Mums not blooming? Here’s what you do—identify the cause and follow our tips and tricks to boost flowering!
Chrysanthemums are quintessential fall flowers—highly resilient and fuss-free! Emerging in warm autumn hues of yellows, reds, and oranges, these perennials can tolerate the change from hot to cold much better than other flowers! But if your mums are not blooming, something’s wrong. Here’s how to identify key causes and tricks to boost flowering!
What to Do if Mums Not Blooming
1. Fix Sunlight
Mums are sun-lovers and need 6-7 hours of sunshine daily to grow well. So, if you keep them in the shade too long, they won’t bloom. If you notice that your mums are sitting in the shaded part of the house, it is time to move them to a south-facing window or patio.
These flowers enjoy a bit of an afternoon siesta in the shade, but nothing more than that! For more details, check out this article on how to grow chrysanthemums in pots.
2. Pinch Back Early Growth
Mums need a slight trim to encourage blooms. Pinching back the new growth ensures your plant has more branching and flower buds. You can do it when the plants exceed 6 inches in height.
Just pinch back 1-2 inches of new growth at the top and repeat this process until mid-July. This will ensure your plant redirects its energy to developing side shoots and promoting flower production. Do it on these plants as well.
They also prefer timely deadheading, so when you see the flowers fading, remove them instantly.
3. Control the Drought Stress
Another reason mums don’t bloom is overwatering. Overwatering can not only lead to mold issues and root rot, but it will also encourage more foliage and fewer flowers.
A slight water stress can help force your mums to bloom. Let the soil dry out a few times between waterings. This process stimulates the plant to focus on flowering rather than just vegetative growth.
4. Use a Phosphorus-rich Fertilizer
Adjust the NPK feed according to the plant’s requirements to boost flowers. While growing mums, go with a phosphorous-rich fertilizer to focus on blooms, as more nitrogen will only ensure foliage growth.
Use an NPK ratio of 5-10-5 for perfect blooms, and explore these flower-boosting fertilizers while you’re at it.
5. Epsom Salt Treatment
Epsom salt is rich in magnesium sulfate, which is essential for chlorophyll production, more fruits and flowers, and a longer bloom time.
To use Epsom salt on your mums, dissolve one tablespoon per gallon of warm water and pour the solution onto the base of the plant, ensuring it reaches the root zone.
Avoid spraying the leaves directly, as this can cause them to burn. Use it once every 2-3 weeks during the flowering season. Here’s how to use it on other houseplants.
6. Adjusting Day Length
Mums are considered short-day plants that bloom when they experience shorter days and longer nights.
Exposing them to less than 12 hours of daylight and more hours of darkness will ensure robust blooms. You can mimic this natural phenomenon by covering your plants with a black plastic bag for additional hours during the day.
This will increase the hours it spends in the dark and force blooming. Do this between 5 pm and 8 am for a few days, and you’ll see the buds appear soon.
That’s it! Pretty simple tricks to fix your mums, right? Well, it’s time to give these a try. Do let us know how it goes for you in the comments below.
