Chrysanthemum Care: How to grow chrysanthemums

The chrysanthemum is a flower closely associated with Mother’s Day in Australia. The flowers are long lasting and in full bloom in autumn when Australians celebrate Mother’s Day. While bunches of chrysanthemums are popular gifts, many people now give mum a pot of chrysanthemums, often called ‘mums’. Chrysanthemums come in many floral colours including yellow, white, rust, pink and mauve. There are also many different flower shapes, from small buttons to large, full, many-petalled blooms - so it's no wonder everyone wants to know how to grow chrysanthemums!

Potted chrysanthemums will continue flowering for three or four weeks indoors after Mother’s Day. They'll last much longer if you move them outdoors into a sunny spot where they can be easily watered and deadheaded. They are not suitable to keep indoors for more than a few weeks, so don't plan on them being a permanent fixture in your home!

After flowering, you'll notice the stems begin to dieback, but this isn’t the end of the plant! Chrysanthemums are perennials, which means although the plants do naturally dieback over winter, they regrow in spring. Cut the plants back hard in winter.

A pot of cheery 'mums makes a great Mother's Day gift - but don't keep these flowering faves indoors forever!

How to grow chrysanthemums

Potted chrysanthemums can be planted directly into your garden bed. You can also repot them into a larger pot with good quality potting mix to keep them growing year after year. They need a warm, sheltered spot in the garden. You may also need to stake or support them as the plants regrow. As a potted gift, the chrysanthemum was a compact plant - however, in its second year it will become much larger, reaching up to 1m high. Allow plenty of room for the plant to grow into its full size in its new spot.

When replanting, make sure the root system is moist, and the roots are not root-bound (circling inside the pot). If the roots are dry, soak the entire root ball in a bucket of water with added Supergrow Seaweed Solution Concentrate. If the roots are root-bound, simply loosen them up when planting.

As the chrysanthemum plant begins to regrow, it needs to be fed regularly. A liquid fertiliser such as Thrive Rose and Flower Liquid Plant Food will encourage strong growth and good flowering. Tip-pruning early growth encourages a bushy plant and more flowers. Expect buds to form in late summer and early autumn. For larger flowers, carefully remove one or two buds from a cluster (this is called disbudding). Once flowering begins, pick stems to enjoy indoors in a vase.

As your chrysanthemum plant grows and forms a clump, it can also be divided in winter or very early spring to create additional plants. Chrysanthemums can also be grown from cuttings taken in spring.

Chrysanthemums make fantastic garden plants in full sun positions.

Chysanthemum care: pests and diseases

Growing in the garden in a sunny spot with support from a stake or perennial plant support, chrysanthemums are usually trouble-free plants. Keep an eye out for caterpillars that can attack the leaves or buds, along with scale, which may form on the stems. Squash or use a low-toxic pesticide such as Nature's Way Caterpillar Killer Dipel or eco-oil to control these pests.

Fungal problems including rust can affect foliage, especially if the plants are overcrowded or not positioned in full sun. Remove affected leaves (put them in a bag and into the rubbish bin) and treat the plant with an all-purpose fungicide such as Yates Fungus Gun or eco-fungicide to control the spread of the disease.

Chrysanthemums come in a broad range of bright and attractive colours.

Where to buy chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums are seasonal plants and are generally available through autumn, in the lead-up to Mother's Day. Flower Power stocks a range of chrysanthemums both in-store and online. Click here to find your local Flower Power Garden Centre, or click here to shop chrysanthemums online.