Misconception of planting mums this fall Jack Wu — WWLP

Mums come in a wide variety of colors that perfectly complement the fall season, but if you aren’t careful, your mums might not make it through the winter.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Mums come in a wide variety of colors that perfectly complement the fall season, but if you aren’t careful your mums might not make it through the winter.

Chrysanthemums, more widely known as mums, are perennial plants. This means they can last multiple years with the right care. You’ll have to water regularly if our mainly dry conditions continue through fall.

Steven Bordenuk with Sixteen Acres Garden Center put down one misconception about planting mums, “People think that they’re perennial and that they’ll come back every year, but basically it depends on the winter. We have a really cold winter, they will not come back. The reason why they call them hardy is because they’ll take cooler weather in the fall as opposed to an annual.” 

Mums still need to be cared for despite the favorable weather. A few tips to keep note of are:

Give them enough sunlight since the sunshine isn’t as intense

Water them appropriately

Make sure the pot has appropriate drainage so the soil isn’t too soggy

In the event of frost, it’s best to cover all outdoor plants with a thin sheet. 

Yelp has created a list of the best places to get mums in western Massachusetts:

Randall’s Farm in Ludlow

North Hadley Sugar Shack in Hadley

Atkins Farms in Amherst

Dickinson Farm & Greenhouse in Granby

Calabrese Farms in Southwick

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