Chrysanthemums · potted and garden mums
Mums are the flower of fall, and a healthy potted mum stays covered in blooms for weeks. The secret is simple: they are thirsty plants, and they last longest when they are kept cool.
There are two kinds. Florist mums, often sent as gifts, are grown for indoors and one long bloom. Garden or hardy mums are sold in fall for porches and flower beds, and many can come back next year. Both are cared for the same way while they are blooming.
Check the water every day
A potted mum full of blooms can dry out in a single warm day. Feel the soil every day. When the top is dry, water it slowly and thoroughly until water runs out the bottom.
Once a mum wilts badly, the open flowers rarely recover. If yours is in foil, poke holes in the bottom so it can drain.
Finding the right spot
Bright light and cool air keep the flowers coming.
- Indoors, put it near a bright window but out of hot afternoon sun.
- Cooler is better: around 60–65°F makes the blooms last much longer than a warm room.
- On a porch, morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal in our early-fall heat.
- Keep it away from heat vents and fireplaces.
Everyday care
Mums
Chrysanthemum
- Light
- Bright light. Indoors, a sunny window; outdoors, at least a half day of sun.
- Water
- Daily check. Keep the soil evenly moist and never let it dry out completely, but don’t leave it standing in water.
- Temperature
- Cool: 60–65°F indoors. Outdoors, they handle light frosts but not a hard freeze in a pot.
- Feeding
- None needed while in bloom.
- Spent flowers
- Pinch off faded blooms to keep it tidy and help the remaining buds open.
- Watering tip
- Water the soil, not the flowers. Wet blooms can spot and rot.
Toxic to cats and dogs. Eating mums can cause vomiting, drooling and skin irritation. If any part is eaten, call your veterinarian.
Can I plant my mum in the garden?
If it is a garden or hardy mum, yes, and the sooner the better so the roots can settle before winter.
- Plant it in a sunny spot with good drainage, at the same depth it was in the pot, and water it well.
- Keep it watered through fall, and mulch around it after the first frost.
- Leave the dead stems on through winter; they help protect the plant. Cut them back in early spring when new growth appears.
- Next year, pinch the tips back every few weeks until mid-July so it grows bushy and blooms in fall.
- Florist mums sent as gifts are usually not hardy enough to come back. Enjoy them indoors while they bloom.
The eastern North Carolina year
What to do through our Johnston County seasons.
| Season | What to do |
|---|---|
| FallSeptember–November | Peak bloom. Water daily in warm spells, pinch off spent flowers, plant garden mums early. |
| WinterDecember–February | Garden mums rest outside under mulch. Florist mums indoors are finished and can be composted. |
| SpringMarch–May | Cut back old stems on garden mums when new shoots appear and start feeding. |
| SummerJune–August | Pinch tips every few weeks until mid-July for a bushy fall show. Water in dry spells. |
Repotting
A potted mum doesn’t need repotting while it blooms. If it is drying out within hours, set the whole pot inside a slightly bigger container with a little soil, or plant it in the garden.
Quick fixes
Whole plant wilted
Dry. Water slowly and thoroughly, and check it daily from now on.
Flowers browning quickly
Too warm or too dry. Move it somewhere cooler and keep the soil moist.
Buds not opening
Not enough light, or it dried out. Move it to a brighter spot.
Yellow lower leaves
Usually water sitting in the foil. Let it drain.
Gray fuzz on flowers
Mold from wet blooms. Remove them and water only the soil.
Didn’t come back in spring
Probably a florist mum, or planted too late to root in. Plant garden mums early in fall.
Common questions
How often should I water a potted mum?
Check it every day and water when the surface is dry. Mums dry out fast.
Will my mum come back next year?
Garden (hardy) mums often do if planted early in fall. Florist mums usually don’t.
Can I keep a mum inside?
Yes, while it blooms. A bright, cool spot makes the flowers last longest.
Should I deadhead mums?
Yes. Pinching off faded flowers keeps it tidy and helps the remaining buds open.
More plant care guides
Potted Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
The thirstiest plant we send. Water daily, keep it cool, and plant it in morning sun.
Read the guide →Dish Gardens & Planter Baskets
Mixed green and blooming plants
Several plants in one container. Water lightly, give it bright indirect light, and separate them when they outgrow it.
Read the guide →Poinsettia
Euphorbia pulcherrima
Keep it warm, bright and out of drafts, and the color lasts well past New Year.
Read the guide →About pets and plants: The pet notes in this guide are general plant knowledge from our florists, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet chews or swallows any part of a plant, contact a licensed veterinarian right away, or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. If a person swallows any part of a plant, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
“So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”1 Corinthians 3:7
Questions about your plant?
Call or text us. We are always glad to help, whether you bought it from us or not.
Call or text (984) 250-7771 Clayton Florist · 11440 Clayton Blvd, Clayton, NC 27520claytonncflorist.com