Tips for Choosing and Buying Fall Mums

One of the best parts of the autumn season is the array of vibrant colors that greet you on a daily basis. One of my favorite sources of fall color in my yard are fall mums. I enjoy seeing them and growing them. When buying fall mums, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to enjoy these simply flowers throughout the season.

Choose the Variety
Mums generally have three seasonal bloom varieties--early season, mid season and late season. Depending upon when you want your mums to be blooming, you will need to choose the appropriate variety. Early season mums will generally bloom around early September while the late season variety will offer a colorful array of blooms around Halloween.

Choose Plants that Have Closed Buds
Yep, those fully-bloomed mums are gorgeous and they draw us right to them at the local nursery or garden center. You are better off choosing the plants that are full of buds that have not bloomed yet. This ensures you have more time to enjoy this beautiful plant and its blooms.

Fall Mums Should Be Treated Like Annuals
One mistake that I have personally made in the past is not understanding that mums planted in the fall should be considered annuals, not perennials. This is because the plants usually do not have enough time to become established and take root before a hard freeze and cold weather set in.

Remember this fact when you are shopping for mums. Keeping in mind that in my area, the fall mums will die off, I prefer to spend my money on large, full plants in pots for quick spots of color in my yard. These potted mums can be taken inside to overwinter. In the spring they can be transplanted into the ground and will have plenty of time to become established for the following autumn.

If your area begins selling fall mums early enough in the season (they are available in my area usually around late July), buy them early and plant them to give them enough time to become established. Pinch off spent blooms and cut the plants back after they are finished flowering or if they have not had time to become established and last through the winter, pull them up and throw them on the compost pile.

Sources:
http://www.kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=1420724
http://www.gardening-tips-perennials.com/growing-fall-mums.html
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/flowers/perennials/all-about-mums/;jsessionid=QNFG5JZ52M1UCCQCEAQSBHQ?page=1