Dayton "Dirt" August 21, 2009

Fall is a great time to plant most trees, shrubs and perennials as roots will grow until the ground temperature falls below 40 degrees F.

Fall planted plants will act as if they have been established an extra year when they break growth in spring because of the massive root growth that occurred the previous fall.

Our garden chrysanthemums are ready and starting to celebrate the coming of the cooler fall.

Whats the scoop about garden mums? The truth is they are a somewhat tender perennial and will sometimes not survive the winter.

In order to get them better through winter, do the following:


1. Carefully loosen the outer root system of the mum to encourage roots to grow into the new soil and be sure to keep the plants well watered until they establish themselves.
2. Plant the plants in a raised well-drained bed of soil as soggy soils in winter will encourage more soil heaving that will damage the plant crown.
3. If possible cover the plants lightly with evergreen boughs after the ground begins to freeze
4. Do not cut the dead stems off the plants when blooms are spent. The old dead crown will help shade and protect the live crown near the soil surface. Cut off the old foliage about April 1st.
5. Protect new emerging growth of mums from severe frosts in early spring.

While doing all the above is no guarantee that you will be successful, chances are good that your garden mums will come up in spring especially if snow cover is adequate all winter.

Another way at looking at garden mums is simply to enjoy them in a pot or in the ground and take the attitude of Que sera sera.

A great way though to get them established is to buy them in spring as young plants.

In this way the root system will be massive and deep and not as prone to the fluctuations of winter temperatures.

Happy gardening,

Tom

p.s. I’d like to remind our Garden Club members to use their Dayton Dollars as they will expire near the end of August!