Gardening in the fall comes with its challenges, but there’s nothing quite like the vibrant, hardy blooms of chrysanthemums—commonly known as mums—lighting up your garden or patio. These bright, cheerful plants are a popular choice for autumn, but the key to getting the most out of their blooms lies in timing and proper care.
Wondering when is the best time to plant your potted mums? Let’s dive in and explore how to keep those beautiful blooms going for as long as possible.
Understanding Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums come in various forms, but understanding the difference between florist mums and hardy mums is crucial to ensuring success in your garden.
Types of Mums: Florist vs. Hardy
You’ve probably seen mums at grocery stores or florists—usually florist mums, explicitly bred for cut flowers and indoor use. While undeniably beautiful, they’re not meant for outdoor planting, especially as they’re unlikely to survive cold weather.
On the other hand, hardy mums, also known as garden mums, are perfect for outdoor planting. They’re bred to withstand cooler temperatures, making them ideal for fall gardens.
Hardy Chrysanthemum Varieties
Several hardy chrysanthemum varieties are perfect for gardeners looking for long-term, low-maintenance blooms. Varieties like Chrysanthemum ‘Hillside Sheffield Pink’, known for its pale apricot-pink blooms and mounding growth habit, are great for mixed border plantings.
Another popular choice is Chrysanthemum ‘Matchsticks’, which features unique spoon-shaped petals and offers rabbit and deer resistance. Both varieties thrive as perennials and can handle colder climates with minimal care.
These plants are also well-suited for compact gardens, and deadheading buds that haven’t bloomed will help enhance their longevity
Blooming Patterns of Mums
The blooming pattern of your mums heavily depends on when you plant them and the surrounding climate. If you plant them too early, they may suffer during hot spells, which can stunt their blooming. But if you plant them too late, they may not have enough time to establish strong roots before the first frost. Finding that perfect planting window is key to prolonged blooming.
Best Time to Plant Mums
So, when should you plant your potted mums? Timing is everything; getting it right can mean the difference between a short burst of blooms or a long-lasting autumn display.
Ideal Planting Time
The best time to plant your mums is typically mid- to late-September. During this period, the days are starting to cool down, but the ground is still warm enough to help establish roots. Planting in this window allows your mums to adapt to their new environment while avoiding the heat stress of summer.
Temperature Considerations
Temperature plays a significant role in how long mums will bloom. Cooler temperatures (around 60°F to 70°F) are ideal for mums’ thrive. If the temperature is too high, the blooms may fade quickly. Conversely, freezing temperatures too soon after planting can damage young roots and lead to fewer blooms. Keep an eye on the forecast when planting mums to avoid these extremes.
Planting and Care Tips for Mums
Once you’ve nailed down the proper planting time, how you plant and care for your mums is equally essential.
Choosing the Right Mums
When you’re selecting your mums, opt for plants that are still in bud rather than those already in full bloom. Budded plants will continue to bloom longer after planting, giving you a prolonged display of color. Full-bloom plants, while tempting, will start to fade more quickly after they’ve been transplanted.
Planting Techniques
Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to planting your potted mums, whether you’re putting them in garden beds or containers:
- Choose a sunny spot: Mums love sunlight, so ensure they get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
- Prep the soil: Mums prefer well-drained soil. If you’re planting in garden beds, loosen the soil and add compost to improve drainage.
- Planting depth: Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball of your mums. The top of the root ball should be level with the soil surface.
- Water thoroughly: After planting, water your mums well to help settle the soil and eliminate air pockets.
Care Instructions for Prolonged Blooming
Caring for Potted Mums
Maintaining potted mums requires attention to their water needs, sunlight, and general care to ensure prolonged health and vibrant blooms. Place your mums in a sunny spot, receiving at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily, but they can also tolerate partial shade in hotter climates.
Water your mums when the top layer of soil feels dry, ensuring the pot has drainage to prevent root rot. Be mindful of saucers under pots that may trap excess water. If the plant becomes root-bound, re-pot in fresh potting soil. Regularly check for pests and diseases like leaf spots and bacterial spots and remove any affected foliage
Seasonal Maintenance for Mums
Mums may be hardy, but they still need attention as the season progresses. Weather fluctuations can make it tricky, but with a little care, your mums will keep shining through.
Handling Warm Days
If you experience an unexpected warm spell in early fall, protecting your mums from overheating is crucial. You can move potted mums to a shaded area or provide temporary shade for garden mums by using a shade cloth. This will help keep their blooms from fading too quickly.
Winter Care for Hardy Mums
Hardy mums can return year after year if properly cared for during winter. Here’s how to overwinter your garden mums:
- Mulch: After the first frost, apply a layer of mulch around the base of the plant to protect the roots from freezing temperatures.
- Trim the stems: Cut them back to about 6 inches above the ground after they’ve died back. This will help protect the plant during the cold months.
- Water sparingly: You don’t need to water mums frequently during winter. Just ensure the soil doesn’t dry out completely.
With the proper care, your hardy mums will return even stronger next fall, ready to burst into bloom again.
Recap: How to Keep Mums Blooming Longer
In summary, planting mums at the right time is essential for prolonged blooms. Aim for mid- to late-September for the best results, and choose plants that are still in bud. Proper planting techniques and regular care—like watering, fertilizing, and protecting from extreme weather—will help your mums thrive well into the fall season.
Now that you’ve got the secrets to planting mums for long-lasting blooms, it’s time to put that knowledge into action! What are your go-to tips for keeping your mums blooming?
Enhancing Mums’ Blooming
Regular maintenance is key to extending the blooming period of mums. Deadheading is one of the best techniques, which involves removing wilted flowers to encourage new blooms and prevent the plant from diverting energy to seed production.
Applying a layer of mulch, such as wood chips or evergreen boughs, helps retain soil moisture and stabilize temperature, especially during temperature swings. Avoid nutrient competition by ensuring your mums receive proper feeding, especially when planted near other perennials.
Protect mums from frost heaving by covering the roots in colder weather, and make sure to keep transplanted perennials in nutrient-rich soil to support rebloom
Do you have any other fall gardening questions? Share your thoughts in the comments below—I’d love to hear from you!
Indoor vs Outdoor Mums
Caring for mums indoors and outdoors presents different challenges. Outdoor mums require a sunny area with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight, and they thrive in well-draining soil enhanced with compost or other organic matter. In colder climates, outdoor mums benefit from being mulched to protect roots during frost.
Indoor mums, on the other hand, require bright, indirect light and should be placed away from drafts or fluctuating temperatures. Use organic soil in pots with drainage to avoid waterlogging. Indoor mums typically have a shorter lifespan than outdoor varieties, but regular care, including proper watering and light exposure, can extend their bloom
Reference
- Penn State
provides a comprehensive guide on growing chrysanthemums, covering aspects such as planting time, soil requirements, and care tips. They highlight the importance of planting in well-drained soil and spacing plants properly to avoid disease. For more details, check out their article on chrysanthemum care here: Penn State
- North Carolina Cooperative Extension
offers specific advice on how to grow and maintain chrysanthemums, including pinching and watering techniques. Their guide also emphasizes protecting mums from pests and ensuring optimal blooming by planting at the right time. You can read more from their resource here N.C. Cooperative Extension
- Missouri Botanical Garden
explains the winter care required for hardy mums and provides tips for protecting newly planted mums from frost damage. Their site is handy for gardeners looking to overwinter their mums successfully in colder regions. Learn more here IPM Missouri
- Clemson University’s Home & Garden Information Center
details the best practices for growing chrysanthemums in different climates, including proper spacing, pruning, and fertilization methods to encourage prolonged blooming. Their article on chrysanthemums is available here HGIC
