All Things MUM’s
September is here! I love the cool nights and not so hot days! I love the smell of the season change in the air!
Wanted to chat a bit about the world of MUMs!
Traditional Fall decor, along with pumpkins, sunflowers, and harvest themes, certainly includes fall mums. They come in so many varying colors and varieties, of which if you have ever lived in the “MUM” world as we do, early on in the summer months, can be quite the discussion to be had.
MUM season for you starts in Early September, but for the grower, it starts in March when we begin scanning through the many page MUM catalog to choose varieties and colors, all rated on size, vigor, etc.
The MUM plugs arrive in the very early part of June, and are very time sensitive as it require many weeks for mature growth and bloom. (They don’t come without a lot of work and time)
Somers Family Farm cares for our MUMs the exact way we care for our spring hanging baskets and annuals. For us that means premium potting mix, premium long-term slow-release fertilizer, regular liquid feed, and daily watering by hand. After the initial planting, we spend on average at least 1 hour per day caring for our MUMS, so that when September rolls around, you are purchasing a quality plant that is ready to finish blooming and that will last for the season.
A Few Comments we have heard: A Few Questions we have received:
“I can purchase MUMs at a big box store or grocery store for a lesser price.”
Truth! You can! Remember — You get what you pay for. Big box store discounts are not there for your benefit, but for you to drop $’s and so that you will purchase other items while there. Cheap soil, very little long-lasting fertilizer, if any, leads to a less healthy, vigorous pot, and though you may not notice it at first, by the end of the season, you can become very disappointed. Somers Family Farm prices MUM’s at what we feel is a very fair price for you, given top quality is our #1 goal, and a fair price for our material cost, time and labor. (They truly are quite a lot of work)
“Local Garden Stores are also selling MUMs and their price is cheaper.”
Truth! Please take the time to ask if they purchased from a LOCAL GROWER vs. purchasing in large shipments from a far-off state or down south. You will be surprised at the answer you receive. Again, how were they grown, how were they cared for, and are they premium plants vs. a proven performer?
Thank you, as always, for your support and continued efforts to buy local. Farming is quickly becoming a diminishing way of life for many, and as the landscape, once dotted with multiple working farms, becomes empty and bleak, we are making a huge effort to keep agriculture alive and a “Way of Life” that needs to be shared with so many who visit our community and with our local community itself.
Do you have questions regarding MUMs you would like answers to? We don’t know it all for sure, but we welcome engagement and conversation. We have many more MUMs to bring down to the Farm Stand, so keep your eye out over the next few days. Get them early for longer enjoyment. They are all budded and starting to bloom! The perfect time to begin your Fallscape enjoyment.
PS While you are here, even with the intense dry weather, we have some pretty spectacular, near-perfect close to 30# pumpkins… They are beauties — and I feel they could be a bit difficult to find this year.
Farming for you, For the Community We live in,
and to keep Agriculture alive and thriving!
Kathy
