How to Care For Mums and Keep Them Looking Great
Mums are a beautiful addition to any home, but they need proper care to stay healthy and happy. Here are some tips on how to care for mums so you can enjoy their cheerful blooms all season long.
When to Buy Mums
If you’re looking for fully grown mums to use in fall planters on your front porch, purchase them in early September. When given the proper amount of sunlight and water, mums will flourish for months.
Where to Buy Mums
Chrysanthemums are available for purchase in a variety of colors and sizes at many different retailers. Fully grown, potted mums typically show up in stores in late August.
Grocery Stores
Many grocery stores that also sell seasonal plants sell outdoor mums and indoor mums beginning in late August.
Big Box Stores
Fall mums are available for purchase at most big box stores like Walmart, Lowe’s, and The Home Depot.
Costco
Costco is a favorite place to buy mums because you get a massive mum for quite the deal. Prices can vary by region, but it’s typically around $16.99 per 14″ mums container. Costco mums typically appear in-store at the end of August. You can usually find yellow, orange, red, and purple mums at Costco.
Other Places to Find Mums
Support small businesses by purchasing mums at local garden centers, nurseries, and orchards.
How to Care for Mums Outdoors
How Much Sunlight Do Mums Need?
Mums thrive in full sun so they need at least 6 hours of full sun each day. Plants that don’t get adequate sunlight will produce fewer, smaller flowers.
Water Requirements for Potted Mums
Mums love water and prefer their soil to be kept moist but not saturated. It’s best to water mums every other day. But if it’s particularly hot, watering each day may be necessary.
The best way to see if your mums need watering is to touch the soil. If the soil is moist, the mums probably don’t need water. But if the soil is dry, give it a watering. You can also purchase a plant moisture meter. Drooping leaves is another indicator that mums need water.
When watering, water at the base of the mum. Try not to get the foliage wet as this can lead to funguses.
Re-Pot in a Larger Container
To get the most of our your potted mums, re-pot them in a larger container. Plastic nursery containers often constrict root growth. Give the mum roots more space to grow by increasing the size of its planter.
Do You Remove Netting From Mums?
No! If your mums come with a netting, do not remove the netting. The netting is there to support the mum, allowing them to hold their round shape.
Deadheading Mums
Pinching wilted blooms, leave, and dead stems not only makes your mums look better, it helps your plant to bloom longer. Simply pull off dead blooms with your fingers.
What to Do With Mums After Fall
Transplant Into the Garden
At the end of the autumn season, transplanting hardy mums in your flower beds is an option. Because they’re hardy, they overwinter very well.
Be sure to plant mums in a full sun to partial shade location with well-drained soil. Prune the old stems to about 6″ off the ground.
Transplant the mum at least 6 weeks before the first frost. Amend the soil with compost and surround the base of the plant was a coupe inches of mulch.
Keep in mind the mum may not come back the next spring as it builds up its root system. Use fertilizer in the spring.
Garden mums are perennials so they will sprout new growth in early spring.
Throw Them Away
When throwing mums away, be sure to remove the netting and cut it so animals can’t get caught in the netting.
Mums are beautiful flowers that can last for months with the right care. By following these simple tips, you can enjoy their beauty well into autumn.
