Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A
"FORirfh COUNTY NcVtY —'uVEChYESCAY, OCTObe R 9, 1985
Mum’s the word for autumn landscaping
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Pinching and disbudding are the secrets
to a beautiful mum arrangement. (Above)
Janice Rainey, manager at Lakeside
Nursery in Gumming, shows the fall
mums in their various budding stages.
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THE THRILL OF REAL CIGARETTE TASTE IN A LOW TAR.
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Colorful flowers bloom until first frost
By Dawn Wilson
Staff Writer
They’re here.
The first colors of fall are blooming
all over the place around walk
ways, in gardens, around fences, in
window boxes and in planters.
And to whom do we owe all this
beauty and glory? Mother Nature, of
course, and her creation of mums.
“Mums are the first of the fall
colors to appear and the first of the
fall flowers to bloom,” said Janice
Rainey manager at Lakeside Nurs
ery on Highway 9. “And they will
continue to bloom up until the first
frost,” she said.
After the frost comes, Mrs. Rainey
said that the mums will need a good
bit of mulching. And then, in the
spring, when foliage starts to appear,
pinch the mums back about three
times, she said “Your mums will be
real full if you keep them pinched
back before blooming time. ‘lf you
don’t keep them pinched they’ll be
leggy and grow straight up.”
According to Gerald E. Smith, as
sistant extension horticulturist, “The
production of high quality chrysan
themums (a larger mum) plants and
blooms depend to a great extent on
the practices of pinching and disbud
ding the plants during the growing
season.”
Smith said to do a good job of
pinching ana disbudding, the flow
ering habit of the mum must first be
understood.
A mum’s growth and time of bloom
‘A mum’s growth and time of
blooming is regulated by the
length of day. With the shorten
ing of the days in the fall, the
plant is stimulated into produc
tion of bloom buds, regardless
of the size of the plant.’
Gerald E. Smith
ing is regulated by the length of day,
said Smith. “With the shortening of
the days in the fall, the plant is
stimulated into production of bloom
buds, regardless of the size of the
plant.”
Smith said that in Georgia, bloom
bud formation usually begins in late
August and early September.
“Pinching,” he said, “refers to the
removal of the soft growing tips of the
stems.” After pinching, new
branches will develop along the stem.
Pinch all shoots every two weeks
until June 10 for early varieties, June
20 for mid-season varieties, and July
1 for late varieties Flowers will not
form if you continue to pinch later
than these dates.
Information from the extension
service suggests disbudding large
flowered mums. “Concentrate
growth in a few flowers by taking off
the side buds. When plants are five to
six inches high, pinch out the growing
tip. New shoots will develop along the
stem. Break off all but two or three of
these new shoots. Let these shoots
grow into branches. Every two
weeks, remove all side shoots that
grow from these branches. When
flowerbuds show, remove all except
those on the top three inches.
As the top buds develop, notice the
first, or crown, bud. When you are
sure it is healthy and well developed,
pinch off all other buds. To do this,
carefully bend the stem of the bud
downward and sideward with your
thumb. The stem should snap off
easily at the point where it joins the
branch.
The crown bud is borne singularly
and will produce the largest bloom.
However, it the crown bud is pro
duced too early in the season, the
crown bud may develop into a mal
formed flower,” said Smith.
When buying packaged mums, it is
suggested you buy them early enough
for the roots to become established
before winter about six weeks.
Wait until after killing frosts to plant
those you buy in the spring.
Ten days to two weeks before plant
ing mums, prepare a soilbed. Dig and
loosen the soil to a depth of six
inches; break up all lumps.
Spade organic matter peat moss,
compost or well-rotte manure into
the soil. If the soil is very poor, use 5-
10-5, 7-6-5 or similar garden fertilizer.
Apply 1” to 1-V2 pounds per 100 square
feet and work it into the soil.
Just before planting mums, res
pade the soilbed to kill weed seeds
that have germinated.