Ever seen an adorable Martha Stewart-esque fall plantings with grasses, cabbages, and mums tucked cutely into an apple-picking basket and wondered: why don’t mine ever look that good? Why do I get my mums in a planter or in the ground and they seem to rebel by withering almost instantly and dropping those gorgeous blooms? And if they’re so hardy, why don’t mind ever come back?

Fear not—take our dirt-covered hands, friend. You’re safe now and with enough luck, you’ll be watching those mums bloom all fall and maybe, just maybe, they’ll reward you by coming back again next year.

What are Hardy Mums? What’s the Difference?

Hardy mums are herbaceous flowering perennials with sweet and petite daisy-like flowers. At some point, you’ve probably seen their cousin, the humble florist mum, which have been keeping mum’s happy (get it?) in bouquets for decades. Unlike a florist mum however, hardy mums are grown exclusively for fall flowering and are many times treated as a staple annual for any green thumbed gardener looking to extend some color into the chillier months. What many don’t know is that many hardy mums are winter-hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 9 and can provide those same beloved blooms year after year.

The Care and Keeping of Mums

Hardy mums are fast-growing, love full-sun and slightly acidic, well-draining soil—these are important requirements to think about when choosing to plant or purchase hardy mums. Some other factors to consider to avoid common problems include good air circulation to avoid pesky fungus between those tightly packed blooms, regular dead-heading and pruning, and regular watering and fertilizing in the spring using a standard water-soluble feed to really make those blooms keep coming. (Note: If growing to be a perennial, avoid fertilizing after July. If using as an annual, feel free to feed regularly!)

Hardy mums live up to their name; most continue blooming as temperatures dip down as low as 20°F and the roots of most varieties survive winter soil temperatures down to less than 0°F. They also tolerate heat well and withstand temperatures up to 100°F if given ample water. However, excessive humidity encourages fungal diseases, such as leaf spot.

How to Make Them Really Hardy

There are several key factors a good gardener will take into consideration when attempting to over-winter hardy mums.

1) Planting Early: This is one, if not the, most important aspect to consider! The biggest cause of hardy mums not surviving into the second season is getting them planted too late. To survive the winter, much like any other perennial, hardy mums need to establish a good root system that is deep enough to withstand the stressful temperature fluctuations to come i.e. freezing and thawing. The sooner, the better!

2) Planting Correctly: Like we went over before, hardy mums have a couple preferences and if you want to see them come back for you, you’ve got to choose and create an ideal planting area. Hardy Mums will require at least six hours of direct sunlight and well-drained, amended soil. (Hello, Daddy Pete’s!) Make sure when planting, dig your whole twice width a couple inches deeper than the pot size, fill the bottom of the hole with soil amendment before placing in your plant and backfilling the rest. Water immediately! Mulch if desired, but it is encouraged!

3) Water Frequently: As a general rule, hardy mums like moist but well-drained soil. On a warm fall day, you’ll clearly be able to see when they get thirsty as they’re pretty obvious wilters. Watering well once a day in normal fall temperatures will usually be enough, just be sure to watch the weather in case some warmer days come our way. And always water the base of the plant directly, NEVER water down through the flowers and stems—your plants will quickly go from fabulous to fungusy, so beware!

4) Mulch or Overwinter?: You may be at a bit of an impasse when push comes to shove and colder weather is upon us—to mulch in-ground or overwinter in a pot? There’s no right answer and certainly no way to predict just how well a hardy mum can survive in either condition, every winter is different, especially in our area.

Your first option is to mulch—cut back your hardy mum’s stems to a few inches above the ground, then pile on the mulch, or straw, or dead leaves to insulate the roots. There is also a neat trick of not cutting back your mums in the fall, wrapping them in chicken wire and stuffing the make-shift cage with straw or leaves instead.

The second is to pop the plant out of the ground and into another container (skip this step if you kept it in a pot already), and bring it into either the coolest, darkest place in your house (garages are great!) or winterize in a cold frame if you have one.

Styling Your Hardy Mums

Like we mentioned at the start, mums have become a well-loved staple for many autumnal gardens and plantings—whether you plan to try your hand at making them perennial or just enjoying them as an annual, here are some lovely examples of ways to highlight these sweet, fall blooms.