So every year we get the question are these hardy mums? My answer is always the same it will depend on how you care for your mum. It is not that a mum is just "Hardy" that makes it come back each year it is where do you live, how do you care for it, how soon did you plant, and so on as I will explain later in this post. One of the most important things in my opinion is plant your mums early and preferably before they start to bloom a lot to help improve root development at the site where the mum is going. The further down and more developed the roots are the better chance of survival for the plant. Another thing you want to do as the mum is thriving in its new home is to pinch the dead blooms I like to do this daily as there is not as much to do. Just take those old blooms gently off so that it can continue to produce nice looking blooms for the rest of the season. You want to make sure that your mums are getting watered enough but careful you can over water them. They like a soil that drains well so this will require you staying on top of your watering schedule as well. Typically you will want to water about three times a week however a well drained soil and windy days may require you to water a little extra that week. We like to water in the morning as to never put your mums to bed wet. Just check it with your finger if you find it damp then dont water if it is dry then make sure to water it just a bit. When you are looking for the best spot to plant your mum to return the next year keep a few things in mind. One mums do not care for shady areas we want them to see the sun or at lease partial sun. The other is if you plant on the east side or south side of a structure this will help protect from cold northly or western winds. Which will help keep the ground from freezing as deep in that area. Another thing you will want to do once the mum has went through a killing frost and it loosing the color in the stems. Trim it down to about an inch off the ground. Then cover this area with about 4 - 6 inches of mulch. This will help insulate the ground to protect the roots. Maybe place a small marker or flag so that in the spring you know where to brush back some of the mulch to help the plant come through the soil again. When you plant your mums make sure you use some supper phosphate to keep those blooms looking good all season. There are many articles out there that also help you recognize when your plant needs more phosphourus. I hope that you have enjoyed learning more about caring for your mums and come in to support our locally owned hardware. Another note is that the mums we sell our the mums we grow on our farm. My Wife, Daughter, and boys all work very hard to bring the best product that they can to you.