Key Points
Buying mums in bud instead of full bloom helps them flower gradually.Repot your mums into larger containers and place them where they get 4 to 6 hours of partial sunlight daily.Keep soil evenly moist, water when the top inch is dry, and mulch outdoor mums to protect them from frost.
With fall’s arrival, it’s time to start decorating your porch with pumpkins, wreaths, and, of course, chrysanthemums. Mums are a favorite fall bloom due to their burnt orange, rusty red, and mustard yellow hues. But how can you keep these flowers blooming all season?
Given the right care, mums can put on a beautiful show all the way through Halloween. Here’s how to make them last even longer, according to experts.
Buy Mums in Bud
Avoid buying mums in full bloom. Purchasing ones that have yet to flower will give the mums more time to slowly bloom on your porch. “This provides a longer season of interest once you get them home,” says Jenny Rose Carey, gardening educator, speaker, and author.
This method makes it harder to select the right color of mums, so be sure to ask experts at your local garden center about what hues the final flowers will be.
Repot Mums
The mums that are sold in autumn may be hardy, but most of them are treated as annuals. “For this reason, it is best to pop the mum—pot and all—into a larger cache pot, or a pretty outer container. [Do so] as soon as you bring it home,” says Carey.
This prevents the mum plant from toppling over, she says, as many are too top heavy. The pot can be a permanent one that sits outside your door.
Provide Adequate Sunlight
Giving mums too much sun is one of the most common care mistakes. Mums prefer partial sun and like to receive 4 to 6 hours a day. Carey recommends keeping them out of direct sun, especially around mid-day to late afternoon, when sunlight can become very warm.
If it gets too hot, consider moving mums to partial shade. “Adequate sunlight and temperature control reduce stress, helping blooms stay strong,” says Chris Ramos, garden expert at Blain’s Farm & Fleet.
Keep Them Hydrated
Check the top inch of your soil to make sure your mums have enough moisture. “Water at the plant’s base when dry to prevent wilting and flower damage,” says Ramos.
Mums near your front door and under the roof overhang are especially prone to drying out, says Carey, because these flowers are less likely to get water from natural rainfall. If this is the case with your mums, poke your finger in the soil once every other day.
“If it’s dry, add water until you see it coming out of the bottom of the pot,” she says. “If you put the nursery pot into a decorative container, let water run through into the bottom, but empty out the excess.” Mums don’t do well when the roots sit in water all day.
Mulch Planted Mums
If you choose to plant your mums, make sure to prepare them for winter by mulching them. This will protect mums from frost and allow them to survive into the next season. Bring potted mums indoors near indirect sunlight and continue to water them to protect the plants from freezing.
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