a protected area, keep watered until the ground freezes, cut it back when blooms are spent, and mulch well.

    With a little luck, you will have it to enjoy next season.

    Sue

  • 20 years ago

    Good morning Sue :D

    It's too late for planting around here w/ the exception of bulbs.
    The online resources and my reference books say they must be planted before the first hard frost (that goes for all perennials really). We've had several of those and they will continue from here on out :(
    After it finishes blooming, I'll just keep it in my cool indoor room that stays about 60 during the day and 55-50 at night. I went ahead and re-potted into a 6" container yesterday....it was very root-bound.

    Vera

  • 20 years ago

    Hi Vera,

    If you have a cool to cold garage (stays above freezing), store it there until spring. Wait until a frost hits it hard enough to cause it to go dormant. I usually wait until my container plants look pretty bleak before bringing them in. They need to get the "go dormant" signal first.
    I usual only water very minimally, once a month till the weather starts to warm up. Just enough so that the soil doesn't go completely dry. When plants are kept dormant their water needs are very miniamal.

  • 20 years ago

    Thanks!

    We have an insulated storage unit but I will have to put out a thermometer to find out how cold it gets before I do that.
    My mum has been indoors since I got it. The overnights will be 14 tonight and 17 tomorrow and then back into the low to mid 30's the for a few days and beginning Fri. Nov.3rd thru the 9th low 50's; overnights 33+. Should I just start by taking it out when the temps are above freezing and bring it in at night and start leaving it out longer and longer and finally leave it in the storage unit??

    Vera

  • 20 years ago

    Well since the night temps have bounced back up to 40ish overnights I have had the plant outdoors since my last post. There hasn't been any frost since. It is still in flower so should I leave them or deadhead them? Leaving them would probably help the slowing down proccess?

    Thanks

    Vera

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