The Perfect Time And Place To Plant Mums For Vibrant Fall Displays

If you're looking for a pretty burst of fall color, then September is the time to plant pretty chrysanthemums in containers on the patio. In many regions across America, the ninth month means Goldilocks weather. It's not too hot and not too cold, which means mums in containers won't wilt in the heat or freeze. And with the right care, your potted mums might keep coming back every year.

You've no doubt seen all the mums pop up for sale in front of grocery stores and at gardening centers after Labor Day. Mums, the common nickname for flowers from the Chrysanthemum rubellum group, is such a fall staple that they're even a traditional flower corsage worn to many high school homecoming football games in Texas and parts of Oklahoma.  These relatives of the daisy are the perfect fall flower because they're late bloomers. 

Technically called photoperiodic plants or "short day" plants, mums see the dwindling sunlight and shorter fall days as the perfect kick-off time, so that's when they unfurl buds and begin to bloom. You'll notice their telltale pink, purple, burgundy, yellow, or white flowers. Mums do well in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4 through 8. They're not too picky about light, either. If you're asking yourself: Do mums do better in sunlight or shade? The answer is they survive in both, but just know that for the best flowers, six hours of direct sun a day is best. So, the ideal place to plant them might be somewhere in your yard that isn't overwhelmingly shady.

There's one caveat to planting mums in September. The plant might act more like an annual than a perennial and may not survive the freezing weather. That's because plants have to decide where to focus their attention. If they're focused on growing blooms, that means they don't have much energy leftover to strengthen their roots. For your mums to act more like perennials, you might want to consider planting them in the spring.

But, if you're planting mums in containers, you can always bring them inside for the winter. You can store them in an unheated shelter, like a greenhouse, shed, or garage after the first frost. Deadhead the plant and think about covering it up. The idea is you want to keep mums in a kind of suspended animation. Water occasionally, but not too much. Make sure the soil doesn't become too dry. 

When looking for the best mums to plant in containers at your garden center, pick ones with buds that are about to bloom. Avoid ones with yellow leaves, as they could be sickly. Also, be sure to keep them watered, as they like soil moist. Just make sure your container has drainage holes, as mums don't like to be water-logged. Be aware that sometimes slugs and chrysanthemums go together, so keep a watchful eye out for the slime trail of these pests.