Who knew Chrysanthemums were perennials?

[Silentrunning]

My wife loves Mums. Last year I bought a couple of 6 packs and planted them in different planters for her. They did ok but were kind of wimpy. When winter came I really didn’t think much about them so I just put them next to the garage so I could dump the containers out in the spring for new flowers. Even after being covered with snow in December the roots of these Mums must have lived. I noticed some green this spring so I just let them go. Now it is mid June and the Mums are way bigger than they ever were last year and they are still growing.

 

[Mrsclem]

Yes, certain varieties come back every year. They need to be pruned back several times in spring and summer to get that big blooming bush in fall.

 

[DrCase]

I cut mine back after I get a bloom around the 4th of July
Then they bloom again around Halloween

 

[LouisFerdinand]

I have one yard customer who has yellow mums that are over thirty years old.

 

[Silentrunning]

I cut mine back after I get a bloom around the 4th of July
Then they bloom again around Halloween

Do you just dead head them or do you cut them back a certain amount? Since mine are doing good, I would like to try to keep them going.

 

[DrCase]

Do you just dead head them or do you cut them back a certain amount? Since mine are doing good, I would like to try to keep them going.

I just cut them back hard , I leave them about 3” to 4” tall

 

[Esther Knapicius]

yes, they do come up every year. you have to cut them back hard about July. just same time you cut back the taller sedums also fall asters. my mums bloom in the fall.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

I just cut them back hard , I leave them about 3” to 4” tall

Once I cut a lady's mums like this. However, they hardly grew any more growth that summer. They did have flowers.

 

[DrCase]

Once I cut a lady's mums like this. However, they hardly grew any more growth that summer. They did have flowers.

I don’t know Louis maybe it was the variety
The old wives tale is too cut them back on the 4th of July
If they are blooming then I watch their show awhile longer before cutting them back
I can’t remember how long I had this plant in the ground I know it’s more than 20 years
I’m in zone 7

You could feed them after you cut them for more growth

 

[LouisFerdinand]

It is interesting how some colors of mums lighten after the blooms have been open a while.
https://flic.kr/p/6YrHHL

 

[alp]

If your weather is ideal, they will just stay with you year after year! Lovely to have an ideal convergence of optimum growing factors - terroir, climate, moisture or humidity and sunshine, aspect .. I have only heat and its friend - aphids!

 

[LouisFerdinand]

A minister inquired if chrysanthemums were perennials.

 

[Logan]

Some can be hardy and some grow in a greenhouse. I cut my michaelmas daisies back by half in the week of the Chelsea flower show, that's called the Chelsea chop, it makes them bush out and later flowering.