On Nov 8, 12:59*pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
On 11/8/2008 7:15 AM, Bill R wrote:



Jane wrote:
I have a beautiful mum plant in my dining room. *It's full of bright
yellow, daisy like flowers. *It is not the hardy variety and I live in
Boston - cold! * I've had it for about a month and the flowers are
starting to fade.

When the flowers go do I have to throw it out or can I do something to
save it until next year?

Thanks

It might not be worth the trouble but you can save non-hardy mums from
year to year.

You can cut all the flowers off, put it close to a window (southern
exposure if you can) and water it. *After the weather warms up (about
June in your area ) you can set it outside or plant it in the garden
and it will bloom again. To get more flowers pinch off the blooms when
they first develop until about August.

While the plant will indeed appreciate strong INDIRECT light, few plants
will survive indoors near a window if they get direct sun. *Keep the
soil moist but not really wet. *Cut back shoots that have flowered.

In the spring, set the pot outdoors in part sun. *When they reach about
3-4 inches, pinch back all new shoots by an inch until about
Independence Day. *Then allow the shoots to grow.

As flower buds form, remove all except the largest at the ends of the
shoots. *Mums bloom in response to shortening daylight hours. *You may
have to leave the plant outdoors until flower buds begin to show color.

The common 'mum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) is actually hardy to about
15F. *The shasta daisy (C. maximum) is even more hardy, to about 5F.
The marguerite (C. frutescens) is less hardy, to only 20F.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: *California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

Thanks!