QA

Where Should I Plant Mums

Garden Design Suggestions Tuck the mums in beds, borders or planters to keep the color coming until frost. Plant them in beds or borders in the early spring or fall as perennials. They come back each fall with more flowers. Plant chrysanthemums in swaths or clumps of the same color and flower type.

Can I plant potted mums in the ground?

Technically, however, they can be planted in your garden any time before the first frost of fall. This means you can try removing the mums from your pot and planting them in the ground in the fall. Plant them at the same depth as they were in the pot and water them thoroughly after planting.

Will mums come back every year?

They will grow back and your plant won’t look dead in the middle.” Many people buy mums in the fall thinking the plants are annuals. But if you buy hardy mums, you can get them to bloom year after year.

Do mums like sun or shade?

Chrysanthemums are sun-loving plants. Although they technically require only 6 hours of sunlight each day, the more light they receive, the better their growth, bloom and hardiness. Slight shade in hot, summer afternoons is appropriate in warmer gardening zones to prevent scorching.

How long do potted mums last outdoors?

Garden mums may be grown in containers, or planted in beds with existing shrubs and flowers. Flowers generally last about two or three weeks, depending on the outdoor temperatures and how far along the blooming process was when the plants were purchased.

Do mums do better in pots or in the ground?

—your best bet is to overwinter them in their containers in a protected space (above freezing, never letting the soil dry out). Then, you can plant them in spring, providing lots of time to establish strong roots before their first winter in the ground.

Can mums survive the winter in pots?

Mums can survive light frosts and cold fairly easy, but a hard freeze can kill roots in pots permanently. Once potted mums have endured a hard freeze, their chances for surviving winter are slim. Cut mums back to within a few inches of the soil line before bringing indoors.

How do I save my potted mums for next year?

Keep mums indoors until one week before the last expected spring frost. At that time, take the pot outdoors to its summer location for two or three hours, then bring it back indoors to its winter location. Each day, bring the pot outdoors and leave it there for an hour or so longer each time.

Are potted mums annuals or perennials?

There are potted florist mums, which look just like garden (hardy) mums and even share the same botanical name (Chrysanthemum x morifolium)—and they’re perennials, but their survival depends on when you get them and where you live. Garden mums, also known as hardy mums, are perennial mums.

Can mums tolerate shade?

Mums thrive in full sun but can handle a bit of shade. Generally, flowering will be most profuse if they are grown in full sun. However, in warm climates, the plants often appreciate some shade during the heat of the afternoon.

Do mums need watered everyday?

When planting mums in the garden, dig a hole twice as large as the pot. After planting, give them a good watering and keep the soil moist everyday until they are established. Mums don’t like to get dry between waterings, so make sure you water them at least every other day and especially if they start looking wilted.

Do mums like lots of water?

Both florist and garden mums make excellent container plants. Chrysanthemums love full sun and all that heat means they also need plenty of water. Give them a good soak after repotting, then water every other day or whenever soil seems dry. Try to avoid allowing your plants to wilt.

When Should mums be planted?

When should I plant my mums? The best time to plant your mums is August or early September. If you can get your mums in the ground before they start blooming you will double the bloom time. The plant will get a more robust root system which helps elongate the bloom time.

How do mums come back every year?

The leaves of the plant will die back and become brown after a few hard frosts have hit your area. Leaving a little bit of the stems will ensure that next year you have a full plant, as the new stems will grow from these trimmed stems. If you cut the mums back to the ground, fewer stems will grow next year.

How do you keep fall mums looking good?

Water Mums from Bottom: Protect your mums from rain, and water them carefully without splashing the foliage or blooms. This will help keep the blooms from spotting and browning. Keep Mums Cool: Warm temperatures also encourage blooming, while cool temperatures will help mums blooms last longer.

Can you keep hardy mums indoors?

Mums are spectacular fall plants that can be brought indoors and used for decorating. Caring for mums indoors is easy and with only a few tips you can keep a mum plant healthy for three to four weeks. They are a big bang for your buck as they are less expensive than most bouquets of flowers.

What do I do with my mums after they fall?

Shortly after Fall or in late winter, when the mum has finished blooming, ensure you cut the plant’s stem to 6 to 8 inches above ground level. However, if you find the dead stems of winter valuable to wildlife or of interest, you may choose to leave the stems intact until the spring growth develops.