What winter care is needed for Chrysantemum (Momia Del Pote)?

Question

I live in Georgia, USA. I have my Chrysantemum in a container outside on my porch, which has no roof. We only have a few hard freezes and I'm wondering if my chrysanthemum needs trimming and when to do it. Where I live we are still having 60 dec. weather off and on until Dec or so. I'm also wondering if I should just trim the dead flowers off and leave it alone....??

Answer 1

Chrysanthemums are pretty hardy, so I don't think you will have to do much to it to keep it going well through the winter, especially considering the mild climate in which you live. Some pointers specific to your situation.

1) Container mums need two maintenance tasks to stay perky and flower well.
a) Cutting back - pinch off all dead blooms and/or trim branches back to about 8 inches from soil level. Keep soil moist but don't over water, especially during the winter season.
b) Dividing roots - mums can easily get root bound, so repot as the plant gets larger or literally cut the plant stem and root ball in half with a sharp cutting instrument and repot to a separate container. Try to keep the root ball intact unless it is tightly compacted, in which case, brush off some of the outer soil and loosen up the outer roots before setting in a new, larger pot with new soil mix. A light feeding at transplant time (B-1 solution, for instance) can prevent transplant shock, although that is rare.

Because mums are so hardy, some people forget that in addition to water, mums in containers need to be fed more than those in the ground. I prefer liquid fertilizer for containers and a light feeding every week (during flowering) and every three weeks (dormant period) keeps the plant healthy.

If convenient, I would move the plant(s) to a covered area with southern exposure for the winter. If not too large, you can bring them inside near a sunny window when the weather is exceptionally cold and then relocate them outside after it passes. However, be careful not to set the container near a heat source like a heating duct as the folliage will dry out or get leaf burn. Also, a mum can go into shock if it is indoors for an extended period of time and then returned suddenly to 30-40 degree temperatures outside. It's best to leave them outside in sheltered, sunny areas. They can take a few nights of cold temperatures if it warms up to above freezing during the day.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Leave alone be sure to water. Maybe you should put it in a covered spot. It would have been nice to put it in the ground and plant it.