How Often Should You Water Mums?

Early Season Watering

• When mums are first planted and the weather is cool in spring and early summer, the mums require little watering, especially with the rainy season characteristic of March, April and early May in much of the United States. During this period, mums can be watered every two to three days, anytime the 1 to 2 inches of soil feels dry to the touch. This rule about the soil feeling dry will hold true throughout the entire life and growing cycle of your mums, but the frequency of this drying out will speed up as the season progresses.

Warmer Weather

• As the temperature begins to increase into the summertime, the water demands of mums increase. The higher temperatures and humid air causes the soil to dry out faster. The soil also dries out faster because mums grow best in full sunlight, meaning that they receive at least six hours of sunlight each day. The heat of the sun hastens the drying of the soil, and mums often require watering once per day during the summer.

Growing Season

• Mums reach their peak water needs in late summer, when the flowers are blooming and the temperatures are high. Blooming shrubs must use up more water because they have to circulate nutrients to the new growth as well as the flowers that continue to grow daily. This is exacerbated by the fact that the mums tend to bloom during the hottest months of the year. It is not unusual for a mum to require watering twice per day, every day, during blooming in the summer.

Watering Tips

• Watering from the base of the mum plant results in the most efficient and effective use of the water. Overhead watering leaves moisture sitting on the leaves, where the mums cannot absorb it properly. The plants only receive and circulate water through the roots, so make sure you water from the base. A layer of organic mulch around the roots of the plant will help the soil retain moisture, potentially lessening the frequency with which you need to water.