How to Grow Chrysanthemum Morifolium

Plant the mum in peat moss and perlite for a well-draining medium. Use a container at least 6 inches in diameter with drainage holes on the bottom. Make a hole deep enough to fit the roots of the chrysanthemum. The crown, where the stem meets the root structure, should be above the soil.

Water the medium thoroughly until the water runs out of the bottom of the container. Don’t water again until the soil is dry 1 to 2 inches below the surface. Overwatering will promote root rot.

Place the potted plant outside during the growing season in a location that gets full sunlight. A site with a western or southern exposure to the sun is the best for blooming mums.

Prune the chrysanthemum morifolium three times during spring and summer, but make the last pruning before August 15 to ensure the plant will flower in fall. Cut the stems back one-half their length to encourage compact and bushy growth.

Keep the plant in a location where the temperatures will be between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fertilize the chrysanthemum morifolium with 1/4 tsp. of all-purpose water soluble fertilizer every six weeks when the plant is actively growing.

Bring the container indoors by mid-September and place it in a sunny location. When the flowers start to die back, cut the flower stems off the plant at the base of the stem. Keep the plant in a sunny location until October 1.

Move the container to a room where the plant will have light during the day, but darkness from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. the next day until Thanksgiving week. The shorter days will promote new flower buds. Move the plant to an area with sunlight from a southern window and watch for the flowers to bloom.