10/16/2026
Nothing says fall like a big, beautiful chrysanthemum blooming alongside your cornstalks, pumpkins, and gourds. ๐๐พ๐ธ
Chrysanthemums, or โmumsโ for short, are the iconic fall flower, these beauties burst into bloom right about the time everything else in your flower pots starts fading.
Even though mums technically are perennials, which means they should come back for many years, they donโt always play by the rules. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they donโt! Many factors play a part in whether or not your mums will return next year.
For starters, you need to purchase the right kind of mums. Garden mums, also called hardy mums, thrive in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4 to 9. But floral mums are hardy only in warm climates, typically zones 8 to 9. (Here is Wilson county TN we are in zone 7b)
Floral mums not always labeled as such, but there is a good chance theyโre not the hardy type if you purchased them in gift pots at the grocery store. Hardy garden mums, on the other hand, generally are sold at nurseries like ours.
๐ชดPlant your mums ASAP
If you get them in the ground while still in bud, thereโs a slightly better chance theyโll have time to push out some roots to get established. Rough the root system up a bit to encourage new root growth. Donโt bury it, leave a few inches of the root ABOVE the ground level and add mulch on top of the root system, not dirt.
๐ฆKeep your mums watered!
They are very thirsty plants, and proper watering is important to get roots established. Donโt let them wilt on hot, dry autumn days, this stresses the plant out and may cause them to not come back next year.
๐ฅธAdjust your expectations.
Your plant is never going to look like that nice, big, rounded ball you purchased this year. If it survives winter and pushes new growth next spring, it will take on a more carefree shape. So, if all of this seems like too much, go on and treat your mums like annuals, and treat yourself to fresh new colors next fall!
