Expert: C.L. Fornari - 8/8/2007

Question
QUESTION: After reading through all of these different tips about my mums, I have a question for you.  What does cutting them back mean?  I am going to transplant my mums from pots to the ground and it says to water them once a week until the 1st freeze and then wait to cut them after winter in March-but where do I cut-all the way down or do I leave a little.  Obviously, I am extremely new at this gardening thing-all of my flowers died last year and I am trying to start new and save my flowers this time.  My two big white mums have no flowers on them anymore (my neighbor showed me how to pinch off the dead flowers) my three other colored mums look wonderful.  So I guess I just need help lol-thank you!!!

ANSWER: Julie,
The instructions that you got are good in that they remind you to water them once a week until the ground freezes.  This is important because when we buy mums they are in a small pot, and the roots are in a mass that dries out quickly.  Watering them once a week (or more often - perhaps every three days if it's hot where you are) keeps them alive so that they are more likely to return next spring.

Not cutting them down in the fall is also important for keeping them alive - if you cut them back in the fall, they are more likely to die over the winter.  We don't know if this is because the wilted tops protect the roots or if the wilted tops give some stored carbs to the roots, but in any case, wait until next March to cut them down.

At that time, cut them almost to the ground - I usually leave about an inch or two of stem so that I remember where they are if there is no new foliage yet.

I hope this helps!
C.L.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: This was very helpful, thank you again.  One more question, can I plant my mums in the ground now?  I am in Crown Point, IN.  I am going to plant them next to my hostas and tiger lillies so I have some color after my tiger lillies die off.  Thank you again!

Answer
Julie,
The sooner you get the plants in the ground the better able they will be to establish their roots before winter, so yes, plant them now!  Mums need at least 4-5 hours of dead-on sun to do well, preferably sun including the noon hour when it's strongest.

all the best,
C.L.