Checking Dead Mum Tops
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Fun to find signs of life in the leaf mulch. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
Checking Dead Mum Tops
I confess, one of the things I enjoy doing mid winter is checking my chrysanthemums for new growth. It’s easy to do because I water these garden additions after planting them in the fall. They need their roots to be kept moist through winter so they can get themselves established. About 1-2 gallons a month, on the average, assuming you aren’t getting natural rain and melted snow.
See the little green down the center? (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
Besides being hardy and long-lasting cut flowers, mums are also natural bug deterrents.
Now I know it’s tempting to cut off that ugly dry top but don’t, those dry branches are protecting the brand new growth underneath and usually in the protected center.
The new growth is protected in the plant center. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
Without damaging the dry top of the plants, I move the dried branches gently aside to see if there is anything green in the bottom. Sometimes it seems impossible that anything is growing and then out of the corner of my eye I catch a little sprig of green.
Another sign of new growth, this time off to the side. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
Once you become familiar with what beginning mum growth looks like you can’t miss it.
Sometimes the growth won’t be in the plant center but off to a side. That will work, that just means the plant roots developed there.
Once you’ve peeked, move everything back. If you can, protect the young green starts with mulch, leaves, branches, anything you have handy to keep the starts warm.
And yes, a new mum will grow from this tiny start. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
And this is the biggest, or smallest, surprise of them all. A sliver of a green start, just a little dab, can turn into a healthy blooming plant by fall so don’t give up on those little green starts.
After this first year of winter watering, the plants should be able t take care of themselves. And I happen to think they are well worth the effort!
