reblooming hardy mums quickly

by Angela
(Kossuth county Iowa)

how do I force my mum plants to rebloom quickly? I've already cut them back and used miracle-gro I NEED them to look fantastic again by this Sunday

Doug says that unfortunately, that isn't going to happen if you're looking for blooms. A plant simply doesn't grow as fast as you'd like it to and a fall blooming mum will give you one bloom set a year (in the fall) no matter how hard you try to push it or how much plant-food you give it.

Cutting them back is something you do in the spring to thicken them up rather than in the fall.

And yes, unfortunately, you've just learned that fall mums come in early, medium and late blooming varieties. Sounds as if you had an early blooming variety that finished off.

My suggestion would be to go and buy yourself some that are in bloom if you really need them for this coming week.