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How to Plant Mums Plant mums in the ground at the same depth they were at in the pot. If planted too low, water can gather around the base and rot the stems. Place plants 18 to 36 inches apart, depending on the mature size of the plant.
How close together can I plant mums?
Space garden mums about 18 inches apart. Water slowly and deeply until the root zone around the plant is saturated. If the soil settles causing a depression around the plant, top it off with more soil.
How much space do mums need?
I usually space mums a minimum of 24 inches apart. Remember, these plants are perennials that will increase in size over time. I always start with a row around the perimeter of bed and then stagger plants towards the inside of the perimeter row, and so on towards the center until the bed is full.
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.
Can mums be planted together?
Pumpkins and Gourds partnered with mums are another easy way to create a fall-inspired display on your front porch. Choose different sized pumpkins and uniquely shaped gourds and place them together, even stacked, to create an interesting display. Mums can then be arranged or tucked around them.
Should I plant 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.
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.
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.
Should I water mums everyday?
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. Just like potted mums, water them at the soil level instead of on top of the blooms. Watering the foliage can cause disease.
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.
Do mums spread?
Mums steadily spread, but tend to die out in the centers. So every couple of years, lift the clump in spring, discard the old, woody center, divide the remainder into 3-4 plants, and replant.”.
What plant goes well with mums?
In the garden, good companion plants for mums are vegetables and late-season flowering perennials such as coneflowers. In containers, pair them with Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ and alyssum.
Do mums need 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.
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.
Is there a difference between garden mums and hardy mums?
Garden mums are the same thing as hardy mums. Nurseries and garden centers have stopped calling them hardy mums overtime. Mums need special care to over make it through the winter.
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.
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 potted mums be planted outside?
The mums sold as potted or gift plants in spring are usually florist mums. They are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. You can transplant them outdoors any time of year except the hottest part of summer.
When Should mums be planted?
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.
