how to care for mums in a pot

Those vibrant pots of autumn color, known as garden mums or chrysanthemums, are a sure sign that fall has arrived. Bringing one home instantly adds a cozy, festive feel to your porch or patio. But how do you keep those beautiful blooms thriving long after you’ve brought them home? Learning how to care for mums in a pot is simpler than you might think, and with a few key tips, you can enjoy their spectacular show for weeks to come.

The Ultimate Guide on How to Care for Mums in a Pot

The secret to long-lasting mums starts with a simple habit: consistent watering. Check the soil daily by sticking your finger an inch deep. If it feels dry, it’s time for a drink. Water the soil directly until you see it run out of the bottom drainage holes. Avoid letting the soil become completely dry, as this will stress the plant and cause blooms to wilt prematurely. However, also be careful not to let the pot sit in a saucer of water, as soggy roots can lead to rot.

Finding the Perfect Sunny Spot

Mums are sun lovers. To maintain their dense, flower-covered shape, they need a minimum of four to six hours of direct sunlight each day. A bright spot on a south or west-facing step is ideal. If they don’t receive enough light, you might notice the plant becoming leggy and the number of flowers decreasing. If you’ve placed them in a decorative container without drainage, it’s best to keep the mum in its original plastic pot and simply place it inside the decorative one. This makes watering easier and prevents root rot.

Encouraging More Blooms and Healthy Growth

To keep your mums looking full and lush, a practice called “deadheading” is your best friend. This simply means pinching off the spent, faded flowers. Use your fingers or a small pair of scissors to snip off the old bloom just above the first set of leaves. This encourages the plant to put its energy into producing new buds instead of making seeds. For an extra boost, you can use a liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks, but it’s often not necessary for seasonal display mums.

What to Do When the Season Ends

As the blooms finally fade and the first hard frost arrives, you have a choice. Many people treat potted mums as stunning annuals and compost them. However, if you’d like to try to overwinter them, you can cut the stems back to about two inches above the soil and move the pot to a cool, protected place like an unheated garage. Water it very sparingly throughout the winter.

With just a little attention to their basic needs for water, sun, and a quick tidy-up, your potted mums will reward you with a spectacular and long-lasting display of autumn color.