Gazelle’s Guide to Growing and Maintaining Mums [PHOTOS]

Hello, fall and so long, summer – words I've been waiting to write for weeks.

Admittedly, I've enjoyed the summertime to its fullest, as best as anyone can these days, and I'm ready to move onto the cooler and crisper weather. All across the SouthCoast, greenhouses and florists have their mums on full display, ready to bring in that autumnal scenery.

Corn stalks, gourds and pumpkins are popping up left and right and the transition from Fourth of July decor to Halloween has already begun.

Now, for the most part, mums are often seen on the front steps of houses or on top of hay bails for show. It's rare you actually see them planted into the ground since they are capable of surviving inside the plastic pot they came in. However, did you know that if you plant them in the ground, their life expectancy increases?

I visited a local greenhouse in New Bedford and the woman I spoke with was highly knowledgeable and informative on how to maintain the mums I purchased. It's a very simple task that requires little to no effort at all.

Here's what you'll need for your gardening project:

• A shovel
• Mums
• An area of your yard that you'd like to plant the mums
• Gardening gloves (optional)

Once you have these items, the rest of the work is minimal.