FALL MUMS...can you believe we've been growing our 20,000+ mum crop since mid-May?  Continue reading to learn more about how mums are grown at Mill Creek! 

We propagate our mums using a precise and controlled process that ensures consistency and quality.  We begin by planting our mum cuttings in propagation trays and using a growing medium that is watered to the perfect moisture level.  Each cutting is dipped in a rooting hormone to promote healthy growth, before being planted to a particular depth in the soil.  We do this just after Mother's Day.   

Our mums are cared for with specific growing requirements for heat, light, water, and fertilizer, in our propagation house.  Too low of a temperature can stimulate early flowering, while warm temperatures can delay flowering. To promote green growth, mums need more daytime light and shorter nights.  To increase bud growth, they need less daytime light and longer nights.  We use our grow lights in the propagation house to control these settings.

We use micro-irrigation for watering in the mum pad.  Micro-irrigation is an effective watering technique because it slowly drips water out directly into the pot, preventing excess water and nutrient waste.