Guide to Buying Fall Mums

One of the greatest part of autumn is the gorgeous array of colors found in the fall mums that array our yards. Choosing and buying mums may seem simple and really, it is, but to get the best bang for your buck and purchase the best plants that will last and beautify your yard year after year, there are a few things to know about buying fall mums that will help you out.

Look for Plants With Tight, Closed Buds

Sure, the full glory of color and opened flowers attracts us to a particular mum plant, but when you spend your hard-earned dollars on these plants you should go for the one that hasn't bloomed completely. This will allow you to enjoy the flowers for a bit longer.

Shop Early, Shop Late

Unless you get mums in the ground early in the season, in say August or early September, chances are there won't be enough time for the plants to establish good roots. What this means is that your perennial mums will only live as annuals. They will most likely die off with the first frost and won't be back next year. If you are okay with counting them as annuals then no worries, but if you don't like the idea of spending the money on these plants that could last throughout the next few seasons, it would be in your best interests to get a head start.

Depending upon where you live, mums are usually available starting around July or August. Check with your local nursery or garden center about selling dates and plan your budget accordingly. The earlier you are able to buy and get the mums planted, the better chance they will have for establishing good roots and returning the following year.

If you are hoping to have your mums in full bloom come October when fall is on full display all around you, you should bypass those mums in full bloom at the beginning of the selling season. A mix of mums bought early that have a better chance of root establishment and those bought late to show color in October is a good option to get a little bit of everything with your mums.

Choose Your Mum Variety

Mums generally are available in three seasonal varieties: Early season, mid-season and late season. The early season mums will usually have peak blooms in the early part of September. Late season varieties will usually have peak blooms in late October, around Halloween. Mid-season mums show peak blooms and color somewhere in between, in late September to early October.

In addition, your best bet is to look for mums that specify they are fall hardy mums as regular chrysanthemums are not especially suited to overwintering and they likely won't last through the fall season.

Choose Healthy Plants

When you are shopping at your local nursery or garden center, look for plants that appear healthy and robust. Pass by the plants that have brown leaves or very dry soil. These can all indicate a lack of care from the store personnel or nursery workers.

If you notice a lot of bugs such as aphids or other discolorations of the leaves this could be an indication of plant disease or pest infestation and you might want to shop elsewhere rather than carry any of these things back to your home garden.

Planting and Care Tips

Once you get your mums home, water each plant thoroughly before putting them in the ground or repotting. As the season goes along, be sure to pinch of spent blooms and once the bloom time has passed, cut the plant back. If you don't want to treat the mums as perennial plants and plan for them to die off, pull them out of the ground and throw them onto your compost pile after the bloom time has passed.

Sources:
http://www.kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=1420724
http://www.gardening-tips-perennials.com/growing-fall-mums.html