Maxi Mums-any info?

Hi, I'm from Michigan but not a paid subscriber so I thought I'd ask you! Has anyone heard of these Maxi Mums chrysanthemums? Supposedly, they don't need pinching, are hardy to Zone 3 and end up about 3'x3'. They were touted at a recent seminar but I can't find any info on the net and I'm looking for suppliers. If anyone knows anything, please respond! Thank you from the frozen north, Gina

I wonder if they aren't actually Belgium mums. That describes them pretty well. I have about 3 of them and they are lovely. They also spread wonderfully by way of short underground runners. What started out as a 6" pot or 2 of of of them about 4 years ago is now about 2 1/2' or more across and I have given away at least 3 good big spadeful starts to others. One of ours is called Cannili, is pink, and very fragrant. I just got one last summer and don't remember its name. The other one is unnamed & the only way I know it is a Belgium is the way it is spreading and the height.

Hi leaflady:
Yes, I thought about Belgium mums but according to the info, they require mulching because they are not necessarily that hardy. These "Maxi Mums" are supposed to be hardy to 3. Or maybe that's just what they WANT them to be!! If I can't find any reference to them, I think we will give the Belgium mums a try. When do yours bloom? Thanks, Gina

I do not do what might be discibed as pinch back on my mums. I go at them with a pair of heavy garden shears. I cut my mums way down as soon as they start out of the ground and keep them cut in half all all season until about mid september. After that I let them come to bloom. Strange thing is as far as blooming late goes my Begonias bloom as late as the mums.

Hi Ozarkian-
We also do not pinch our mums; we hack them off like you do. These new mums, however, are not supposed to require any of that. Our customers don't want to do ANY maintenance, if possible! That's why I'm so interested in these. Also, any plant that is less attractive to deer is on the top of our list. We've been having a lot of trouble with funguses (fungi?) in our sedums and rudbeckias so we are looking for a tough replacement. Nobody wants to spray fungicide every 7-10 days, or at all, as far as I'm concerned! Thanks, Gina

I don't do anything to my mums. No pinching, shearing, mulching, etc. Any time I mulched they developed crown rot and died. So I just leave them be. In the middle of spring I cut or break off the old dead stems. Ours bloom late summer up to frost most years. I don't see how any mum can reach a height of 3' if you keep removing 1/2 of the growth. Seems like a lot of stress to the plant and extra work to me.

I like mine to be cushioned out that is why I cut back so much. I have a lot of begonias also snd without a doubt they will bloom as long are longer than the mums. they just do not have the color.

I just shear my mums back in late spring only once by a third or half depending on the legginess, makes them grow more bushy and compact. I prefer the look of bushy over leggy and floppy.

Mine don't seem to get leggy most years. If a hard wind comes thru I can tell it but most of the time they stand up just fine. The Belgiums are the tallest ones we have. Sometimes I'll drive stakes and run a string or small twine around the whole clump if they look like they may be trying to fall some from winds. I think many of mine may be leaning toward the dwarf size.

If mine are over a year old I shear them back to the ground almost. Usually in March sometime. When they are about 6 inches tall I cut them back almost in half. Then the rest of the summer I just chop off about a third anytime I see them trying to form buds are I think they are getting leggy. I will not let them form buds till after labor day depending on temperature etc.