Contents
Gorgeous, regal, luxurious, delightful… No words are enough to describe the beauty and magnificence of this flower! Just when almost all plants enter the final stage of the vegetative period, the incomparable garden chrysanthemum is just gaining color and is ready to show flower growers all its beauty and grace.
Almost on every personal plot you can find at least 2-3 bushes of this beautiful flower. And the reason for such a huge popularity of this plant lies in the fact that after planting a garden perennial chrysanthemum, minimal care is required, but the magnificence and brightness of flowers gives real pleasure.
General description of the plant
Chrysanthemum is a perennial plant belonging to the Compositae family, or Asteraceae. According to the structure of inflorescences, some varieties of chrysanthemums belong to the genus Tansy or Yarrow.
The root system of flowers is strong, branched, located in the upper, 25-cm soil layer. After planting a perennial garden chrysanthemum and proper care, the flowers (see photo) take root and grow quite quickly. During the entire vegetative period, the root system produces excellent root shoots.
Inflorescences in garden chrysanthemums are a flower basket. The minimum diameter of flowers in garden perennial chrysanthemums is only 5 cm. In large-flowered varieties, flowers can reach 18-20 cm in diameter. During violent flowering, up to 30-50 flowers can immediately bloom on one bush.
Plant height can vary from 15-18 cm to one and a half meters. Such a strong spread is due to a large number of species and varieties of chrysanthemums. Some varieties of flowers are grown exclusively for decorative purposes, and some – for cutting.
At the moment, there is no strict classification of chrysanthemums, since it is very difficult to divide into groups the variety of flowers that differ in flowering time, bush height, size, shape and complex structure of inflorescences.
After all, even the petals of perennial chrysanthemums differ greatly depending on the variety. It can be simple, and reed, and spoon-shaped, and tubular. And sometimes this splendor strikes not only with bright colors and a riot of colors, but also with an inimitable form of flowers.
The popularity of perennial chrysanthemum only increases every year, which is caused by the following advantages:
- Flowers are highly resistant to sudden drops in temperature and winter frosts, which are typical for our country.
- Long, luxurious flowering is another advantage of garden chrysanthemums.
- decorative qualities. You can grow chrysanthemums in any corner of the garden, in a flower bed, it is advantageous to emphasize the beauty of the site with the help of a landscape composition, decorate a balcony, attic or veranda with low, brightly flowering bushes.
- Easy to care for flowers.
- Unpretentiousness to the composition of the soil.
- Easily and quickly multiply.
Bright, beautiful and unique flowers are not afraid of piercing, cold winds or rains. In autumn, when most of the flowers have already faded and are preparing for winter, chrysanthemums are just gaining color and getting ready to show themselves in all their glory.
Color classification
The debate about where the garden chrysanthemum was brought from is still ongoing. Some sources claim that the flower was brought from China. According to other sources, Japan is the birthplace of chrysanthemum. In some encyclopedias it is written that they began to grow it in Korea. Therefore, often garden chrysanthemum is called Korean.
According to the size of the inflorescences, chrysanthemums are divided into small-flowered (flower diameter up to 10 cm) and large-flowered (more than 10 cm diameter). In turn, small-flowered are divided into:
- semi-double
- anemoid
- pompoms
- terry.
According to the height of the bush, garden chrysanthemums can be divided into:
- undersized (or curb), plant height no more than 30 cm. They can be planted along paths, in small flowerpots or containers.
- medium-sized – the height of the bushes ranges from 30 to 50 cm
- tall – chrysanthemums reach a height of up to 1-1,2 m.
The first group of garden perennial chrysanthemums is characterized not only by the relatively low size of the bush, but also by the early flowering period. For the most part, undersized varieties include spray chrysanthemums or multiflora.
Brief description of the flowers in this group: low, dense bushes, covered with many small flowers of various shades. They grow very quickly and require certain care rules. There are a lot of synonyms for this type of garden chrysanthemums. Spherical, bush, curb.
All varieties of garden chrysanthemums can be conditionally classified as medium-sized, the height of the bushes of which on average varies from 30 to 50 cm. The color palette is represented by a variety of colors and shades with double, semi-double and simple inflorescences. Bushes grow well, and within one season they give good root growth. They bloom mainly from the second half of August to mid-October.
Medium-sized varieties of perennial chrysanthemums are most often planted in group plantings, in flower beds and flower beds, in curtains. If border flowers are extremely rarely grown for cutting, then this type of chrysanthemum is often used to make bouquets.
Tall varieties of garden chrysanthemums are distinguished not only by their growth, reaching 1-1,2 m, but also by stronger, thicker stems that can hold rather large flowers, as well as later flowering.
Flowers belonging to this group are grown mainly for cutting. Inflorescences of various colors can be pompon, terry, semi-double, spherical, hemispherical. Tall varieties are grown mainly in greenhouses or in the southern regions.
Mysterious and unique
The variety of species and varieties of garden perennial chrysanthemums strikes the imagination of the most inveterate and sophisticated flower growers. Large-flowered and small-flowered, high and low, bush and solitary – the choice is very difficult to make.
It is also difficult to describe in a few words the color scheme of the inflorescences and the structure of the inflorescences. Look at the photo below how diverse the varieties of garden, perennial chrysanthemums are.
- Anne of Darkness
- Juliet
- Vologda laces
- red anemone
- Far East
- Santosh
- Tarantella
- H. Hanenburg
- Mishal
- Shiena
What are the methods of reproduction
You can propagate garden chrysanthemum using cuttings or dividing the bush. Both methods are pretty easy to do. Moreover, in both cases, all varietal characteristics will be fully preserved.
seed method
Chrysanthemum seeds are rarely propagated by seeds. And there are a number of good reasons for this:
- Firstly, given the timing of flowering, flower seeds simply do not have time to ripen.
- Secondly, during seed propagation of perennial chrysanthemums, varietal characteristics may be partially lost. This is especially true of hybrid varieties of garden chrysanthemums.
- Thirdly, breeders most often use this method of reproduction when creating new, unique varieties.
- And finally, when choosing this method of reproduction, it should be borne in mind that growing perennial chrysanthemum from seeds is a painstaking process that requires a lot of time and effort in order to grow a full-fledged plant with a powerful root system.
The rules for planting and caring for growing perennial chrysanthemums from seeds are not much different from the agricultural practices for growing other flowers. But there are still some differences, and it is advisable to know about them in advance:
- For growing seedlings, you need to prepare containers filled with drainage and loose, fertile soil.
- It is desirable to sow perennial chrysanthemum in early spring, when the mass sowing of seeds begins. The best time is early to mid-March.
- Gently spread the chrysanthemum seeds over the surface and moisten the soil with a spray bottle. Sprinkle flower seeds with a thin layer of earth of 3-4 mm. Seeds need plenty of sunlight and warmth to germinate quickly.
- Shoots should appear in about 7-10 days.
- The picking of flowers, as usual, is carried out at the stage of formation of 2-3 leaves.
- Before transplanting, do not forget to harden the chrysanthemum seedlings.
Planting seeds of perennial chrysanthemums can be done immediately in open ground. Wait until the earth warms up to a temperature of +15˚С +18˚С. A suitable time is early to mid-May. Some varieties of garden chrysanthemums can be sown with seeds in the fall, that is, before winter.
Sowing is carried out in pre-prepared beds, the minimum distance between which is at least 20-25 cm. After sowing, moisten the soil. Shoots usually appear in 7-10 days. In the future, provide the flowers with the necessary care.
I would like to mention that some varieties of perennial chrysanthemums, when grown from seeds, will bloom only the next year.
How to root cuttings
For propagation of chrysanthemums by cuttings, you need to pick up a healthy, original bush. Cuttings can be cut from plants in your garden, or you can take a few shoots from neighbors or acquaintances to expand the range of flowers on the site.
It is necessary to cut the material suitable for grafting in the spring, as soon as the air warms up to a temperature of + 20˚С + 26˚С. Carefully inspect the bushes and select healthy, powerful shoots at least 15-20 cm high.
The tops and lower leaves of the cuttings are cut off. The prepared material is placed in pre-prepared containers with loose, fertile soil for rooting.
The soil in boxes and containers should always be kept moist. Waterlogging the soil is not worth it, so as not to provoke the process of rotting of the cuttings. The container with the cuttings should be in a relatively warm, well-ventilated area.
Cuttings of perennial garden chrysanthemums take root quickly enough, within 2-3 weeks. As soon as the first signs appear that the shoots have taken root and started to grow, you can transplant flowers into open ground.
How to split a bush
Without a transplant, chrysanthemum bushes can grow in one place for a relatively long time. But to update the root system and ensure lush flowering, they need to be seated at least once every 3-4 years.
The division of the bush is usually started in the spring. In this case, the flowers tolerate the transplant process without complications, take root and take root relatively quickly. After a couple of weeks, you will notice the appearance of new, basal shoots.
The bushes are carefully dug out with a pitchfork, which injures the root system as little as possible. Shake off excess soil. With a clean, sharp knife, divide the garden chrysanthemum bush into several small ones. The main thing is that on each division there should be at least 4-5 full-fledged shoots and part of a healthy root system.
Flower divisions are disinfected in a bright solution of potassium permanganate for 2-3 hours and planted in beds prepared in advance in compliance with the rules and regulations of planting.
Perennial chrysanthemums planted in this way bloom already in late August – early September.
Peculiarities of growing
If someone tells you that planting and caring for perennial chrysanthemums is an easy job that any grower can handle, don’t believe it. Chrysanthemum is not a flower for the lazy or busy. And if planting as a whole does not cause difficulties, then caring for a chrysanthemum is a troublesome business.
In order for the flower bush to bloom magnificently and brightly, without losing varietal characteristics, you will need to make a lot of effort.
How to choose the right variety
Properly selected varieties will be the key to violent and lush flowering. In this case, inimitable and chic perennial chrysanthemums will bloom on your site, as in the photo when buying seedlings or seeds.
However, it should be borne in mind that large-flowered varieties of flowers are very demanding in care and capricious. Most often they are grown in greenhouses or in regions with a warm, mild climate. For mid-latitude and areas with harsh climatic conditions, small-flowered varieties of perennial garden chrysanthemums are excellent. They are more hardy and relatively calmly endure sudden changes in temperature and severe winter frosts.
When choosing flowers, be sure to consider the individual characteristics of each variety and recommendations for planting and caring for garden chrysanthemums.
What place to determine for the future flower bed
To ensure luxurious flowering for growing perennial chrysanthemums, it is important to choose a sufficiently lit area. The main thing is that the flowers bathe in the sun for at least five to six hours a day.
The lack of sunlight affects not only the abundance of flowering. The appearance of the plant in poor lighting becomes unpresentable. The shoots are stretched, the foliage of the stems is reduced, the timing of flowering is shifted by several weeks, and the flowers become pale and small.
Therefore, a well-lit and elevated area is the best place for planting perennial garden chrysanthemums.
What kind of soil is suitable for growing
Given that shaded areas are completely unsuitable for growing perennial chrysanthemums, they also react very painfully to excessive soil moisture. For good growth, you need to provide the roots with loose, well-ventilated soil.
Too wet soil, poorly permeable to moisture, is the first reason for the death of even frost-resistant perennial chrysanthemums. Therefore, for planting flowers, you need to choose areas with fertile, loose, breathable soil with acidity in the range of 5,5-6,5 Ph.
When preparing the soil for planting perennial chrysanthemums, add a bucket of compost or rotted manure to the soil when digging. Flowers do not need more organic fertilizers. On excessively fertile soils, plants “fatten”, that is, there is an active growth of green mass to the detriment of abundant flowering.
Recommended landing dates
You can plant perennial garden chrysanthemums in open ground both in spring and autumn.
In spring, flowers are planted in the second half of May or early summer. In the southern regions, you can plant chrysanthemums a little earlier, in late or early April. Plants will have enough time until autumn to take root.
In autumn, it is advisable to plant chrysanthemums before the beginning of October, so that the flowers have time to take root and fully prepare for winter. However, do not forget that autumn planting for garden chrysanthemums is undesirable. Therefore, if you purchased a few bushes in the fall, plant them in a small box or flower pot and store them in a dry, cool basement until spring.
Let’s start landing
Chrysanthemums are rather unpretentious flowers, they easily tolerate transplantation and take root quickly. Therefore, the landing process will not cause you any special complications. Try to adhere to the following recommendations:
- The distance between plants depends on the variety. For large-flowered, tall varieties, these parameters are at least 30 cm. But for bush and small-flowered flowers, you can increase the distance to 40-50 cm.
- The depth of the landing pits is no more than 25-30 cm.
- In each hole, do not forget to put 1-2 handfuls of sand.
- It is advisable to transfer the flowers to the planting pit during transplantation along with a clod of earth in order to injure the root system as little as possible.
- Strongly deepen the root system of plants is not worth it. It is enough that the roots are covered with soil and do not look out of the ground.
- Next to tall flowers, establish a support immediately after planting.
If, after planting, there is a threat of short-term, spring frosts, cover the plantings with lutrasil or other non-woven material to protect young, immature sprouts from freezing.
Secrets of care during the season
Every grower knows that only if the rules of care after planting are followed, perennial chrysanthemums will delight with their luxurious and delightful flowers for several years.
Watering, timely top dressing, loosening, bush formation and preparation for winter – these are a number of activities that you need to carry out throughout the season.
Watering rules
When growing garden chrysanthemums, much attention should be paid to watering. The abundance of flowering and the appearance of the plant entirely depends on the moisture content of the soil. Water your flowers regularly. During dry periods, increase the volume of water. Waterlogging the soil in the flower garden is not worth it, so as not to provoke the occurrence of diseases and the death of garden chrysanthemums.
How, when and what
The next stage of care after planting perennial chrysanthemums in the open field is timely and competent top dressing. In spring and early summer, you need to fertilize the flowers with nitrogen-based top dressing. The first procedure is carried out a week after planting, after 2-3 weeks – the second. Subsequently, you can fertilize the flowers with a liquid solution based on bird droppings or mullein.
Chrysanthemums respond well to mineral, complex fertilizers. As soon as the first signs appear, indicating the beginning of flowering, nitrogen fertilizers should be excluded.
In the budding phase, garden chrysanthemums are fed with fertilizers based on phosphorus and potassium.
How to form a bush correctly
The formation of a bush is a mandatory procedure when growing bush and low-growing varieties of garden chrysanthemums. In order for the bushes to be lush and look neat and well-groomed by autumn, each shoot must be pinched in a timely manner.
As soon as the main shoots reach a height of 10-12 cm, the top is pinched. Side shoots gradually grow, on which you also need to pinch the tops at the same height. Thus, by autumn, the bush will look like a smooth, neat, peculiar ball. Soon multi-colored flower balls will be pleasing to the eye, and decorate your site for several months.
Pinching the tops is carried out until the end of June. However, remember that a month before the start of flowering, pinching the shoots must be stopped.
Some flower growers note that in many varieties of garden chrysanthemums, the first buds appear 1-2 weeks after planting. It is advisable to cut them off in order to direct forces and nutrients to the growth of the plant.
Before you grow perennial chrysanthemums, you should know that in small-flowered plants, wilted flowers must be removed in a timely manner. This simple event will help extend the flowering period to 2-3 months.
Loosening and mulching
Immediately after planting, in order to provide the roots with access to oxygen, you need to regularly loosen the soil. At this time, chrysanthemums have an active growth of the root system.
However, after 1-1,5 months after planting, loosening should be abandoned. During this period, you can easily damage the roots of garden chrysanthemums.
Chrysanthemums respond well to such a stage of care as mulching. This procedure helps keep the soil moist. In a mulched flower garden, weeds grow more slowly and in a smaller volume.
The following materials can be used as mulch:
- pine needles;
- crushed, pine bark;
- crushed straw.
With proper care, garden chrysanthemums grow very quickly. In just a month, you will notice that a small bush has almost doubled in size, and by autumn it will turn into a luxurious, flowering bush.
Autumn work in the flower garden
When preparing perennial garden chrysanthemums for winter, a number of activities should be carried out in the flower garden. At the end of flowering, all flower stems should be cut to a height of 7-10 cm. Leaves and debris should be removed from the flower garden, and a good shelter should be taken care of.
It is impossible to predict how severe and frosty the winter will be. Therefore, it is imperative to cover garden chrysanthemums.
Before shelter, hill up the plants, renew the mulch layer and cover them with spruce branches or fallen leaves. If in your area the temperature often drops below -30˚С -35˚С, take care of additional shelter – cover the flower beds with lutrasil or any breathable material. It is important that the shelter is well breathable.
Before the onset of winter, tall and large-flowered garden chrysanthemums will require more care from you. They are quite capricious in this regard and are afraid of low temperatures. Therefore, it is advisable to dig them out, transplant them into a suitable container, and send them for wintering in a dry room, the air temperature in which should be strictly within 0˚С + 5˚С.
At least 1-2 times a month, check how the flowers feel and water the soil in containers with a little water. Do not let the soil dry out.
Who or what can harm flowers
Subject to the rules of care after planting, perennial chrysanthemums get sick very rarely. Yes, and pests can rarely threaten flowers. However, from time to time, carefully inspect the foliage and stems of the plant to make sure that no one encroaches on your flowers.
When growing garden chrysanthemums, you may encounter the following problems:
- If small cobwebs are found on the underside of the leaves, the foliage changes its emerald color to gray-brown, which means that a spider mite has settled in your flowers. It sucks moisture and nutrients from plants, and if urgent action is not taken, the flowers will die. If insects are found, immediately treat the plantings with chemicals.
- Deformation and darkened foliage signals a leaf nematode disease. Cut off any damaged parts of the flowers and remove from the area or burn. Carefully dig up the flowers, treat the roots with a solution of potassium permanganate and transplant them to another place. It is impossible to plant garden chrysanthemums in the same place for 4-5 years.
- The leaves turn yellow below and subsequently fall off. This suggests that the flowers are infected with verticillosis, an infectious disease that primarily affects the root system of plants. At the initial stage, you can still save the flowers by spraying them with special preparations. In advanced cases, the plant dies.
- A light, white-gray coating on leaves and buds indicates that powdery mildew has appeared in your flower garden. To prevent the spread of the disease, remove the infected parts of the flowers and treat the plants with Bordeaux mixture.
In general, garden chrysanthemums are highly resistant to many diseases, and are relatively rarely chosen as a haven or food by insect pests.
The author of the video will tell you about the features of planting and caring for perennial chrysanthemums
Conclusion
With the advent of autumn, these elegant and unique flowers can be found on the site of every avid florist. Bright and lush, capricious and unpretentious, chic and luxurious – it is impossible to describe in a nutshell the irresistible beauty and exceptional attractiveness of perennial garden chrysanthemums.