Since Fall is such an exciting time of year for gardening- festive plant colors and textures, ideal temperatures, increased rainfall, etc.- we thought we’d share a Fall-tastic series of posts for you on how to make sure your gardening efforts are successful this Autumn! We’re calling it the ‘Keys to Success’ series, and we’ll be posting on a new, Fall-specific topic each week. We hope you enjoy!

 

Let’s talk about Mums this week! Mums are a quintessential element in Fall decor. Whether inside or out, Mums are perfect for adding vibrant color and soft texture to any Fall scene. And they’re a great value-per-dollar plant, too! Not only do Fall Mums make a huge visual impact, they are perennials– plant them in your beds after you put away your Fall decor, and you’ll be able to enjoy them for years!

In case you’re going to incorporate Mums into your Fall decor this year, we’d love to share some of the things we know about this beautiful Fall-blooming plant!

Here are our top tips for getting the most out of your Mums this fall:

1. Water a few times per week
Plants in containers need plenty of water. As the season gets cooler, though, your Mums will likely need less water; stick your finger in the soil to test if there’s enough water- if the soil feels dry, give it a drink. Just be sure to avoid keeping the soil soggy.

2. Decorate
Pair Mums with pumpkins, gourds, straw bales and Indian corn for classic Fall decor.

If you’re going to plant your Mums, use a good soil. For planting in containers, use our Strange’s Soil to provide a well-draining, supportive planting media. If you’re planting your Mums in a bed, incorporate some Perma-til into your soil to improve drainage.

4. Use mulch! 
If you plant your Mums in a bed to overwinter, make sure you use a 1.5-2.5″ layer of mulch to provide insulation. The foliage of the Mum will die back after the first hard frost, but if the roots of the plant are well-insulated, your Mum will start growing again in the spring!

Thanks for stopping by to learn about our Mum tips-we hope your Fall plantings and decor are a beautiful way to welcome your friends and family to your home!

Happy [Mum] Gardening!