November 12, 2025 | 4:52 PM
A full frame photograph of a variety of different colored chrysanthemum flowers.
Aired November 12, 2025
Even as temperatures drop, horticulturist Erica Jo Shaffer says gardening doesn’t stop with summer.
Appearing on The Spark with guest host Scott LaMar, Shaffer said she still has color in her yard. “My hardy camellia is flowering, my Clara Curtis mum is still flowering, my monk’s hood, my nasturtiums,” she said. “It’s chilly, but it feels so good to be out there.”
Shaffer encourages gardeners to think beyond traditional fall cleanup. Leaving seed heads and stems in place, she said, helps birds and beneficial insects through the winter. She also recommends mulching now rather than in spring to protect roots and keep soil warmer longer.
When it comes to fall planting, Shaffer said many mums could survive year to year if planted earlier. “They don’t get rooted before the ground freezes,” she explained. Hardy varieties like Sheffield or Clara Curtis mums can bloom for weeks and attract late-season pollinators.
Shaffer also advises composting leftover pumpkins or donating them to farms for animals, and she favors live Christmas trees over artificial ones to support local growers.
“It’s immersion into the seasons,” she said. “Just being out there, feeling that chill and the wind swirling around—it’s so good.”
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