In autumn, few container plants can rival the petal-packed show of mums.
These tips will help you successfully care for potted mums so they’ll keep blooming all season long.
Choose the Best Mums
Success starts with choosing the bestchrysanthemumsfor your fall containers.
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
You’ll getmore bloom time out of these mums, and they’ll likely handle repotting better.
You may find both florist mums and garden mums available for fall decorating.
Florist mums won’t carry on once the blooms die or frost arrives.
Credit: Cameron Sadeghpour
Garden Mums:If you want a more permanent perennial, choose a garden mum (hardy mums).
These perennials can survive a light fall frost better than florist types.
Repot Right Away
Always repot a purchased potted mum plant when you get it home.
They’re usually root-bound, meaning the roots take up most of the pot.
This makes it challenging for the roots to find enough water and air.
Replant the mums in acontainer larger than they came inso the roots can spread out.
Gently loosen tangled roots before repotting to encourage them to grow outward again.
Give Potted Mums Enough Sunlight
Mums need at least six hours of sunlight each day.
Never let your mums wilt, which can damage the flowers.
If you notice that the bottom leaves look limp or start to turn brown, water more often.
Whenwatering your mums, try not to splash the foliage to avoidplant diseases.
Then,cover the pot with burlap or an old sheet.
Check the soil once in a while and water lightly if it feels very dry.
As soon as spring weather warms up, pull away mulch to allow new shoots to pop up.
Water well and move your mums in pots outside into the sunshine.
