Can Chrysanthemums Be Grown Indoors?

Location

• Both florist and garden mums require bright light during the flowering period. Choose a location that provides all-day light but no direct sun as direct sunlight can reduce the life of the flowers or scorch the leaves. A location away from cold drafts, especially in winter, is necessary. Optimum temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and up to 10 degrees cooler at night provide for best growth. You can also place potted mums outdoors during the warm summer months and bring them indoors before the first fall frost.

Water and Fertilizer

• Indoor potted chrysanthemums require less watering than those grown outdoors since the soil dries out more slowly. Allow the top inch of soil in the pot to dry out before watering the mums, but don't wait too long or allow the plants to wilt. Once weekly watering usually provides sufficient moisture, but allow the dryness of the soil to guide your watering frequency. Fertilize the mums every two weeks during the summer with a soluble complete fertilizer formulated for flowering potted plants. Follow the label guide for application rates, and do not apply more fertilizer than that recommended on the label.

Pruning

• Florists mums respond well to deadheading during the flowering period. Pinch off the wilted blossoms before they begin to form seeds, which directs the plant's energy to develop more flower buds instead of using the energy for seed formation. Pinch off the top of each stem on garden mums in spring and early summer, pinching back to the topmost bud. Pinching encourages a fuller plant and more blossoms in late summer and autumn. Stop pinching the plants in July so they begin flower bud formation.

Reblooming

• Hardy chrysanthemums require minimal care to re-bloom. Set the mums in an unheated, protected location, such as a garage or shed. Water often enough so the soil doesn't dry out completely. Growth resumes as temperatures warm in spring. You can cut off the previous year's stems once the plant is putting on new growth. Florist mums are more difficult to re-bloom. These mums don't go dormant in winter so require regular watering and sunlight year-round. The mums only bloom in response to long night periods in winter. Move the potted mums to a dark closet, or cover the plant with an opaque bag each night for 14 to 16 hours beginning in December. Continue this nightly treatment until the flower buds begin opening, usually within four to six weeks of the dark treatment.