After potted mums finish blooming, you can deadhead the spent flowers, keep watering them, and either move them into a larger pot, plant them in the ground, or compost/discard them if you do not want to keep them. If you want to try for another season, cut the stems back after blooming and overwinter them in a protected spot.

Quick Scoop

  • Deadhead first. Removing faded blooms can help the plant look better and may encourage a little more flowering.
  • Keep them watered. Mums prefer moist but not soggy soil.
  • Repot if rootbound. A larger container with good drainage gives the roots more room.
  • Plant in the ground. If your climate and timing allow, transplanting into a sunny, well-drained garden bed can help them survive and possibly return next year.
  • Overwinter carefully. Cut stems back and protect the plant through winter if you want to try keeping it as a perennial.
  • Compost or toss. If you do not want to keep them, compost healthy plant material or dispose of it after frost.

Best Next Step

If your mum is still healthy and green, the simplest move is to deadhead it, trim it back a bit, and either repot it or plant it outdoors. If it’s already tired and you don’t want the hassle, composting it is perfectly fine.

Tiny Tip

For the best chance of keeping potted mums alive, make sure they get sun, drainage, and regular watering without letting the pot sit in water.

TL;DR: Deadhead, water, then either repot, plant in the garden, overwinter, or compost the mum depending on whether you want to keep it.