How To Save Potted Mums For Next Year – The Simple Secrets To Planting Mums Outdoors!

Wondering if you can plant your potted mums outdoors and save them for next year? Before you toss those fading fall flowers into the compost pile, you might be able to give them a second life in your flowerbeds!

Potted mums are one of the easiest ways to brighten porches, patios, and front steps in autumn. But when the flowers begin to fade, many gardeners assume the plants have reached the end of their life.

For hardy garden mums, that does not have to be the case. With the right planting spot, enough time to develop roots, and a little winter protection, they can return to fill your landscape with color again.

The key is knowing which mums are worth saving – and getting them into the ground before winter closes the door on root growth.

How To Save Potted Mums For Next Year

Make Sure Your Potted Mums Are Hardy

The first step is to check what kind of mum you have. Although the flowers may look similar, garden mums and florist mums do not always handle winter the same way.

Hardy garden mums are grown for outdoor planting. Florist mums are usually grown for flowers and short-term displays, and many will not survive a cold winter outdoors.

Look for a plant tag that lists the variety and its winter hardiness zones. A label that simply says “fall mum” does not tell you enough. Neither does the store where you purchased it.

The Big Secret - Plant Potted Mums Before The Flowers Are Finished

One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make is waiting until their mums are completely done blooming and dying off before planting. By then, there may be very little growing weather left. The plant needs time to settle its roots into the surrounding ground - before the ground freezes.

For fall planting to save your potted mums, aim to give mums about four weeks of non-freezing soil before winter settles in. This is a guide, not a guarantee. Soil temperature, weather, and the health of the plant all affect how well it establishes.

You do not have to wait for the blooms to fade. Planting while your mums are still flowering lets you enjoy their color in the landscape while giving their roots an earlier start.

Mums need a spot that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. A sunny flowerbed helps support healthy growth and plenty of flowers next season.

Don't Disturb The Root Ball

Before removing your mum from its container, check the potting soil. If it is dry, water thoroughly and let the excess drain. Next, support the plant near its base and carefully slide the root ball from the pot. Avoid pulling on the flowering stems.

Potted mums often have a thick layer of roots circling the sides and bottom of the container. Gently loosen those outer roots with your fingers so they can spread into the surrounding soil.

Do not need to tear the root ball apart! The goal is simply to free the tight outer layer while keeping most of the roots intact. The more intact - the better the chance for survival.

This small step is easy to overlook when you are planting several pots, but it is worth taking the extra minute for each plant to help save all of your potted mums.

Plant At The Same Depth As The Pot

Dig a planting hole about twice as wide as the root ball, but only as deep as needed to keep the plant at its original growing level.

Set the mum in the hole and check the height before filling around it. The top of the root ball should sit level with the surrounding soil.

Planting deeper does not provide extra winter protection. Keep the base of the stems at the same level it was growing in the container.

Fill around the roots with the soil you removed, gently firming it as you go. Water thoroughly to settle the soil, and add a little more soil if needed after it settles.

Keep The Roots From Drying Out

Planting day should not be the last time you check your mums before winter. To save potted mums, newly planted plants need moisture as they establish. Check both the original root ball and the soil around it, especially during dry, windy weather.

Water slowly at soil level when needed, allowing moisture to soak into the root area. Avoid keeping the ground constantly soggy. Do not assume a light shower has done the job. Check beneath the foliage to see whether the root ball actually received water.

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Continue checking while the soil remains unfrozen. A plant moved out of a pot still needs care during those first weeks in its new home.

Leave The Stems Standing For Winter

Once frost finishes the flowers, it can be tempting to cut the entire plant down and tidy up the bed. For mums, save that cleanup for spring.

Leaving the old stems standing through winter will improve their chances of survival. Brown flowers and dry stems do not mean the roots are dead. The top of the plant can die back while the crown and roots remain alive below.

Add Winter Mulch In Late Fall

Mums have shallow roots that are vulnerable to repeated freezing and thawing. Those changes can push plants upward and expose roots to damaging conditions. A loose winter mulch helps reduce those swings.

In late fall, add several inches of clean straw, pine needles, or evergreen branches over and around the dormant plant. About three to four inches is a useful target for winter protection.

The timing depends on your climate. Add winter protection as sustained cold arrives, rather than burying a still-growing plant early in fall. Leave the stems standing when you mulch.

What If It Is Already Too Late To Plant?

If winter is close and your mums are still in pots, protected storage is another option for hardy varieties.

An insulated, unheated garage or cool basement area that stays above freezing can shelter the plants until spring. Check the actual temperature; some garages become nearly as cold as the outdoors.

Dormant mums need much less water, but their roots should not become completely dry. Check periodically and water as needed, allowing excess moisture to drain. As spring arrives, gradually return the plants to outdoor conditions before planting them in a sunny, well-drained bed.

You can also save mum seeds as well and plant next spring. It's just another way to save on your gardening costs. See our article: How To Save Mum Seeds - Grow Your Mums For Free Next Year From Seed.

Here is to finding a way to save your potted mums this fall!

The Simple Garden Life

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