When Is The Best Time To Transplant Mums

Chrysanthemums, or mums, are those jeweled-toned flowers with hardy green foliage you see in the supermarkets and nurseries each fall. For many gardeners, this is the first sign that autumn is on the way. From rust, orange, gold and fushcia, mums provide a shot of color that are only rivaled by the changing autumn leaves on your block. Most people don't realize these potted plants will thrive if planted in the ground during the fall. You may be tempted to leave them in the pots you purchased them in, but if you plant these in the ground during the fall, they will survive the winter and in the spring, these plants can be transplanted.

Instructions

1. Prepare to plant mums before the first winter freeze.

2. Allow the foliage and flowers to die back. Do not trim these parts of the plant back.

3. Decide on whether you want to divide the mums before transplanting. If the mum clump is too big for the new spot, you can divide the mum with your hands by digging out the roots and dividing the root clump into two to three parts.

4. Wait until the early spring to transplant mums. It should be well after the last frost. Pick a spot with full sun and soil with good drainage.

5. Dig a hole twice the size of the existing root ball. Place the plant in the hole and fill with garden soil and existing soil. Trim the dead flowers off the top of the mum.

6. After a couple of months, you can work 1/4 cup of low-nitrogen fertilizer around the soil of each transplanted mum.

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