Chrysanthemum overwintering

[Choggy]

Hi again all, I'm here to ask basic questions again

I recently bought a chrysanth from a supermarket in a pot. I kept it in the house and now that the flowers have died and some of the leaves, I'm assuming it's dying off for the winter.

I'm not sure what to do now, but I understand that they're perrenial so it should survive for next year. Do I cut back the stems and if so how much? I've read that chrysanths should be overwintered outside if they're hardy, but how do I know if it IS hardy? My back garden's fairly windy (I live in an area of terraces, so there's two long lines of houses back to back with gardens in between and the wind has a long run with only 5" fences to stop it) and I'm not sure whether this would be a problem?

Can anyone give me some advice about what to do, please?

[Newt]

Hi Choggy,

Mums should be hardy where you live, especially if they were sold at this time of the year. Select a sunny spot with good garden soil, dig a hole, tease out the roots if it's rootbound, plant and mulch it. You can trim it back by half after you plant and give it some water. They bloom late in the year so it's best to cut them back a couple of times next year or they tend to get leggy and flop over. Here's how to care for mums.
https://www.yoder.com/inside_frameset.asp?body=%2Fconsumer%2Fgarden%2Fcare%2Fcontent%2Easp

Newt

[Choggy]

Thanks again Newt - I can always count on a great reply from you

It seems like everyone's assuming that they should be outdoors and not kept as houseplants - is that the case? I quite liked them as houseplants (I don't really like the idea of cut flowers - my Mum was an avid gardener and lover of plants in general and felt that cut flowers were a bit like cadavers!) but if they're better off outside, then so be it.

[Newt]

It seems like everyone's assuming that they should be outdoors and not kept as houseplants - is that the case?

It's really not an assumption, as these are hardy perennials and need a cold dormant period to grow well. Since mums bloom so late in the season, it's become a standard practice for many people to just purchase them in the fall and treat them as annuals, disposing of them after they finish blooming. Many people don't want to give up precious garden space for something that blooms so late in the season. Another reason is because alot of people don't realize that they need to be cut back a couple of times during the growing season or they get leggy and flop if grown in the garden.

Oh, and you're welcome again.

Newt