MUM'S the word

No other season is as colorful as fall. From the rich, vibrant shades of autumn leaves to the brilliant azure blues of an October sky to the happy hues of Halloween pumpkins.

It seems almost an embarrassment of riches to also be surrounded by the beauty of the iconic fall mums.

With a little care, you can enjoy your mums through the season as annuals, or with a little more care and a bit of luck, you might even be able to coax them back to life next year.

"Fall mums are hardy mums," says Barbara Zehner, from the Flower Tent on Route 443 in Lehighton.

These mums are grown outdoors which make them hardier than the kind grown in a greenhouse.

"They're still a very touchy perennial," she warns.

If you would like to increase the chances of your mums coming back next year, Zehner has a few tips.

1. Keep them well watered until the ground freezes.

2. Mulch them really well. You can use leaves or straw.

3. If possible, plant them in a protected area, say in a corner where two buildings meet, where they may be protected on two sides.

Even under the best conditions, your mums may or may not come back next year.

If you're lucky, and they do come back, you will want to pinch them back to about 3 or 4 inches near the end of June. This should keep them from blooming too early.

Once they are established, you should water them like you would any other plant in your garden.

Choosing the right mums for your garden

Eileen East, Penn State Master Gardener, says that in Carbon County, mums can be treated as an annual or a perennial.

"Although we are broadly in Zone 4-5, the microclimate in your garden is influenced by the woods, your specific location, and the amount of sun you get at this time of year. In the right spot, mums will come back next year. Otherwise it's best to treat them as an annual."

East says that mums need eight hours of sun, especially now as the sun is lower in the sky.

"If you've planted mums in the past and they haven't come up the next year, most likely they aren't getting enough sunlight. Also, planting them in fall lessens the chance that they will survive the winter since the roots don't have time to establish themselves.

"If you want your mums to come back year to year, you need to plant them in the spring and give them proper care such as mulching and pinching them back," says East.

"If you're going for a splash of fall color, there are mums for sale right now. Instead of planting them, leave them in their containers and set them where they'll give you the most pleasure.

"Like Halloween and pumpkins, mums are a seasonal item for most of us. They are the last whispers of autumn before the snows of winter."