Getting the most out of your mums for the season

In the flower world, nothing says autumn quite like Chrysanthemums, better known as mums. Mums are beautiful and lush plants with hundreds of varieties in all shapes, colors, and sizes. When you see these iconic fall plants making their way into garden centers, you, like many others, likely start envisioning a landscape and front porch makeover fitting with the season. Fortunately, mums are an instant way to transform landscapes and outdoor spaces from a tired summer look to a vibrant fall spectacle. In this blog, we guide you on how to get the most out of your mums, keeping these beautiful and well-known plants green and blooming for the season. 

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About mums

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Two broad categories encompass mums: florist mums and garden mums. For the sake of this article, we will focus on garden mums, particularly cushion mums, which we grow by the tens of thousands and are the types of mums you will find lining our store benches from late August through mid-October. Cushion mums are most notable for their dome-shaped habit, almost completely covered with flowers when in bloom. They are hardy varieties you can plant in the ground and treat as a perennial (more on that below). However, most customers, whether decorating their front porches or freshening up their landscapes, are only interested in getting a season of color out of their mums. Let us tell you how to make the most of your annual mums this autumn season. 

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Choosing a mum

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When selecting a mum at the store, choose plants with numerous visible buds that are not completely open to enjoy the full extent of the plant’s life. If placing your mum in full sun, a partially open bloom is acceptable. For shady areas, look for more open flowers. If you are looking for an instant impact to your space, then purchase a mum whose blooms are already open and on full display. The foliage of the plant is another important aspect to look at when purchasing a mum. We recommend buying a mum with dense, dark, and symmetrical foliage that is not wilted or yellowing. Our Family Tree Nursery staff cares for the mums all season long to ensure that only the best quality mums are available for purchase, and we are happy to help you find the perfect mum for your outdoor space.

Our nurturing and caring growers work hard to prepare our mums for the fall season. Each season over 40,000 mums are meticulously grown and developed at our production farm in Kansas City, Kansas. We offer over 50 varieties of mums annually, with the broadest selection available in mid-September. Some of the most popular customer favorites have been ‘Conaco Orange,’ ‘Conaco Yellow’, ‘Pink Frenzy’, and ‘Bridal White’. Family Tree Nursery also carries the extremely popular combo pot mums. These are pots of mums with various colors distributed within the plant. Our ‘Chiefs Combo Pot’ with vibrant reds and yellows, as well as the ‘Gigi Combo Pot’, filled with pretty shades of pinks, yellows, and oranges, are sure to get you in the fall spirit

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Mum Basics

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Mums prefer crisp fall weather, and their blooms can be expected to last 4-6 weeks before fading. At Family Tree Nursery, we offer mums beginning in late August through early October. The mums that we produce are designated as early, mid-, and late-season blooming mums. This means that you can find mums that will last for 4-6 weeks early in the season, midway through the season, or later in the season. These staggered bloom times give you the option to enjoy the full scope of the mum’s blooms in your landscape or containers throughout the fall season until the hard frost of winter hits.

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Planting Mums in Containers

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To enhance the health and beauty of your mum, one of the best things you can do is repot it. We suggest that you move your mum to a slightly larger container filled with our FTN premium potting mix. To plant, gently remove the mum from its store container and carefully place the mum in the center of the container, filling in the gaps with the potting mix. Firm the soil around the base of the plant. To prevent root rot, ensure the container has drainage holes. Water the plant thoroughly. If you want to skip repotting your mum, keep it in the grower's pot and simply place it in a favorite, more decorative container. Whether you repot it or not, your mum will need regular watering and will need to be placed in a location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.

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Lighting

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Lighting is one of the most important aspects of a flowering plant. Mums must have at least 6 hours of sunlight each day. Mums require full sun to start the blooming process and cannot begin the cycle in the shade. However, once buds are at least halfway open, they can finish blooming in partial shade.  This flexibility makes them a great choice for gardens or porches with limited sunlight. During the hot months, morning daily light and afternoon shade are ideal for preventing the plant from getting scorched.

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Watering

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When watering mums, allow the soil to dry out slightly (about 1/3 of the way down) before watering deeply at the base of the plant, avoiding the foliage and flowers to prevent fungal diseases and to maintain the blooms' vibrancy. Be sure to water your mums on time before you observe wilting to ensure the blooms last longer and look fuller. 

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landscaping with mums as an annual

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Mums prefer loamy, well-draining soil that is rich in nutrients. To create the ideal environment for your mums, choose a sunny spot that receives at least 6-8 hours of sun. Remove the mum from the grower’s pot and dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball. Gently place the mum in the hole and fill in the surrounding gaps with soil. Firm the soil around the base of the plant. Cover the top layer of soil with 2-3 inches of mulch. The mulch will help to prevent the plant from drying out and retain moisture. Water thoroughly after planting. To increase the impact and wow factor of the mums in your garden, plant them in groups. Color coordination with the fall colors and late-blooming plants already living in the garden bed will give a cohesive look. 

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Planting mums as Perennials

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Mums are versatile plants that perform wonderfully in containers and the ground due to their shallow root system and compact nature. While most mums are treated as annuals, cushion mums can also be grown as perennials, meaning that the plants grown in the landscape will come back year after year.  Planting cushion mums in the landscape can add a beautiful pop of color and interest to your fall garden. If you want to learn more about this process and the steps needed, you can check out our YouTube video, where the owner of Family Tree Nursery, Jonah Nelson, discusses the history of our store with mums and how to care for them as perennials. 

Watch & Learn

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Mums, with their vibrant colors and diverse bloom times, are a beloved addition to gardens and containers. By carefully selecting varieties and providing proper care, you can enjoy these beautiful flowers throughout the fall season. Whether you prefer their cheerful blooms in the garden or the convenience of container gardening, mums offer a delightful way to add a touch of autumnal splendor to your outdoor space.