Mums, or chrysanthemums, are an ideal way to bring bursts of fall color to your Florida landscape. They come in a variety of hues, including red, yellow, orange, and even hot pink. They don’t require a whole lot of maintenance, which makes them such a go-to plant for many homeowners during the fall season, especially in northern states.
But what do you do with your mums after they’re finished blooming and all of that gorgeous color is gone?
Although some people treat mums like annuals, they’re actually perennials when cultivated across U.S. plant hardiness zones 5 through 10, which includes northern Florida (zone 8b).
So when the last of your blooms have fizzled out here’s what to do.
Trim all stems back to 6 to 8 inches above ground.
You can do this either shortly after your mums are through blooming, or in late winter as new growth begins to appear.
Stop fertilizing and watering.
If you’ve been fertilizing your garden mums (garden meaning they’re planted in the ground) now is the time to stop, and for the most part you can stop watering them, too. If your plants are in an area that’s shielded from rainfall or if there are long intervals of really dry weather, however, you should water them occasionally to keep the soil from completely drying out. You can return to fertilizing and watering in the spring when new growth appears.
Remove excessive mulch from around mums.
During the plants’ dormancy leave a layer of mulch around them, but make sure the mulch is no more than a few inches thick. Also, maintain an area around the base of the mums where there is no mulch—about 6 inches in circumference. Mulch that’s too close to your plants can trap moisture against their stems and invite rot.
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