Will My Garden Mums Bloom Again Next Year?

If your mums (Chrysanthemum x morifolium) survive winter, new growth appears at the base in early spring. Clip away last year's dead stems. No growth at the base means the plant didn't make it. Despite being called "hardy mums," they can succumb to poor drainage or extreme cold.

If multiple shoots emerge, divide the clump—three to five vigorous shoots make a showy plant. Apply slow-release granular fertilizer when shoots appear. At 6 inches tall, pinch back each stem by 1–2 inches to promote bushy, compact growth. Stop pinching after late June to avoid delaying bloom.

Garden mums naturally bloom in fall when nights lengthen. Spring-blooming mums in garden centers were forced in greenhouses. A few day-neutral cultivars bloom at any day length, so yours might flower by midsummer if not pinched. Heat can also delay blooming.