As the leaves turn golden and the air gets crisp, there's no better way to embrace autumn than by decking out your home with vibrant mums, quirky gourds, and classic pumpkins. These seasonal staples bring warmth and color to porches, tables, and mantels. In this quick guide, we'll cover how to select and care for mums, pick the perfect gourds and pumpkins, carve those pumpkins like a pro, and keep everything fresh throughout the fall season.
Selecting and Caring for Fall Plants: Mums, Asters, Flowering Kale, and Cabbage
Fall’s vibrant palette comes alive with plants like chrysanthemums (mums), asters, and flowering kale and cabbage, perfect for adding color and texture to your autumn decor. While it may be tempting to choose mums in full bloom it's better to look for plants with plenty of unopened buds for longer blooms. Also look for healthy, pest-free foliage.
Asters, with their star-shaped flowers in purples, pinks, and blues, should have dense blooms and no wilting.
For flowering kale and cabbage, select plants with tight, colorful rosettes in shades of purple, pink, or white, avoiding any with yellowing or damaged leaves.
Shop at garden centers or farmers' markets for hardy varieties suited to your climate.
Care Instructions:
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Mums: Plant in well-drained soil or pots, ensuring full sun (6+ hours daily) with afternoon shade in warmer areas. Water regularly (about 1 inch per week) to keep soil moist but not soggy. Mulch to retain moisture and deadhead spent blooms to encourage growth. They’ll bloom until the first hard frost.
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Asters: Place in full sun to partial shade with well-drained soil. Water consistently, keeping soil moist but not waterlogged (1 inch per week). Pinch back leggy growth early in the season for bushier plants, and deadhead to prolong blooming. Asters are hardy and tolerate light frosts.
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Flowering Kale and Cabbage: Plant in well-drained soil or pots with 4-6 hours of sunlight. Water about 1 inch per week to maintain moist soil. These cold-tolerant plants thrive down to 20°F, perfect for late fall. Remove dead leaves for a tidy look and elevate pots for drainage.
Choosing Gourds and Pumpkins
One of my favorite things to decorate with during the call are gourds and pumpkins. They add so much texture and whimsy to your decor.
For gourds, seek out a mix of shapes—like bumpy, warty ones or smooth, swan-necked varieties—in colors from green to orange. Check for firmness; they should feel heavy for their size with no soft spots or cracks.
Pumpkins come in all sizes, from mini ones for tabletops to large carving types. Select ones with a sturdy stem, even coloring, and a hard rind—tap it; it should sound hollow. Some of my personal favorites are the Cinderella pumpkins and heirloom varieties like white Lumina or blue Jarrahdale which offer unique twists beyond the traditional orange.
Buy from local patches for freshness, and remember: smaller pumpkins are great for stacking, while bigger ones make statement pieces.
Pumpkin Carving Tips
Nothing says fall like a glowing jack-o'-lantern! Start by sketching your design—simple faces for beginners or intricate patterns for pros. Use a serrated knife or carving kit for clean cuts. First, cut a lid from the top (or bottom for stability), scoop out the seeds and pulp (save seeds for roasting!), then carve your features.
Safety first: Carve on a stable surface, and supervise kids. For a modern twist, try etching instead of full cuts for subtle designs. Once done, light it up with LED candles to avoid fire hazards and extend its life.
Preserving Your Gourds and Pumpkins from Rot
To keep your displays looking fresh, prevention is key. Store them in a cool, dry place before displaying—avoid direct sun or moisture, which speeds up decay. For carved pumpkins, coat the cut edges with petroleum jelly or a bleach-water mix (1 tsp bleach per quart of water) to deter mold. Spritz uncarved ones with the same solution weekly.
Gourds are naturally durable but benefit from a vinegar wipe-down. If displaying outdoors, elevate them on hay bales or pallets for airflow. With these tricks, your setup can last 4-6 weeks or more, depending on weather.
Fall decorating is all about creativity and coziness—mix mums in planters with stacked pumpkins and scattered gourds for a welcoming vibe. Happy autumn, and may your home be as inviting as a pumpkin spice latte!
What's your favorite way to decorate for fall? Share in the comments below - we'd love to hear from you!
