DATE:   9/6/96
WRITER: Bob Polomski, (864) 656-2604

Hardy Mums Provide Fall Color

     CLEMSON -- Garden chrysanthemums (Dendranthema x
grandiflorum) are the royalty of flowers in autumn. These tender
herbaceous perennials come in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes
and forms.  
     Although flower size differs among cultivars, you can
produce larger but fewer flowers by disbudding. Keep the large
terminal bud in the center of each flower cluster and remove the
rest of the flower buds from each shoot. The remaining flower bud
will produce an extra-large, showy flower.  
     To produce mums with a multitude of flowers, pinch them back
when the new growth is four to six inches tall. Continue pinching
them throughout the summer months up to August 1, whenever the
new shoots are three to five inches long. Repeated pinching will
produce bushy, mounded plants that will be blanketed with flowers
in the fall.
     Chrysanthemums naturally bloom during the shorter days of
late summer and early fall, which extends the flower garden
season up to the first heavy frost.
     Colors cover the entire spectrum in virtually every shade
except blue. If you'd like to match the colors of hardwood
leaves, choose yellow, rust, red and bronze-colored mums. If
you'd like to use mums as accent plants, consider white, pink and
lavender-colored ones. Besides enjoying them outdoors, bring some
inside as long-lasting cut flowers to brighten your home for
several weeks.      
     Garden mums are easy-to-grow perennials.  
     Choose a fertile, well-drained sunny location with at least
a half day of sun. Always water freshly planted garden mums, and
keep a watchful eye out for dry spells. Water as needed to keep
the plants from wilting. Maintain a two- to three-inch layer of
compost to reduce water evaporation and suppress weeds. 
     Mums are susceptible to stem rot, powdery mildew, aphids and
spider mites. Should you these or any other problems, contact
your local Extension agent or Master Gardener for recommended
control measures. -- Bob Polomski, Clemson Extension consumer
horticulturist.
         *******************************************
     If you have gardening questions or comments, write to
Agricultural News & Publications, A-101 Poole Agricultural 
Center, Box 340311, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29634-0311
                               END