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Chrysanthemums, nicknamed “mums,” are one of fall’s quintessential flowers. They’re usually the last plant to bloom before frost, ushering your garden into the big sleep of winter with a last bang of color.
Are mums perennials or annuals?
Garden mums, also known as hardy mums, are perennial mums. Cut-flower chrysanthemums, like spider mums or football mums, are perennials in Zones 5 to 9, and these types are becoming easier to find for sale online.
Do potted mums come back?
Potted mums are autumn classics, with late-season color that boosts curb appeal or brightens a Thanksgiving table. Treat your potted mums with care, and they’ll come back whether you maintain them in the pot or plant them out in the garden.
Do mums come back every year if planted in the ground?
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.
How long does a mum plant last?
Early bloomers often begin flowering in late July, early fall bloomers show off blooms in September and late fall bloomers start their stunning display of colors in October. Each variety differs, but most mums will continue to bloom for four to eight weeks.
When should I buy fall mums?
Mid-September is the earliest time you should consider buying mums. However, each year the longer and hotter summers are pushing that date later and later into September, even into the month of October. As a rule, we at Southern Living recommend “buying plants as they start to break bud. You’ll maximize bloom time.
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.
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.
Can mums live indoors?
Indoor Mum Care: Growing Chrysanthemums Indoors. Growing chrysanthemums indoors is easy and requires little special care beyond watering, good soil and drainage. Once the blooms are spent, you can keep the plant around for its deeply etched foliage.
Can I keep mums in pots over the winter?
Overwinter your mums in pots. If you’re not ready to give up your beautiful fall blooms, you can overwinter mums in pots as long as they’re hardy mums. Fall-blooming mums (Chrysanthemum x morifolium) grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 to 9, and they’re often grown in pots as annuals in other zones.
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.”.
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.
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.
Do mums bloom twice a year?
Chrysanthemums do not normally bloom twice. They put on foliage growth throughout the spring and summer, then produce buds in the late summer and fall. If you purchase these, it’s possible to get them to flower twice by pruning them back.
How long do potted mums last inside?
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.
Are mums invasive?
Ox-eye Daisy, Chrysanthemum leucanthemum It does become invasive in many areas, so has been prohibited by more states than any other wildflower, mostly for agricultural reasons.
Where do mums grow outside?
Choose a full sun location (6+ hours of sun per day) with well-draining soil. As much as they can’t tolerate dry soil, neither will they tolerate soggy soil. If planting several, allow 18-inches between plants. Some mums get big and wide!Sep 25, 2021.
Can you keep mums alive all year?
Keeping your mums alive from year to year all starts with selecting the right mums at the time of purchase. Garden mums are a true perennial, and with a little fall preparation, can be kept and grown year after year. With a hardiness from growing zones 5 to 9, it is these mums you want to purchase and save!Oct 15, 2020.
Can mums survive frost?
Most garden mums should be able to endure a light fall frost. Cover the plants at night when freeze warnings are in effect. However, if you are in a cold climate, leaving the dead foliage on the plants has been found to help the plant survive colder temperatures better than pruned plants.
How do you get a mum to rebloom?
Plant the mums in well-draining soil that receives full sun. Fertilize well to encourage blooms. If the mums produce spring blooms, pinch them back before late summer to encourage fall flowering. Before winter, cover plants with several inches of mulch or straw.
