Visit any garden center in the fall and you'll see rows upon rows of mums bursting with blooms. When everything else is brown and gray, these are the flowers that fight through the frost. Typically, mums bloom from September to the end of October, but sometimes they can go longer depending on the weather.
A lot of people treat mums as annuals when in fact they're perennials. If you plant mums in the ground and do everything right, they come back year after year. There are many different varieties--from the more common cushion mums to the smaller button size to the delicate daisy-shaped and the new tiny Belgium type.
When choosing mums at a garden center, keep in mind that the less expensive mum in the small container can be as big as the larger one once it is planted. Some are in full bloom while others may not be. The ones in full bloom will give you instant color, but those just opening will last longer into the season.
Once you get home, plant your mums right away. Try to choose an area that gets at least six hours of sun a day and where the soil drains well.
First, dig a hole as deep as the container and twice as wide. Don't forget, it's always best to amend your soil with compost peat moss and/or cow manure before you plant. Once the hole is dug, gently remove the plant from the container, score the roots with a knife and gently tease them so they'll spread more easily. Then just place the plant in hole and backfill with the amended soil.
Keep your mums well watered through the first hard freeze. After that, add a thick layer of mulch to protect them through winter. For trimming back, there are a couple of schools of thought. In warmer climates, it's fine to cut back. In colder climates, leave the dead stems; they work perfectly as a cage. Stuff leaves inside to add extra protection.
In the spring when the mums are about four to six inches tall, you can cut them back. Then continue pinching out the center of each stem through the first of July in northern climates and early August in the south. This will help make the plant bushier with enhanced blooms.
If you follow these tips, you'll end up with a big beautiful mum. In a couple of years, it will double its size.
Because these are perennials, it's important that you divide the plant every three years. All you need to do is dig up the entire root ball, and eliminate the center because that's where it dies back. Cut the plant into four or five different plants, and you will have mums to enjoy for years to come.
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