High folks, The wife wants to plant the mums she bought a few weeks ago, and I am wondering where the best place to put them would be. Our house faces south, so I assume the bright sun would make this the best place. I have thought about planting them under my dogwood tree. My concern is how much water they drink. I don't want them to rob my dogwood of water. Any thoughts? Thanks,
As a basic rule I don't like to disturb the roots around a tree by planting around it,most of the roots are in the upper few inches of the soil and can be as far out as the dripline x 3 or 4.(the outer edge of the tree canopy)You can get away with a few mums but,like I say I don't encourage that at all. When it comes to water though,the tree will win out over the mums any day. I would put them where she wants them to be other than around the tree.
Mums thrive in sunny areas. They should receive at least a half-day of sun. Avoid areas of standing or flowing water such as under eaves or below downspouts. For luscious plants year after year, avoid areas where they will be exposed to frigid winter winds. Plant so that the center crown of the plant is at least two to three inches above the soil level. Winter Protection Mums planted outdoors in the fall do not need any fertilizer until they begin to grow the following spring. Mums often struggle to survive through the winter. To help your mums chances of survival, try the following tips: Keep soil moist as winter approaches. There is no need to prune back plants until the following spring. Mulch plants after the ground begins to freeze, not before, with leaves, straw, peat moss or other organic matter. In the spring, remove any old mum stems and gradually remove mulch. Sometimes I have luck with my mums, sometimes I don't. Good luck,
