Potted Chrysanthemum Care

Chrysanthemums brighten fall containers.

Potted chrysanthemums, or florist's mums, are forced into flowering year-round, but they bloom naturally in fall. They blossom for up to a month with proper care. Many plants also bloom a second time the following fall if correctly tended. The bright flowers come in a variety of colors and petal shapes, but all mums have the same basic care requirements.

Location

Chrysanthemums require bright light but cannot tolerate direct sunlight. An area near a sunny window out of the direct rays of the sun provides optimum lighting. The mums tolerate indoor temperatures, but the flowers survive longest with a temperature between 65 and 75 degrees during the day and 10 degrees cooler during the night. The cooler night temperatures allow the plant to rest and extend the blossom life.

Water and Fertilizer

Wilting foliage from dry soil conditions inhibits flowering, kills existing flowers and weakens the mum. The plants require watering when the soil surface begins drying out but before the soil dries completely. Mums need watering every one to three days, depending on how quickly the soil dries. Chrysanthemums typically require no fertilizer, but a dilute application of a soluble houseplant fertilizer formulated for flowering plants every two weeks may improve the plant's success for reblooming later.

Pruning

Pruning serves two purposes. It improves the appearance of the plant and prevents disease issues. Removing the spent flowers as soon as they begin to wilt and cutting out any dead foliage is usually all that is required to keep the mum looking its best during blooming. The mums also require pinching if you plant to bloom them a second time. Pinch off the tip of each new stem beginning in spring. Continue to pinch until midsummer when the mum begins producing new buds.

Reblooming

Indoor conditions don't provide for the mum's needs if you wish to rebloom the plant. Moving the plant outdoors after spring frost dangers provides the mum with the light and temperatures required for healthy growth. Set the pots in an area where they receive at least six hours of sunlight. Continue watering and fertilizing the plants through summer. Potted mums can't tolerate frost, so bring them indoors in fall before the first frost occurs. Mums typically bloom again in late October or November.

References

• University of Missouri Extension; Care of Flowering Potted Plants; David Trinklein, et al.; December 1998
• Alabama Cooperative Extension System; Care of Fresh Flowers and Holiday Plants; Raymond Kessler, et al.; July 2006