The Complete Guide to Mums: How to Keep Them Blooming, Growing & Coming Back.
It's September, and you know what that means. The mums have arrived.
Walk into almost any garden center, nursery, grocery store, or big-box retailer, and you'll see chrysanthemums (mums) everywhere. Yellow, orange, bronze, burgundy, red, purple, pink and white mums have become almost as synonymous with fall as pumpkins and changing leaves.
But there's much more to that beautiful $15, $20, or even $50 mum than choosing the color that looks best beside your front door.
Is it an annual or a perennial? Can you plant it? Will it come back next year? How much sunlight does it need? How often should you water it? Should you fertilize it? Are mums good for bees? And why do some mums look completely different from others?
And here's another question:
Are you actually watering your mum—or are you waterboarding it?
Let's take a full look at chrysanthemums, from the spectacular flowers we see above ground to the roots that keep the whole show alive.
Mum Care at a Glance
The 30-Second Mum Care Guide
Question | Quick Answer |
How much sun do mums need? | Garden mums generally perform best with about 6 or more hours of direct sunlight. |
How often should mums be watered? | Check container mums frequently—often daily during warm, sunny or windy weather. |
How wet should the soil be? | Keep it consistently moist, but never continually waterlogged. |
Where should I water? | Prefer watering the soil/root zone instead of repeatedly soaking the flowers and foliage. |
Should I fertilize a blooming mum? | A mum already covered in fall flowers generally doesn't need aggressive fertilization. |
Are mums annuals or perennials? | Many fall mums are chrysanthemums being used seasonally. True winter survival depends on cultivar and hardiness. |
Can I plant a store-bought mum? | Yes. Whether it survives winter is another question. |
Are mums good for bees? | They can be. Open-centered flowers generally provide easier access for pollinators than extremely dense double flowers. |
Can a mum come back next year? | Yes, if it is sufficiently hardy and survives winter. Earlier establishment, good drainage and proper care improve its chances. |
In This Guide
Are mums annuals or perennials?
Can store-bought mums come back next year?
What are the different types of mums?
Are mums good for bees and pollinators?
How much sun do mums need?
How often should you water mums?
Are you watering—or waterboarding—your mum?
What's the best way to water mums?
Should you take a mum out of its nursery pot?
Can you plant a store-bought mum?
Should you fertilize mums?
Can you use worm tea or compost tea?
How do you keep mums blooming longer?
How do you prepare hardy mums for winter?
Mum Care FAQ
Are Mums Annuals or Perennials?
Mums can be perennials, but many chrysanthemums sold during fall are grown and used as seasonal plants. That's why the terms "annual mum" and "perennial mum" can be confusing.
The enormous rounded mums stacked outside retailers every September are often grown specifically to provide an impressive fall display. They're purchased in bloom, enjoyed for several weeks, and frequently discarded after freezing weather arrives.
That doesn't necessarily make them botanical annuals.
Seasonal or Florist Mums
These are generally sold for what they look like right now. Commercial growers have carefully managed them to produce a compact plant covered with buds and flowers at exactly the time consumers want fall color. For many homeowners, they're essentially living fall decorations. Put them beside the pumpkins and enjoy them.
Then replace them when winter arrives.
Hardy or Garden Mums
Hardy garden mums are selected for their ability to survive winter within appropriate growing zones. They behave as herbaceous perennials: the above-ground growth eventually dies back, while the established plant survives and begins growing again when conditions are favorable the following spring.
Can an "Annual" Mum Become a Perennial?
Sometimes—but planting a mum doesn't change its genetics. A mum being sold as a seasonal plant may possess enough cold hardiness to survive under favorable conditions. That's why you occasionally hear someone say: "I planted my grocery-store mum and it came back next year!" It certainly can happen. One of the biggest challenges is timing.
A mum purchased in September or October is concentrating tremendous energy on producing its fall flower display at exactly the same time winter is approaching.
A mum planted late therefore has less time to establish the root system it will depend upon during winter.
If your primary objective is a chrysanthemum that returns year after year, look
specifically for varieties identified as hardy mums, garden mums, or perennial chrysanthemums that are appropriate for your growing zone. If you already own a seasonal mum you're otherwise going to throw away? Why not plant it and give it a chance?
What Are the Different Types of Mums?
Here's where chrysanthemums become really interesting.
There isn't one standard mum flower.
Chrysanthemums come in an extraordinary variety of flower forms.
Single Mums
These resemble daisies, usually with a clear central disc surrounded by one or a few rows of petals.
Anemone Mums
Anemone types have outer petals surrounding a raised, cushion-like center.
Pompon Mums
These produce the small, tightly packed, globe-shaped flowers many people associate with decorative mums.
Incurve Mums
The petals curve inward toward the center, sometimes creating an almost perfectly spherical flower.
Quill Mums
Quill types have narrow, tubular petals that create a very different appearance from traditional cushion mums.
Spider Mums
Perhaps the most dramatic of all, spider mums produce long, narrow petals that extend outward and may curl or hook at their tips. Some barely look like the chrysanthemums we're accustomed to seeing outside the grocery store.
And these differences aren't merely cosmetic. Flower structure can also matter to pollinators. We will get onto that shortly.
Are Mums Good for Bees and Pollinators?
Some mums can provide useful late-season floral resources for pollinators, but flower structure matters. Chrysanthemums belong to the Asteraceae—the daisy family.
What looks like one flower is actually a flower head made up of many individual florets. Take a close look at a traditional single mum. You'll usually see a clearly visible central disc. Now compare that with an extremely dense double mum where layer after layer of petals appears to completely cover the center. That difference can matter to an insect looking for food.
Which Mum Would a Bee Choose?
Generally, an open, daisy-like flower gives visiting pollinators easier access to the central floral structures than an extremely dense double flower. Modern chrysanthemums have been bred for characteristics we humans love:
spectacular colors
huge numbers of flowers
dense double blooms
unusual shapes
compact plants
long-lasting ornamental displays
But beauty from our perspective doesn't necessarily mean easy access from a bee's perspective. A highly doubled flower may have its central disc florets partially or completely hidden.
Try the Bee's-Eye Test
The next time you're standing in front of hundreds of mums at a garden center, look at the flowers. Can you clearly see the center? Could a bee easily land and access it?
If attracting pollinators is one of your goals, an open-centered mum is generally the better candidate. But remember this important distinction: Hardy does not automatically mean pollinator-friendly. And: Seasonal does not automatically mean pollinator-unfriendly. Winter hardiness and flower structure are two different characteristics.
Do Mum Leaves Attract Bees?
You may have heard that hardy mums have different leaves that make them more attractive to pollinators. Chrysanthemum foliage certainly varies among species and cultivars, but leaf structure isn't the primary reason bees visit flowering mums.
They're primarily interested in the flowers and accessible floral resources. So if you're standing at the garden center trying to choose a mum for pollinator value, don't concentrate on the leaves. Look at the flowers!
Why Can Mums Be Important to Fall Pollinators?
Timing.
By September and October, many summer flowers are disappearing.
Pollinators, however, may still be active. Honey bees may still be gathering resources for their colonies. Bumble bees and other insects may still be feeding, and late-season flowers can provide additional resources. Mums can become part of that fall buffet.
If you're intentionally creating a fall pollinator garden, don't rely on chrysanthemums alone. Consider combining accessible-flowered mums with other late-season bloomers such as asters, goldenrods, and sedums.
How Much Sun Do Mums Need?
Garden mums generally perform best with about six or more hours of direct sunlight per day. Mums are sun-loving plants. Adequate sunlight encourages strong growth, compact plants, and abundant flowering.
Can Mums Grow in Partial Shade?
Yes.
But there's usually a tradeoff.
As shade increases, a mum may produce fewer flowers, become less compact or develop weaker, more elongated growth.
Deep shade generally isn't where a mum wants to live.
What About a Potted Fall Mum?
A fully flowering September mum is slightly different because you're no longer trying to grow the plant from spring into a giant fall specimen. You're trying to maintain the spectacular flowers it already has. Give it plenty of bright light and several hours of sunlight. During unusually hot September weather, some protection from intense late-afternoon heat can also reduce moisture stress—particularly for a mum growing in a relatively small container.
How Often Should You Water Mums?
Don't water mums according to an arbitrary calendar. Check the soil often and water based on root-zone moisture. This is probably one of the most important lessons in fall mum care. Look at the size of a mature flowering mum. Now look at the pot underneath it. A tremendous amount of foliage, buds and flowers can be growing from a surprisingly small volume of potting mix.
That plant can use water quickly.
Mum Watering Guide
Conditions | What to Do |
Hot + sunny | Check soil daily |
Warm + windy | Check soil daily |
Mild fall weather | Check frequently |
Cool + cloudy | Water demand generally decreases |
Container suddenly feels light | Check moisture immediately |
Soil still feels adequately moist | Don't automatically add more water |
Plant repeatedly wilts | The root ball may be becoming too dry between waterings |
Notice that we're saying check daily, not necessarily water daily.
There's an important difference.
How Moist Should Mum Soil Be?
Consistently moist—not continually saturated.
Stick your finger into the growing medium.
If it still feels adequately moist, don't automatically water again.
If it is becoming dry, water thoroughly.
And don't repeatedly wait until your mum dramatically wilts before rescuing it.
A mum can recover from wilting, but repeatedly subjecting a flowering plant to severe water stress isn't the way to preserve that spectacular display.
Are You Watering Your Mum—or Waterboarding It?
We've watered flowers the same way for generations.
Grab the hose.
Attach a spray nozzle.
Stand back.
Pull the trigger.
And soak absolutely everything.
With a giant flowering mum, sometimes what we're doing looks less like watering and more like waterboarding the poor thing.
And waterboarding your mum usually doesn't end well.
All kidding aside, there's legitimate horticultural reasoning behind the joke.
Is Overhead Watering Bad for Mums?
Getting a mum wet doesn't automatically hurt it. Obviously: It rains.
The concern is repeated and prolonged wetness of flowers and foliage.
Under favorable environmental conditions, prolonged moisture can contribute to certain chrysanthemum diseases. Water splash can also help move some plant pathogens. A strong stream from a hose can additionally disturb petals and heavily loaded flowering stems. So we're not saying:
"Never let your mum get wet." We're asking a much simpler question:
If you're holding the hose, why waterboard the flowers when it's the roots that need the drink?
Rain is unavoidable. Your garden hose isn't.
What Is the Best Way to Water Mums?
When you're providing supplemental irrigation, put the water where you're trying to replenish moisture:
In the soil around the roots.
That's where the Root Genie™ Garden Wand provides a different approach.
Instead of standing above your mum and deliberately spraying water through hundreds of flowers and leaves, the Root Genie can deliver water into the soil around the root zone.
The roots receive the water.
The blooms remain largely undisturbed.
Pollinators can keep working the flowers.
Your Mum Needs a Drink—Not an Interrogation.
For a temporary potted mum, the Root Genie can primarily serve as a root-zone watering tool.
For a hardy mum growing permanently in the landscape, it can also deliver compatible liquid or properly dissolved water-soluble plant nutrients into the root zone when fertilization is appropriate.
Water the Roots. Protect the Blooms.™
Should You Take a Store-Bought Mum Out of Its Pot?
You don't have to—but repotting or planting can make sense depending upon what you want from the plant. You basically have three choices.
Option 1: Leave It in the Nursery Pot
That's perfectly reasonable if you're treating the mum as temporary fall decoration.
Just remember: A large mum in a relatively small nursery container can dry rapidly.
Monitor it closely.
Option 2: Move It Into a Larger Container
A somewhat larger container provides additional growing medium and room for roots.
The increased soil volume can also make moisture management easier.
But make absolutely certain the new container drains properly.
Putting a nursery pot inside a beautiful decorative container with no drainage can create an entirely different problem.
Mums like moisture. They don't like waterlogged roots.
Option 3: Plant It in the Ground
If you want your mum to become part of the garden, remove it from the container and plant it in well-drained soil. Plant it at about the same depth it was previously growing, and keep the root zone adequately moist while the plant establishes.
Can You Plant a Store-Bought Mum in the Ground?
Yes. Whether it comes back next year is the bigger question. Winter survival depends on factors including the cultivar's actual hardiness, climate, planting date, drainage, winter conditions, and root establishment. A seasonal mum doesn't magically become hardier simply because it's planted.
But consider this:
If you're planning to throw that beautiful mum away after Thanksgiving anyway...
Why not give it a chance?
Plant it. Mark where it is. And see what happens next spring. You might get a pleasant surprise.
Should You Fertilize Mums?
A mum already covered with flowers in September generally doesn't need aggressive fertilization. That giant flowering mum didn't become beautiful by accident. A commercial grower has spent months managing its nutrition, light, moisture, and growth so it would reach the garden center looking spectacular. Bringing it home and immediately dumping more fertilizer into the pot won't necessarily produce another thousand flowers.
Fertilizing a Temporary Potted Mum
If you're keeping the plant as temporary fall decoration, concentrate primarily on:
Water, Light, Drainage. Additional fertilizer may not be necessary during the relatively short period you're displaying it.
Fertilizing Hardy Garden Mums
A hardy mum growing permanently in the garden is different. Fertilization becomes more relevant during active vegetative growth, when the plant is producing the roots, stems, and foliage that will eventually support its fall flower display.
An easy way to remember it:
SPRING → GROW IT
SUMMER → MAINTAIN IT
FALL → ENJOY IT
Don't assume a mum that's already loaded with flowers needs to be pushed with heavy fertilizer.
More isn't automatically better.
What Fertilizer Can You Use With the Root Genie?
The Root Genie Fertilizing System can deliver compatible liquid or properly dissolved water-soluble fertilizer into the root zone when feeding is appropriate.
Depending upon your gardening philosophy and the product label, that might include certain conventional water-soluble fertilizers or compatible liquid organic fertilizers.
But there's an important rule:
Root Genie is the applicator—not the fertilizer.
Always follow the fertilizer manufacturer's instructions regarding concentration, frequency, and application. Don't assume that because a fertilizer fits into the Root Genie canister, you should automatically apply an entire canister to one plant.
The objective is appropriate root-zone nutrition—not more fertilizer simply because we can deliver it easily.
Can You Use Worm Casting Tea or Compost Tea on Mums?
Yes—but that doesn't mean every mum needs it. This is where we should separate two completely different objectives.
Temporary Fall Container Mum
If you bought a spectacular mum for the porch and intend to enjoy it for several weeks before discarding it, investing heavily in long-term soil improvement probably isn't necessary. Your priorities remain:
Proper moisture + adequate light + good drainage.
Hardy Mum Growing in the Garden
Now we're thinking long term. Compost, worm castings and appropriate compost- or vermicompost-derived products can be incorporated into a broader soil-management program. But don't think of worm tea or compost tea as a miracle fertilizer.
The nutrient concentration of these products can vary considerably, and scientific evidence surrounding some of the broader claims made about compost teas is mixed.
Think of them as optional soil inputs, not substitutes for the fundamentals.
Healthy mums still require: Good soil, Good drainage, Adequate moisture, Adequate sunlight, Appropriate nutrition, Healthy roots.
How Do You Keep Mums Blooming Longer?
Here's one of the easiest things you can do before you even leave the garden center.
Buy Buds, Not Just Blooms
It's tempting to buy the mum with the most fully open flowers. It looks spectacular today. But much of its show has already begun. Instead, look for a healthy mum containing:
Some open flowers
Lots of partially opened flowers
Lots of unopened buds
Those buds are tomorrow's flowers. You're essentially buying more of the flowering season.
Once home:
Maintain consistent soil moisture.
Provide adequate sunlight.
Avoid repeatedly allowing the plant to severely wilt.
Avoid unnecessarily blasting the flowers with water.
Monitor the plant for damaged or diseased material.
How Do You Prepare Hardy Mums for Winter?
If you're trying to turn a fall mum into a permanent garden plant, the flowers will eventually disappear. That's when it's easy to stop paying attention. But something much more important is happening below ground. The perennial plant depends upon its crown and root system to survive winter and begin growing again when conditions become favorable. Continue monitoring soil moisture after flowering.
Don't assume that because the flowers are gone, the roots no longer need water.
At the same time, don't keep the plant sitting in saturated soil. Good drainage is especially important. And avoid trying to force a late flush of tender growth with excessive nitrogen fertilizer. At this stage, your objective isn't another burst of foliage.
It's helping an appropriately hardy, established plant make the transition toward winter dormancy.
Mum Care FAQ
How often should I water mums?
Check the soil frequently rather than following a rigid schedule. Large container mums may need their soil checked daily during warm, sunny or windy weather because their relatively small root balls can dry quickly.
Should I water my mum every day?
Not automatically. Check every day when conditions warrant it, but water according to soil moisture. If the growing medium is still adequately moist, don't add water simply because another day has passed.
Can you overwater mums?
Yes. Mums appreciate consistent moisture but also require drainage. Continually saturated soil can create poor conditions around the roots.
Should mums be watered from the top or at the base?
When you're providing supplemental irrigation, watering the soil/root zone is generally preferable to deliberately and repeatedly soaking the flowers and foliage.
Is getting mum flowers wet bad?
Not automatically. Mums obviously encounter rain. The concern is unnecessary, repeated or prolonged wetness, particularly when environmental conditions favor certain diseases.
How much sun do mums need?
Garden mums generally perform best with approximately six or more hours of direct sunlight. Some partial shade is fine, but heavier shade may reduce flowering and cause compact growth.
Why does my potted mum dry out so quickly?
A large flowering mum may have tremendous amounts of foliage and flowers growing from a relatively small container. Warm temperatures, direct sunlight and wind can cause that limited volume of growing medium to lose moisture rapidly.
Should I repot a store-bought mum?
You don't have to if it's temporary decoration. Moving it into a slightly larger, well-drained container can add soil volume and make moisture management easier.
Can I plant my potted mum in the ground?
Yes. Plant it in an appropriate sunny, well-drained location and maintain moisture while roots establish. Winter survival depends on the plant's hardiness and environmental conditions.
Will my store-bought mum come back next year?
Possibly. Some mums sold as seasonal plants survive winter, while others don't. Cultivar hardiness, planting date, root establishment, drainage and winter conditions all matter.
Are mums good for bees?
Some can be useful late-season flowers. Open-centered mums generally provide easier access to floral resources than extremely dense double flowers with hidden centers.
Are hardy mums better for pollinators?
Not necessarily. Hardiness and pollinator accessibility are different characteristics. Look at the flower structure rather than relying solely on whether the plant is labeled hardy.
Should I fertilize my mum while it's blooming?
A mum already covered with fall flowers generally doesn't require aggressive fertilization. Feeding matters more for established perennial mums during active vegetative growth.
Can I use worm casting tea on mums?
Yes, if the product is suitable for that use and you apply it according to the directions. But a temporary flowering container mum doesn't necessarily need worm tea simply because it's a mum.
What's the best way to keep mums blooming?
Start with a healthy plant with plenty of unopened buds. Then maintain appropriate sunlight, consistent root-zone moisture, and good drainage while avoiding repeated severe wilting.
The Root Genie Mum Rule
There's a lot to know about chrysanthemums, but good mum care doesn't have to be complicated.
KNOW IT.
Is your plant temporary fall color or a truly hardy garden mum?
SUN IT.
Give garden mums plenty of sunshine.
CHECK IT.
Check container soil frequently—especially during warm September weather.
DON'T DROWN IT.
Keep the soil consistently moist but well drained.
DON'T WATERBOARD IT.
When you're holding the hose, put the water around the roots instead of repeatedly soaking hundreds of flowers.
FEED IT AT THE RIGHT TIME.
Don't assume a fully flowering fall mum needs more fertilizer.
THINK LIKE A BEE.
If pollinators matter to you, look at the accessibility of the flower center.
Maybe It's Time to Look at Mums Differently
That $15 mum sitting outside the grocery store is actually a fascinating plant.
Instead of simply asking: "Which color looks best beside my pumpkins?"
Ask a few more questions.
Could this mum come back next year?
Is it actually a hardy variety?
Could I plant it instead of throwing it away?
Can a bee easily access its flowers?
Does it have enough sunlight?
Is its little root ball drying out?
Does it really need fertilizer?
And when you reach for the garden hose:
Am I watering the plant—or waterboarding the flowers?
Because whether you're growing a spectacular spider mum, an open-centered pollinator-friendly chrysanthemum, a hardy garden mum or simply enjoying that giant orange ball of flowers on your front porch, one basic gardening principle remains the same:
Give the flowers sunshine.
Give the pollinators the flowers.
Give the roots the water and nutrients.
And please...
Don't Waterboard Your Mum.
Water the Roots. Protect the Blooms.™
SQUEEZE-N-FEED™ with Root Genie
Sources & Further Reading
For horticultural recommendations in this guide, Root Genie recommends consulting university Extension and other evidence-based horticultural resources, including information on chrysanthemums from NC State Extension, Penn State Extension, Virginia Tech Extension, University of Minnesota Extension and Purdue University Extension.
About Root Genie
Root Genie™ develops tools designed to make root-zone watering and fertilizing simpler for home gardeners. The Root Genie Academy focuses on practical gardening education—from watering and fertilizing to soil health, roots, and better ways to care for the plants we invest so much time and money growing.
Written by: Lutz Reissmann / Root Genie Published: September 2026 Last reviewed: September 2026
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