The Problem:
Last year I bought some Mums for the fall season but they didn’t last long. It was difficult to water them properly and they seemed to dry out very quickly between watering. This year I thought I would try it again and found some beautiful Outdoor Fall Mums at one of my favourite nurseries. They were a little pricey but they were very full, a stunning burgundy colour and the flowers were still at the bud stage and had not bloomed yet.
The Solution:
This year I am determined to ensure they last a lot longer than last season so I did a bit of research regarding how best to water them. I have belonged to our area horticulture society for several years now and have picked up quite a few great gardening tips from the members. One of the members, Linda is a certified horticulturist with a wealth of knowledge. When you visit her garden it is very clear she is a ‘master’ gardener. It is from Linda that I learned this great watering tip for container gardens. My modified version is quite simplified compared to Linda’s technical watering system that she designed and created. But so far my simplified version has been working very well.
This Is Watering Outdoor Fall Mums So They Last!
All you need is a 500 ml plastic bottle for each plant pot. If it is a really big pot then you might want to have a couple of smaller ones or go with a 2 liter plastic bottle. I just happened to have empty bottles of Pellegrino in the recycling bin.
Using a pair of sharp scissors cut out the bottom. I measured about 5 cm from the bottom to make the cutting a little easier.
Now insert one bottle into each pot in about the middle upside down so the narrow neck part of the bottle is pushed into the soil and the wider open part is tucked in amongst the stems of the plant.
Make sure you can still see it a bit and be gentle so you don’t damage the buds, blooms or stems.
Notice that you can hardly see the plastic bottle in the plant.
It becomes really difficult to see when the plant is in full bloom.
Now when you water the plants, pour the water into the inserted bottle. The water will go directly towards the bottom where the roots are. That makes a lot more sense because it is the roots that take in the water. You just created a more direct route for the water to travel.
I am already planning to use this same watering system with all of my summer container gardens next year!
I bought these plants a month ago and both Outdoor Fall Mums are still blooming beautifully! Now I need to worry about bringing the plants in at night because even though it has been a very warm September with about 25 degrees Celsius during the day we have already had a few frost warnings. Oh well!
I just popped the colour of these gorgeous Outdoor Fall Mums by adding these bows! What do you think?
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Other gardening ideas you might enjoy!
Your turn: Do you have any tips that work for you to help preserve outdoor container gardens last longer? What is your favourite Outdoor Fall Mum colour?
Have an ‘inspired day’!
Original article and pictures take http://timewiththea.com/2012/09/22/watering-outdoor-fall-mums-so-they-last/#_a5y_p=5669991 site
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