Care Instructions for a Potted Mum

Fill a container that fits the mum plant with well-drained potting soil. Choose a soil with organic matter in it, as mums feed heavily.

Place your potted mums in a sunny outdoor location. Avoid shady areas: While placing your mums in the shade will cause them to grow tall, their stems will be less sturdy, they'll take longer to bloom and may be more prone to insect attacks.

Fertilize your potted mums once a week, according to the fertilizer's directions. Apply a 5-10-10 or 5-10-5 granular fertilizer to your mum in spring. Water it thoroughly after fertilizing, to help the fertilizer sink into the soil. Add more fertilizer if plants are outdoors and there is frequent rain. Avoid applying more fertilizer than recommended on the product's label.

Water your potted mums when the soil is dry. Thoroughly soak the soil and allow it to dry out again before the next watering. Water outdoor mums more often in hot, dry weather, up to twice a day in the hottest months. Add a layer of grass clippings, leaves or compost on the soil's surface to help outdoor potted mums conserve water.

Pinch off the tops of new shoots when they grow to 3 to 6 inches in length. Hold the top of the shoot between your thumb and first finger and pull to remove it. Leave three to four leaves in place. Avoid pinching off mums after the beginning of August, as it prevents them from flowering.

Pull weeds from the container by hand. Apply a layer of wood chips, peat moss or shredded bark to prevent the arrival of weeds.