Now that you have purchased your beautiful locally grown Hoosier mum(s) what do you do now to keep them looking fresh and beautiful throughout the Fall season?

1. Once you’ve determined the perfect spot to display your mum, place a tray beneath the flower pot to keep the soil moist. It is important to prevent the plant from getting too dry or wilting between watering.
2. Unless the mum is in a very sunny and hot location, watering the plant well, once a day, should be sufficient.
3. When watering, instead of pouring water through the dense flowers, water the plant’s soil.
4. Although fertilizing isn’t necessary for container mums, you may add a water-soluble plant food once a week when watering.
5. Protect your outdoor potted mums from the elements by planting them in outdoor containers such as terracotta, concrete, or resin, with additional potting soil.
6. You can also dig a hole in the ground and set the plant — nursery pot and all — into the soil to help it survive cool nights. Most garden mums should be able to endure a light fall frost. Cover the plants at night when freeze warnings are in effect.
7. To keep the plant attractive and healthy, snip off any dead blossoms as soon as they wilt. However, if you are in a cold climate, leaving the dead foliage on the plants has been found to help the plant survive colder temperatures better than pruned plants.