Hardy Mums Are Here Again!

Hardy mums are here again and they are looking big, beautiful, and just about ready to bloom. These mums will add a wonderful splash of color to your late-season garden.
 
Hardy, or fall or garden, mums should be planted in a nice sunny spot in the garden, in an average, well-drained soil. Mums are short-day plants, meaning the shorter days trigger the plant to bloom. Avoid planting them near bright streetlights or other bright night-time lights so they don't get confused. When planting at this time of year (later in the season), you should simply space your plants according to how big they are. Water them well and they should have plenty of time to become established before the first hard frost.
 
After the foliage dies back, for a little extra insurance, you can add a six inch layer of mulch to keep the plant insulated over the winter. Leave the dead stems on the plant in the fall and prune it back in the spring, being careful of new growth. For bushier, more compact plants, you can pinch them after they have gotten four to six inches tall, about every three to four weeks during the growing season. In this area, you should stop pinching around the beginning of July.
 
You can use mums around early blooming plants or to camouflage plants that don't look so great late in the season. With their prolific flowering and gorgeous colors, hardy mums are sure to send your garden off in style.