Lovely mums are in their full glory in October. Some late blooming varieties will make it completely through the month.
If you have planted garden mums (as opposed to container or florist mums), help ensure their survival by mulching heavily after the first frost, according to bhg.com. Mulch at least four-inches deep around the plant and in-between branches. Pinch off old blooms, but keep the branches in tact until spring. When spring comes, you'll want to pull away the mulch to allow new shoots.
One note: Only garden mums will overwinter. Florist mums or container mums will not make it no matter how lovingly they are tended. They don't develop the stolons necessary for survival.
Don't plant mums in the fall. They rarely survive.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
