Key Points
Buy mums later in the season and choose plants full of unopened buds so they bloom longer.Give them a sunny spot, frequent deep watering, and fresh soil in a larger pot or the ground.Florist mums only last one season because they’re bred for blooms, not cold-hardiness.
Florist mums, unlike garden mums, only last a single season. But, they surely make up for it with a long-lasting and spectacular display of flowers all through the fall and in mild climates even into the winter—provided you give them proper care.
Whether your mums are planted in garden soil or pots on a patio or porch, here’s what you need to know about keeping them alive, thriving, and blooming as long as possible.
When to Buy Mums
Mums thrive in temperatures below 70°F. The earlier you buy them, the earlier they will be done blooming. It might be tempting to buy mums when they start appearing at nurseries and garden centers around Labor Day, but it’s wise to wait.
Wait until the nighttime temperatures start to drop and it has that fall feeling in the air. Depending on the weather in any given year and your location, this can be anytime from mid-September into October.
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How to Pick the Best Mums
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It’s tempting to buy plants that are in full bloom and covered with flowers, but those are not the ones you should buy; though they are beautiful now, they are already too far along and their blooms won’t last much longer.
Instead, select plants with lots of flower buds, so many that the foliage is barely visible. It’s okay if some of the buds have just started to open.
5 Tips to Keep Mums Alive and Blooming
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The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Plant After Summer Heat
If you have waited to purchase your mums until the hottest summer weather is over, you are already perfectly on track for planting them at the right time.
Planting mums in cooler weather is the best way to make them bloom longer. Mums that are planted too early bloom prolifically even in the heat, but they might not even last until fall weather sets in.
Care Tip
In the event of unseasonably warm weather later in the fall, bring potted plants inside until temperatures return to their seasonal normal.
Repot Promptly
The potted mums that you purchase typically have very compacted root balls because of their rapid growth in a single season.
While this is not a reason to pass on the plant (you might have a hard time finding a plant whose roots don’t fill the pot), you should either plant it promptly in garden soil or a new pot with some fresh potting soil.
Use a container one size up from the nursery pot to give the roots room to expand. Using your fingers, gently loosen entangled roots.
Provide Full Sun
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Generally, mums should receive at least six hours of full, direct sunlight per day for the most prolific bloom. In a warm climate, however, select a spot with partial or dappled shade, preferably during the hot afternoon hours, to protect the mums from sun scorch.
When selecting a location for your mums, keep in mind that the surrounding plants change as fall progresses. Deciduous trees and shrubs drop their leaves, which may lead to stronger sun exposure of your mums.
Water Frequently
Mums require consistently moist soil, which translates into one to two inches of water per week. Water whenever the soil feels dry.
Potted mums dry out faster than mums planted in garden soil, so they need more frequent watering. Check on the plants daily, especially during in weather.Water slowly and deeply so the entire root system gets saturated. Insert the hose or the watering can under the blooms to avoid getting the foliage wet.Placing potted plants on a large saucer allows you to bottom-water the plant in place, which is a good option because it gets the roots wet and keeps the blooms dry.Be careful not to overwater the mums; this can lead to diseases, especially in soil with poor drainage.
Deadhead Spent Flowers
Because of the numerous flowers, deadheading mums can be time-consuming but if you want the plant to continue blooming, it is well worth the effort.
Removing the wilted flowers encourages the plant to produce new blooms. And since you are at it, also remove any brown leaves and dead stems for a neat appearance.
How Long Will Mums Last?
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There is no difference in the life cycle between potted and in-ground mums; both last for four to eight weeks once they start blooming. The exact length of the bloom depends on factors both within and outside of your control.
Purchasing and planting mums as cooler fall weather sets it makes them last longer. A long stretch of unseasonably hot fall weather can shorten their bloom time.
Taking good care of your mums and repotting them after purchase, giving them a sunny spot, keeping them well-watered, and deadheading them are all things that will make your mums last longer.
But even with the best care, florist mums reach the end of their life cycle when a strong frost hits. This is because florist mums are grown to bloom instead of putting down roots for colder weather.
They are not equipped with the underground runners that perennial mums have to survive winter weather.
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