Mums - Photo by Rita Elliott

Chrysanthemums - 'mums' for short - should preferably be planted in early spring, but they can be grown almost any time in Jamaica, as long as they have time to establish their root system before the hottest weather comes around. They grow best and produce the most flowers if planted in full sunshine; they need plenty moisture and even more food; 'mums' are indeed gross feeders.

There are hundreds of varieties of mums, giving you the option of variou colours (except blue), flower sizes and time of bloom. Almost too many choices!

Planting Mums

Mums can be started as seeds, cuttings, divisions, or purchased at a nursery as bedding plants. They should be planted into well-prepared, fertile, sandy soil. The plants should be spaced 35-75 cm (18-30) inches apart for best results. Feed lightly every two weeks with a good-balanced all-purpose fertiliser. When the plants are 15 cm (six inches) tall, pinch about 2cm from each branch to promote more blooms and bushier plants.

Divisions

Young divisions will grow much faster and provide a better plant than crowded old clumps. When the new shoots are 2-7 cm (one to three inches) tall in early spring, dig up your old clumps and carefully pull them apart. Plant the healthy divisions into newly prepared fertile soil. As for the half dead parts, discard them!

Cuttings

Strip the lower half of the leaves from a 10-15 cm (four to six inch) healthy cutting. (Using a sharp clean knife!) Dip about 2¹/² cm (³/⁴ inch) of the cut end into a rooting hormone and insert the cutting about 2¹/² cm (one inch) deep into sterile moist sand, vermiculite or sphagnum moss. Create a mini-greenhouse over the container with poly film over a wire frame and place it in a bright spot (NOT full sun) until the roots form.

TIP: Do not grow your mums in the same spot for more than three consecutive years, to help prevent disease and pest problems.