Nothing says fall quite like mums. Once September rolls around, they start showing up on front steps, patios, and in garden beds everywhere. With all of the colors and sizes available, they’re one of the easiest ways to give your home an instant touch of fall. Of course, once you find the perfect mums, you want to keep them looking good for as long as possible. Luckily, mums are fairly easy to care for. A little attention to water, sunlight, and changing fall temperatures can help you get weeks of beautiful color.
Keep an Eye on Water
If there’s one thing to remember about caring for mums, it’s this: don’t let them dry out. Mums have a lot of foliage and flowers packed into a relatively small container, which means they can use water quickly. This is especially true during those warm, sunny September days that still feel more like summer than fall. Check the soil regularly by sticking your finger into the top inch or so. If it feels dry, it’s time to water. Give the plant a good, thorough drink and allow the excess water to drain out of the bottom. Whenever possible, water at the soil level rather than over the top of the plant. Keeping the flowers dry will help them stay looking fresh longer.
Give Them Some Sunshine
Mums like the sun. A spot that receives around six hours of sunlight each day will help them perform their best. They can handle some shade, especially when they’re being used primarily for fall decorating, but too much shade can affect how well the remaining buds open. Just keep in mind that a mum sitting in full afternoon sun may also dry out faster, so check the soil more often during warm weather.
Buy for What’s Coming, Not Just What’s Blooming
It’s tempting to grab the mum with the most color when you’re shopping, but take a closer look before making your choice. If you want a mum that will provide color for several weeks, choose one with lots of unopened buds mixed in with the flowers that are already blooming. Those buds will continue opening as the older flowers fade. If you’re decorating for a party or event happening right away, go ahead and pick one that’s already showing plenty of color. Otherwise, a plant covered in buds will usually give you a longer show.
Remove Flowers That Are Past Their Prime
As flowers begin to fade and turn brown, pinch or snip them off. This won’t necessarily cause your mum to produce an entirely new round of flowers, but it will keep the plant looking cleaner and allow the fresh flowers and unopened buds to stand out. A quick cleanup every few days can make a big difference in how the plant looks.
Make Sure Excess Water Can Escape
Mums like moisture, but they don’t like sitting in water. This can become a problem when a nursery pot is placed inside a decorative basket, pot, or other container without drainage. After watering, check to make sure water isn’t collecting around the bottom of the pot. Good drainage is just as important as regular watering.
Watch the Forecast
One of the nice things about mums is that they enjoy the cooler temperatures that arrive with fall. Eventually, though, Minnesota’s temperatures get a little too cold. Frost and freezing temperatures can damage the flowers. If you have mums in containers and a particularly cold night is forecast, moving them into a garage or another protected area overnight can help extend their display. Mums planted in the ground can be temporarily covered to provide some protection on cold nights.
Bring a Little Fall Home
Mums are one of the easiest ways to transition your home from summer into fall. Pair them with ornamental grasses, kale, celosia, pumpkins, gourds, and other fall favorites for an easy seasonal display.
Stop by Pahl’s Market to see what’s looking good and find the colors that work best for your home.
And if you remember only one thing when you get them home, make it this: check the water. A thirsty mum can go downhill quickly, but one that’s kept consistently watered can provide beautiful fall color for weeks.
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