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Spent some time at one of my favorite places in th Spent some time at one of my favorite places in the world earlier this week, with some of my favorite people, and it was so dang good for the soul 🌸 more flowering tree and shrub content comin at you this week just because! Also...⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🌿 Mini Gifting 🌿⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
A little thank you for supporting me!! I’m gifting a personally curated gardening package to one winner, all you have to do is follow me @christinemcovino and my other account @christineandcoliving, then head to my stories for the rest of the entry instructions 🥳
Happy national gardening day 🌱🌸 may you have Happy national gardening day 🌱🌸 may you have a bountiful crop this year, whatever you grow! ((Peony tip: feed early-emerging shoots with a high phosphorus fertilizer for strong, lush blooms!)). Find more gardening tips on the blog, link is in my bio 🌿
Liam ♡ In an alternate universe we would be cele Liam ♡ In an alternate universe we would be celebrating your first birthday. You should be crawling around, playing, laughing and eating too much cake today.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
You should be here.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
My sweet boy I miss you more than words, I ache to hold you. We walked the orchard and planted flower seeds in your memory. We got winks from you in the form of the earth waking up, all the yellow blooms, including your magnolia which couldn’t have had better timing. It’s comforting to see you say hi.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
And still, you should be here.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
He was here for a time. He existed. He mattered. He deserves to be celebrated.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I loved him from the second I saw the +test. I fell deeper in love every time I saw his energetic body bounce around on the ultrasound screen, I have all the blissful bump photos and I have the memory of his sweet little kicks. God I miss those kicks.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
My love did not end when he died.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Liam’s ashes, a few scan photos, my memory and an index card with his footprints are all that remains. I both hate that this is all I have left and am eternally grateful that I have them at all.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I found some comfort today but these anniversaries are also hard. I relive the trauma. The terror, shock, fear, disbelief, agony of being told your baby is dying. So deep and so crushing. Part of me died in that moment, part of me will never be the same again.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
There is nothing in this world more painful than living without your baby. You feel the heaviness, the absence, the longing for them constantly. The grief is always there, it ebbs and flows but it changes you to your core. You adapt to feeling the constant emptiness, your aching heart, your soft but heavy eyes, the shortness of your breath, that lump in your throat.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
And yet, I feel immensely fortunate to have carried you for every moment of your life. I will never regret the time we spent together, loving you, carrying you, feeling you, celebrating you and envisioning the life you would have had. I will carry the insatiable longing to hold you until the day I die. You will always be my baby. You will always be missed. I will never stop loving and mothering you, my sweet Liam James ❤️
How did we do with the bow!? It’s growing on me How did we do with the bow!? It’s growing on me I think 🥰😍
April 3, 2021 • just us this Easter weekend 💗 April 3, 2021 • just us this Easter weekend 💗
I’m not quite sure how she turned 5 months in th I’m not quite sure how she turned 5 months in the blink of an eye 🥺 My Elora. We are doing great ❤️ we’re nursing and bedsharing and babywearing and contact napping and I’m literally soaking in every moment with her. Months 4 and 5 have been the best yet. My body knows what to do and I follow her cues. We’re super in tune and I feel like it’s making both of us happier humans.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
There is this unspoken narrative in our society that somehow attachment between mom and baby is a weakness, a crutch. I say f that, it’s one of the most beautiful strengths that exists in this universe. Period.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Mama if you’re reading this and need some validation or reassurance, I got you. It’s ok to cuddle and rock and nurse and sing your baby to sleep. Follow your instincts, tune out the noise, feel empowered in your motherly intuition and find your confidence in that. It is so incredibly liberating.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I know it’s a confusing landscape out there for new moms, I hear you, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and stress that you’re not doing something “right” or that your baby is “broken.” I’m not saying motherhood is easy for me, it’s the hardest (and best) thing I’ve ever done, but when women have the support they actually need and feel empowered in motherhood, that’s next-level world-changing stuff.⁣⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Mama knows best, never forget it ❤️
Pregnancy after loss (PAL). Wrapping up this month Pregnancy after loss (PAL). Wrapping up this month of #pregnancyafterloss awareness by answering my two most asked questions ——⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
How did I know I was ready to try again and how did I survive my PAL?⁣⁣⠀
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Well friend, I have no definitive answer for you. I don’t know how I knew I was “ready,” I just knew I desperately wanted to be pregnant again, and I do not know how I survived.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Contrary to what I thought prior to having my own PAL experience, I was not “better” or “healed” or “over” my baby’s death once pregnant again. I think the only thing I could do was lean into the conflicting feelings and accept that they coexist for me (grief and joy, for example).⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I want to share with you the two thoughts that did help ——⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
1. We were not replacing our baby (Liam), we were adding a sibling. Luca would be a big brother, as would Liam. My heart would expand for another child, not an “instead” child. Truly believing and accepting this was very helpful to me in my moments of guilt.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
2. This was the most profound realization for me: That I would love this baby whether she lived or died. How did I know this? Because the grief I feel for Liam is love. I love my babies from the moment I know they exist. So during my PAL I thought, if this baby died too it wouldn’t change that love. I embraced and accepted that. I think it’s actually what allowed me to take these maternity pictures two weeks before she was born. It wasn’t hope, it was that I loved her and would want to remember our time together either way.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
So maybe that is how I was able to survive. One day at a time, one thought at a time, facing the hard truths, embracing the pain of loss. Because, I’ll be honest, hope was hard for me.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Do I have magical advice? No. PAL was hard, it was a shitstorm of emotions and I feel like I just held on for dear life. Do whatever you have to do to survive, just know you are not crazy for the feelings. You are human 🤍

More resources can be found in my PAL highlights, reels and on my blog (link in bio) under ‘baby loss.’
This sweet babe is growing so fast!⁣⁣⠀
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Our beautiful @shoplovedua bassinet has been one of our most used baby items this time around! Functional and timeless, it is an item that grows with your babe, AND it’s discounted 25% today — head over to their page to shop 🥳⁣⁣⠀
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📷: @mymotherhoodstory
Growing through it 🌿 I was thinking back and re Growing through it 🌿 I was thinking back and reflecting on the past 365 days this morning. It’s been a rollercoaster to say the least.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Early March 2020 I found out I was pregnant again after back to back losses. I was hopeful and relieved but also doubtful, disconnected and terrified. I spoke in “ifs” not “whens.” I felt guilt and resentment and anger but also was so incredibly grateful.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
We were quickly approaching Liam’s edd in April, a time that I deeply dreaded, and not even one week later went into full lock down pandemic mode.⁣⁣⠀
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I was a total wreck. Things felt veryyy out of control and uncertain.⁣⁣⠀
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I did the only thing I could do, I focused on what I could control. I continued therapy, started using tools like essential oils to help me stay grounded + present and threw myself full force into gardening.⁣⁣⠀
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I quite literally and physically GREW through my anxiety, pain and grief last year. My garden kept me grounded and sane and helped me feel connected to my body and my heart, out in the garden was one of the only places I felt safe letting my mind wander and imagine a living baby in my arms.⁣⁣⠀
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Growing veggies and flowers for my family was within my control and was exactly what I needed in this situation of heavy uncertainty — uncertainty both within myself and in the world.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
March 2020 and March 2021 Christines are very different, I’ve realized the journey isn’t TO healing, healing IS the journey, it’s doesn’t ever end. I’m proud of where I’m at and humbled to think about where I’ve come from 💗
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Christine Covino

- The Blog -

All About Fall Mums

October 2, 2018 / Gardening

Ever wonder why your mums die so early each season? Read this post to learn my top pro tips on how to buy and take care of fall mums!

Well, October is here! I have been getting a lot of requests lately for tips on Fall plants, specifically mums (and pumpkins, which will be in a post coming later this week). At the farm store we sell mums and all their fall companions during September and October, so after managing the shop for eight years I have learned a thing or two. I am sharing all my tips below so you can feel like a plant-pro this fall season!

Quick Tips: Fall Mums

  • My Number One Mum Pro-Tip: **Buy mums when the buds are closed/tight** They will open eventually (about 1-2 weeks) and you will enjoy the blooms longer!
  • Mums like full sun and air flow, this mean 8+ hours of direct sunlight OUTSIDE.
  • When choosing a mum look for tight buds, symmetrical shape, healthy green foliage and sturdy stems/no broken sections. And make sure the plant is well taken care of, a wilted plant will start you out on the wrong foot, grab a healthy, perky one!
  • Stick to one or two colors when using them to decorate; this will give you the nicest effect from far away.

Ever wonder why your mums die so early each season? Read this post to learn my top pro tips on how to buy and take care of fall mums!

FAQ’s: Fall Mums

Are there different types of mums?

Yes! Let’s go over the two main types of mums – we can call them florist mums and garden mums for our purposes. They both have the same parent (Daisy) but have very different aspects and purposes. Florist mums are for cutting as the name might imply, they produce a few giant blooms and are mostly grow in greenhouses strictly for design purposes. Garden mums are what we are talking about in this post – the gorgeous fall plant with stunning bloom cover that is enjoyed over a several weeks. Garden mums are hardier than florist mums and can survive as perennials in warmer zones (6-9).

Are mums annuals or perennials?

Both! Research will tell you they are perennials in zones 6-9 BUT I live in zone 6a and they are marginally hardy at best. I have heard from the occasional customer that their mums came back the following year when they left them in the ground, but mostly they do not re-grow in my zone. I prefer to enjoy them as a compact fall plant on my porch anyway, so I have not personally tried to get them to come back as a perennial.

Can I plant my fall mums in the ground?

Yes, however,I recommend keeping them in a pot/planter as opposed to in the ground. Once they die in the inter you would have to dig them up, much easier to just pop them out of a planter! BUT, if you have a landscaper that will do the planting and clean up, mums are gorgeous in mass plantings because of their bright colors and full, mounding shape!

How else can I use fall mums to decorate?

Mums come in such striking and bold colors and with their stunning bloom cover they are beautiful as centerpieces in large planters – surround them with other trailing pants or contrasty foliage such as coleus, heuchera or black ornamental peppers. You can mix them in on a porch steps display with pumpkins, gourds and cabbage plants or you can keep them in a tidy row in a window box. They are pretty versatile and can be found in many colors and sizes at the garden centers – you can choose the best for your purposes!

Should I trust the quality from big box store like Walmart?

Personally, I do not. But you do you! I buy from local garden centers and farms. The staff at local shops are aways eager and willing to help with all your questions and concerns, no question is ever too much. Also the quality is always better and safer in my opinion!

Do I need to deadhead to promote more growth and blooms?

Yes! Deadheading mums is a super tedious task but your extra effort will pay off with new blooms and prolong the enjoyment of fall flowers for you!

How often should I water my fall mums?

I love this question, I like to counter with how often do you drink water? Think of plants like people, they need water to survive, they don’t want to get dehydrated and they don’t want too much water either! In an ideal situation they would get a few small drinks throughout the day, but ain’t nobody got time for that! So I tell my customers to water their mums sparingly; if they accidentally get a little too dry give them a good soaking.

And watch the weather! If it’s going to be sunny and hot they will need more water, if it’s going to be cool and overcast they won’t need as much. If they are in a pot they will also need to be watered a bit more often than if they are in the ground.

Pro-Tips on Watering: Stick you finger into the soil about one inch down. If the soil down at that level is dry, water the plant; if the soil is wet, the plant is ok for another day or so, depending on how wet it is. Always water as close to the soil as possible, watering from above and getting the foliage/flowers can be damaging to the plant! (These watering tips are universal to most outdoor plants).

What do I do if frost is threatening?

Mums like the cool temperatures, this is why they are grown for the fall, however, they don’t love frost or temps in the 20s. If frost threatens you have a few options: pull them inside or at least under an overhang where the frost can’t settle on them; cover them with a thick sheet and leave them outside; group them together on the grass (not on cement or pavement) and cover if possible to keep warm; mulch around the base or the pot to keep the roots insulated, especially if the frost is lasting for days and you can’t pull them inside.

 

Long story short, mums really just do their thing as long as they get adequate water and sunlight, maintenance is relatively easy! Plus they come in tons of beautiful colors and sizes, and as long as you follow my tips you will have beautiful, thriving plants all fall!

Ever wonder why your mums die so early each season? Read this post to learn my top pro tips on how to buy and take care of fall mums!

Ever wonder why your mums die so early each season? Read this post to learn my top pro tips on how to buy and take care of fall mums!
Ever wonder why your mums die so early each season? Read this post to learn my top pro tips on how to buy and take care of fall mums!

Other Fall Plants To Consider

FALL PLANTS FOR THE SUN

Asters – Very similar flower to mums, always purple

Cabbage/Kale – Love these for the different texture and color they can add to a landscape

Ornamental Peppers – Lots of colorful varieties, great for window boxes

Millet – Great for feeding the birds! They love to rest on the stalks and eat the seeds

Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ – Ahhh one of my favorites! This beautiful sedum turns a beautiful pink/crimson in the fall!

FALL PLANTS FOR THE SHADE

Heuchera (Coral Bells) – A perennial for the shade that comes in hundreds of varieties with different shades foliage literally in any autumn shade you can dream of!

Fern ‘Lady in Red’ – One of my all time favorite ferns because of its beautiful burgundy color

Cabbage/Kale – These will survive in the shade as well as sun

Pansies/Viola – Colorful, tiny blooms that can tolerate partial shade

Ever wonder why your mums die so early each season? Read this post to learn my top pro tips on how to buy and take care of fall mums!
Ever wonder why your mums die so early each season? Read this post to learn my top pro tips on how to buy and take care of fall mums!

Thinking of getting pumpkins also!? Click here for all my Pumpkin Buying Tips!

 

Questions about fall mums or gardening? Leave them in the comments!

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Comments

  1. Erin says

    October 2, 2018 at 3:31 am

    Hi, nice to meet you Christine. I am so happy that you shared this information because I was thinking about mums. Thank you. 🙂

    Reply
    • christinemcovino says

      October 3, 2018 at 5:29 pm

      Yay! I am so so happy you found it helpful!! That’s exactly why I shared 🙂 Stay tuned for more gardening posts, hoping to get a couple more up before the year is out!

      Reply
      • Erin says

        October 4, 2018 at 2:34 am

        I totally did. Okie dokie. I’ll stay tuned for more 🙂

  2. Suzanne Vaughan says

    August 20, 2019 at 3:31 pm

    Can mums be used inside?

    Reply
    • Christine Covino says

      October 3, 2019 at 3:23 pm

      Hi Suzanne! Unfortunately I would not recommend them for indoor use, they prefer lots and lots of sun, fresh air and cool temps!

      Reply
  3. Barbara says

    September 24, 2019 at 12:42 am

    I just love the front door with all the different pumpkins!! But… this must easily be over $100 in pumpkins not including the plants and lanterns, right?? Any tip on how to get inexpensive pumpkin assortment?

    Reply
    • Christine Covino says

      October 3, 2019 at 3:22 pm

      Thank you so much Barbara! And yes the pumpkins for our porch last year came out to around $200, butttttt, I am very lucky because my family owns the farm! So growing pumpkins is an inexpensive options but it’s not easy, or I would head to a local farm or garden center! Usually they sell them at reasonable prices!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Pumpkin Tips and Tricks - Christine Covino Blog says:
    October 18, 2018 at 11:31 am

    […] sure to check out all our awesome pumpkin pictures below! Want more tips and tricks? Check out our Fall Mum […]

    Reply
  2. Inexpensive Fall Front Porch Inspiration - Christine Covino says:
    October 18, 2018 at 3:06 pm

    […] I waited until now to do my porch because the weather has stayed unseasonably warm and only recently has cooled down. I didn’t want my pumpkins to be affected (we’ve had to throw out bucket loads – Kubota bucket loads – full of pumpkins at the farm because they started to rot!) and I wanted to get the most out of my fall mums. […]

    Reply
  3. A Complete Guide to Growing and Harvesting Peonies - Christine Covino says:
    May 31, 2020 at 9:37 pm

    […] Mums Tips and Tricks […]

    Reply
  4. How to Map, Plan & Plant Your Vegetable Garden - Christine Covino says:
    June 11, 2020 at 1:11 pm

    […] Mums Tips and Tricks […]

    Reply
  5. Grow Like a Pro: Seed Starting for Beginners - Christine Covino says:
    March 2, 2021 at 2:24 am

    […] Mums Tips and Tricks […]

    Reply
  6. Container Garden Tips: How To Keep Your Flowers Blooming All Summer Long - Christine Covino says:
    March 12, 2021 at 2:35 am

    […] Mums Tips and Tricks […]

    Reply

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Meet Christine!

Click here to learn more about me!

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Spent some time at one of my favorite places in th Spent some time at one of my favorite places in the world earlier this week, with some of my favorite people, and it was so dang good for the soul 🌸 more flowering tree and shrub content comin at you this week just because! Also...⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
🌿 Mini Gifting 🌿⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
A little thank you for supporting me!! I’m gifting a personally curated gardening package to one winner, all you have to do is follow me @christinemcovino and my other account @christineandcoliving, then head to my stories for the rest of the entry instructions 🥳
Happy national gardening day 🌱🌸 may you have Happy national gardening day 🌱🌸 may you have a bountiful crop this year, whatever you grow! ((Peony tip: feed early-emerging shoots with a high phosphorus fertilizer for strong, lush blooms!)). Find more gardening tips on the blog, link is in my bio 🌿
Liam ♡ In an alternate universe we would be cele Liam ♡ In an alternate universe we would be celebrating your first birthday. You should be crawling around, playing, laughing and eating too much cake today.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
You should be here.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
My sweet boy I miss you more than words, I ache to hold you. We walked the orchard and planted flower seeds in your memory. We got winks from you in the form of the earth waking up, all the yellow blooms, including your magnolia which couldn’t have had better timing. It’s comforting to see you say hi.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
And still, you should be here.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
He was here for a time. He existed. He mattered. He deserves to be celebrated.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I loved him from the second I saw the +test. I fell deeper in love every time I saw his energetic body bounce around on the ultrasound screen, I have all the blissful bump photos and I have the memory of his sweet little kicks. God I miss those kicks.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
My love did not end when he died.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Liam’s ashes, a few scan photos, my memory and an index card with his footprints are all that remains. I both hate that this is all I have left and am eternally grateful that I have them at all.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I found some comfort today but these anniversaries are also hard. I relive the trauma. The terror, shock, fear, disbelief, agony of being told your baby is dying. So deep and so crushing. Part of me died in that moment, part of me will never be the same again.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
There is nothing in this world more painful than living without your baby. You feel the heaviness, the absence, the longing for them constantly. The grief is always there, it ebbs and flows but it changes you to your core. You adapt to feeling the constant emptiness, your aching heart, your soft but heavy eyes, the shortness of your breath, that lump in your throat.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
And yet, I feel immensely fortunate to have carried you for every moment of your life. I will never regret the time we spent together, loving you, carrying you, feeling you, celebrating you and envisioning the life you would have had. I will carry the insatiable longing to hold you until the day I die. You will always be my baby. You will always be missed. I will never stop loving and mothering you, my sweet Liam James ❤️
How did we do with the bow!? It’s growing on me How did we do with the bow!? It’s growing on me I think 🥰😍
April 3, 2021 • just us this Easter weekend 💗 April 3, 2021 • just us this Easter weekend 💗
I’m not quite sure how she turned 5 months in th I’m not quite sure how she turned 5 months in the blink of an eye 🥺 My Elora. We are doing great ❤️ we’re nursing and bedsharing and babywearing and contact napping and I’m literally soaking in every moment with her. Months 4 and 5 have been the best yet. My body knows what to do and I follow her cues. We’re super in tune and I feel like it’s making both of us happier humans.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
There is this unspoken narrative in our society that somehow attachment between mom and baby is a weakness, a crutch. I say f that, it’s one of the most beautiful strengths that exists in this universe. Period.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Mama if you’re reading this and need some validation or reassurance, I got you. It’s ok to cuddle and rock and nurse and sing your baby to sleep. Follow your instincts, tune out the noise, feel empowered in your motherly intuition and find your confidence in that. It is so incredibly liberating.⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
I know it’s a confusing landscape out there for new moms, I hear you, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and stress that you’re not doing something “right” or that your baby is “broken.” I’m not saying motherhood is easy for me, it’s the hardest (and best) thing I’ve ever done, but when women have the support they actually need and feel empowered in motherhood, that’s next-level world-changing stuff.⁣⁣⁣⠀
⁣⁣⠀
Mama knows best, never forget it ❤️

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