Looking After Chrysanthemums Over Winter

04/29/25

10 Minutes Read

Written By Johnsons Team

Looking After Chrysanthemums Over Winter

Typically flowering between August and January, chrysanthemums are known for the vibrancy that their blooms contribute to displays across the nation. Grown in gardens, early-flowering chrysanthemums tend to bloom until around September before signs of the first frost. Late chrysanthemums, however, are generally grown in pots and can be in bloom for the first few weeks of winter. While certain chrysanthemums are hardy, you may need to overwinter your flower plants to guarantee their health as the weather warms again. There are several ways in which you can protect your chrysanthemums from the frost, including storing them and potting them inside the home. Read our guide to uncover the various ways in which we recommend overwintering your chrysanthemums.

What Is Overwintering?

Overwintering is a means of upholding the health and well-being of your chrysanthemum plants as the frost sets into your garden. This enables you to reuse your earlies the following season and achieve faster results with your plant’s already-established roots.

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How to Overwinter Chrysanthemums

At the end of your chrysanthemum’s flowering period, cut what remains of your blooms for display. Once the growth in the stems has stopped, it’s time to dig up your earlies. Lift the plants and store the roots in a frost-free location indoors. Clean the roots of the soil and trim their growth to around 6 inches. Plant your earlies in boxes and store them in a dry space until they’re ready to be re-planted in spring.

If you choose to leave your chrysanthemums in the ground over winter, you can protect them from frost by covering the root zone with a thick layer of mulch. Whilst this isn’t as effective as lifting, it can protect chrysanthemums in those warmer parts of the country. If your chrysanthemums are only in their first year of growth, however, we insist that you bring them inside, as their newly formed roots may not be strong enough to survive the frost.

Lates can be treated similarly or left in their pots and brought inside a frost-free location like a garage, greenhouse or conservatory.

Checking for Survival

By the time spring arrives, you should begin watering your chrysanthemums more frequently to encourage growth when replanted. Before planting, you should climatise or ‘harden off’ your plants to reintroduce them to outdoor conditions, leaving them outside for gradually increasing lengths of time, day by day, for around two weeks.

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Shop Chrysanthemums at Johnsons

Now that you have a clearer idea of how to look after chrysanthemums over winter, trust Johnsons to support you in your growing. Look forward to curating captivating arrangements year-on-year when you protect your blooms from the frost. With over 200 years of experience, Johnsons is a reliable supplier of chrysanthemums and gardening essentials. So shop our range today and take a look at the rest of our site for ideas on how to beautify your outside space.