Gardeners...Mum question for you???

[WendyZ]

We're doing some landscaping...yesterday I purchased 5 garden mum plants. I've always wanted some of those dark red. I love them! Anyway yesterday at the nursery, I seen a sign about why mums might not last through the winter. These are perennials right? I thought they were. The neighbor lady has them and I know she doesn't plant hers every year.
I was wondering what you do to care for yours over the winter (if you have winter)? We have very cold winters here, so I need to figure this out. I did read online to cover them with straw, but I'd like to find a different method. DH suggested one of the strafoam (sp?) cones to cover them with.
I love flowers/perennials, but I am NO GARDENER!!!! I try, but my thumbs are not green!! If you can offer any advice to help me keep these alive...I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks!

 

[Pembo]

I had one at my other house for years and I just got 4 last fall. I do NOTHING to them over winter and they all came back. In spring I watered and fertilized them. 2 plants bloomed this summer. I recently cut off the dead flowers and they have lots of buds as well as my other 2 plants. I'm definitely not a green thumb. Good luck

 

[Feralpeg]

I had mums when I lived in Missouri. I didn't do anything special for them and they always came back up in the spring. I didn't cut them back when they became dorment. I figured the dried stalks would help insulate them. In the spring when the new growth would come out, I would pull away the dead parts. If you are concerned, try covering the root part with some mulch or straw. The top part always dries up during the winter anyway. Don't use plastic. I've heard that it will cause the roots to rot and die. Good luck!

 

[sorcerormickey]

Well, Mums are *technically* perennials, but not really. At least in our state, anyways.

Due to all the hybridizing that has been done to mums over the past few years to get those fabulous colors, they have lost their ability to live thru our cold winters. If you plant them near the house, where they will be a little warmer, and mulch them really well over the winter, they *may* come back. 2 years ago, I planted 8 mums, 3 came back last year, and now this year, only 1.

What part of the state are you in??

 

[lynxstch]

is cut them back after they are totally done flowering (here in MD mine from last year are already in full bloom)..we have one giant one in a whiskey barrel planter that I cut back and cover with plastic..but the others I just let them be..they started coming right back up in the spring!

 

[Disney Doll]

I live in CT, and I find that they come back for a couple of years, but as time goes on they die off and I have to replant. The good thing is they don't all die off at once, so I end up planting 2-5 each year, to fill in the others from previous years that ahve died.

I have mine planted in a southern exposure next to a stone wall, so they are fairly warm and well-protected.

 

[Amberle3]

I think they're a limited-lifespan perennial. Mine will live for a few years, and then just not grow back the next year.

 

[WendyZ]

Thanks for the replys. I live about 20 min. west of Flint.
They are closer to my house than other flowers. Maybe I'll try an experiment....do some with mulch and leave some.
If I happen to see the neighbor lady out... I can ask her also. Hers look really nice...maybe she has some secret!

 

[DisMN]

WOW! I was planning to pull mine up in the fall....but maybe I'll leave 'em and see if they grow back!

Thanks to the OP for asking the question!