Ready to add vibrant color to your garden? Growing chrysanthemums is surprisingly easy! This guide provides simple, step-by-step instructions to help you cultivate beautiful, long-lasting blooms whether you’re planting indoors, outdoors, or in containers. Get ready for an explosion of cheerful flowers!

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How to Grow Chrysanthemums: Your Proven Essential Guide

Dreaming of cheerful, colorful flowers that brighten your garden or home? Chrysanthemums, often called “mums,” are a beloved choice for their stunning blooms and variety. But if you’ve ever found them tricky to grow, you’re not alone! Many beginners feel a little unsure about where to start. Don’t worry, nurturing these beauties is simpler than you think. This guide is designed to make growing chrysanthemums a joy, no matter your experience level. We’ll break down everything you need to know, from choosing your plant to keeping it happy all season long. Get ready to discover how easy it is to grow your own stunning mums!

Why Grow Chrysanthemums?

Chrysanthemums are a fantastic addition to any garden or indoor plant collection for so many reasons. They offer a spectacular late-season show of color when many other flowers are fading. Their vibrant hues, from sunny yellows and fiery oranges to soft pinks and deep reds, can transform any space. Plus, they come in a dizzying array of shapes and sizes, from tiny “button” mums to large, showy “decorative” types. Beyond their beauty, many varieties are surprisingly resilient and can thrive in various conditions. Growing your own mums means you get to enjoy their full glory without the nursery markup, and they make wonderful cut flowers for indoor arrangements.

Understanding Your Chrysanthemum Options

Before you get your hands dirty, it’s helpful to know the different types of chrysanthemums. This will help you choose the best fit for your space and gardening goals. Mums are broadly categorized by how they are grown and their bloom type.

Garden Mums (Hardy Mums)

These are the most common type you’ll find for outdoor planting. They are bred to be perennial, meaning they can survive the winter in many climates and return year after year. They are typically planted in the spring or early summer to allow them to establish a strong root system before blooming in the fall.

Florist Mums (Cut Flower Mums)

These mums are grown for their large, spectacular blooms and are often sold in pots around holidays like Thanksgiving or for bouquets. While beautiful, they are usually treated as annuals and may not survive the winter outdoors. They are perfect for adding a pop of color to patios, decks, or as indoor houseplants for a season.

Chrysanthemum Cultivars by Bloom Type

Within these categories, there are dozens of exciting bloom types:

Single Blooms: Simple, daisy-like flowers with one or two rows of petals.
Anemone Blooms: Single flowers with a prominent, raised cushion of smaller florets in the center.
Pompon Blooms: Small, rounded flowers with many tightly packed, spoon-shaped petals.
Spider Blooms: Flowers with long, tubular petals that droop or curl downwards, resembling spider legs.
Decorative Blooms: Large, showy flowers with many broad, flat petals that may be straight or slightly incurved.
Spoon Blooms: Similar to single blooms, but the petals have a distinct spoon shape at the tip.

Where to Plant Your Chrysanthemums

The beauty of chrysanthemums is their versatility. You can enjoy them in a variety of settings, from sprawling garden beds to cozy window boxes.

Outdoor Gardening: Garden Beds

This is where traditional garden mums truly shine. They love being planted directly in the ground. Choose a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Well-draining soil is crucial; mums hate soggy roots. If your soil is heavy clay, amend it with compost or other organic matter to improve drainage. When planting, space them according to their mature size, typically 18-24 inches apart, to allow for good air circulation.

Container Gardening: Pots and Planters

Chrysanthemums are exceptionally well-suited for container gardening, making them perfect for apartment dwellers, homeowners with limited yard space, or for adding temporary pops of color to patios and balconies.

Pot Size: Choose pots that are at least 8-10 inches in diameter for smaller varieties and larger for bigger ones. Ensure the pot has drainage holes!
Potting Mix: Use a good quality, well-draining potting mix. Avoid using garden soil in pots, as it can become compacted and hinder drainage.
Location: Place containers in a sunny spot. If you’re growing them indoors for a short period, a sunny windowsill is ideal.
Watering: Potted plants dry out faster than those in the ground, so check moisture levels regularly and water when the top inch of soil feels dry.

Indoor Gardening: Temporary Houseplants

Florist mums can be enjoyed indoors for several weeks. They prefer cool temperatures and bright, indirect light. Keep them away from heating vents or drafts. Water them when the soil surface feels dry, and be sure to empty any standing water from decorative cachepots to prevent root rot.

How to Grow Chrysanthemums: Step-by-Step

Ready to plant? Here’s a breakdown of how to get your mums started for the best blooms. We’ll cover planting from nursery plants, as starting from seed can be more challenging for beginners.

Step 1: Choose Your Chrysanthemums

Visit your local nursery or garden center when they have a good selection. Look for healthy plants with compact growth and no signs of pests or diseases. You can choose plants based on color, bloom type, or size. For beginners, sturdy, bushy plants in 6-inch pots are often a great starting point.

Step 2: Select the Perfect Location

As mentioned, a sunny spot receiving at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily is ideal for outdoor mums. For containers, the same applies. Good air circulation is also important to prevent fungal diseases. Avoid planting them too close together or in overly shady, humid areas.

Step 3: Prepare the Planting Site or Container

For Garden Beds:

Dig a hole that is twice as wide and just as deep as the mum’s current pot.
Generously amend the soil you removed with compost or well-rotted manure. This improves drainage and adds nutrients. A good resource for soil amendments can be found on sites like the EPA’s composting guide.
Mix the amended soil back into the planting hole.

For Containers:

Ensure your pot has drainage holes.
Fill the pot about two-thirds full with a high-quality, well-draining potting mix.

Step 4: Plant Your Chrysanthemums

Gently remove the mum from its nursery pot. If the roots are tightly wound (root-bound), carefully loosen them with your fingers or make a few shallow vertical cuts with a clean knife. This encourages roots to grow outwards into the new soil.

Place the mum in the prepared hole or half-filled pot. The top of the root ball should be level with the surrounding soil or about an inch below the rim of the pot.
Fill in around the root ball with the amended soil or potting mix, gently firming it to eliminate air pockets.
Water thoroughly to settle the soil around the roots.

Step 5: Watering and Mulching

Chrysanthemums need consistent moisture, especially when they are getting established and during their blooming period.

Watering: Water deeply whenever the top inch of soil feels dry. Aim to water the soil directly, avoiding the foliage as much as possible to reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
Mulching: Once planted, adding a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch (like wood chips, shredded bark, or compost) around the base of the plant is highly beneficial. Mulch helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Keep mulch a few inches away from the main stem to prevent rot.

Step 6: Feeding Your Mums

Chrysanthemums are relatively light feeders.

If you amended your soil well with compost, you might not need to fertilize during the first year.
For subsequent years or if your soil is poor, you can feed your mums in the spring as new growth appears. Use a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer (like a 10-10-10) or a fertilizer lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium to encourage blooms. Follow the package instructions for application rates.
Avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen late in the season, as this can promote leafy growth at the expense of flowers and make plants susceptible to frost damage.

Step 7: Pinching for Bushier Plants and More Blooms

This is one of the most important steps for getting a spectacular display of flowers! Pinching involves removing the top few inches of the plant’s stem. This encourages the plant to branch out, resulting in a bushier plant with many more flowering stems and, ultimately, more blooms.

When to Pinch: Start pinching young plants when they are about 6-8 inches tall. Continue pinching every few weeks up until mid-summer (around early July in most climates). Stop pinching about 6-8 weeks before you expect your mums to bloom, typically in late summer, to allow flower buds to form.
How to Pinch: Use your thumb and forefinger to snap or cut off the growing tip of a stem. Make the cut just above a set of leaves.

Step 8: Supporting Your Blooms

As chrysanthemums grow and produce heavy blooms, they can sometimes flop over. For taller varieties or those with very large flowers, staking may be necessary.

Insert a sturdy stake (bamboo, metal, or wood) into the soil near the main stem early in the growing season.
As the plant grows, gently tie the stems to the stake using soft garden ties, plant clips, or twine.
For a more natural look, you can use plant support rings that enclose the plant as it grows, providing hidden support.

Step 9: Deadheading for Continuous Blooms

Deadheading is the process of removing spent flowers.

Snip off faded blooms at the stem just above a set of healthy leaves or a side shoot.
This not only keeps your plant looking tidy but also encourages it to produce more flowers instead of putting energy into seed production.

When to Plant Chrysanthemums

Timing is key for successful chrysanthemum growing.

Spring Planting: For hardy garden mums that you want to establish for overwintering, plant them in the spring or early summer. This gives them plenty of time to develop a strong root system before fall bloom.
Fall Planting: While you can buy potted mums in the fall for immediate color, these are often grown in greenhouses and may not be fully hardy. If you plant them in the fall, treat them as annuals or provide extra winter protection if you hope they will survive. Florist mums are best enjoyed soon after purchase as temporary seasonal decor.

A helpful resource for understanding planting zones and timing for your region is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Chrysanthemum Care: Essential Tips

Consistent, simple care will ensure your chrysanthemums thrive and provide a spectacular show.

Sunlight Requirements

Chrysanthemums are sun-lovers! They need at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day to develop strong stems and abundant blooms. Insufficient light will result in leggy plants with fewer, smaller flowers.

Watering Needs

Consistent moisture is crucial. Mums prefer their soil to be evenly moist but not waterlogged.

Check Soil Moisture: Stick your finger about an inch into the soil. If it feels dry, it’s time to water.
Water Deeply: When you water, soak the soil thoroughly. This encourages deep root growth.
Avoid Overhead Watering: Try to water at the base of the plant to keep the foliage dry and reduce the risk of fungal diseases like powdery mildew or leaf spot.

Soil Preferences

Well-draining soil is non-negotiable for chrysanthemums. They do not tolerate “wet feet,” which can lead to root rot.

Ideal Soil: A slightly acidic to neutral pH (around 6.0-7.0) is preferred.
Amending Soil: If you have heavy clay soil, incorporate generous amounts of organic matter like compost, well-rotted manure, or peat moss to improve drainage and aeration. For sandy soils, adding compost will help retain moisture and nutrients.

Fertilizing Schedule

Mums benefit from feeding, but not too much!

Spring Feeding: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges.
During Growth: You can feed with a liquid fertilizer every 3-4 weeks during the growing season, using a formula balanced for growth and bloom.
Avoid Late-Season Nitrogen: Do not apply high-nitrogen fertilizers in late summer or early fall, as this can delay flowering and make plants more susceptible to frost damage.

Pest and Disease Management

While generally robust, mums can occasionally face issues.

Common Pests: Aphids, spider mites, and leaf miners can sometimes be a problem. Inspect your plants regularly. A strong spray of water can often dislodge aphids. For more persistent infestations, consider insecticidal soap or neem oil, which are eco-friendly options.
Common Diseases: Powdery mildew and chrysanthemum rust are fungal diseases that can appear in humid conditions or with poor air circulation. Ensure good air flow, water at the soil line, and remove any affected leaves promptly. Planting resistant varieties is also a good strategy.

Chrysanthemum Varieties Perfect for Beginners

Some mums are more forgiving and easier for beginners to grow. Here are a few popular types:

Variety Type	Bloom Description	Growth Habit	Beginner Friendliness
‘Bronze Button’	Small, dense pompon blooms in warm bronze tones.	Compact and bushy.	Excellent. Very hardy and easy to shape with pinching.
‘Yellow Daisy’	Cheerful, single daisy-like flowers in bright yellow.	Moderately bushy.	Good. Classic look, responds well to pinching.
‘Autumn Cushion’	Low-growing with masses of medium-sized blooms in various colors.	Spreading and cushion-like.	Excellent. Very hardy and forgiving.
‘Mammoth’ Series	Large, decorative blooms with many petals.	Can grow quite tall, may need support.	Good, but requires space and potential staking.

Overwintering Hardy Chrysanthemums

If you planted hardy garden mums in the spring or early summer and want them to return next year, proper overwintering is key.

Fall Cleanup: After the first hard frost and the foliage has died back, cut the stems down to a few inches above the ground.
Mulch Protection: Apply a thick layer (4-6 inches) of insulating mulch, such as straw, evergreen boughs, or shredded leaves, over the cut-down plant. This protects the crown from freeze-thaw cycles that can heave plants out of the ground.
Avoid Early Cleanup: Don’t cut back your mums too early in the fall; leaving some foliage until after frost can provide a bit more protection.
Spring Emergence: In early spring, as soon as the ground thaws and you see signs of new growth, remove the mulch. This prevents the plant from getting suffocated or rotting.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How do I grow chrysanthemums from seeds?

While possible, growing chrysanthemums from seed is generally more challenging and less common for beginners than buying young plants. Seeds often have lower germination rates, and the resulting plants may not be true to the parent variety. Some mums are also hybrids, meaning their seeds won’t produce identical plants. If you wish to try from seed

Pearl Roach

How to Grow Chrysanthemums: Proven Essential Guide