CELEBRATING 28 YEARS! Welcome to My weekly series! LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 26 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Q: This time of year, I see Mums for sale all over and I love them, but for some reason after I plant them in the ground, I never can get them to survive the winter... - Catherine A: There are actually two kinds of Chrysanthemums, (nicknamed "mums"): "Hardy Mums" and Mums "Greenhouse or Florist" Mums. Most of the mums that you see for sale in the box stores and florist shops in the fall are "greenhouse or florist" mums that are not intended to survive the winter. They are basically pricy annuals. Greenhouse or florist mums have been grown to put all of their energy into September blooming and not developing their roots. When you plant them in the ground in the fall, there generally isn't enough time for them to establish a root system to survive the winter. Then, with the winter freeze and thaw cycles, often times they get popped out of the ground and the roots die. If you want mums as perennials, look for ones that are labeled "Hardy" and plant them in the spring for best results. You can also grow them from seed over the winter and plant them in the spring. Asters A lot of mum varieties are full of petals and do not have much pollen, so they are not much use to butterflies and bees. Asters are my favorite choice for fall color. They come in blues, purples, white and pinks and they are a wonderful perennial that are great pollinators that will winter- over well. Give them a try. WE'RE GOING DIGITAL! DON'T MISS OUT! USE THE QR CODE, OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO: Email: info@sprigsandtwigs.net, or Mail: Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET CELEBRATING 28 YEARS ! Welcome to My weekly series ! LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 26 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Q : This time of year , I see Mums for sale all over and I love them , but for some reason after I plant them in the ground , I never can get them to survive the winter ... - Catherine A : There are actually two kinds of Chrysanthemums , ( nicknamed " mums " ) : " Hardy Mums " and Mums " Greenhouse or Florist " Mums . Most of the mums that you see for sale in the box stores and florist shops in the fall are " greenhouse or florist " mums that are not intended to survive the winter . They are basically pricy annuals . Greenhouse or florist mums have been grown to put all of their energy into September blooming and not developing their roots . When you plant them in the ground in the fall , there generally isn't enough time for them to establish a root system to survive the winter . Then , with the winter freeze and thaw cycles , often times they get popped out of the ground and the roots die . If you want mums as perennials , look for ones that are labeled " Hardy " and plant them in the spring for best results . You can also grow them from seed over the winter and plant them in the spring . Asters A lot of mum varieties are full of petals and do not have much pollen , so they are not much use to butterflies and bees . Asters are my favorite choice for fall color . They come in blues , purples , white and pinks and they are a wonderful perennial that are great pollinators that will winter- over well . Give them a try . WE'RE GOING DIGITAL ! DON'T MISS OUT ! USE THE QR CODE , OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO : Email : info@sprigsandtwigs.net , or Mail : Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET