Fall decorating is lots of fun! Looking at fall decor, browsing through stores and of course buying fall mums and pumpkins is so much joy!
Well its all fun until you realize your gorgeous full bloom mums are wilting and don’t want to be pretty anymore! We all been there and done that at some point! Today I am sharing few basic tips on how to keep your mums healthy and blooming for the duration of their natural blooming cycle. But let’s get some facts straight first!
Some facts about fall mums:
- There are early, mid and late blooming varieties of mums.
- Mums are perennial in some growing zones! If you plant healthy blooming plant it may come back next spring but will need to be pinched some time in July to produce more blooms!
- Mums are actually called Chrysanthemums! A spelling bee moment!
- Mums do not re bloom in the same season. So if you are not planting them into the ground for the next year go ahead and discard the spent plant appropriately.
- They need to be watered so soil and roots do not dry out!
- Mums will die if you do not water them! There is no secret! If they are just starting to wilt because of drying soil just give them a good soak and they will perk up.
- If the plants blooming time is over no amount of care or watering will help.
- Mums that have more buds than flowers will last longer with proper care. Reason is they’re just starting to bloom!
How to keep fall mums alive? Remember to water them!
If the plant is blooming and is healthy it needs to be watered regularly. If you intend to keep the cheap containers fall mums usually come with I will suggest water by using soaking method. Even if you place them in decorative pot without adding soil this method will work.
I buy up to 5-7 mums depending on a season so watering them this way is doable.
This method is very simple. I fill a bucket with water about 3/4 full. Then submerge the pot with a plant in and let it soak for a few minutes and repeat with remaining plants! Do this every few days, depending on how hot it is in your area. Soil gets filled with water so roots will get more as well.
I prefer this method instead of using a watering can and have the water run through and barely be absorbed by the soil.
Again, care tips for keeping fall mums are very basic.
You just need to keep plant healthy and don’t let it get dehydrated.
No need to fertilize.
I do not fertilize seasonal fall mums that I purchase. They are fertilized during the time they grow and their bloom time is not that long.
Don’t forget to deadhead.
On some of the plants you can see spent flowers looking dry and sad among the blooming mum flowers. I simply snip them off. Those are early flowers that bloomed first and already done. They are most noticeable on light colored varieties. See below.
You can plant mums in planters and flowerbeds.
I plant mums in my large planters. I remove spent summer annuals and replace them with fall mums, ornamental kale and ornamental tall grass. Then I add decorative natural and artificial fall decor fillers.
Transform summer planters into fall beauties.
I use twigs, pumpkins, pumpkin stacks and also decorative pepper plants in my fall containers. They last longer than mums and add organic fall touches.
Fall planters are so much fun to create! If you are unsure of arranging fall containers yourself you can purchase arranged fall containers at nurseries and some hardware and home improvement stores. The ones near me have a variety of gorgeous planters!
Check on your plants regularly.
Check on your garden regularly to see what it needs. This simple upkeep tip will help you have a pretty garden during growing seasons. Plus if you love gardening you know the feeling of enjoyment and satisfaction when your garden is thriving! It’s easier to maintain things than start all over!
Every time I leave my house you can see me sticking my finger into container dirt checking if it needs watered! Because I do not want to overdo it! Especially in fall when temperatures begin to drop, soil does not dry out as quickly as it does in the summer.
Garden is lots of work, but it’s a great hobby and a stress reliever as well. Every time I drive up to our house I enjoy the view of my small garden and it makes me smile!
That’s it for today’s tips on how to care for fall mums and keep them alive!
Happy gardening!
Nadia.
