The sign of the fall season in Northeastern PA is a planter of flowers on a doorstep, often accompanied by a bail of hay and a pumpkin or two. These inviting plants, Chrysanthemums or as we know them, Mums, come in a variety of bright colors and are a simple way to instantly decorate your property for the fall.

Many first time home buyers will rush to purchase and decorate their new home with Mums, only to have them dry out and die within a few days. 

We have rounded up the Top 5 Ways to Keep Your Mums Alive, with a little help from our NEPA gardeners.

1. Water Them Daily- Your Mums will tell you when they need a drink. When your Mums start to look a bit sad and droopy it is time to give them a good soak. If you can pick up the planter and it feels lighter than it should, that is also a sign than they need more water. 

2. Make Sure The Plant Gets The Water- If the soil has gotten too dry then your plant may need some help to absorb the water. Take a pencil or butter knife and slide it around the edge of the pot. This will help the roots soak up the water you provide. Make sure you are watering them in the soil, not on the flowers themselves. 

3. Place in Direct Sunlight- Because Mums are often placed on a doorstep, they can miss their required 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. Be sure to decorate with Mums in a place where they can get plenty of sun.

4. Pluck and Prune- If you notice your flowers are drying out, take a moment and pluck off the dried out flowers. Just as with any plant, getting rid of the dried out or dead flower will benefit the entire plant. New flowers will soon replace where the dried ones once were. 

5. Take Cover- When the chill in the air gets too cold, less than 32 degrees Fahrenheit, it's time to cover the Mums up or take them inside/to your garage. Use an old bedsheet to cover them on cold nights (we find that a fitted sheet works best to get around the larger plants).

We hope that these simple tips will help keep your fall decorations thriving well into November. If you have a great way to keep your plants alive, please leave it for us in the comments. Our community of home owners would love to see it!