Fall mums bring gorgeous color to Illinois gardens just when everything else starts fading away. These cheerful flowers are a favorite for porches, flower beds, and outdoor decorations during autumn.
But buying the right mums takes more know-how than you might think, and making the wrong choices can leave you disappointed. Learning what to watch out for will help you pick healthy plants that bloom beautifully all season long.
1. Choosing Mums That Are Already In Full Bloom
Grabbing the prettiest, most colorful mum at the store seems smart, right? Actually, plants covered in open flowers won’t last as long in your garden. Mums with mostly buds and just a few blooms will give you weeks more color.
Those fully opened flowers have already used much of their energy. When you bring them home, they’ll fade quickly instead of putting on a long show. Look for plants where about three-quarters of the buds are still closed for maximum enjoyment.
2. Ignoring The Root System Completely
Most shoppers never peek beneath the pot, but that’s where the real story lives. Healthy roots mean a healthy plant that will survive and possibly come back next year. Gently tip the pot and check if roots are visible through drainage holes.
Root-bound mums with tangled, circling roots struggle to absorb water and nutrients properly. Roots should look white or light-colored, not brown or mushy. A quick root check takes seconds but saves you from buying a plant that’s already stressed and struggling.
3. Buying Too Early In The Season
Garden centers stock mums as early as late August, tempting eager gardeners everywhere. Purchasing them too soon means dealing with Illinois’s warm late-summer temperatures that stress these cool-weather lovers. Early September can still bring heat waves that damage tender plants.
Waiting until mid-September gives you better chances of success. Cooler nights help mums establish themselves without wilting from heat stress. Your patience rewards you with healthier plants that transition smoothly into autumn’s comfortable temperatures and look fantastic longer.
4. Selecting Plants With Yellow Or Brown Leaves
Discolored foliage tells you something’s wrong before you even get the plant home. Yellow leaves often signal overwatering, nutrient deficiency, or disease problems. Brown, crispy edges mean the plant has been stressed by inconsistent watering or sitting too long at the store.
Healthy mums should have deep green leaves from top to bottom without spots or discoloration. Don’t assume you can nurse a sickly plant back to health—it rarely works out. Choose vibrant, uniformly green foliage for plants that will thrive in your garden.
5. Forgetting To Consider Your Planting Location
Impulse buying leads many gardeners to grab beautiful mums without thinking about where they’ll actually go. Mums need at least six hours of sunlight daily to bloom their best. Shady spots cause leggy growth and fewer flowers, wasting your money.
Before shopping, measure your space and note how much sun it receives throughout the day. Consider whether you’re planting in the ground or keeping them in containers. Matching your mums to your actual growing conditions prevents disappointment and ensures spectacular autumn displays.
6. Overlooking Hardy Varieties For Illinois
Not all mums are created equal when it comes to surviving Illinois winters. Many garden centers sell tender varieties meant only for temporary decoration. If you want perennials that return each year, you need specifically labeled hardy or garden mums.
Florist mums look gorgeous but won’t survive freezing temperatures no matter how well you care for them. Hardy varieties have been bred to withstand cold and develop strong root systems. Ask staff which types are perennial-suitable, or check plant tags carefully before purchasing anything.
7. Skipping The Plant Quality Inspection
Rushing through your purchase without examining plants carefully often leads to regret later. Check for pests like aphids or spider mites hiding under leaves. Look for broken stems, damaged branches, or lopsided growth that indicates poor care.
A quality mum should have dense, compact growth with stems radiating evenly from the center. Gaps or sparse areas mean the plant wasn’t properly pinched back during growing. Spend an extra minute inspecting each plant from all angles to ensure you’re getting the healthiest specimen available.
8. Neglecting To Ask About Care Requirements
Assuming all mums need the same care is a mistake that costs many gardeners their beautiful plants. Different varieties have slightly different watering, feeding, and spacing needs. Staff at reputable garden centers can provide specific guidance for the types they’re selling.
Find out whether your chosen mums prefer morning or afternoon sun, how often to water in Illinois’s variable fall weather, and whether they need fertilizing. Getting accurate information upfront helps you provide proper care from day one, maximizing your chances of success and enjoyment.