Question:
I recently received a flowering mum from a florist. Can I plant it outdoors?Answer:
Florist or greenhouse mums are sold throughout the year at floral shops, supermarkets, and other retailers. Unfortunately, florist mums do not perform well when planted outdoors. Most florist mums will not survive the winter when planted outdoors in Iowa. Those florist mums that manage to survive the winter typically don’t bloom outdoors. Florist mums bloom late in fall. Oftentimes freezing temperatures destroy the flower buds before they are able to fully develop and open. It’s usually best to toss a florist mum in the compost pile after blooming. If you would like to plant mums in your garden, purchase garden or hardy mums at a local garden center in spring. Garden mums are more cold hardy than florist mums. They also bloom earlier than florist mums.
Learn more in this article: Growing Chrysanthemums in Iowa.