Why don't my mums come back every year?
Here's a cleaned-up version:
Have you ever cared for a mum all season long and planted it in the ground, only to have it never come back the next year? You are not alone!
Y'all keep asking why your mums never come back, so let me clear it up. It all comes down to which type you bought, and most folks have no idea there are two.
Let me explain the difference.
What's the difference between florist mums and garden mums?
Florist mums are grown for one showy season and treated like annuals, while garden mums are hardy perennials with little runners at the base that carry them through winter. Here's how to tell them apart when you're shopping.
Florist mums are the ones wrapped in pretty foil at the grocery store and the florist. They're packed with blooms with barely any leaves showing, and they have shallow roots. Beautiful for fall or given as gifts, but they're specifically bred to last just one season and then they're done. They will not survive in the ground.
Garden mums are the ones you'll find at your local garden center. They have a looser, leafier look and little runners called stolons at the base, which is exactly what helps them survive winter and come back.
How do you get mums to come back every year?
To get mums to come back, buy hardy garden mums rated for your zone, plant them in the ground with sun and good drainage, and mulch them well after the first frost without cutting them back until spring. Check your first frost date here.
What kind of mums come back every year?
Hardy garden mums are the ones that come back. Look for "hardy" or "garden mum" on the tag, and check that it's hardy in your zone. Garden mums are winter hardy in zones 5 to 9. Find your USDA Garden Zone here. Ask your garden center to verify they are hardy mums that can be planted as perennials in your zone to be sure.
How often should you water mums?
Mums are water hogs, so they needs water daily if they are in containers. Water mums deeply whenever the top inch of soil feels dry, and never let them sit bone dry, because they wilt fast.
Water at the base, not over the top. Wet leaves invite disease, so aim for the soil and water in the morning.
Newly planted mums need extra attention. Water deeply two to three times a week for the first few weeks while the roots settle in.
Potted mums dry out much faster. On a warm fall porch, you may need to water them every day, especially the florist mums with those tight root balls.
Give them room to breathe. Space garden mums about 18 to 24 inches apart so air can move through and the foliage dries quickly.
Should mums be planted in the ground or kept in pots?
Plant them in the ground if you want them back next year. They do so much better in the earth than left in a pot.
When should you plant mums so they come back?
Spring is the ideal time to plant mums, because it gives the roots a full season to get established. If you're planting in fall, get them in the ground at least six weeks before your first hard freeze. Timing is everything!
How do you care for mums over winter?
Give your mums sun and good drainage, then mulch them well after the first frost and don't cut them back until spring. Leaving the old growth in place over winter helps protect the plant until it's ready to push out fresh growth.
THE MUM RESOURCES YOU NEED
These are the tools and accessories I use to keep my mums looking beautiful all season long!
How do you prune mums?
Pinch garden mums back in spring and early summer to make them bushy, deadhead spent blooms in fall, and cut the old stems back once new growth shows up in spring.
Start pinching when new growth is about six inches tall. Pinch or snip the top inch or two off each stem, and repeat every two to three weeks.
Stop pinching by mid-July. In cooler zones, stop around the Fourth of July. Pinch any later and you'll be cutting off the buds that make your fall show.
Why pinching matters: every pinch makes a stem branch, and more branches mean a fuller, rounder mum with more blooms instead of a tall, floppy one.
Deadhead through fall. Snip off faded flowers to keep the plant looking fresh and to stretch out the bloom time.
Save the big cutback for spring. Leave the old stems standing all winter, then cut them down to a few inches once you see fresh green growth at the base.
Divide every two to three years. When the center of the clump starts looking bare, dig it up in spring, split it into sections, and replant the healthiest outer pieces.
Skip pruning during a heat wave. Wait for cooler days so you're not stressing the plant.
How do you take care of mums?
Mums need at least six hours of sun, steady moisture at the roots, a spring and early summer pinch to stay full, and light feeding only until the buds form. Here's how I break it down.
How do you fertilize mums?
Feed garden mums with a balanced fertilizer from spring through midsummer, then stop once the flower buds form.
Start in spring when new growth appears. Work in a balanced organic fertilizer like Plant-tone, or use a water-soluble feed like Jack's Classic All Purpose every two to three weeks.
Keep feeding until the buds show. Once buds start forming in late summer, you can switch to Jack's Classic Blossom Booster to support the blooms, then stop feeding once the flowers open.
Go easy on nitrogen. Too much gives you lots of leaves and fewer flowers.
Don't feed fall-planted mums. They need to put their energy into roots before winter, and fertilizer pushes tender new growth that frost will zap.
Skip fertilizer on florist mums. They're already in full bloom when you buy them, so all they need is water and sun.
Never fertilize during a heat wave. Wait for a break in the heat so you don't burn the roots.
So next time you're shopping for fall color, flip that tag over and look for "hardy." Your mums will thank you by showing up again next fall!
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