Store-bought mums aren’t bred for the ground—they’re less hardy and often grow tall and leggy. If planting, cut back, fertilize, water weekly, and mulch roots, but expect them to act like annuals. For ...

Woman kneeling in flower garden with many different colors of mum flowers - Twentyseven/Getty Images The sight of mums in every grocery store and front porch marks the unofficial beginning of autumn.

Water mums slowly and deeply, either daily or when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feel dry. Grow mums in loose, well-drained soil and keep it moist but not wet. Water at the base of the plant or bottom ...