Mother is wondering if anyone knows what to do to mums now that they have bloomed. There planted outside in a flowerbed. Should they cut back and mulched? If so, how high to cut them? Located in SW MO.

-- Don (dairyagri@yahoo.com), November 21, 2000

Answers

I cut mine back to the ground and they come back every year. I live in Ky. and my weather is probably very similar to yours. We are zone 7 I believe.

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), November 21, 2000.

I don't cut mine back until late winter because the birds absolutely adore the seeds. When the snow melts, just break off the twigs that are still standing and the plants will be just fine. You can mulch around the base of the plants if you want but I lived in New Hampshire and we didn't mulch them and they were fine.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), November 21, 2000.

I just cut mine back yesterday (Z-6) and they will come back in the spring and then I will divide and transplant.

-- Lynn (mscratch1@semo.net), November 27, 2000.