Greetings, discerning gardener. We mums (of the Chrysanthemum genus) appreciate your interest in bringing us home. To ensure a long and vibrant display of color for your autumn garden, please consider the following advice from our perspective.
First, look beyond our blooms and examine our leaves. Healthy foliage is the engine of our growth. You should seek out plants with lush, green leaves from top to bottom. Be wary of any with yellowing (chlorosis), brown spots, or leaves that are wilting despite moist soil, as these can be signs of nutrient deficiencies, fungal diseases, or poor root health. Crucially, turn over our leaves and inspect the undersides. This is where pests like aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies like to hide. Their presence indicates a stressed plant that may introduce problems to your entire garden.
If possible, gently slide us out of our nursery pot to check our roots. This is the most telling sign of our overall well-being. Healthy roots are firm and white or light tan in color. They should hold the soil ball together without being excessively tight. What you must avoid are plants with roots that are soft, dark brown, black, or smell foul—this is root rot, often caused by overwatering and is usually fatal. Conversely, if you see a dense, tangled web of roots circling the inside of the pot (pot-bound), we have been waiting too long and may struggle to establish ourselves in a new location.
When selecting a mum for instant color, it's tempting to choose the one in full, glorious bloom. However, for the longest display, look for plants that are still primarily in the bud stage. Choose a mum with many well-developed, tightly closed buds that are just showing color, alongside only a few open flowers. This means we have ample energy stored and our best blooming days are still ahead of us once planted. Avoid plants where the flowers are fully open and past their prime, or where the petals are browning or wilted.
Observe our overall shape. A robust, healthy mum should have a bushy, well-branched form, not a tall, leggy, or sparse one. This indicates we have been grown with adequate light and space, promoting strong stems that will support the weight of our flowers without flopping over. Gently brush your hand over us; our stems should feel sturdy, not weak or brittle. A dense, compact plant is a sign of good genetics and proper care at the nursery.
