Looking for a new garden project? Try multiplying your mothers.

It wouldn’t be autumn without its iconic presence mothers. These bright and colorful flowers not only add joy to the autumn landscape, but they are also very resistant to the cold. Mums are both beautiful and practical for the colder months, so you may want to consider adding even more to your garden; Fortunately, this is easier than you think.

Propagating mums is a quick and simple way to plant more of these orange, yellow and pink flowers. Ahead, our experts outline three different methods for garden mums, as well as how to care for them once they’ve established roots.

Meet Our Expert

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From the department

First, let’s consider division. “The easiest and most successful way to propagate garden chrysanthemums is through division,” says Laura Irish-Hanson, horticulture educator at the University of Minnesota Extension. “Simply dig up the plant and place the root ball in the ground, then using a sharp shovel or shovel, cut the entire plant in half or a third, depending on the size of the original plant.” New mums can be replanted in soil after division.

From Root Cuttings

Another way to propagate mums is to cut the stems of an existing plant. While this method can be effective, it is also more complex and may be less successful than propagation by division.

“Garden chrysanthemums can be difficult to propagate successfully by stem cuttings,” says Irish-Hanson. Horticultural educators generally do not recommend propagation by stem cuttings for a variety of reasons, including disease and lack of success.

Regardless, if you want to try this method, it’s a good idea to do it in early summer, before your mums form flower buds. Create a miniature fog chamber if you can; a forsythe pot works especially well. Most importantly, be sure to use clean, sterilized pruners to take 6 to 8 centimeter stem end cuts. Then follow these steps as outlined by Irish-Hanson:

1. Wrap the Cut Ends

Immediately wrap the cut ends in a damp towel or a glass of water. Remove all leaves from the bottom half of the cuttings. Dip or roll the base of the cuttings in 1500 parts per million (ppm) Indole-butyric acid (IBA) rooting hormone.

2. Plant Cuttings

Immediately stick the cuttings into your rooting medium. Make sure the substrate is as follows: vermiculitestays moist but not overly wet until roots form. Since garden chrysanthemums are very finicky when it comes to propagation by stem cuttings, be prepared for many cuttings to never take root and die.

3. Transplant the Roots

Once the roots are 3 centimeters or longer, you can transplant them into a regular potting mix for more fertilizer and root space. Gradually expose plants to the outdoor environment as you would when hardening off seedlings in the spring. Finally, transfer these rooted plants to your garden. Make sure you water them thoroughly.

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from seed

Growing from seeds is relatively easy, but you’ll be in for a surprise when it comes to the color of the flowers. When propagating from divisions or stem cuttings, you know exactly what the genetics are and what colors to expect; But planting from seed produces a unique chrysanthemum, not a clone, so your new flowers can be very different!

“Last year I planted three garden chrysanthemum seeds in my front garden bed, and this year I have hundreds of seedlings,” says Irish-Hanson. “Right now I’m choosing the ones I want to keep by flower color. So if you don’t mind getting something different from your original plant, try seeds! If you want a specific color and shape, stick to asexual. Propagation like division.”

If you don’t mind a little luck, definitely try this method. When you follow these steps, you will have a garden full of colorful mums in a very short time.

1. Watch the Seeds

First of all, don’t get confused Your mums are at the end of the growing season in the fall. Instead, wait for the flowers to dry. You can harvest them when the seeds look brown and dry; they are so small!

2. Maintain Carefully

During the winter, be sure to store your seeds dry, out of direct sunlight, and at normal room temperature (or slightly cooler).

3.Transplantation

If you live in an area with a short growing season in the spring, you may want to start seeds indoors in trays. Fill the trays with seed starting mix and plant one seed per cell. Store in a warm place with plenty of light. You can transplant young mums to their permanent garden or container location after the last frost date has passed.

How to Care for Newborn Mothers?

Prepare your new reproductive mothers for success with ideal conditions and care. For example, if you are working with stem cuttings, be sure to use root hormone. “To get them to root faster, soak the stem in water and then dip it in some root hormone in a small bowl,” says Jan Johnsen, landscape designer and manager of Johnsen Landscaping and Pools. “It increases rooting success and rooting occurs faster.”

Mums like lots of sun, so place them somewhere that gets 4 to 6 hours of sun each day. Careful and regular watering is essential to keep the soil moist. “As with all newly propagated plants, you need to make sure they are planted in the correct medium,” says Irish-Hanson. “Don’t let the roots dry out too much between waterings.”

Also consider carefully which varieties you propagate. “If you live in a harsher northern climate with cold winters, make sure you only grow hardy mums,” he adds. “Annual mothers probably won’t survive.”