Mums in fall container gardens last how long? Many individuals consider this when preparing their outdoor fall display. It makes sense to want your potted mums' vibrant blossoms to survive as long as possible after spending a ton of effort and money planting them. Once you are aware of the average duration of a mum's bloom in your area, you can make plans for your hardiness zone and purchase your potted plants at the ideal time of year to maximize their bloom period. The main determinants of how long mums last are listed here, along with five advice for caring for potted mums so they continue to blossom.
How Long Mums Last
Mums are readily available for purchase far before the true fall season, but they enjoy cooler weather. The flowers on your mums will fade if you plant them when the weather is still warm in a few of weeks. You may extend the life of your mums and enjoy their lovely blossoms for up to eight weeks before the first frost by waiting to purchase them when the weather is cooler.
How to Take Care of Mums in Pots
Using the advice on this list will help your potted mums endure as long as possible.
1. Pick the Best Mums
Selecting the best chrysanthemums for your fall pots is the first step toward success. Although nearly every supermarket and big box retailer will sell mothers in the fall, it pays to choose wisely. These plants frequently receive insufficient or excessive water, which stresses them out and lowers their performance for you.
To get the finest selection, find out when a store is receiving a fresh shipment and head there as soon as possible that day. Visit a local nursery or garden center instead, where there will likely be a wider selection and typically healthier, better-maintained plants. Avoid purchasing a wilted mum wherever you buy them, and search for plants that have more buds than open flowers; you'll receive more bloom time from them, and these plants are probably more likely to survive repotting.
2. Consider the Different Mums
Check the plant's label to see what kind of mum it is and when it blooms to learn more about it. Both garden mums and flower mums may be offered for fall decorating.
Florist Mums : If you want to beautify your front porch for a few weeks before the first frost. These lovely annuals are used as temporary bedding plants, but no matter how well you protect your plants from the cold, don't count on them to survive the winter outside. Few underground runners, which are necessary for survival in cold climates, are produced by florist mums. This mother plant will not survive if the blossoms fade or if it begins to freeze.
Garden Mums : Choose to plant a garden mother if you want a perennial that will last longer (also known as hardy mums). These perennials make great container plants and are more resistant to a light fall frost than florist varieties. Planting these mums in the spring after the last date of frost in your area will increase their chances of surviving the winter and flowering again the following year. This will give them time to build roots in the garden.
3. Repot Immediately
When you obtain a potted mum plant ($27; Walmart), always repot it. The majority of the pot is typically taken up by the roots when they are root-bound. Mums should be replanted in a larger container than they originally were so that the roots have space to spread out and breathe. Before repotting, gently untangle tangled roots to encourage them to grow outward once more.
Use potting mix in your container because mums thrive in well-drained soil. Mums can be mixed with other plants in a big container if you are growing them in pots for just one season. Plant your potted mums by themselves in a container that can be moved easily indoors when the temps drop if you wish to try overwintering them.
4. Provide Enough Sunlight for Potted Mums
Mums require six hours or more of sunlight each day. If you reside in a warmer gardening zone, plant your potted mums in a spot that receives some shade to prevent sunburn. Protect your plants from the harsh afternoon sun if your daytime temps are still in the 80s and above to let the flowers survive longer.
5. The Water Potted Mum's Well
Chrysanthemums need water to survive, so water your plants anytime the soil seems dry. Never allow your mums in pots to wilt. Water more frequently if you see that the bottom leaves appear limp or are beginning to turn brown. To prevent plant diseases, avoid splashing water on the foliage when watering your mums.
After Blooming, What to Do With Potted Mums?
Give the mums you intend to overwinter a small amount of liquid fertilizer that is rich in phosphorus before it gets too cold to encourage root growth. After that, bring your plants inside or into an unheated garage once the first hard frost appears. Leave branches uncut; mums have a better chance of surviving if you wait until spring to clip old stems. If you want to tidy up the plant, pinch off dead blossoms.
Add up to 4 inches of mulch or straw on top of the soil, covering the entire plant and evenly distributing it amongst the branches. Then wrap an old sheet or burlap around the pot. Remove mulch to allow new shoots to emerge as soon as the weather warms up again in the spring, and then bring your pots outside into the sunlight.
