Fall mums, short for chrysanthemums, are one of the prettiest flowers that pop up every autumn. Potted versions of these flowering perennials are commonly for sale in nurseries, garden centers, plant shops and even supermarkets every September.
That said, mums can be pretty high-maintenance plants. The attention they need is nothing complicated—but they do need a lot of attention. In fact, there is one big mistake people often make with their fall mums.
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To learn more about full mums, we spoke with expert gardener John Faerber, who is the Director of Horticulture, Landscaping, and Floral at The Lake House on Canandaigua in Upstate New York.
As Faerber tells Parade, the key to keeping your mums alive for as long as possible lies in taking really good care of them. Keep reading to learn about the mistake that many people make with their fall mums, how to avoid it and how to take care of your mums.
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A Gardener Says This Is the Biggest Mistake People Make With Their Fall Mums
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According to Faerber: “The biggest mistake people make after buying fall mums is letting them dry out.”
As he explains, fall mums are typically sold in small pots, already in full bloom. This means the mums “can become thirsty fast—especially on sunny porches, in containers or during warm fall days. Once the root ball dries out completely, the flowers can wilt, brown and decline quickly.”
A related mistake is “treating mums like a one-and-done decoration instead of checking them regularly,” according to Faerber. In fact, he says you should be monitoring your mums’ soil every day.
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How to Make Sure You Don’t Let Your Fall Mums Dry Out, According to a Gardener
“Instead of letting fall mums dry out, people should treat watering as the main part of mum care—not an afterthought,” Faerber advises. Mums need a lot of water, so following Faerber’s below tips for keeping your mums nice and wet will go a long way.
1. Use a pot with drainage holes
“Make sure the pot has drainage, because mums like moisture but not soggy roots,” Faerber says. If you buy a mum in a pot with without drainage holes, you should definitely report it in a new container with holes.
2. Don’t count on the rain
No matter how rainy the weather is, it’s almost never enough to keep your mums moist. “Don’t rely on rain alone, since dense mum foliage can block water from reaching the soil,” Faerber explains.
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3. Check the soil daily
Faerber says it’s important to check the soil for moisture “every day, especially if the mums are on a porch, in full sun or in a container.” If the top inch feels dry, it’s time to water your mum.
4. Water deeply
It’s important to keep your mums very moist—so moist that each time you water them, you should do so “until water runs out of the drainage holes,” per Faerber.
5. Upgrade your pot size
Your local nursery or plant store might be selling their mums in tiny pots—but it’s probably worth upgrading to a larger one.
“Consider repotting if the plant is in a small nursery pot,” Faerber says, “because a larger container helps the roots retain moisture longer.”
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6. Monitor the sun
Even though fall brings shorter days, the sun can still be extremely powerful—so make sure your mums are getting some sunlight, but not too much.
“Place them where they get bright light, but avoid extremely hot, harsh sun if they are drying out too quickly,” Faerber advises. (You’ll find more on how to achieve the right balance below.)
7. Remove faded blooms
Faerber says removing faded blooms—a process known as deadheading— can “keep the plant looking fresh.” (Tips for deadheading your faded blooms are below.)
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Follow These 3 Gardener-Approved Tips For Fall Mum Care
1. Choose mums with more buds than open flowers.
It can be tempting to buy a pot of mums that are already fully flowering. However, Faerber advises looking for the opposite—this way, the plant will last longer.
“If you’re buying mums for a porch, patio or fall display, look for plants with lots of tight buds instead of ones already in full bloom,” he advises. “They’ll usually last longer because the flowers haven’t peaked yet.”
2. Give them access to sun, but not too much.
Faerber reiterates the importance of making sure your mums get the perfect amount of sun. Basically, “give them bright light, but don’t let them bake,” he says.
“Mums bloom best with plenty of light, but container mums can dry out quickly in hot afternoon sun,” Faerber explains. “A spot with morning sun and some afternoon protection can help them stay fresh longer.”
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3. Deadhead faded blooms
“Pinch or snip off brown, wilted or spent flowers to keep the plant looking tidy and encourage the remaining buds to open,” says Faerber. “This won’t ”restart’ the plant completely, but it helps extend the display.”
To deadhead mums, the first step is to inspect the plant. Look for any blooms that are fading in color, wilting, growing crunchy or showing any other signs of dying. Once you identify those blooms, according to Southern Living, you can either use your fingernails or pruning shears to cut the stem around 2 inches below the flower head.
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Sources:
John Faerber is the Horticulturist at The Lake House on Canandaigua. How To Deadhead Mums For Beautiful Blooms Year After Year. Southern Living.Hence then, the article about the biggest mistake people make with fall mums can ruin the blooms fast here s what a gardener says to do instead was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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