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David E. Ross · 13-05-2008, 05:48 PM posted to rec.gardens

On 5/13/2008 7:37 AM, wrote:
I purchased a mum last fall, and watered all winter, and it continued
to live. Now it has grown quite large, and has flower budds on it. I
was wondering if it will flower all summer? Should I keep it in the
shade. I live in Pittsburgh, PA and we average around four days over
ninety, but have had week or two long heat waves.

The usual flowering period for 'mums is late fall. However, I have a
spoon-flowered 'mum (similar to a spider 'mum except the petals are open
at the ends) that blooms on and off all year long.

Here, 'mums are indeed an outdoor plant. Even with summer temperatures
reaching 100F and more, they prefer at least part-sun if not full sun.

Once they bloom, they should be cut back to about 2-3 inches. As they
then sprout, each shoot should be pinched when it reaches 3-4 inches;
this makes the plant more bushy, resulting in more flowers.

When flower buds (not "budds") form, remove all of the side buds,
keeping only one bud on each shoot. This makes the flowers larger.
Shoots might have to be staked to support the flowers.

Every 2-3 years, the plant needs to be renewed. Take cuttings from new
shoots. When they root, discard the parent plant, replacing it with 1-2
rooted cuttings.

If none of the cuttings take root, then divide the base. Dig it up (or
remove it from the flower pot). Break the root ball apart. Discard the
older portions, and replant pieces that have new shoots from the roots.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/