MUM'S THE WORD
From Emma Lane
It’s almost that time of year again. Nothing is more refreshingthan a vivid blue sky accented by fiery leaves of the hard woods, yellows ofthe aspens and some maples, and various reds of the underbrush. Many shades oforange and yellow are accented by the dark greens of spruce and pines. Autumnis foliage showing off and we love it. It’s nature’s last hurrah before thesettling of wintertime and rest.
The flower gardens are looking a bit seedy (they have causeas they are making next year’s seeds.) Have your Hibiscus, Rose of Sharon,Obedience Plant finished? Sunflowers are nodding their heavy heads with birdsand rodents feasting on the bounty of oil rich seeds. For relief we turn to aplant we nicknamed, MUM, but it is so not mum as it speaks with rich fallcolors on a plant that stays tidy and easily tucked into existing gardens. Chrysanthemum hasbeen shortened to mum; the real name almost forgotten.
Are mums perennial? Do they survive the freezing temps and come back nextyear. The answer is . . . maybe. Indeed, the plant is cold hardy at least toagricultural zone 4/5. So why have so many gardeners been disappointed when themums succumb to the cold? Might be from too much love? Actually, mums arefairly tough plants that need little attention to thrive. The problem is a shallowroot system. Simply put, it cannot stay in the ground during frost heaves whichcome and go with a changing temperature.
Give it up. You aren’t about to run out every time a warm day and a frostfreeze night happens. It’s probably many more nights than you suspect. Mulch isthe best remedy. A good mulch will cut down on the possibility of the shallowrooted plant being thrust out of the ground and left high and dry to die.
Two other remedies: Stick a pot ortwo of your favorite colors in a corner of the garage and give a sip of wateroccasionally. It might work; worth a try.
Next is treat the low-cost mum plant like an annual and don’t worry aboutit. Just buy new next year.
I’ve done all of the above withvarious successes. I refuse to give up new and different colors, so I buy everyyear. I, also, cover my favorite yellows with solid mulch and try to rememberto trim until the 4th of July. (Otherwise, they grow leggy andunattractive.) I’ve been known to pot up an unusual color I want to try andsave and tuck it into a corner of the garage. It works maybe half the time. Idon’t get upset with failures, as I remember mums are not expensive and I canreplace them as autumn approaches. It’s a lovely plant; indulge and enjoy.
Here's a look at oneof my cozy mysteries to warm your heart: MURDER AT THE LOOKOUT, 4THin the Detective Kevin Fowler series.
When is it not fun to be a blond? What happenswhen a blond beauty hits town like a tornado stirring up memories and causingturmoil? Detective Kevin Fowler and his wife, the former Beverly Hampton, ownerof the local newspaper, are settling into blissful married life. AlthoughBeverly is sanguine over the demand on Kevin’s time by the good people ofHubbard, she is more than dubious when his duties include the escort of adrop-dead gorgeous female from his past.
There is some concern over the persistentvandalism of residential mailboxes, but an infamous arsonist has decidedpeaceful but dull Hubbard would make a great place from which to operate. Hebrazenly locates down the block from the detective and his wife.
What bait and tackle shop in the village has adual purpose? Kevin ponders why two goons have invaded town shooting at andattempting to kidnap and murder three women. A state patrolman, aptly nicknamed Rooster, teases Fowler at the riotous scene of a traffic accident wherethe press, not the police, wins the day.
Another mystery and adventure with a satisfyingending unfolds in peaceful Hubbard, New York, small-town Americana, whereDetective Kevin Fowler keeps an ever-vigilant watch.
Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes cozy mysteries as Janis Lane, Regency as Emma, and spice as Sunny Lane. She lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous in color. At long last she enjoys the perfect bow window for her desk where she is treated to a year-round panoramic view of nature. Her computer opens up a fourth fascinating window to the world. Her patient husband is always available to help with a plot twist and encourage Emma to never quit. Her day job is working with flowers at Herbtique and Plant Nursery, the nursery she and her son own.
Look for information about writing and plants on Emma's new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.
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