The Ultimate Mum Guide:

Keep Your Mums Alive This Fall: Care Tips + Native Alternatives

Chrysanthemums — or “mums” — are everywhere this time of year. Their autumnal-toned blooms line grocery store entrances, garden centers, and porches across town. Yet for as many mums as we buy, few of us manage to keep them alive beyond a few weeks.

The good news? With the right care, mums can be more than fast flower fashion and when planted early enough in the garden, return each year.

Maybe mums aren't your thing and you're ready to break the basic-fall-decor mold... consider a native fall-blooming perennial to add seasonal color and sustainability to your front stoop.

Read on to learn how to care for mums, where to shop, and how to mix things up with an eco-friendlier alternative.

How to Keep Fall Mums Alive

1. Choose buds over blooms. Mums last longer if you buy them before flowers fully open. Look for plants with tight buds just showing color.

2. Give them full sun. For best flowering, mums need 6+ hours of direct sunlight a day. Indoors, place them in your brightest window (and don't expect them to thrive).

3. Water at the roots. Freshly potted mums need frequent watering. (The smaller the pot, the more water they'll need). Water the soil, not the leaves and when in doubt, stick a finger in the soil to see if it's dry. If planted in ground, aim for ~1" of water per week (more in hot, dry weather).

4. Make sure containers have drainage. Use pots with drainage holes and use a "potting mix" NOT native soil. Soggy roots or standing water shorten bloom time and invite rot.

5. Deadhead to extend bloom. Snip off faded blooms just above the next set of leaves. This keeps the plant looking neat and encourages more flowers. If mums are planted in ground, deadhead after they bloom in summer and they'll give you another fall flush.

6. Plant early if you want them perennial. If you’re in USDA Zones 5–9 and want mums to overwinter, get them in the ground by mid fall so roots establish before frost. Mulch after the first freeze.

Where to Buy Mums (and Pumpkins!)

Here's a quick price comparison for these two fall decor staples... (I'll do my best to add to this/keep it updated. If you see prices around town from other retailers, send them my way:

Retailer	3 Qt. Mums	Large Mums	Heirloom Pumpkins	Carving Pumpkins	Notes
Farmer’s Supply	$7.95	$15.95	—	—	Excellent quality — full, healthy plants grown locally
Trader Joe’s	$7.99	—	$8.99	$4.99	Great color selection, smaller pot sizes
Walmart	$6.34	—	$6.88	$3.97	Budget-friendly, wide availability
Costco	—	—	—	$6.99 (jumbo)	Large carving pumpkins — best deal for size

Keep in mind: smaller pots are cheaper but dry out faster; larger containers cost more but hold moisture longer. Local nurseries often stock “hardy” garden mums with better chances of surviving winter.

Tired of Re-Buying Mums? Try These Native Alternatives

For low-maintenance fall color and pollinator appeal, native asters and other fall bloomers are excellent choices. They thrive in Southeastern gardens and return each year.

Plant	Why You’ll Like It	Height / Light	Bloom Season
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)	Big purple-pink blooms, favorite of butterflies	3–6 ft; full sun	Late summer–fall
Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)	Compact mound, drought-tolerant, loads of flowers	1–2 ft; full sun	Fall
Blue Wood Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium)	Airy light blue flowers, good in partial shade	2–3 ft; part shade	Late summer–fall
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)	Bright gold spikes; pairs beautifully with purples; tough plant	2–4 ft; full sun	Late summer–fall
Coreopsis ‘Jethro Tull’ (native hybrid)	Long blooming yellow daisies; low maintenance	1–2 ft; full sun	Summer–fall

These perennials support pollinators, provide weeks of color, and—once established—need far less watering than container mums.

Bottom Line

Mums can be more than a one-season decoration if you choose hardy varieties, plant them early, and follow basic care practices like those outlined by NC State Extension.

And if you’re ready for a lower-maintenance option that keeps pollinators happy, native asters and other fall bloomers are a perfect swap.

Happy Fall y'all!