PlantFiles: Football Mum, Hardy Mum
Chrysanthemum 'Pat Lehman'

I planted a very small plant received from a mail-order nursery on June 12, 2008. It grew incredibly well with no exceptional care, and in September it was full of beautiful and different colored, large pom-pom flowers. I did a bit of bud pinching and those flowers were definitely bigger than those I didn't pinch. The large flower heads were heavy, and the stalks were about 24 inches or more tall, so some staking was needed. In October I noticed new basal leaf growth and three or four new babies growing around the original plant, so I am hoping that it returns next year.

The instructions received were: Football mums make beautiful cut flowers. Mums are heavy feeders and will benefit from a 10-20-10 fertilizer application every other week. Pinch off side buds and allow only the top bud to develop. If this is done, the flowers should become 6-8 inches across. Mulch plants in fall in the northern climates. Disease and insects may be a problem if not kept under control.