Mum Growing Guide

Known as “Queen of the Fall Flowers”, Chrysanthemums bring a vibrant chorus of colors to the late summer and fall garden. They are at their glorious best when other perennials have begun to fade. In fact, these long-bloomers may continue the fabulous show until a hard frost!

Genus (Botanical) Name: Chrysanthemum x morifolium 

Common Name: Mum

Growing Zones: 5 to 9

Bloom Time: Late summer to fall

Why We Love Chrysanthemums

There are so many reasons to add Chrysanthemums to the garden:

• Easy to grow and long blooming
• Bright, cheerful flowers transform late summer and fall gardens
• Available in a swirl of shapes and colors including orange, purple, red, white, yellow, and multi-colored
• Return year after year (unlike decorative annual Mums)
• Butterflies flock to the blooms
• Lovely as cut flowers
• Grow well in containers
• Deer are typically not interested

Types of Chrysanthemums

We offer several varieties of spring-planted, fall-blooming Perennial Mums, all bursting with outstanding colors, flower forms, and petal shapes. All our Mums are shipped and planted in spring. Have a look at our flower styles.

Button: Tightly petaled, button-size flowers are the hallmark of this variety. Button Mums bring big color to the garden.

Cushion: Mounds of flowers blanket the garden, some daisy-like, others honeycombed, and all of them purely delightful! Gold, pink, red, white, and yellow Cushion Mums sparkle in the sun bringing fresh energy to the landscape.

Daisy Sweet petals spring out of button-shaped centers in a delicious array of colors. Daisy Mums bring light-hearted cheer to the landscape. 

Football As the name suggests, these are huge Mum blooms! Mega-flowers, cradled by upright plants, shine in orange, purple, and salmon.

Garden Super-dense blooms, some multi-layered, are stunning to behold. The color palette includes rich burgundy, Fuchsia, soft pink, and bright yellow.

Quilled and Spooned Mums add their own unique interest. Quilled flowers are petals that are rolled, while spooned Mums feature petals that are spoon-shaped at the ends. A few of our Chrysanthemum varieties are both quilled and spooned, such as Matchsticks.

Growing Tips for Chrysanthemums

Planting: Chrysanthemums should be planted in early spring. Here are easy in-ground planting steps to follow.

• Water the plants well the night before planting. Cut off the plastic wrap (if any) at the top of the pot. All our packaging can be recycled.
• You may find it helpful to set out your plants where you intend to plant them. When your arrangement looks pleasing, begin to dig holes (our version of the “measure twice—cut once” school of planting).
• Plant our biodegradable pot and plant together, a little below the soil line. The roots will quickly grow right through the porous pot and into the surrounding soil.

Light: Mums need at least 6 hours of sun each day. It is best to avoid planting near trees and large shrubs, which may block the light.

Soil: Well-drained, rich soil. Drainage is especially important for successful overwintering.

Fertilizer: Mums will benefit from frequent feedings. Use a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) during growing season. Feed when plants are ready for blooming and discontinue after flower buds are formed. 

Water: Water deeply after planting to settle the plant and remove any air pockets around the roots. Thereafter, water when you see wilting and/or the soil is dry to the touch. Infrequent deep watering will promote a self sufficient garden, and healthier plants!

Pruning: We trim the plants back before shipping to promote bushiness, but any ambitious shoot which is getting ahead of the plant should be tipped back. All growing tips should be pinched back until the 4th of July, no later. Spent flowers can be removed anytime. Wait to cut back foliage until it yellows or turns crispy. The new plant will come from the roots in spring, so the tops are not needed. But we prefer to leave some of the main stem behind as a marker while the plant sleeps.

Dividing: Mums do not need to be divided unless, after a few years, you notice they've begun to die out in the center. At that point, dividing and replanting in spring will yield a more compact and attractive plant (and more mums!). Here you’ll find tips on dividing plants.

Winterizing: Use a thin layer of mulch only in very cold areas for winter protection, and remove the mulch before spring thaw.

Mum is the Word for Fall!

As summer wanes, and the cool days fill with brilliant colors and aromatic spices, Chrysanthemums once again take center stage. They are the very essence of the fall season, revered around the world for their beauty and the well-being they foster.    

Add some Mum magic to your autumn landscape. Visit our Chrysanthemum/Mum page to view our huge assortment of dazzling fall blooms.