QA

Quick Answer: When To Plant Fall Mums

The early to mid-spring is the best time to plant mums. Mums may die off and only last for a single year if added later in the year such as during the fall or the onset of winter. With proper care, they will become a perennial fixture in your flower garden.

When should I plant mums for fall?

If you’re using a mum as a perennial, plant in early spring, or in the fall at least six weeks before the first killing frost. If you’re using chrysanthemums for a pop of fall color to boost your late season garden, plant them when they’re blooming in later summer or early fall and treat them as annuals.

Can I plant potted mums in the fall?

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. Although your potted mums may look dead, they might just be dormant.

Is it too late to plant mums in October?

Most gardeners plant mums too late in the fall for the plants to survive over winter. Some of the mums may come back the next year if they are mulched for the winter. The shallow-rooted mums that are planted late in fall while in full bud or flower just do not have enough time to establish before winter sets in.

Do fall mums come back every year?

Because people often think that mums (formally called Chrysanthemums) are at best a finicky perennial, many gardeners treat them as annuals, but this doesn’t have to be the case. With just a little winter care for mums, these fall beauties can come back year after year.

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.

Can garden mums survive winter?

Although garden mums are often called hardy mums, they may not survive the winter if drainage is poor or if you live in an extremely cold climate. If your mums survive the winter, you’ll see new growth developing around the base of the plant in early spring.

What temp is too cold for mums?

Mums are cold hardy to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. They can survive hot temperatures from 90 to 100 F, but they’ll need plenty of water and a little shade.

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.

How long do potted mums last outside?

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 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.

What kind of mums come back every year?

Perennial Mums Water well throughout the growing season. Like annual mums, you’ll get the best blooms if they’re planted in full sun, but they will tolerate partial shade. This encourages them to grow fuller and bushier, and flower later into the season. Like annual mums, perennial mums benefit from deadheading.

Are garden mums Hardy?

The vast majority of garden mums (Chrysanthemum x morifolium) are hardy in Zones 5 to 9, although there’s a trick to getting those beautiful fall bloomers to overwinter successfully.

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.

Will potted mums bloom again?

A: They won’t flower again this year, but should next fall. You can keep them in containers or plant them in the garden in an organically enriched, well-draining soil and in five to six hours of sun. Since the blooms have faded, cut the plants back to 2 inches above ground and mulch heavily.

How do you know if you have hardy mums?

5 Things to know about Hardy Mums Garden Mums are Hardy Mums. A Garden Mum is a Hardy Mum. Purchase Mums When the Temperature Cools Down to Get Longer Lasting Flowers. Mums have Multiple Sets of Flowers. Water Large Mums at Base to Prevent Splitting. Overwinter Mums can be difficult.