Around here at least, mums are notorious for their late start so I think it might be a bit early to say if they're dead or not. They could be, but even a small sprout can grow into something worthwhile if you give it a chance. Some of mine are up a bit, but others look totally dead until you gently scratch around the base of the plant. Look carefully for even the smallest sign of life. With that said, I think it was a bad winter for mums. Or maybe I should said it was a bad fall for mums with the drought and all that. I should have watered more, but I didn't and that really can affect a plants ability to make it through the winter. Kevin

nhbabs - Most of these are spread out throughout my garden, but because the garden is relatively small, all the mums can be seen with a couple of glances. I've thought about trying a mum bed, but have never done it. Spreading them out also makes the entire garden look more colorful than it actually is this time of year. I did try a grouping of 3, but I kind of screwed it up. Evidently I didn't pay close enough attention to heights and the shortest one ended up in the rear and the tallest one in the front. It looks kind of weird. Sandy - I don't do anything special for winter - no protection other than leaves that get caught in the dead foliage. I don't trim them back so that seems to help. I've only lost a couple in the last several years. As far as soil ph, I've never paid any attention to this, but did find the following blurb from the University of MN Extension Service: "Soil, Site, and Fertilizer Garden chrysanthemums grow best in a variety of soils but must have excellent drainage conditions. Growth is poor and winterkill likely in poorly drained wet soils. Sunny locations are good sites. Plants in semishady locations will be taller, have weaker stems, and bloom later in the fall. Incorporate 2 - 4" of peat moss, compost, or well-rotted barnyard manure into the soil. If you use only peat moss or do not add organic matter, apply 3 to 4 pounds per 100 square feet of a complete fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or 5-10-5 in the spring. Sidedressing plants with a complete fertilizer in early August, especially in years of abundant rainfall or irrigation, also is recommended. If the fertilizer applied in the spring is a slowly available type, such as coated or organic fertilizer, the second application may not be necessary. Space plants 18 - 24" apart, depending on the mature size of the cultivar." and from another site: "Soil : The ideal soil for chrysanthemum growing is a well-drained sandy loam of good texture and aeration. The soil should be neutral or slightly acidic with pH 6.5 to 7.0 having high organic content. Very light sandy soils are not recommended owing to their poor moisture holding properties" Kevin

did you buy it this year.. ??? if not.. you could have pinched it back.. a couple times during the growing season .. to make a more compact plant .. which would have stood up better ... but it has been hit by hard frost/freeze.. so it is that time of year .... if that sidewalk is snowblowed [??? is that a word???] ... then i would suggest there must be some pruning.. or it might get ripped out of the ground ... not to mention.. that it will get slimey as heck.. and it looks like it is laying over the step to the doorway ... and you dont want to slip on it ... if all that is correct .. prune it back ... and cover it with a couple inches of mulched leaves ... bury it .. but do not suffocate it .. in my experience.. it is very shallow rooted.. and in that spot .. [cement retains winter sun heat] it has the potential on sunny winter days.. to go in and out of dormancy.. and nothing will kill a mum faster than that.. hence the mulching ... to keep the sun off dark soil in winter ... ken

Scale looks like barnacles on plants. Scale management