Want to know the top tricks and tips on How to Make Mums Bushier? We have the best secrets to help you out!
Imagine your Chrysanthemums not just blooming, but flourishing with an enviable bushiness that makes your neighbors do a double-take. This isn’t just a gardening fantasy; it’s entirely achievable! Read on to discover tried-and-true methods and some out of the box ones on How to Make Mums Bushier!
Learn about Chrysanthemum Morifolium Care and Growing Information here
How to Make Mums Bushier
1. Pinch Back from Time to Time
- Method: Remove the tips of each stem when the plant is young and about 4-6 inches tall.
- Why It Works: This encourages lateral growth and helps the plant spread out more, making it bushier.
2. Do Regular Pruning
- Method: Cut back dead or unhealthy foliage regularly to encourage new growth.
- Why It Works: Pruning redirects the plant’s energy to the healthier branches.
Also, deadhead these plants in early to mid-summer. This is the optimal time for the initial deadheading. Doing so encourages branching, which leads to more blooms during the main flowering season in late summer and fall.
Continuous deadheading should be practiced as flowers fade during the blooming season. This can extend from late summer to early fall, depending on your climate.
3. Fertilizing Properly
- What to Use: A balanced fertilizer with equal ratios of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K), such as a 10-10-10 or 14-14-14 formula, works well. As Nitrogen promotes leaf and stem growth, contributing to a bushier appearance, you can also look for fertilizers with a higher first number in the N-P-K ratio, such as 24-8-16.
- When to Apply: The best time to fertilize Mums for bushier growth is in the early growing season, just as new shoots start to appear. A second application just before the blooming period can also be beneficial.
Pro Tip: Instead of applying a month’s worth of fertilizer at once, consider diluting the fertilizer and applying it in smaller amounts every week. This provides a steady supply of nutrients, promoting consistent, bushy growth without the risk of fertilizer burn.
4. Go for an Epsom Salt Spray
- Method: Create a mixture of 1 tablespoon Epsom salt with a gallon of water and spray it on the plant.
- Why It Works: Epsom salt provides magnesium, which is essential for plant growth.
Here are some amazing uses of Epsom Salt for houseplants
5. Use Milk
- Method: Dilute milk with water in a 1:4 ratio and spray it on the plant.
- Why It Works: Milk contains essential nutrients and can also act as a fungicide, creating a healthier plant that may grow more vigorously.
Milk is a good source of calcium, which strengthens plant cells and supports robust development. The minerals in milk can improve leaf structure, aiding in better photosynthesis, which in turn supports bushier growth.
6. Try Ice Cube Watering
- Method: Use ice cubes to water the plant.
- Why It Could Work: Ice cube watering allows the ice to melt slowly, providing a consistent moisture level. This can help the plant focus on producing new shoots and leaves, resulting in a bushier appearance.
7. Use Light Spectrum Manipulation
- Method: Use LED grow lights with customizable light spectra.
- Why It Could Work: Different light spectra can affect plant growth in unique ways. Experimenting with the spectrum might result in bushier growth.
8. Use Sound Stimulation
- Method: Expose the plant to specific frequencies of sound like Sanskrit sholkas.
- Why It Could Work: Some studies suggest that sound can influence plant growth. Playing certain frequencies could encourage a bushier structure.
Do Plants Like Music | What Music Do Plants Like
9. Do Root Pruning
- Method: Gently remove the plant from its pot and trim the outer roots before repotting.
- Why It Could Work: Root pruning is known to rejuvenate many types of plants and could encourage a more bushy growth pattern.
10. Use Aspirin Water
- Method: Dissolve a non-coated aspirin tablet in 2 liters of water and use it to water the plant.
- Why It Could Work: Aspirin has been shown to boost plant immune responses, which might stimulate more balanced, bushy growth.
11. Try Sugar Treatment
- Method: Mix a 2-3 tea spoons of sugar in a gallon of water and use it as a soil drench once in 5-6 weeks.
- Why It Could Work: Sugar can serve as a quick energy source for soil microbes, potentially affecting soil health and, subsequently, plant growth.
12. Use Fish Tank Water
- Method: Use fish tank water for watering the plant.
- Why It Could Work: The waste from fish contains nutrients that can be beneficial for plant growth, possibly contributing to bushier growth.
13. Try Gravity Manipulation
- Method: Tilt the pot at different angles at intervals.
- Why It Could Work: Changing the plant’s orientation regularly might confuse its sense of “up” and “down,” forcing it to grow in a more bushy fashion as it seeks light.
How to Make Mums Bushier – FAQs
1. Why is My Mum Plant Not Bushy?
Several factors can contribute to leggy or sparse growth, including insufficient light, over-fertilization, and inadequate pruning or pinching.
2. What’s the Importance of Pinching Back Mums?
Pinching back, or removing the tips of growing stems, encourages lateral growth. This leads to a bushier, more compact plant with more blooms.
3. Can Pruning Make Mums Bushier?
Yes, regular pruning of dead or unhealthy foliage redirects the plant’s energy to healthier branches, leading to bushier growth.
Are Mums Deer Resistant? Read here
4. Are There Any Non-Conventional Methods for Bushier Growth?
Experimental methods like light spectrum manipulation or using plant growth hormones can be tried to induce bushier growth, though these are less proven techniques.
5. How Can I Ensure Even Bushiness in Mums?
Rotating the plant periodically ensures even exposure to light, promoting balanced growth.
6. What if My Mums Still Don’t Get Bushier?
If you’ve tried multiple methods and still don’t see a change, consider checking the health of the root system and soil quality. Poor soil or root rot could be inhibiting growth.
