Fall mums are one of the best ways to add bright colors to your Missouri garden when summer fades away. However, many shoppers make simple mistakes that lead to disappointing results or wasted money.
Understanding what to avoid when buying these popular autumn flowers can help you pick healthy plants that will bloom beautifully all season long.
1. Buying Mums Too Early In The Season
Missouri summers can stay surprisingly warm well into September, which creates problems for mums purchased too soon. When you buy mums in late August, the heat stress can damage blooms before fall weather arrives.
Plants suffer from wilting and browning when temperatures spike above 85 degrees. Wait until early September when cooler nights become consistent.
Your mums will establish better roots and produce longer-lasting flowers throughout October and November.
2. Choosing Mums Based Only On Bloom Color
Bright orange, yellow, and burgundy blooms catch every shopper’s eye, but color alone doesn’t guarantee success. Many people grab the prettiest plant without checking the overall health underneath all those flowers.
Look past the blooms and examine the foliage for signs of disease or pest damage. Strong, green leaves and sturdy stems matter more than having the most open flowers right now.
A healthy plant with tight buds will outlast a fully bloomed specimen every time.
3. Ignoring The Root System Before Purchase
Most shoppers never think to check what’s happening below the soil line, yet roots tell the real story of plant health. Gently tip the pot and peek at the drainage holes to see if roots are visible.
White, firm roots spreading through the soil indicate a vigorous plant ready to thrive. Brown, mushy, or circling roots signal trouble that will affect bloom quality and winter survival.
Spending thirty extra seconds on this check saves disappointment later on.
4. Selecting Plants Already Stressed By Neglect
Garden centers get busy during fall, and some mums sit too long without proper care before you arrive. Wilted leaves, dried-out soil, or yellowing lower foliage are red flags that indicate neglect.
Even if you water them immediately after purchase, stressed plants struggle to recover fully. Their blooms fade faster, and they’re more susceptible to diseases once planted in your garden.
Choose specimens that look well-maintained with moist soil and perky leaves throughout the entire plant.
5. Overlooking Missouri’s Hardiness Zone Requirements
Not all mums sold in Missouri stores are bred to survive our winters, which range from zone 5 in the north to zone 7 in the south. Many garden centers stock decorative varieties meant only for temporary fall display.
If you want perennial mums that return next year, specifically ask for hardy garden varieties suited to your zone. Garden mums labeled as hardy can withstand Missouri’s freezing temperatures when planted properly.
Florist mums look beautiful but rarely survive past the first frost.
6. Buying Mums in Decorative Pots Without Drainage
Those adorable ceramic pumpkins and decorative containers make mums look festive, but they often lack proper drainage holes. Water pools at the bottom, causing root rot that kills plants within weeks.
If you love the decorative pot, use it as an outer sleeve and keep the mum in its original plastic container with drainage. Better yet, drill holes in decorative pots before planting directly into them.
Good drainage extends your mums’ lifespan significantly through the entire autumn season.
7. Failing To Consider Mature Plant Size
Compact mums at the store look perfect for small spaces, but many varieties grow significantly larger after planting. What starts as a tidy twelve-inch mound can spread to twenty-four inches or more by mid-October.
Read plant tags carefully to understand the mature width and height before deciding where they’ll go. Crowded plants compete for nutrients and develop fewer blooms than properly spaced specimens.
Plan your spacing based on mature size, not the nursery pot dimensions you see at purchase time.