Picking Out Mums – 4 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Fall Mums

If you are going to be picking out a few mums to display from your front porch or along walkways this fall, there are a few tips you need to keep in mind so you can enjoy those stunning blooms as long as possible.

When it comes to naming the unofficial flower for the fall season, I don’t think many people would argue about it being chrysanthemum (often shortened to “mums”). With their stunning multiple tiny flowers in rich colors of red, orange, burgundy, salmon, pink, yellow, white, and cream, they are a perfect way to add color and interest when most summer flowers have put a halt on blooming.

It seems like these iconic cool-weather flowers start to pop up in stores and front porches the second the temperatures start to drop in summer. And when you see them, it can be so tempting to immediately go out and purchase a few!

However, after only a few weeks, those once stunning plants might be looking a little worse for wear. Whether it’s a sudden rise in temperatures, a lack of watering, or simply the plants running out of steam, you can help prevent that from happening with a few tips.

Believe it or not though, those tips all start with when and how you purchase your plants. Purchase the wrong ones too early and you might be left with dead plants long before the growing season should be up. Not only is this frustrating, but it can get expensive too if you have to go out and purchase more!

4 Tips For Picking Out Mums That Will Last

#1 – Have Patience When Purchasing

As hard as it might be, the first tip on getting your mums to last is to be patient. You don’t want to purchase plants too early in the growing season.

A lot of local stores and garden centers will start to display mums as early as late August. However, if you live in a location like mine where we still are experiencing summer weather during this time, your mums will struggle to last long in the heat.

During these late summer or even early fall months, the temperatures can often stay around 80º Fahrenheit during the day. Add to that the still harsh sun’s rays and plants will fade quickly. This is especially the case with mums that are already in full bloom.

Instead, wait until your temperatures are consistently more around 60 to 70º before buying. The combined cooler temperatures and shorter daylight hours will help to lengthen the amount of time your mums bloom. This can sometimes even add weeks to their longevity!

#2 – Buds Are Better Than Blooms When Picking Out Mums

I get it, it can be so tempting to buy the mum that is in full bloom. Not only are you able to see exactly which color the plant is but also how thick and full the plants will be.

Unfortunately, these plants are likely already halfway through blooming at this point. Once you bring these plants home, you only have a short time to enjoy those beautiful blooms before they are done. Typically, only a couple of weeks.

Instead, look for plants that have plenty of tight, unopened buds. If a few of the blooms have opened up, that is fine. You just want the majority of the plant to be in the budding stage.

Yes, it might be hard to know exactly what color the blooms are if the plant isn’t labeled. However, once those flowers do open up, you will be able to enjoy five or more weeks of vibrant blooms. That should hopefully be enough to get you into November if you care for the plants properly.

#3 – Look For Healthy Foliage

This is a tip that works best when you are picking out a mum that’s still in the budding stage. This is because you can easily see the green foliage underneath. If you were to choose one in full bloom, it’s a bit harder to look at the health of the foliage below.

Basically, you want to pick out an overall healthy plant. Pretty self-explanatory right? The chrysanthemum should have thick, lush foliage in addition to several buds. The green coloring should be vibrant and not dull or faded.

If the mums are crammed into shelves, take the one you have an eye on out and inspect all sides. Sometimes, a mum that looks stunning from the front is badly damaged or already starting to fade in the back.

Also, if the mum has a few blooms already opened, make sure that they haven’t already started to dry out. This can indicate that a plant is a bit older and not in the best shape for purchasing.

#4 – Variety Of Mums

There are two main types of mums that you can purchase this time of year. First, there are floral mums. These are mums that, while they are beautiful, are grown as annuals. This means that once they are done blooming, they start to die.

The other type is “garden” or hardy mums. These are perennial plants that can be saved over winter or planted directly into the ground. Buying hardy mums will allow you to enjoy the same blooms year after year. At the same time, you can save money on your gardening budget.

Look at the label when picking out your mum to know which type you are buying. However, watch for tricky labeling. Some of the mums I purchased in the past were labeled as “Garden” mums. However, right below the tag, it said “Not Hardy”. So be sure to read the labels carefully.

If you don’t plan to overwinter your mum, then it doesn’t really matter which type you buy. It’s just something to keep in mind if you do want to grow the plants as perennials as opposed to annuals. After the season is over, you can just put your spent mums in the compost.

Hopefully, with these tips when you go to pick out your mums, you will be set up to enjoy the plants long into the fall months instead of just for a week or two! For tips on keeping your mums alive now that you have them, check out my article, “Keeping Mums Alive – 5 Tips To Keep Mums Blooming All Fall Long!“

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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