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CHRYSANTHEMUMS

Chrysanthemums will brighten up your garden in the fall with their magnificent blooms and they provide long lasting cut flowers for indoors.
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Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums, or Mums as they are fondly called, by those who tend and care for them, are regarded as one of the most popular perennials to start off the flower garden in the early spring. They’re very easy to grow and you literally have hundreds to choose from. They can be grown from seed, cuttings, divisions, or bedding plants.When planning or designing your garden, you’ll find that growing chrysanthemums are very accommodating, as there are plenty of options with regard to different heights, colors, size of the flower head, and also you can select types that grow at different times throughout the year. Just follow the guidelines that come with them.

Cultivated for thousands of years, they have been grown in Japan since the 8th century, where they even celebrate a national chrysanthemums day; a single flower is the Emperor’s symbol. The Chinese believed that chrysanthemums have the power of life; maybe this is why you very often see them on gravesites.
Growing chrysanthemums successfully requires just a few guidelines. Even though you can plant mostly anytime, it’s wise to wait till all danger of freezing has past, but also plant before the summer heat kicks in. This will give your chrysanthemums time to establish a good root system.You can be assured of a spectacular show of flowers when growing chrysanthemums if you provide them with lots of sunshine and keep them moist and fed well.

Because they don’t like wet soil round their roots, supply them with good draining, fertile soil. Space them about 18-30 inches apart and feed lightly every couple of weeks with a well balanced fertilizer.

Keep in mind that they like moving locations every 3-4 years to stay healthy. It is best to divide them at this time also to avoid overcrowding and doing this will improve the blooms. Spring is the best time for these jobs, just as new growth appears. Dig up the whole plant and separate and get rid of diseased or dead woody parts. Prepare a new location beforehand so the chrysanthemums can be transplanted immediately.


A-Z Flowers

To promote a bushy plant with more flowers, then pinch about an inch off each branch when they have reached a height of 6 inches and repeat when they are a foot tall. When you are growing chrysanthemums with larger flowers, promote the size by removing all but the top bud.You can easily take cuttings from your chrysanthemums for friends or if you want more flowers in your garden. Choose a good healthy branch about 6 inches long and remove with a sharp knife. Strip the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting then dip the cut end into a Rooting Hormone to accelerate the growth of the roots. Place into vermiculite or sphagnum moss about 1 inch deep, use a cloche or greenhouse in a well lit spot till the roots form, then transplant.

When growing chrysanthemums from seed, you can sow them in a prepared spot two months before the first frost. I much prefer sowing indoors in early spring and
transplanting at a suitable time to save the hassles of inclement weather.

Chrysanthemums will survive the winter in most zones. In more northerly zones, apply a layer of mulch over the plant after the leaves have died off.