Does either tend to be heartier here? I've been googling for the Marie III aster I bought but can't seem to find much info. The mums are hardy.

Thanks!

Hey there --

If you want them to be perennial, generally asters are a better bet. Some mums will perennialize, but they are often not as hardy.

There are tons of nice asters to choose from. I have clumps of aromatic aster that I especially love -- they bloom for a loooooooong time in fall, just about to start now. I also have New England aster, which I have a love-hate relationship with (it'll take over given a chance, and the variety I have gets quite lanky if you forget to pinch it enough), and just this year I planted a couple of bristly asters (a new one for me, pretty blueish flowers but we'll see what I think about it next year). There are many nice aster species and varieties, but you'll have to look harder for some of them than for mums.

As for beds, go for raised beds. They are VERY easy, much less work than digging out gravel!

If the plants are already in pots, you certainly can wait til spring to plant them. Just be sure they don't dry out too badly in the meantime -- remember that plants in pots will obviously dry out more quickly than those in the ground.

Experiment and have fun!

Chrysanthemum hardiness depends on the species or cultivar you have. Some are very reliably hardy here. Many species are hardy in the zone 3 to 10 range. Chrysanthemum x morifolium, florist's mums, are not really supposed to be hardy here, but I have some in my backyard that are about 5 years old and doing fine. I don't do anything but pinch them back until about the end of June each year to keep them from being lanky.

Thanks. I got mostly asters because I liked the color/shape more but got a few mums to try.

I'll let you know what makes it *next* year!

thanks!