Although there are many spectacular fall blooming plants, mums, or chrysanthemums are by far the most popular. Available in shades of yellow, orange, white and red, mums produce small daisy-like flowers. They bloom for several weeks and require little attention. Mums are the perfect plant for your entryway planters, as a border along a walkway or in window boxes and planters.
Caring for Mums
- Chrysanthemums prefer full sun and moist, well-drained soil.
- Pinch or prune back branches 1-2 inches during the growing season. This will keep your plants compact.
- Stop pruning in late June or your plants won’t flower in fall.
- Protect mums in winter months by covering them with a layer of mulch.
- When purchasing, choose plants with more buds than open flowers so the flowers last longer.
In addition to chrysanthemums, consider adding other complimentary fall favorites to your landscape. Asters, Montauk daisies, sedum, ornamental grasses and fall anemones are all good choices for the Long Island garden. They each have very different shapes, structure and color, which adds interest and depth to your garden design.
September is the best time to update your landscape for fall. Remove spent annuals such as new guinea impatiens, petunias, marigolds and geraniums to make room for all that fall has to offer. Fall is for planting!
Learn more about Fall at Hicks Nurseries here.
Additional Resources:
Ornamental Grasses
Sedum
Montauk Daisies
Asters