How to Care for Your Mums

Mums, or chrysanthemums, are a favorite for fall gardens thanks to their vibrant colors and long-lasting blooms. Whether you’ve added mums to your garden beds or planted them in containers, proper care is essential to keeping them healthy and beautiful throughout the season. Here are a few tips on how to care for mums and ensure they thrive.

Choose the Right Spot

To help your mums thrive, it’s important to plant them in the right location. Mums prefer full sun, so choose a spot that gets at least six hours of sunlight per day. While they can tolerate some shade, too much can result in fewer blooms and weaker plants. If you're growing mums in containers, make sure they're placed where they can soak up plenty of sunlight.

Watering Your Mums

Proper watering is crucial for keeping mums healthy. Mums prefer evenly moist soil, so water them regularly, especially during dry spells. However, be careful not to overwater, as soggy soil can lead to root rot. Aim to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, and use mulch to help retain moisture and keep the soil temperature stable.

Feeding Your Mums

Feeding mums during the growing season can help promote lush foliage and vibrant blooms. A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer applied every few weeks will give your mums the nutrients they need to stay healthy. Be sure to stop fertilizing once the plants begin to flower, as this can interfere with blooming.

Pruning and Deadheading Mums

To encourage fuller growth and more blooms, pinch back your mums in the early growing season. This involves cutting back the tips of the stems to promote bushier growth. As your mums begin to bloom, keep them looking their best by deadheading, or removing faded flowers. Regular deadheading encourages new blooms and extends the flowering season.

Preparing Mums for Winter

If you’re hoping to keep your mums for the next year, you’ll need to take steps to prepare them for winter. After the first frost, cut the plants back to about three inches above the ground. Apply a thick layer of mulch to insulate the roots and protect them from freezing temperatures. In the spring, remove the mulch and let the new growth begin.

Pest and Disease Management

Mums are generally hardy, but they can still fall victim to pests and diseases. Keep an eye out for aphids, spider mites, and other common garden pests. Regularly inspect your plants for signs of infestation, and use insecticidal soap or neem oil as needed. Proper spacing and airflow around your mums can also prevent diseases like powdery mildew.

How to Care for Mums in the Winter

Winter care is crucial for mums if you want them to return next year. To prepare garden mums for winter, mulch around the base with about four inches of material, such as straw or shredded hardwood, to insulate the roots. Once the first frost hits, prune the mums down to about an inch above the ground, leaving the mulch in place. If you're growing potted mums, you can either bring them indoors or store them in a garage or basement where they won't freeze. In the spring, you can remove the mulch and prune away any dead stems to allow new growth to emerge.

How to Care for Mums in the Fall

Fall is the prime season for mums, and proper care during this time will help them last as long as possible. Whether you have potted mums on your porch or garden mums in your landscape, be sure to keep the soil moist but avoid getting the foliage wet. Mums can be prone to diseases like leaf spots if their leaves stay too wet for too long. Deadheading regularly will help your mums continue to produce new blooms throughout the fall, keeping them vibrant well into the season.

How to Care for Mums in the Spring

Mums planted in the fall can be revived in the spring with the right care. Start by pruning away any dead parts of the plant down to the roots. Adding a bit of fertilizer or compost in the spring will give them a nutrient boost, helping them grow strong for the next season. If your mums are in pots, move them to a sunny spot where they’ll receive plenty of light. As they grow, pinch back the new buds to encourage fuller, bushier growth. This helps the mums develop new branches and flowers for a beautiful display later in the year.