As summer begins to wind down, one of fall’s most recognizable flowers is getting ready to take centre stage. Chrysanthemums, commonly called mums, bring rich seasonal colour to porches, patios, entrances, balconies, and garden spaces.
But creating a beautiful fall display is about more than choosing your favourite mum. The right planter size, drainage, placement, and care can make a big difference in how your arrangement looks and performs throughout the season.
Whether you want one simple mum by the front door or a large fall planter filled with seasonal plants, now is a great time to start planning.
What Are Fall Mums?
Garden mums are chrysanthemums grown for their colourful late season flowers. They are especially popular for fall decorating because their bloom period naturally fits with the cooler temperatures and shorter days of late summer and autumn.
Mums are available in many colours, including yellow, orange, red, burgundy, pink, purple, and white, making them easy to coordinate with different homes and fall décor.
They can be displayed on their own or incorporated into larger seasonal containers.
Why Are Mums So Popular for Fall Pots?
Mums provide a large amount of colour at a time when many summer annuals are beginning to slow down.
Their dense growth and abundance of flower buds make them ideal for containers, especially around entrances and patios where you want an immediate seasonal change.
Container displays also give you the freedom to move your mums around and combine different colours, textures, and planter sizes.
Who Can Create a Fall Mum Planter?
Almost anyone can create one.
You do not need a large garden or extensive gardening experience. Mums work well for homeowners, apartment dwellers with balconies, businesses decorating entrances, and anyone who wants to add some seasonal colour outdoors.
A simple planter with one mum can be just as effective as a larger mixed arrangement.
When Should You Buy Mums?
Late summer into early fall is when mums typically begin appearing in garden centres.
When choosing a plant, consider selecting one with plenty of unopened or partially opened buds rather than one where every flower is already fully open. This can help you enjoy the display as additional buds gradually open.
Mums generally appreciate cooler fall weather, but container plants still require regular care. Don't assume that cooler temperatures mean they no longer need water.
Where Should You Place Your Fall Pots?
Mums generally perform best with plenty of light. For the best flowering, place containers where they receive several hours of direct sunlight each day.
Good locations can include:
Front entrances
Porches with adequate sunlight
Patios
Walkways
Decks
Balconies
Garden seating areas
Pay attention to exposure as well. Containers placed under a covered porch may receive very little rainfall, while pots exposed to wind and sun may dry more quickly.
How Do You Choose the Right Pot?
The size of your planter should complement the size of your mum and the type of display you're creating.
At Ritchie Feed & Seed, look for pots in 12 inch, 15 inch, 16 inch, and 19 inch sizes to create different fall looks.
A 12 inch pot can work well for a smaller, simple display.
A 15 or 16 inch pot provides more room for a fuller arrangement or a larger mum.
A 19 inch pot can create a statement piece with room for a larger plant or a mixed seasonal arrangement.
Rather than choosing a pot based only on appearance, make sure it provides enough room for the plant's root ball and has adequate drainage holes.
Why Is Drainage Important?
Mums like consistent moisture, but their roots should not remain sitting in waterlogged soil.
Choose a container with drainage holes and use a quality potting mix intended for containers. Garden soil taken directly from the ground can become dense in pots and may drain poorly.
After watering, excess water should be able to escape from the bottom of the planter.
How Should You Water Potted Mums?
Container mums can dry out surprisingly quickly, particularly while they are full of flowers.
Check the potting mix regularly by feeling the soil. If it is becoming dry, water thoroughly until excess water begins draining from the bottom of the container.
Try to direct water toward the soil rather than constantly soaking the flowers and foliage.
How frequently you'll need to water depends on the weather, pot size, plant size, sunlight, and location. Instead of following a strict schedule, check the soil regularly.
How Can You Create a Larger Fall Display?
Mums look beautiful on their own, but you can also build a layered arrangement using different plants and seasonal textures.
Depending on your planter and growing conditions, consider combining mums with ornamental grasses, ornamental kale or cabbage, trailing foliage, or other cool season plants.
You can also group several separate containers together instead of putting everything into one pot. Try combining different planter heights and mum colours around an entrance to create a fuller display.
What Happens to Mums After Fall?
This depends partly on the type of chrysanthemum you've purchased and how it has been grown.
Some garden mums are perennial types capable of overwintering under suitable conditions, but a mum growing in a container is more exposed to winter cold than the same plant growing in the ground. In Ottawa's climate, you should not assume that every potted mum will survive outdoors through winter.
If you're hoping to keep a particular mum as a perennial, check its hardiness and variety information and provide appropriate winter care.
Otherwise, mums can simply be enjoyed as seasonal fall container plants.
Common Fall Pot Mistakes
One of the biggest mistakes is choosing a beautiful container without checking whether it has drainage. Other common problems include allowing mums to completely dry out, leaving containers waterlogged, placing plants in too little light, and assuming every potted mum will automatically survive an Ottawa winter.
Also avoid choosing a planter that is dramatically undersized for the plant. The roots need adequate space, and very small containers can dry out quickly.
Fall pots are an easy way to refresh your outdoor space as summer comes to an end. With their full shape and rich seasonal colours, chrysanthemums can transform a porch, patio, entrance, or balcony without requiring an entire garden makeover.
Start with a healthy mum, choose a planter with appropriate space and drainage, provide plenty of light, and monitor the soil so the plant receives consistent moisture.
Whether you choose a 12 inch, 15 inch, 16 inch, or 19 inch pot, you can create anything from a simple single mum display to a large fall statement planter.
Get Ready for Mum Season at Ritchie Feed & Seed
Mum season is almost here. Visit Ritchie Feed & Seed to find planters in 12 inch, 15 inch, 16 inch, and 19 inch sizes and get your outdoor space ready for fall.
