How to Order Mums from North Carolina Farms

Belgian mums are a popular choice for fall displays, but timing is crucial when it comes to ordering and growing them. To order mums in a way that ensures you have full, finished plants that bloom during your peak sales time, you need to plan ahead and make some calculations. And with over 200 varieties of mums to choose from, the options may seem overwhelming.

To successfully order mums, follow these steps. First, determine your local market time, which can vary depending on your region, zone, or cultural and environmental factors. Consider factors like fall festivals or craft shows in your area, as these can influence when customers start looking for fall decorations. Once you know your peak sales time, you can calculate your order time by determining what size finished container you want and giving your plants enough time to grow to that size. For example, an 8″ mum pan will take about 12 weeks to grow into a 16″ mum.

How to Order Mums: An Example

Here’s an example: Let’s say your peak garden mum sales time is in mid-September, around week 38. You plan to sell the mums in 8″ mum pans and want them to grow out to 16″ to make a full, finished product. Belgian mums grow about an inch and a half per week, so you’ll need to order them to arrive on week 26 (or the last week in June) to allow for 12 weeks of growth.

Once you have chosen your ship week – which, to recap, is 12 weeks before your sale date – you will make your variety selection from mums that bloom during your sale time. Our website sorts by bloom period here: https://ncfarmsinc.com/Belgian-Mums.php?sort=bloomPeriod

Orders are taken based on availability, which now is also sorted by bloom period for your, and our, convenience.

Tips and Tricks when Ordering Mums

To make the most of your Belgian mum crop, consider these tips and tricks:

• Order early to lock in this year’s pricing on next year’s mums and avoid price increases that often happen at the start of the year due to inflation. Pre-orders for Belgian mums typically open on November 1st, and new pricing typically goes into effect June 1st.
• Order all your mums together to keep shipping costs low. While staggering your crop and extending your sales window is a good idea, you don’t want to waste money on multiple shipping orders for mums that are only a few weeks apart. Your mums will still bloom when they are supposed to, even if you get them in a little early.
• Plan ahead to stagger when your products are finished. Figure out your peak sales time and aim to have most pots ready by then. You can have a few smaller pots ready to go early and a few more prepared to go late, but keep the size of the finished product consistent by growing different pot sizes, changing the fertilizer mix to slow down growth, or pinching back the later ones. Alternatively, try planting the later crop in a larger container.
• Note that the information on the website is based on a southern bloom time. If you need information on Northern bloom times, contact us or visit the Gediflora website. This information is crucial and may affect your peak sales time.