Fall in Michigan means vibrant chrysanthemums decorating porches and gardens across the state. These colorful plants bring autumn cheer, but many Michigan gardeners make simple mistakes when purchasing them.
Knowing what to look for at local garden centers can mean the difference between mums that thrive through our crisp fall nights and those that fade before the first frost.
1. Waiting Until Peak Bloom
Many shoppers instinctively reach for the most colorful pots at the garden center. The fully bloomed mums look spectacular on display, but they’ve actually passed their prime.
Once home, you’ll enjoy only a brief show before the flowers fade. Instead, select plants with plenty of tight buds and just a few open blooms.
Last year, I brought home mostly-budded mums from a small nursery near Traverse City, and enjoyed fresh flowers opening for nearly six weeks longer than my neighbor’s already-blooming plants.
2. Ignoring Hardiness Ratings
Garden centers throughout Michigan offer both hardy and florist mums, but many shoppers don’t know the crucial difference. Florist varieties look spectacular but rarely survive our winters.
Hardy mums (often labeled ‘garden mums’) can return year after year in zones 5-9, perfect for most Michigan gardens. Check the plant tag or ask staff specifically about winter hardiness.
The small investment in hardy varieties has saved me hundreds over the years in my Lansing garden, where my established mums return reliably each spring without needing replacement.
3. Forgetting About Root Health
Roots tell the true story of a mum’s health, yet most Michigan gardeners never check them before purchasing. Gently slip the plant from its pot and look for healthy white or tan roots that hold the soil together.
Avoid plants with roots that are darkened, mushy, or circling tightly around the pot’s interior. These stressed plants rarely establish well in our Michigan soils.
My sister bought root-bound mums last September from a big box store in Grand Rapids, and despite her careful tending, they declined rapidly while my healthy-rooted plants thrived.
4. Buying Too Late In The Season
The temptation of clearance sales at Michigan garden centers in late October can be strong. Those bargain mums rarely have time to establish before our first hard freeze.
For best results, purchase mums in early to mid-September, giving them 4-6 weeks to develop roots before winter. This timing is especially important in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where frosts arrive earlier.
A gardening friend in Kalamazoo waits until late October every year, and despite Michigan’s relatively mild southern conditions, her mums never return the following spring.
5. Neglecting Soil Requirements
Michigan’s diverse soil conditions require attention when selecting mums. Our state’s clay-heavy soils in many regions can spell disaster for these plants that need excellent drainage.
Before bringing mums home, prepare your garden beds with compost or consider raised planters. Container gardening works wonderfully for mums in areas with poor drainage.
After losing several plants to soggy conditions in my Detroit suburb garden, I started amending with coarse sand and compost, creating the well-draining environment that has allowed my mums to thrive through three Michigan winters.
6. Choosing Only One Variety
Sticking with a single mum variety limits your Michigan garden’s fall display potential. Different cultivars bloom at varying times throughout autumn, some peaking in September while others shine in October.
Smart gardeners select early, mid, and late-season varieties for continuous color. This strategy provides visual interest from Labor Day through Halloween in most Michigan locations.
At my Ann Arbor community garden, we plant ‘Sheffield Pink’ for early blooms, ‘Mammoth Red Daisy’ for midseason, and ‘Raspberry Sorbet’ for late autumn – creating nearly three months of spectacular fall color.
7. Missing The Water Check
Deceptively dry plants sit on garden center shelves across Michigan every fall. Their soil appears moist on top but has completely dried below, stressing the plant before you even get it home.
Always check moisture by sticking a finger an inch into the soil or feeling the pot’s weight. Chronically dried-out nursery mums rarely recover fully, even with attentive care.
During last year’s unusually dry September in Holland, Michigan, I passed on several mums at a local nursery after discovering their bone-dry root balls hidden beneath superficially damp top soil.
8. Overlooking Local Growers
Big box stores import mums from distant greenhouses, while Michigan boasts excellent local growers producing plants acclimated to our specific conditions. These locally-grown mums often establish more successfully in Michigan gardens.
Seek out family-owned nurseries, farmers markets, and Michigan-based growing operations. Their plants typically receive better care and appropriate hardening-off for our climate.
The hardy mums I purchased from a small family operation near Flint have consistently outperformed those from national chains, surviving three harsh Michigan winters while maintaining vigorous growth each season.
9. Forgetting Winter Protection Plans
Many Michigan gardeners purchase mums without considering winter protection needs. Our freeze-thaw cycles can heave newly planted mums right out of the ground, exposing roots to killing temperatures.
Plan ahead by purchasing pine straw, shredded leaves, or other mulch to apply after the ground freezes. This protection is especially crucial for mums planted less than 8 weeks before frost.
After losing half my collection during a particularly harsh winter in my Marquette garden, I now place wire cages filled with leaves around new mums – all purchased plants survived last winter’s -20°F temperatures.