How to Grow Chrysanthemums? Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Precautions

Speaking of chrysanthemums, I believe everyone is very familiar with and knows about them! Chrysanthemums are a common flowering plant in our lives, and there are many varieties. They can often be seen along roadsides, in parks, and in residential communities, and are commonly used to decorate floral environments. So do you know how to grow chrysanthemums? Let's learn about it together with the editor below!

How to Grow Chrysanthemums

1. Suitable temperature

Because there are too many varieties of chrysanthemums, their growth habits also differ. Every plant has its favorite temperature, and chrysanthemums are no exception. A temperature of around 19 or 20 degrees is suitable. They like cool conditions and are fairly cold-tolerant. Chrysanthemums grown outdoors are tolerant of cold and heat and are not easy to die, while chrysanthemums grown in pots need extra attention in severe winter and hot summer.

2. Suitable moisture

Chrysanthemums have a relatively high demand for water, but watering should also be reasonable; too much is also not good. Water less during rainy seasons with plenty of water, and water a bit more during dry seasons with little rain. In summer and when flowering, water twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. At other times, watering once a day is fine. There is no special restriction, but it is best to keep the timing relatively fixed. Do not wash away the roots and stems when watering; pay attention to this point.

3. Suitable light

Chrysanthemums are not afraid of sunlight and can be exposed to sun every day, but do not expose them too much to strong sunlight, as this will reduce leaves and flowering branches, thereby affecting the flowering period. Around noon each day, they can avoid sunlight for about two hours; at other times, they can bask in the sun. Twelve hours a day is enough.

4. Suitable fertilizer

The best method is of course to buy from a specialty chrysanthemum store, but this costs too much and is not cost-effective. So using some phosphate fertilizer, potassium fertilizer, complete fertilizer, and organic fertilizer is fine. Fertilizer use should be determined according to the weather and the growth condition of the chrysanthemums. Under normal circumstances, once every 5 days is enough. Once the flowers bloom, do not use fertilizer. Fertilizer should be applied in an appropriate amount; too much or too little is unfavorable to the growth of chrysanthemums.

Chrysanthemum Planting Methods and Precautions

1. Soil

To grow chrysanthemums, use soil with high nutrient content and strong drainage capacity. Generally, leaf mold, sandy soil, and fertilizer cake residue can be evenly mixed in a 6:3:1 ratio to prepare it. After preparation, a little vinegar can be added to lower the soil pH, making it more favorable for the growth of chrysanthemums.

2. Moisture

Watering chrysanthemums should follow the principle of watering when dry and stopping when wet; they cannot be half dry and half wet. In addition, be careful to promptly drain accumulated water from the soil during the rainy season, otherwise it can easily cause root rot.

3. Light

As a typical short-day plant, chrysanthemums do not need overly long light exposure to bloom. On the contrary, if the light period is too long, they will only grow leaves and fail to bloom. Apart from the flowering period, sun exposure can be slightly longer at other times.

4. Temperature

Chrysanthemums like cool conditions and are slightly cold-tolerant. The suitable growth temperature is 18-21°C. In summer, the maximum should not exceed 32°C, and in winter, the minimum should not be lower than 10°C. Just after flowering begins, it should not be lower than 17°C, and in the middle and later stages of the flowering period, it can drop to 15-13°C.

5. Precautions

1. Repot every year. After growing for one year, the nutrients in the soil in the chrysanthemum pot are basically used up, so it should be repotted with fresh potting soil rich in nutrients. Repotting is generally done in spring.

2. Prune in time. During the strong seedling stage, chrysanthemums need side buds removed to reduce nutrient consumption. At the beginning of bud formation, unnecessary buds should be selected and removed to increase the nutrient acquisition of the remaining buds, so that the flowers produced are larger and more vivid.

Growth Habits of Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums like sunlight, dislike shade, are drought-tolerant, and fear waterlogging. They grow well in warm and humid environments. In severe winter, the roots and stems can overwinter underground. The flowers can endure light frost, and the most suitable growth temperature is around 20°C.

Chrysanthemums like sandy loam with high, dry terrain, deep soil layers, rich humus, and loose, fertile, well-drained soil. They can grow in slightly acidic to neutral soil, with pH 6.2-6.7 being better.

Chrysanthemums are short-day plants. The daily sunlight time should be less than 12 hours, but different varieties may vary slightly.

Methods for Preventing and Controlling Chrysanthemum Root Rot

1. Strengthen management

Water reasonably, and try to avoid overly wet potting soil or water accumulation after rain; fertilize reasonably, and in households it is recommended to use decomposed organic fertilizer. In daily care, ensure sufficient light and suitable temperature.

2. Drug inspection and killing

Before planting, use a soil fungus and insect double-kill agent or 116 bacterial fertilizer to disinfect the soil. In the early stage of the disease, apply 50% carbendazim wettable powder 500 times solution, pour 100 ml per plant at the roots, apply once every 7 to 10 days, for two or three consecutive applications.

As described above, the care methods for chrysanthemums are very simple, and there are many varieties. You can choose the varieties you like to grow chrysanthemum potted plants at home. Grown on a balcony or in a living room, they are all very beautiful and eye-catching!