chrysanthemums

My neighbour always lifts his chrysanthemum pots onto a high shelf the day he brings them in, and it’s not to free up floor space

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My neighbour always lifts his chrysanthemum pots onto a high shelf the day he brings them in, and it's not to free up floo...

Your neighbor’s autumn ritual of lifting chrysanthemum pots onto high shelves isn’t about floor space—it’s a smart defense against pet poisoning. These cheerful fall flowers contain pyrethrins, the same compounds found in insecticides, making them dangerous for cats and dogs. The elevated placement solves two problems at once: keeping curious paws away and providing the cool, bright conditions mums crave indoors.

I planted my florist mums in full bloom just to brighten the border for November: come April, digging where they’d been, I understood what had never happened underground

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I planted my florist mums in full bloom just to brighten the border for November: come April, digging where they'd been, I...

You planted those gorgeous October mums expecting them to return each spring—but by April, the soil was empty. The problem isn’t your care; it’s that florist mums are biologically incapable of developing winter roots because they’ve spent all their energy on flowers. Here’s the science behind the failure and how to finally grow mums that actually come back.