Mums are a frequent fall staple on front porches all season long, but these perennial flowers can become short-lived seasonal decor without regular watering.

When caring for chrysanthemums, you need to remember that they like water and typically need to be watered often. It’s also essential to ensure the roots get all the water they need. A porous pot or the incorrect soil type can leave you thinking you’ve watered your mums enough when water might not have reached its roots—which leaves them thirsty and could cause them to die prematurely.

This year, you can make your chrysanthemums last all fall with this incredible hack from Instagram that tackles the roots!

How to Keep Mums Alive Longer

According to Instagram account @theporcheplace, you don’t need to water your mums directly from the top. Instead, put a plastic plant saucer or another dish underneath your mum pot. Then, add water to the saucer instead of the soil. This way, when you water the plant from the bottom up, the flowers drink as much as needed without all the water sitting at the bottom or coming out of the pot, preventing things like root rot or the mum not getting the needed water. Make sure to add water to your saucer daily for optimal results!

This method is called bottom watering, and it’s great for more plants than just your mums. If you have any fussy flowers out there that are over or under watered, try this hack to keep them happy!

More Ways to Make Your Mums Last Longer

Like many other autumn flowers, mums are a fall staple, but they don’t have to be short-lived. If you’re looking to keep your mum plants around longer, here are a few tips:

• Repot the plant: Mums will keep producing flowers if properly cared for, but eventually, the roots of the plant can become crowded, and the plant will lose its vigor. Repot the mum every year to improve its health.
• Give it sun: If you want your mum to last as long as possible, keep it in full sun. Mums need at least six hours of direct sunlight each day to thrive.
• Deadhead your mums: If you don’t deadhead your mums regularly, they will stop blooming. They’ll still look beautiful and add color to your home throughout the fall season, but they won’t produce any more flowers unless you take care of them by removing dead flowers regularly (once they’ve gone brown).
• Bring your mums inside at night: If there will be a frost or if it’s especially cold outside, this will protect them from freezing temperatures that can damage their roots!