What Are Spider Mums And How To Pick Them Up?
This year, we’re trying to pinch more and disbud. Maybe we’ll have some huge mums for our efforts. That is an awfully hard thing to do. I don’t mean the work, but I just hate to destroy what might be an attractive flower. Have the same problem when it comes to thinning fruit.
Last fall rather late we were given some spider mums. I put them in the greenhouse and made a number of cuttings from them. As a result, since they set buds with short days, we had some in bloom by the time the weather was warm enough to put them outdoors.
We picked out those with an early blooming date, as invariably we get some frost before they have bloomed out. However, I’m scheming on making some form of frost protector over at least some of the mums. Maybe I can get started on it, and crystalize my plans in time to report to you, so you can make one too.
Remember, if you wish to get EARLY mum blooms, cover the plants with black cloth, or better, use black plastic, early in the evening, and take it off in early forenoon. Mums will vary according to the variety, but basically they will not set buds with a day length of over 14-1/2 hours, and it must be about an hour shorter for the buds to come on into bloom. Continue the nightly covering until the buds begin to show color. Be sure ALL light is shut out.
Again, it will depend upon the variety, but you should allow from 25 to 40 days after the last pinch for new stem growth to be made, before you start the short days.
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