Don’t Throw Your Autumn Moms Away
As summer draws to a close, there are clear signs in retail that autumn is approaching: Halloween costumes, candy, and decorations take over the seasonal shelves in supermarkets and big box stores; pumpkin spice-flavored or flavored foods are everywhere; and shoppers are invited to retail stores displaying pumpkins and mums indoors and/or outdoors.
Bright autumn mums have earned their place on front porches and porches, along with pumpkins and various parts of withered corn plants, as a quintessential outdoor fall decor. And so often, when moms lose their color, they join the pumpkin and corn carcasses in the trash.
But it shouldn’t be like that. This is because contrary to popular belief, many moms are perennials, not annuals. Here’s what you need to know.
Why you can’t throw moms out at the end of the season
While annual chrysanthemums that only live one year do exist and also appear in retail stores in the fall (mostly in small gift pots), the “overwhelming majority” of chrysanthemums sold are hardy perennials. , according to Old World Garden Farms .
You can tell which type you have by checking the tag or the small paper rod that comes with the plant when you buy it: perennials will be labeled “morifolium chrysanthemum” and annuals will be labeled “multiflorum chrysanthemum,” reviewer Associated Horticulture Press. Jessica Damiano explains in a recent article .
If the tag isn’t there, she recommends checking the foliage: “Perennials have broad leaves with deep serrations; annuals have narrow and less serrated foliage,” writes Damiano .
Will perennial mothers survive in any climate?
According to Damiano, the climate in about half of the United States — areas in horticultural zones 5 through 9 — is suitable for planting and raising perennial mums. While they can tolerate cold winter weather, mums cannot survive the extreme cold of New England and parts of the Northwest and West. They also don’t do well in the extremely high temperatures seen in southern parts of Florida, Texas, and California, as well as western Arizona.
What to do with moms in winter
Once your moms have lost their color and become more like Halloween decorations, it’s time to act. That means moving them indoors – pots and all.
While it is possible to plant mums directly into the ground in early fall, that window is already closed by this point in the season. This is because they don’t have enough time to take root in the soil and they are more likely to freeze and die in the winter.
In any case, before taking the potted mummies indoors, cut the plant a few inches above the soil line in the pot so that it is mostly stems and a few small leaves. Then touch the soil. If it feels dry, lightly sprinkle it with water – not too much, otherwise it can cause the roots to rot in winter.
Ideally, you want to keep the potted mummies somewhere indoors with temperatures between 45° and 60° , such as a cool corner of a basement or a partially heated or insulated garage.
The goal is to give moms the space to do nothing while keeping them alive . Give moms a little trickle of water every few weeks and that’s it. Then, in early spring, you can either transplant the mommies into new pots or plant them directly in the ground.