A Greener View: Mums and bulbs – Jeff Rugg

by Jeff Rugg, contributing writer

Q: I love chrysanthemums. I buy several colors of them each fall. I have tried planting them in the ground but they have never come back in the spring. Any suggestions?

A: There are several reasons that they don’t make it through the winter.

First, you need to buy a hardy variety. There are around 20 species of mums and thousands of varieties. The different species may be cold hardy from Zones 7 to 4 in the north and as far south as Zone 9. If you live in Zone 5 and plant a mum only hardy to Zone 6 it is possible that it will die over the winter. Some of the prettiest mums are called florist’s chrysanthemums and they are the least hardy, maybe to Zone 7.

Second, to protect garden mums from winter damage, wait until the top has been killed by frost. Cut the dead top off at about two inches above the ground. After several hard frosts, cover the plant with six to eight inches of mulch. This stops the alternating freeze-thaw cycles that can kill the roots. Remove about half the mulch in the spring as the new growth begins to grow.

Third, the soil in the flower pot is probably very different from the garden soil. It is likely to just be peat moss and some bark chips or perlite. It will dry out very quickly. Winter air is very dry and even slight winds will dry off the soil. The mulch will help but if there is no snow cover, you may need to water the plants a few times over the winter.

Q: Is it too late to plant flower bulbs like tulips? I bought them early but didn’t plant them yet. I don’t want to do all the work in the garden if they won’t grow. Can I pot them up and store them in the garage refrigerator for the winter and plant them in the spring?

A: Fall-planted spring-flowering bulbs grow roots when the ground temperature at bulb level is over 40 degrees. Even if the top of the soil is starting to freeze, larger bulbs like tulips and daffodils that are planted as much as six inches deep can still grow roots. Small bulbs like crocus that are planted in the top couple of inches may not be able to grow roots.

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To read more columns on gardening by Jeff, go to: https://rinewstoday.com/?s=jeff+rugg

Email questions to Jeff Rugg at [email protected]. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2020 JEFF RUGG – DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE