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19 | Friday, April 22, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com HOME & GARDEN Plant Chrysanthemums this spring for a beautiful garden Chrysanthemums, often referred to as "mums," are among the most popular owers for autumn plantings and landscape decor. But these hardy, often vividly colored plants are worthy of attention as early as the spring gardening season. Although mums are most often purchased in September and October and cast aside shortly thereafter, the plant that many people mistake for an annual is actually a perennial - meaning with the proper care it can come back year after year. By planting mums in the spring, gardeners ensure the plants have enough time to develop solid root systems, including their hallmark underground runners that enable them to grow tall and wide and over-winter. While it's best to plant potted mums that were used in fall decorating after the owers die and before winter sets in, some container plants can still thrive and come back the following year. When cleaning gardens in the spring, do not trash withered mums that may have been stashed behind the shed. Try planting them and you may be surprised that they thrive and rebloom in the garden this year. Remove the dead branches and dried-up parts of the plant only after new shoots begin to grow. Gardening experts advise planting mums in sunny spots with southern exposure. However, be sure to keep the plants away from arti cial lighting, such as streetlamps or garden accent lighting, as mums are short-day plants that bloom only when the hours of darkness are greater than the hours of daylight. Mums that get too much light at night may not bloom to their fullest capacity, or they may be "leggy," with longer stems instead of being compact. Pruning or "pinching" mums in June and July will help keep mums compact as well, resulting in more owers. Mums desire a rich and moist but welldrained soil. Planted mums will require less water than container plants, but the ground should never become soggy. Wellwatered plants will offer more owers. Hardy mums work well as edging, in mass groupings to create a shrub-like appearance and even in containers. Thanks to their relative affordability, mums are an inexpensive way to dress up landscapes. Mums are hardy in USDA zones ve through nine. Although fall- owering mums may not be the rst plants to come to gardeners' minds at the onset of spring, planning chrysanthemum landscaping now can help ensure beautiful plants when spring and summer owers begin to wither.(MCG) weed and feed your lawn 1. Kensington Advantage 6 Visits + 13 treatments eVery 4-5 weeks $ 399 REG $499 Kensington Lawns K Both Plans include: · Assessments · Safe organic slow release fertilizers 3 Visits + 9 $ · Weed Control Pulling & Fiesta treatments Offer ends · Aeration · Over seeding & enriched REG $320 may 24/16 spring, summer & fall compost/top dressing Wait! Still too wet and cold to work on lawns Save $100 2. Basic Plan 220 Professional lawn care naturally - for a thick, green and healthy lawn! Planet association of ontario 905-802-0158 Licensed by Ministry of the Environment · Spring Cleanups · Weekly Lawn Maintenance · Lawn Care Packages · Garden Design/Maintenance · Tree Pruning & Removal Maintenance Construction · Interlock/Flagstone · Driveways/Porches · Patios/Retaining Walls · Woodworking · Lighting/Water Features Feel the Warmth of TRAVIS Fireplaces When purchasing a Travis fireplace you will experience EFFICIENCY, DESIGN and TECHNOLOGY UNMATCHED in fireplaces! Visit us your Masonry and fireplace specialists today! www.dutrascape.ca 905.399.2887 406 Speers Rd., Oakville | 905-337-2066 www.cobblestonembers.ca