How late can you buy mums?

Mid-September is the earliest time you should consider buying mums. However, each year the longer and hotter summers are pushing that date later and later into September, even into the month of October. As a rule, we at Southern Living recommend “buying plants as they start to break bud. You’ll maximize bloom time.

When should I buy fall mums?

{two} Mums are a cool season fall flowering perennial so the best time to purchase them is mid-September when the temperatures start to drop. Many growers force the plants to grow early so they look pretty displayed in the big box stores.

What is the difference between hardy mums and regular mums?

Garden mums, also known as hardy mums, are perennial mums. The group of mums that are hardy actually go by two different common names: garden mums and hardy mums. Garden mums is the wording of choice, and these are the gorgeous flowering plants you see at garden centers in fall displays with pumpkins and gourds.

Can I buy mums online?

You can buy mums in almost any garden center or plant nursery. You can also buy mums online, though you may not get the best ones.

Do mums like sun or shade?

Chrysanthemums are sun-loving plants. Although they technically require only 6 hours of sunlight each day, the more light they receive, the better their growth, bloom and hardiness. Slight shade in hot, summer afternoons is appropriate in warmer gardening zones to prevent scorching.

How long do mums last outside?

Mums that are on special with fully open flowers are OK to buy, but be aware that they will not last as long in your garden. Depending on weather conditions and mum varieties, you can expect to get a good display of color for four to six weeks. Extended periods of hot weather will age the flowers more quickly.

Which mums last the longest?

But, if you want the show to last its longest, select mums that still have lots of closed buds. The more flowers there are yet to bloom, the longer the color show will last on your deck, patio, porch, or in your yard. Choosing a plant that has more buds than blooms may extend bloom time by a couple of weeks or more.

How do you tell if a mum is a hardy mum?

5 Things to know about Hardy Mums

Mums have Multiple Sets of Flowers. Mums buds under the flowers. Mums have continuous blooms.
Water Large Mums at Base to Prevent Splitting. This mum has split. Large mum containers are made of multiple plants.
Overwinter Mums can be difficult. Prune mums in the spring. Mum stems are hollow.

How do I get my mums to come back every year?

Cut back the stems of the mums to 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm.) above the ground. Leaving a little bit of the stems will ensure that next year you have a full plant, as the new stems will grow from these trimmed stems. If you cut the mums back to the ground, fewer stems will grow next year.

Are coffee grounds good for mums?

Since they are acidic, coffee grounds work especially well as fertilizer for acid-loving plants such as blueberries, strawberries, gardenias, azaleas, hydrangeas, magnolias, ferns and rhododendrons. Used coffee grounds make an effective and fast-acting fertilizer for plants and vegetables.