Is fall a good time to plant?

Fall is a great time to plant, especially perennials, trees, and shrubs. The important thing to remember is that even though fall is generally a wetter season, newly planted plants must be watered regularly (approx. 2-3 times per week). Plants should be watered up until the ground freezes. It is also better to have your plants planted by the end of September early October. It takes at least 6 good weeks for a plant to develop a good root system. Trees and shrubs take a little longer to develop a better root system but they are hardier than perennials and mums. A tree and shrub can be put in the ground up until about December and still withstand extreme colds.

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How do you get your mums to last longer throughout the season?

Water your mums every day to every other day. They must stay moist. When you water your mums prevent watering the flowers. If the flowers get wet it will shorten the beauty of the flower. It is better to keep your mums under a porch or sheltered area because dew and moisture during the nights can ruin flower beauty as well.

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Are these mums the hardy ones, mine never come back?

Most mums found in the fall are usually considered your hardy mum varieties, but they can still freeze out. Planting your mums directly into ground rather than waiting until the blooms are finished will help prevent freezing. This will ensure that they have at least 6 weeks to root out into the ground before the ground freezes. The soil mums are grown in at the nursery is formulated for aeration allowing extreme temperature conditions to reach the roots. Mulching you mums with 3-4 inches of mulch will help ensure they come back as well.