You might not have to toss your lovely autumn mums each year. While floral mums can't withstand frost, hardy mums are perennials that can come back year after year with a little prep work!
First, you'll want to make sure you're buying the right variety. Look for plants labeled as hardy or garden mums. If you're unsure, you might be able to tell based on the size of the flowers and pots. Floral mums have smaller blooms and are sold in shallow containers while hardy mums can often be found in large pots.
If you purchased your mum in early fall and immediately planted it in the soil, it can be left in the ground through the winter. It needs 4-6 weeks to establish its roots. Don't cut back mums that have already been planted as the foliage will help protect it during the winter.
To save your potted mum, you'll want to move the plant inside once temps become low enough that it could endure a hard freeze. Trying to plant it in the ground during late fall isn't a good idea as it likely won't have enough time to properly establish itself in the soil. Cut the mum back a few inches above the soil then store it somewhere cool and dark such as a basement or garage. You want to shelter the plant from freezing but allow it to go dormant. If temps could fall below freezing in the area where you're keeping your mum, wrap the pot in newspaper for extra insulation. Lightly water the mum every couple weeks or when the soil is dry about 2 inches down. You don't want the soil to get soggy as this could lead to root rot.
Plant your potted mum in early spring when frost is no longer an issue. Generously water the plant during the first few weeks and consider adding compost. If you plan to keep them in decorative containers through the season, they'll need to be repotted with new soil. Divide large plants to ensure their roots have adequate room to grow.
Cut off the blooms and prune plants in early to mid-June. This will allow for more offshoots and time it for a beautiful fall bloom. You can continue cutting the plants back as needed up until mid-July but make sure to prune before the heads have formed. Use a quality fertilizer in late spring and again mid-summer.
Mums are a gorgeous addition to fall gardens! Opting for a hardy perennial mum is a great way to improve your landscaping and save money on buying mums that will only last one season.