The SOUTH and NORTH stores are OPEN MONDAY through SATURDAY, 9 am to 5 pm. CLOSED on Sundays.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO FIRST BEFORE WE BRING IN THOSE HOUSEPLANTS THAT WE PUT OUTSIDE THIS SPRING!

ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION!

In this week’s archived show from previous years, the Garden Guru mentioned that it’s time to bring in your houseplants that have been living outdoors for the Summer!

The Garden Guru suggested that the first thing you should do is inspect your plants very carefully for insects. Insects can be pretty tricky. They can hide underneath the leaf or where the leaf attaches to the stem. They can crowd themselves down in that little bitty space and they’re hard to see — so you really need to go over them carefully and make sure that they don’t have any insects on them before you bring them back in the house. A secondary precaution that Lynn suggests to do before you bring in those houseplants is… well, LISTEN to Lynn’s tip to find out!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE GARDEN GURU’S ARCHIVED RADIO SHOW ON THIS TOPIC.

HAPPY GARDENING!

September’s a great time to rip out those old container annuals and vegetables and replant with cool-tolerant plants, such as pansies, chrysanthemums, and ornamental cabbage and kale. 

Before you replant, however, you’ll need to refresh the potting soil in your containers. Tip out the soil onto a tarp or newspaper, and break up any root-clumps from the plants you’ve removed. (Really big, cohesive rootballs should be removed and composted, any soil adhering to them shaken off first.) Then refill the containers with the old potting soil, adding fresh as needed to top up the containers. Finally, mix in a fresh sprinkle of a good time-release bloom fertilizer (ask Payne’s gardening experts what they suggest for your needs. Now you’re ready to replant.

Listen to the GARDEN GURU’s tip below for more information!

BY Viveka Neveln – Better Homes & Gardens
Photo: Zina Jundi

For the perfect late-season bloomer, you can’t go wrong with chrysanthemums! Use these tips to help you plant, grow, and enjoy this favorite autumn flower.

Are Chrysanthemums Annuals or Perennials?
One of the first questions people have about mums is whether they’re annuals or perennials, and the answer is both! Mums generally come in two types: Florist mums (also known as cutting mums) and hardy mums (also known as garden mums). Both types come from the same original parent, a golden-yellow daisy-like mum from China. Today’s hybrids in both categories result from endless crosses between several species from China and Japan. The result of such hybridization performed over hundreds of years is different types of mums that perform for two distinct purposes.
Florist mums have many possible bloom forms, including quilled, pompon, spider, and more. Grown in greenhouses and used only as indoor plants, florist mums produce few underground runners, which mums need to survive cold weather. Florist mums planted outside are most likely used as short-term bedding plants that will be removed when the blooms are spent, or frost kills them. You can plant a potted florist mum out you receive as a gift but don’t expect it to survive the winter outside, no matter how much protection you give it.

Garden mums, on the other hand, can survive cold better. Most garden mums are perennials in Zones 5-9 and much more sturdy than florist types. However, some cultivars are less hardy than others and can be killed by an early spring frost.

How Do You Care for a Potted Mum Plant?
Both florist and garden mums make excellent container plants. Pop them into a clay pot or a fall window box by themselves or with other fall plants like flowering kale. Making sure your potted mums thrive starts with picking the right plant. Look for a plant with more buds than open flowers; it will last longer, and the repotting process will be less traumatic for a plant not yet in full bloom.
Speaking of repotting, it’s one of the best things you can do for your mums. After sitting in nursery containers, most mums in containers will have very compacted root balls. Gently breaking up the root ball and giving the mum a new home in some fresh potting soil will set your plant up for success.
And don’t forget the water. Chrysanthemums love full sun, and all that heat means they also need plenty of water. Give them a good soak after repotting, then water every other day or whenever the soil seems dry. Try to avoid allowing your plants to wilt. They’ll revive well after watering again, but the flower buds may not last as long or look as bright.

When Should Mums Be Planted?
Mums aren’t as expensive as many perennials. So you can plant them as annuals without worrying that you’ve spent too much on something that might live only one season. On the other hand, if you’re an impulse buyer, you’ll probably see pots of colorful mums in the fall and not be able to resist.