mums

[slk24]

I know you can plant mums outside, but yesterday my son asked if they will come up again next year or they considered annuals.   If you can leave them in the ground for next year, do you cut them back later in the fall like you do day lillies?

[Bon]

depends, some people have luck with them coming back others don't. depends on where you plant them also. To me they are a disposable plant, so I consider them an annual.

[Petee]

If your garden is in a warmer microclimate with good soil and drainage then your mums may survive from year to year.  The BUDS Gardeners have had several plants survive from year to year, and indeed we had to take the ones out of the DuBois Historical Society beds because they grew like weeds and took over everything even with pruning.

 

We've also had them come up more than two years in a row at the Medicine Shoppe tree beds,

 

The key to holding them over winter is good mulching and/warmer temperatures, and good drainage so the roots don't rot.

 

I live out on the Rockton Road and our temperatures are sometimes ten degrees colder than in town so they do not overwinter here for me.

[lavender]

Depends on the kind of mum and the soil condition. Some of the cultivars are hardier than others. I have a red one that comes back every year no matter where I plant it. Again they like good drainage or the roots rot in the winter.

[steelnut]

I've tried them for two years and no luck at all.

 

[Guest snellma]

You all might want to try this.  Get the brown paper recycling bags and cut the bottoms off.  Place them over the plants and then fill them up with your grass clippings and leaves.  This really helps them during the winter.

[PSTeach]

Mine that were protected up against the house always came back.

[lavender]

Took a bunch of tip cuttings from the red one this year. I will be interesting to see if they grow as well as the original plants.