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Step 1
Plant garden mums in the spring in order to give them enough time to be well established before winter. Many mums are sold in the fall at nurseries, and with all their energy going to blooms they won't always have enough time to build up their root system to get through the winter. When planted in August, September and October, they may not do as well over the winter, so planting in spring is best. However, mums can be planted any time before the ground freezes.
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Step 2
Water the new mums daily for at least a week after planting, and then several times a week during the heat of the summer. Once well established, you can often rely on natural irrigation through rain.
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Step 3
Mulch around the garden mums to protect them form excessive summer heat and for winter protection of their roots. Natural mulch, such as wood chips or chopped leaves, work best.
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Step 4
Deadhead the mums after blooms die, allowing the mums to put their energy back into the root system. Remove all blooms but leave the foliage on to help them get through the winter.
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Step 5
Prune old growth in late winter to make room for new stems and leaves in the spring.
