Johnsons's Garden Centers Text File document - copyright 2002
PDF file available at http://www.johnsonsgarden.com/newsletter/flowers.html

Fall Color Begins With Garden Mums
September 2001
Jana Dalke, Johnson's Grower

    Has another hot and dry summer left you dreaming of the cooler days
of fall? Does your garden and patio need some extra color to enjoy the
beautiful fall weather?

    Color for the garden or patio is readily available with Wichita's
favorite fall color plant, the garden mum. How easy to add color to a
tired garden bed, a patio pot, and even hanging baskets to bring a new
look and direction to the home landscape. Mums generally bloom 4-6 weeks
once the buds show color, giving a tremendous display, and allowing for
fresh color spots for the homeowner.

    We carry many colors, flower shapes and sizes at Johnson's, so we
are very confident we can supply whatever you are interested in to
beautify your home paradise. 'Bright Stephanie' has a flower form called
duplex daisy. The flowers open up as a cushion mum with a decorative
flower form, and as the flower matures, the center starts to show, and
the flower ends up as a daisy mum. This is a very nice treat for the
gardener.

    The mum 'Hot Salsa,' with its red and yellow daisy flower, will be
the delight of any Kansas City Chiefs fan.

    'Helen,' the number one selling mum in America, has a distinctive
red cushion flower that holds its color as long as any mum.

    'Zesty Jean' is a unique coral color, blends well with many
landscapes, and is wonderful on its own.

    'Harmony,' with its red-bronze center petals surrounded by
golden-bronze outer petals, is the perfect choice for fall decorating.

    'Shelley,' another bronze bicolor, is also one of our most popular
mums. Her pompon blooms are one of the first to appear in the fall and
are surrounded by very dark green, glossy foliage.

    These are a small sampling of the mums we carry, so be sure to stop
in and take some time to savor all the beauty available in the world of
mums.

    If you plant your garden mums in the ground, be sure to water often,
early on, to establish the roots in surrounding soil. Once the mums are
settled in, water 1-3 times a week to keep the mums healthy and happy.
After you've enjoyed the fabulous color in the fall, keep watering until
the mum turns black after the first hard freeze. If we experience a dry
winter, water the mums every three weeks, or whenever the ground thaws.

    Our recommendations for overwintering include mulching the mums and
leaving the mum plant intact, though the leaves and stems have died for
the winter. Mum roots are very shallow in the soil, therefore mulch
helps to keep the roots from pushing out of the soil if we experience
freezes and thaws of the soil during the winter. If mum roots become
exposed, death is an almost certainty. Leaving the plant intact through
winter helps it attract leaves and other natural mulching substances. 
In the spring, as the new growth emerges, cut off the old stems.
   
    We look forward to seeing you this fall, and offering you a
veritable plethora of ideas and plants to fill your fall season with
color and beauty, and add enjoyment in your gardening journey.