How Do You Take Care Of Mum Plants: From Fall Decor To Perennial Stars

ByRimon Chowdhury Updated on

Have you ever bought a gorgeous, perfectly round chrysanthemum bursting with autumn color, only to watch it wither and fade on your porch within a few weeks? You’re not alone. It’s a story I hear all the time from fellow gardeners, and it’s incredibly frustrating.

Those vibrant mums feel like the official start of fall, but they often seem so temporary. But what if I told you that with just a little know-how, you can keep them looking spectacular all season long? Better yet, what if you could plant them in your garden and have them return, bigger and better, every single year?

I promise, it’s easier than you think. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know. We’ll cover how to choose the right plant, the secrets to watering and feeding, and the simple trick that guarantees a bushier plant loaded with flowers. Learning how do you take care of mum plants is the key to unlocking seasons of beautiful blooms.

First Things First: Choosing the Right Mum for Success

Before we even talk about soil or sun, our journey begins at the garden center. The secret to long-lasting mums starts with picking the right type of plant. Not all chrysanthemums are created equal!

Hardy Mums vs. Florist Mums

This is the most important distinction a mum-lover can learn. It’s the difference between a one-season fling and a long-term garden companion.

  • Hardy Mums (or Garden Mums): These are the champions you want for your garden. They are perennials, bred to survive cold winters and return in the spring. They set their flower buds based on daylight hours, making them reliable fall bloomers.
  • Florist Mums: These are the mums you often find in floral arrangements or as gift plants in grocery stores. They are grown in greenhouses and forced to bloom at specific times. While beautiful, they have very little energy stored in their roots and are not meant to survive a winter outdoors. Think of them as a long-lasting bouquet.

When you’re shopping, look for labels that say “garden mum” or “hardy mum.” If you’re unsure, ask an employee. Choosing a hardy variety is the first step in our how do you take care of mum plants care guide for perennial success.

What to Look For at the Nursery

Once you’ve found the hardy mums, be a little picky! A healthy plant will give you a much better shot at a stunning display.

  1. Look for Buds, Not Just Blooms: It’s tempting to grab the plant that’s in full, glorious flower. Resist! Choose a plant that is mostly covered in tight buds with only a few flowers open. This means you’ll get to enjoy the entire bloom cycle at your home, not at the store.
  2. Check the Foliage: The leaves should be a deep, healthy green all the way down to the base. Avoid plants with yellowing or brown, crispy leaves, as this can be a sign of stress or disease.
  3. Inspect the Roots: Gently tip the plant out of its pot if you can. The roots should be white or light tan and fill the pot, but not be a dense, circling mass. A heavily root-bound plant will need immediate attention.

Planting Your Mums: In the Ground or in a Pot?

Where your mum will live determines some of its care needs. Both options are fantastic, so choose what works best for your space and goals. This is a crucial part of learning how to take care of mum plants effectively.

For a Stunning Autumn Display (Pots & Containers)

Keeping mums in pots is perfect for decorating patios, porches, and balconies. Don’t worry—these flowers are perfect for beginners!

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The number one mistake people make is leaving the mum in its flimsy nursery pot. Those are often packed with roots and have very little soil to hold moisture. Repotting is essential.

Choose a container that is at least a few inches wider and deeper than the nursery pot. Ensure it has drainage holes! Use a quality, all-purpose potting mix. Gently loosen the root ball of the mum before placing it in the new pot, fill in with soil, and water it thoroughly.

For Year-After-Year Beauty (Planting in the Garden)

To have your mums return as perennials, planting them in the garden is the way to go. The ideal time to plant hardy mums is in the spring, as this gives their root systems a full season to get established before winter.

However, you can absolutely plant the mums you buy in the fall! Just get them in the ground as early in the season as possible (ideally 6 weeks before the first hard frost) to give them a fighting chance. Plant them at the same depth they were in the pot and water them in well. Adding a layer of mulch will help protect the roots.

The Core of Mum Care: Sun, Water, and Food

Once your mums are settled in their new home, their day-to-day needs are quite simple. Getting these three elements right is one of the most important how do you take care of mum plants tips I can share.

Let There Be Light: The Sunshine Requirement

Chrysanthemums are sun-lovers, period. They need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight per day to produce the maximum number of flowers and maintain a strong, sturdy shape.

If they get less than 6 hours, they’ll become “leggy”—tall and spindly with weak stems—and produce far fewer blooms. So, pick the sunniest spot on your porch or in your garden!

The Golden Rule of Watering

Improper watering is the fastest way to kill a mum. They prefer consistent moisture but despise sitting in soggy soil, which leads to root rot.

  • Check the Soil First: Don’t water on a schedule. Instead, stick your finger an inch or two into the soil. If it feels dry, it’s time to water. If it’s damp, wait another day.
  • Water the Base, Not the Top: When you do water, aim for the soil at the base of the plant. Soaking the dense foliage and flowers can promote fungal diseases like powdery mildew.
  • Potted Mums Dry Out Faster: Mums in containers, especially terracotta pots, will need much more frequent watering than those in the ground—perhaps even daily during warm, windy weather.

Feeding Your Mums for Maximum Blooms

If you planted your mums in the spring, you should feed them with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer through June and July to encourage healthy growth. Once buds start to form, you can stop.

For mums purchased in the fall that are already budding or blooming, you don’t need to fertilize them. They have already been given everything they need by the grower to produce that beautiful show. Adding more fertilizer won’t help and can even damage the plant.

How Do You Take Care of Mum Plants for a Bushy Shape? The Secret of Pinching

Ever wonder how growers get those perfectly round, compact mums that are completely covered in flowers? The answer is a simple technique called “pinching.” This is one of the best practices for perennial mum care.

Pinching is just what it sounds like: using your thumb and forefinger to pinch off the top ½ to 1 inch of new growth on each stem. This forces the plant to send out two new side shoots from that point, creating a much bushier, fuller plant.

The Pinching Schedule

This is a task for spring and early summer, not for the fall-blooming plants you just bought.

  1. First Pinch: When the plant reaches about 6 inches tall in the spring, perform the first pinch on every single stem.
  2. Repeat: As the new side shoots grow and reach 6 inches in length, pinch them back again.
  3. Final Pinch: Continue this process until around the 4th of July (in most US climates). Pinching after this date can interfere with the plant’s ability to form flower buds for the fall.

It feels a bit cruel at first, but you are setting your plant up for a truly spectacular autumn performance!

Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Mum Care

Part of being a great gardener is being a good steward of the earth. Adopting a sustainable how do you take care of mum plants approach is easy and effective.

  • Feed the Soil with Compost: Instead of relying solely on chemical fertilizers, amend your garden soil with rich, organic compost. It improves soil structure, retains moisture, and provides a slow release of essential nutrients.
  • Mulch, Mulch, Mulch: A 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch (like shredded bark or straw) around your in-ground mums helps conserve water by reducing evaporation, suppresses weeds, and protects the roots in winter.
  • Attract Beneficial Insects: Mums are great for attracting pollinators late in the season. Creating a diverse garden environment encourages predatory insects that can help manage pests like aphids naturally.
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Troubleshooting: Common Problems with How Do You Take Care of Mum Plants

Even with the best care, you might run into a few issues. Don’t worry! Here’s how to solve some of the most common problems with how do you take care of mum plants.

Why are my mum’s leaves turning yellow?

This is almost always a watering issue. Yellow leaves at the base of the plant often indicate overwatering and potential root rot. Yellowing, wilting leaves all over the plant usually signal underwatering. Check the soil moisture to diagnose the problem.

What are these white, powdery spots on the leaves?

That’s likely powdery mildew, a common fungal disease. It’s caused by poor air circulation and damp leaves. Prevent it by giving plants enough space and watering the soil, not the foliage. If it appears, you can treat it with a fungicide or a simple homemade spray of 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a gallon of water.

Why aren’t my mums blooming?

For perennial mums in the garden, the top three culprits are: not enough sun, pinching too late in the summer, or too much nitrogen-rich fertilizer (which promotes leafy growth at the expense of flowers).

Frequently Asked Questions About Mum Plant Care

Can I bring my outdoor mums inside for the winter?

Hardy garden mums are meant to live outdoors and need a period of winter dormancy. Bringing them into a warm house will confuse them and they likely won’t survive. It’s better to overwinter them in a protected spot outside or in a cold, unheated garage.

Should I deadhead my mums?

Deadheading, or removing spent flowers, can encourage the plant to produce a few more blooms and keeps it looking tidy. It’s not strictly necessary for the plant’s health, but it does improve its appearance during the long fall season.

Are mums toxic to pets?

Yes, chrysanthemums are considered toxic to dogs, cats, and horses if ingested. They can cause gastrointestinal upset, drooling, and loss of coordination. It’s best to keep them in an area your pets can’t access.

Your Guide to Gorgeous Mums, Season After Season

See? Taking care of mums is all about giving them the right start and meeting a few basic needs. They aren’t the disposable fall decorations many people think they are; they are resilient, beautiful plants ready to become stars in your garden.

Remember the key takeaways from this how do you take care of mum plants guide: choose a hardy variety, give it plenty of sun, water the soil when it’s dry, and if you’re growing it as a perennial, don’t forget to pinch it back in early summer.

Now you have all the knowledge and tips you need. Go forward and fill your garden and porch with the vibrant, joyful colors of autumn. Happy gardening!

Rimon Chowdhury
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