How to: Take care of your fall mums
A front porch statement piece.
Water
Mums require frequent watering due to their shallow roots. Give your mums about an inch of water every week. If the leaves at the bottom start to droop or turn brown water more regularly. Avoid watering the flowers as this may result in disease.
Light
Place in an area that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight. Protect from heat if you are still getting those higher summer temperatures.
Fertilize
If you plan to winterize your mums fertilize with a high-phosphorus fertilizer before it gets cold. They shouldn't need any fertilizer after that until the spring.
Maintain/Soil
Mums thrive in well draining soil. Pinch or remove any out bloomed mums for extended blooms.
Winterize
After the first hard frost mulch with straw or shredded wood and pinch any dead blooms to clean the plant up. Mums have a better chance of surviving if you wait to prune old stems until spring.
Temperature
Outdoor fall mums are hardy and will last until spring if you take care of them and if the winter wasn't too cold.