If you are like me you probably visit the garden centers often and recently I am sure you have seen the mums. The question is how are they best used in the landscape?. I like chrysanthemums often called mums for short, but you do have to realize they may only flower for a few weeks. How long the blooms last depends on the weather - the cooler the weather the better.
I often plant one or more in a big container. First I filled the container with a quality potting mixture then I added the mums. I buy them in fairly tight bud. Then I keep the soil moist. If the weather is cool the mum should give about a month of good color. Then when the flowers begin to decline I cut them off. The potting mix should feed your plant for several months so you won't have to add fertilizer for a while.
After 3 to 4 months you may want to give it a feeding with a slow release fertilizer because your plant could keep on flowering throughout the winter and into spring. After the spring you can add the plant to the flower garden or maybe the compost pile. That is what I do. Mums are easy to grow but they are seasonal.
