Garden mums burst forth in brilliant falls hues when other perennials are fading fast. Combine them with pansies and ornamental cabbages and kale for a gorgeous fall display that will last well into early winter.

Most chrysanthemums planted in Zones 5-9 will be winter hardy, but it depends on the health of the plant and severity of freezing weather during the winter. Mums are usually priced low enough to be planted as annuals, but if left in the ground, they may sprout new leaves in spring.

Most varieties of mums have been bred to maintain a compact mounding habit. You can maximize the number of blooms per plant by "pinching back" or removing the growth tips and first set of leaves on the end of each branch once every six weeks during the summer. Do this up until early September and your plants will be covered in a multitude of bright blooms.

Other varieties of mums have an upright vase-shaped habit. These usually produce larger blooms than their compact cousins which are suitable for cutting. To produce larger blooms, a plant of this type benefits from disbudding. This is the removal of the side buds on each branch leaving one bud on the tip of each branch. The single bud then produces one larger bloom.

Mums grow well in any soil condition which also supports the growth of vegetables or grass. In spring, work the soil prior to planting to a depth of 8 to 12 inches adding soil amendments as needed. Space your mums far enough apart to allow for their final dimensions at maturity. They do equally well planted in pots as they do in garden beds making them very versatile. When planted in the garden, they will grow green and inconspicuously while the earlier blooming perennials around them show off their summer colors. As those begin to fade however, the mums are just beginning their show.