Chrysanthemums, also known as mums, take center stage as soon as fall arrives.
You will see them in their vibrant, multiple colors all around you, blooming and giving life to the environment. This might tempt you to grow mums in your garden as well.
If you have ever tried to grow these fall flowers in your home, you might have faced certain issues despite the gorgeous outlook.
One of them is the wilting of the mums, which can leave you wondering why are my mums wilting?
You don’t have to worry about it, as this guide will help you get to the root of the issue and solve it. Keep reading to know the answer to your question.
Why Are My Mums Wilting?
There are different reasons your chrysanthemums could be wilting and showing signs of distress.
It could be due to environmental circumstances, diseases like fungal attacks, or your negligence in giving it the proper care.
You must be careful about potting the mums in a big pot and water them regularly for the flowers to bloom in full color.
If you are frustrated because your beautiful chrysanthemums are fading and wilting, let’s explore a few reasons behind your query: why are my mums wilting?
1. Inadequate Water
Mums need a large amount of water to bloom properly.
If you are not giving them enough water, they could end up wilting and dying. Maybe, you are providing water to the plant in regular sessions, but it might not be enough.
In this case, you need to step up your watering game.
- The mums need at least one inch of water every week. You must add water to the soil three times a week during the hot summer months.
- If you notice that the mums have been drying and wilting, check the soil to see signs of underwatering.
- You can poke in your finger to see if the first two inches of the soil are dry or wet.
- If you see the top 2–3 inches of the soil are dry, you can water the plant.
Don’t let the soil dry out too much between watering sessions.
Chrysanthemums can get a few diseases if they are not cared for properly.
Check for signs of fungal attack as soon as you see your plant wilting, but the soil is watered well enough.
There are a few different types of diseases.
The Septoria leaf spot disease is caused when you overwater the leaves, and there is not enough time for the water to evaporate from the leaves. This disease is prevalent in winter and fall when evaporation is a slow process.
As water remains behind, it leaves stains on the surface of the leaves. This is a sign of fungal disease. You must treat the plant with a suitable fungicide immediately, or the wilting will soon turn your green buddy into a dead plant.
Verticillium is a fungus that inhabits the soil and attacks the plant, and once it does that, the plant can die soon after.
The mums will start to wilt, shed their leaves, and then die a few days later. If the fungus has spread, you must dispose of the plant to prevent it from affecting the other plants in the garden.
Overwatering can cause the plant to wilt as well.
Adding too much water to the soil can cause it to become waterlogged.
This leads to the blockage of oxygen from passing in and out. The plant cannot take up nutrients from the waterlogged soil, so the plant starts to wilt.
The soil should be moist after adding water but not soggy and blocked with water.
- You can check the soil by poking in your finger or a pencil and checking if the soil is dry or moist from the above two inches or use a moisture meter instead.
- Let a few inches of the soil dry in between waterings.
- Another reason for overwatering could be poorly drained soil.
- If the soil is not draining well after your water it, you need to change the soil and add a fresh batch for your mums.
You can check this article to make the perfect potting mix for your Chrysanthemums.
4. Low Temperature
There is a certain range of temperature that the mums need to grow properly. If they don’t get the right temperature in the environment, the plants can start to wilt due to stress.
The ideal temperature for the mums to grow is between 60 and 70 degrees. If the temperature dips to extreme cold or hot, your plants will show signs of stress by starting to wilt.
Keep a check on the forecast. If there is a forecast of very low temperature in your area, move the plants inside to a warm place to prevent wilting.
5. Too Much or Too Little Sunlight
Chrysanthemums love to grow in full sun; they thrive in the sun’s bright light outside.
However, there are a few issues with this.
During the hotter months, the sun gets too bright and intense, which can dry out the soil of the mum, leaving them dehydrated.
If you are not keeping up with a regular watering schedule, the mums can start wilting and dying.
Similarly, the fall and winter sun is not too bright and may not even come out for days at a stretch. In this case, the mums won’t be able to get enough light and again start wilting.
So, you need to be mindful of both these scenarios when planting the mums and make sure to know how to deal with these situations, such as providing artificial light in the winter months and planting them in the shade during the summer months.
That’s all for today!
I hope this answers your question—why are my mums wilting?
These plants require care and attention. Make sure to keep a schedule and take out little time in the week or after a few days to thoroughly examine the plant.
This will ensure that you get to know the issues before they arise.
Dealing with issues on time is the best way to ensure your plant remains intact. If you have any tips on growing healthy chrysanthemums, share them with the gardening community.