Caring for Annual Mums

Written by: Lorri Markum

We want you to enjoy your mums so they look fresh and vibrant all season. Follow our expert tips for September and October for caring for annual mums in Indiana climate.

Choosing and Placing Your Mums

  • Select healthy plants: Our experts recommend mums with plenty of tight buds — these bloom longer and stay vibrant compared to plants already in full flower.

  • Pick the right spot: Mums thrive with at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. Morning sun and afternoon shade are ideal to prevent fading.

  • Temperature awareness: Indiana fall weather can be unpredictable. Protect mums from early frosts by covering garden plants or moving potted mums indoors overnight.

Watering Care Tips for Seasonal Mums

  • Check daily: Potted mums may need water every day in warm September and October weather. For in-ground planted mums, check soil moisture every 2–3 days.

  • Water the base: Our garden specialists recommend watering at the soil level until water penetrates 6–8 inches deep or drains from the pot. Avoid wetting leaves and blooms to reduce the risk of fungal disease.

  • Keep it consistent: Mums like evenly moist soil. Letting them dry out too much can cause wilted, stressed plants that lose blooms early.

  • Morning watering: Water in the morning, we recommend before 10 or 10:30 a.m., so plants have time to absorb moisture and foliage can dry before nightfall.

Fertilizing Your Fall Mums

  • Most annual mums don’t need heavy feeding in the fall.

  • If blooms start to fade early, a light application of water-soluble fertilizer such as Wasson’s FREE liquid blue fertilizer can give them a healthy boost!

Extending Mum Bloom Life

  • Deadhead regularly: Remove spent flowers to encourage new blooms and keep plants looking fresh.

  • Protect from frost: Cover mums on chilly nights or bring potted mums indoors to extend color into late October.

Using Mums in Your Fall Decor

  • Combine mums with pumpkins, gourds, and ornamental kale for a classic Indiana porch display.

  • Group several colors together for a bold seasonal statement.

  • Mix with perennial grasses or pansies in garden beds for texture and contrast.

Troubleshooting Common Seasonal Mum Problems

  • Wilting or drooping: Soil may be too dry. Solution: Water thoroughly at the base and check daily.

  • Blooms browning quickly: Overhead watering or rain on flowers. Solution: Water at the soil level only and remove brown blooms to encourage new ones.

  • Buds not opening: Insufficient sunlight or inconsistent watering. Solution: Move the plant to a brighter location and maintain steady moisture.

  • Leggy or uneven growth: Not enough light or old blooms not removed. Solution: Deadhead regularly and provide more sunlight.

  • Frost damage: Unprotected mums on cold nights. Solution: Cover garden mums or bring potted mums indoors when temps drop near freezing.

YOUR QUICK AT-A-GLANCE SEASONAL MUM CARE GUIDE

  • Water at the soil level, keeping soil evenly moist.

  • Water in the morning to allow foliage to dry.

  • Deadhead regularly to extend bloom life.

  • Protect plants from frost.

  • Adjust care promptly if you notice wilting, browning, or buds not opening.

Our Wasson Garden Centers carry a wide variety of healthy, vibrant mums perfect for your fall decorating. Stop in and let our garden center experts help you select the best colors and sizes to brighten your home this season.

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