Question
This past Easter I received a beautiful luscious plum colored "mini mum" from my dearest friend, Laura Jane. At the time when she said, "I didn't give you cut flowers, because flowers die." I didn't realize how soon that would come to mean much more.

The Friday after Easter, Laura passed away and I have this living gift that's all I have left..... as silly as it MAY sound to some of you I will be beyond crushed and angry with myself if this plant dies....

The weather in Connecticut right now is insane.... In early April we had a 92 deg day but a few nights ago, a FROST!!!! WTF! In the sun and warmth, the mum was outside and I couldn't get home before the frost and it was also knock over in the brutal wind. Three stems snapped off and now the plant is in sort of a "C" shape. I've re potted it ever so gently in a bigger pot with
Shultz Potting Soil Plus and mixed in a little Shultz Peat Moss.
It's the most I could due with the money I have.  I could not plant them in the ground because I plan on moving soon.

There is a lot of adequate drainage, but though most of the leaves are holding up ( everyone is telling me how hearty Mums are) I'm so scared they'll die. At least half the flowers have bits of brown on the petals. I need to know what to do from here...!
I'll do anything....! HELP!!!!

Answer
Amanda,
I understand that a plant can come to symbolize a person, and since caring for plants is very life-affirming, this also helps us heal.  The following might help:
1. I'm concerned about the addition of peat moss into your potting mix. Mums will rot if the soil is kept too wet, and the plain potting mix was already perfectly balance for the right amount of drainage and moisture retention. Do you have any of the plain potting mix left? If so, you might take the plant out of the mix with peat and put it in the same larger pot with just the potting soil.

2. Keep the plant out side. Put it in a sunny place that is sheltered from the wind if you can.

3. It's natural for the blooms to fade and brown at this point. Mums flowers don't stay for much longer than a couple of months. Once the flowers die, clip them off leaving the foliage and the stems.

4. Don't worry if the stems bent. This plant was probably raised in a greenhouse, so is weak, but will get toughened up over time.

5. Since the potting soil already has time-release fertilizer in it, (the "Plus" part of its name) you shouldn't fertilize until later in June. In mid to late June, give it a mild liquid fertilizer - anything you have - miracle gro etc - with emphasis on the MILD.

6. Don't let the soil dry completely, but don't keep the pot swampy either. Water very well by filling the pot a few times and letting the water sink in, and then don't water again until the surface of the soil starts to look dry and the ball of soil is starting to pull away from the pot slightly.  

7. If the leaves yellow and die back, keep the soil in the pot moist as described above - the plant may put up new foliage from the roots.

all the best,
C.L.