Gardening Goodies Hardy Chrusanthimums (HC) vs Indoor Chrysanthimums (IC) by Guest Writer, Kevin Smith
Mums are a traditional flower/plant found in the Fall. Either they are given as a gift, found in the landscape or used in decoating for the Fall season. There are two types of mums; the hardy mum & the indoor mum. In this plant article, I hope to explain the difference between the two mums for you. Hardy Chrysanthimums(H.C.) ‘Chrysas’ means ‘gold or golden,’ and ‘anthus’ means ‘flower’. Chrysanthimum are native to Asia, Persia, and North Africa. In 1888, a mum was sold for $1,500.00 here in the U.S. After this, everyone in the U.S. had to have one of these new plants from across the ocean. Hardy ones do best in well drained soil, on the acidic side. The soil needs to be kept on the moist side. They do not like wet or soggy feet. Mums like plenty of plant food and a well fertilized soil. Feed them during the growing season until the buds start forming. After applying the fertilizer, water heavily so the fertilizer is absorbed into the soil, so it can get to the feeder roots. Remember mum roots are shallow, so be sure to be careful when you’re working the around them. Water heavily during the growing season until blooms show color, especially during the Summer and early Fall.
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News from Indiana Historical Society Haubstadt, Ind. - The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is honoring a Haubstadt business for its long history of service. IHS proudly presents Dewig Bros. Packing Company, Inc. with a 2018 Centennial Business Award. Dewig Bros. Packing Co. is one of four businesses being honored at IHS’s annual Founders Day dinner, Monday, November 5th, at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center in downtown Indianapolis.
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When watering your mums, let the water soak well into the soil. Mums need to be divided annually to keep the flowers as large as possible. The best time to do this is in May. Plant the division in a shallow hole because mums do not root deeply. Hardy mums produce underground shoots and stolons that enable these mums to survive from year to year. After replanting, water the newly planted mum divisions well. Indoor Mums(I.M.) can usually be found during the Spring and Fall months. These are found at florist shops and in the floral department at the grocery store. Indoor mums are more sensitive to cold and light changes, but are relatively easy to grow indoors, since they require little care besides watering, good soil, and drainage. Once the flowers are spent, you can snip them off to help your mum look nicer. I.M. aren’t terribly hardy. They produce a few stolons and usually die during the winter if planted outdoors. However, if you do plant them outside, put about a 3”-5” layer of mulch on them in the Fall, to help them survive the Winter. Now you know the difference between the H.M. and the I.M. So the next time someone asks you what the difference is, you won’t have to say, “Mums the word”, I have no idea.....Cause now you do!
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Oakland City, Ind.— For more than three decades, Randy K. Mills of Oakland City has established himself as a prolific writer and leading scholar of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Indiana. The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) proudly names Mills the recipient of the 2018 Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award. Mills is one of seven individuals who will be recognized at IHS’s annual Founders Day dinner. Mills is a professor in the Education Leadership Program at Oakland City University and the author of more than 50 articles in academic history journals, magazines and publications.
November 2018
Small Town Living