FALL ARRANGEMENTS - Decorative Florist mums flourish when the nights get longer

Fall mums bloom when the nights get longer because they need darkness to flower. The cool weather also helps with the bloom size, which will be larger, and color, which will be more intense, of these hardy beauties. (People wanting their mums to bloom earlier can spread a sheet over the plants for a time during the day to increase the time of darkness). I just let them bloom at their normal time, as they add such color and beauty to the fall months of October and November. These decorative, reflex and anemone varieties bloom primarily in late October and November in my zone 6. If necessary, I harvest the flowers in tight bud stage, and keep in water in a refrigerator in the garage until ready to use. For this arrangement, the buds had been harvested and in the refrigerator for three weeks.This arrangement will last upwards of 2-3 weeks more. Pretty amazing! The three varieties are Bill Holden (Reflex), Resomee (Decorative), and Prom Queen (Anemone).  They can easily reach 8" across if the side laterals or branches are removed, or disbudded, one to a stem. I mulch these during the winter months, after the stalks are cut back to the ground after harvesting. 

FALL ARRANGEMENTS - Mums have an extra long vase life

Garden and Florist Chrysanthemums, commonly called mums, are beautiful and colorful fall bloomers that are exceptional for arrangements because of their lasting power in the vase. I have had arrangements last as long as a month, as this fall arrangement of daisy-like blooms of Anemone "Prom King.".

For these colorful displays, just pick the flowers before they are opened fully, stripping off all foliage that will be beneath the water line. Plunge in deep water that has been treated with a floral preservative, and it's best to keep arrangements out of direct sunlight and out of drafts. I love the wide color assortment that they come in--from pure white, to pink, peach, apricot, yellow, golden, bronze, orange and rust.  They also come in all shades of purple and burgundy, and various multi shades of two or more colors. There is even a nice green mum.

Their form is as diverse as their colors--singles, spoons, quills, doubles, spiders, decorative, cascades, the small gnomes, garden cushion,  anemone, pompoms and exotic. The same goes for their size--anything from the tiny gnomes to the huge, giant exhibition blooms that reach 8" across! Their height is also varied--short, medium and tall ranging from one foot to 4 or 5 feet tall. I love them for their easy growth, hardiness, and explosive color in the fall months when their color is so needed. It is suggested to keep the plants at 6" tall until the 4th of July. If the plant need to be pruned back, it just makes the plants bushier and more manageable in the fall. They like moist, but not wet, soil, and a feeding of a balanced fertilizer early in the season, or when planting in the spring, when all danger of frost has passed. These beauties will return each year, giving you many years of enjoyment.

FALL ARRANGEMENTS - Dried alliums, spider mums and decorative foliage

This week's arrangement will be the last until the early spring hellebores and daffodils bloom. Dried alliums make a nice display. I leave them on the stem until they are nicely dried and light amber brown. Then they can be cut down and saved until ready for use. The last of the florist mums--this one called ICICLES--a spider mum--was harvested three weeks ago while still in a tight bud stage. They are opening up nicely for this arrangement, and can still last as long as two weeks in the vase or planter. Just keep them in a tub of water in a cool place until you're ready to use them. Some fall foliage with berries finishes off the arrangement for variety. This will make a nice Thanksgiving arrangement, arranged in a cornucopia basket.

CHRYSANTHEMUMS -- Long-lasting in the vase for fall arrangements

I harvested my florist mums before we had a hard freeze. These blooms have been in a big bucket of water on the  protected patio since October--nearly three weeks. They are opening nicely and will continue to do so in this weeks arrangement.  When arranging it, I found new leaves forming on the stripped stems--that's how wonderful they are as a cut flower--they make great fall arrangements, lasting 3 or more weeks in the vase. They come in a wide variety of classes and colors, and are a definite must for your fall flower beds.This variety is a REFLEX, Class 2, named BILL HOLDEN, 2A. The blooms are large, reaching as big as 5 inches across. It is a strong upright grower, and produces many flowers. Arrange when centers are still in tight bud. They will completely unfold, producing a huge floret.

ROSES AND MUMS - The last of the hybrid roses in a fall arrangement with decorative mums

I harvested the last of the roses and fall mums before the hard freeze that we had this week end. I keep them in a big bucket of treated water on the covered patio, or, if too cold, in the garage, until needed.The bright cream and pink-toned hybrid tea rose "DOUBLE DELIGHT", with baby miniature rose-colored buds, and dark bright pink hybrid tea "BOB HOPE" and the large decorative chrysanthemum "SEATONS J'DORE" make a pleasing presentation of bright colors. The mums will outlast the roses, but they can be pinched off and the arrangement will still look good.  As always, cut after dusk and use a floral preservative for a long lasting vase life.  

FALL MUMS - 2014

CHRYSANTHEMUMS are one of the most durable plants in the fall, even when temperatures drop to near freezing.  These colorful flowers come in  13 different classes and range from 1 to 5-plus feet tall, with blooms as small as a button to the huge florist mums that can be as big as 5-6" across. Among many things I love about them is their long vase life--they can last as long as 4 weeks and look fresh in your arrangements. This year they have been especially beautiful. I have several throughout the gardens.  No fall would be complete without a variety of these beauties in the garden. 

FALL MUMS - using a variety in fall arrangements

5 different mums are used in this fall arrangement.  This planter arrangement will be outside on my Dad's gravesite on what would have been his 92nd birthday.  Using wet oasis with a floral preservative in the water will keep it fresh for many days, especially if the weather stays a little on the cool side.

HALLOWEEN ARRANGEMENTS USING FLORISTS MUMS

This week's arrangement uses the fall mum PROM KING.  This Class 8A Anemone flower is characterized by a single flower with the center having florets, or a disk, elongated and modified. These fine cut flowers are excellent for show or garden and grown to sprays or disbudded for show.  The plant was grown to a spray this year, reaching 5 + feet tall, with hundreds of blooms.

PROM KING is a stunning apricot bronze sport of Prom Queen holds its color well, and is very long-lived in the vase.  It blooms late September to Mid October.  This arrangement will last 3 or more weeks.