Your indoor chrysanthemums need three things to thrive: bright light, steady moisture, and cool air. Get these right and your potted mums will bloom for 4 to 6 weeks instead of fading in one. Most people kill their indoor mums with too much water or too much heat. Both mistakes are easy to fix once you know the signs.
I bought a grocery store chrysanthemum last October that looked like it had about a week of life left. Half the flowers were already open and the soil was bone dry. I moved it to a bright east-facing window, gave it a good soak, and started checking the soil every other day. That plant kept pushing out new blooms for five full weeks after I adjusted its care routine. The difference between a dying mum and a thriving one is just a few small changes.
Good chrysanthemum houseplant care starts with light and heat control. Place your mums where they get 6 hours of bright indirect sun each day. An east-facing window works best for this. Direct afternoon sun from a south or west window can scorch the petals. Keep the room between 60°F and 70°F (15°C to 21°C) for the longest bloom life. Every degree above 75°F (24°C) cuts your flower time short. Move your indoor chrysanthemums away from radiators and heat vents.
Indoor mum watering trips up more people than any other part of care. Check the soil by sticking your finger 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) into the pot. If it feels dry, water until liquid drains from the bottom holes. Then dump out the saucer after 15 minutes so the roots don't sit in standing water. Your mums drink a lot when blooming. You may need to water every 2 to 3 days based on your home's humidity. In dry heated rooms during winter, check daily.
Good potted mums care also includes deadheading your spent blooms as they fade. Pinch off each dead flower right below its head. This sends your plant's energy toward opening the remaining buds instead of making seeds. Grab the stem of a faded bloom and snap it off with your fingers. Check your plant every few days and remove any brown or wilting flowers you spot. You will notice new buds opening faster once you start doing this on a regular schedule. It made a huge difference with my grocery store mum.
Once blooming finishes, you have two choices. If your mum is a hardy garden type, cut the stems to 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) tall. Then transplant it outdoors in spring after the last frost. It should come back and bloom again next fall. If you have a florist type, toss it in your compost bin. These types won't rebloom for you without a commercial greenhouse setup. I learned this after trying to save three florist mums one winter and getting zero flowers the next year.
You should skip liquid fertilizer during the first few weeks. Your plant is already focused on blooming at that point. After week three, a half-strength fertilizer every 10 days helps your remaining buds open up. Stay away from high-nitrogen formulas. They push leaf growth instead of flowers. A formula with higher phosphorus gives you the best results for a longer bloom show. You can find bloom-boosting formulas at any garden center for about $8 to $12 per bottle, and one bottle will last you through several plants.
Read the full article: Chrysanthemum Flower Types and Care
