When should chrysanthemums, one of the "Four Gentlemen of Flowers," be planted? What are the planting techniques? What are the cultivation methods and precautions for potted chrysanthemums?

The chrysanthemum is the third of China's top ten famous flowers and one of the Four Gentlemen of Flowers (plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum), also known by aliases such as yellow flower, autumn chrysanthemum, node flower, and nine flower. So when should chrysanthemums be planted? What are the planting techniques? What are the cultivation methods and precautions for potted chrysanthemums?

Planting time for chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums have two propagation methods: vegetative propagation and seed propagation. Vegetative propagation includes cuttings, division, grafting, layering, and tissue culture, with cutting propagation usually being the main method. If you choose to sow chrysanthemum seeds, it is best to do so in spring; cuttings are best taken in spring and summer or after flowering in late autumn; division is best done after flowering in late autumn. Root division and transplanting of chrysanthemums should be done before May 15, while cutting and transplanting of chrysanthemums should be done before June 16.

Planting and cultivation techniques

1. Site selection and land preparation

The land for planting chrysanthemums has no strict soil requirements, but it is best to choose well-drained, fertile, loose soil rich in humus. Clay soil and low-lying land are not suitable for planting, nor is saline-alkali land.

2. Propagation methods

① Division propagation

After harvesting chrysanthemums in November, cut the chrysanthemum stems off level with the ground, select robust, disease-free plants, dig out all their roots, and replant them on a fertile plot, applying a layer of farmyard manure to keep them warm through the winter. The following year in March-April, uncover the manure and soil and water them. In April-May, when the chrysanthemum seedlings grow to 15 cm tall, dig out the entire plant, divide it into several plants, and immediately transplant them into the field. When planting, use a row spacing of 40 cm, dig holes, and plant 1-2 seedlings per hole. After planting, cover with soil and firm it down, then water to settle the roots. Generally, old seedlings from one mu can plant about 15 mu of production field.

② Cutting propagation

In April-May or June-August, select thick, disease-free new shoots as cuttings. Take the middle sections, cut them into small pieces 10-15 cm long, treat the cuttings with plant hormones, then insert the cuttings into the seedbed with a row spacing of 20-25 cm and a plant spacing of 6-7 cm. Firm the soil and water. Roots will develop in about 20 days. Apply fertilizer once every month thereafter. When the seedlings reach 20 cm tall, they can be lifted from the nursery and transplanted.

③ Transplanting

Division seedlings are transplanted in April-May, and cutting seedlings in May-June. Choose a cloudy day, a day after rain, or the evening of a sunny day. On the prepared raised beds, dig holes with a row spacing and plant spacing of 40 cm each, with a hole depth of 6 cm. Then dig up the seedlings with soil attached. Plant 1 plant per hole for cutting seedlings and 1-2 plants per hole for division seedlings. After planting, cover with soil and firm it down, then water to settle the roots.

Field management for planting

1. Cultivation and weeding

After the chrysanthemum seedlings are transplanted and survive, 4-5 weedings should be carried out before the budding stage. Each weeding should be shallow rather than deep, and soil should be banked up at the same time to prevent the seedlings from lodging.

2. Topdressing

Chrysanthemums like fertilizer. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, 3 rounds of topdressing should be carried out during the growing period. The first is after transplanting and greening up, applying 10-15 kg of urea to promote seedling growth. The second is when the plants branch, and the third is at the budding stage.

3. Bud removal

After chrysanthemums branch, around the time of Xiaoman, when the seedlings are 25 cm tall, carry out the first pinching. Choose a sunny day and pinch off 1-2 cm of the growing tip. After that, pinch once every half month, and stop after Dashu. Otherwise, there will be too many branches, insufficient nutrition, and the flower heads will become small and fine, which instead affects the yield and quality of the chrysanthemums.

4. Pest and disease control

Common chrysanthemum diseases include root rot, downy mildew, and brown spot. In rainy seasons, chrysanthemums are prone to whole-plant leaf wilting; when pulled up, the root system is seen to be rotten, and there are root-knot nematodes, which seriously affect the growth of chrysanthemums. The control method is to treat the chrysanthemum seedlings and planting holes with carbofuran before transplanting, which can prevent it. In addition, diseased plants should be pulled out promptly, and field water should be drained promptly during the rainy season. Other pests and diseases can be handled by conventional methods.

Harvesting and processing

Harvesting is generally done during the period from Frost's Descent to the Beginning of Winter. The suitable harvest time is when the flower center has opened by 2/3. Chrysanthemums should be harvested on a sunny day, and after harvesting they should be processed promptly to prevent rot and discoloration.

Each producing area has its own processing method.

Cultivation methods and precautions for potted chrysanthemums

The suitable growth temperature for chrysanthemums is 18-22°C, with a maximum of 32°C and a minimum of 10°C. It is a short-day plant.

It is suitable for slightly acidic to neutral sandy loam rich in humus, fertile, loose, and well-drained. Propagation methods can include sowing, cuttings, division, grafting, and others.

Use seedlings that have survived from cuttings and pot them. The potting soil can be made from 5 parts garden soil, 2 parts leaf mold, 2 parts barnyard manure, and 1 part plant ash, plus a small amount of river sand, bone meal, etc., or mix 6 parts leaf mold, 3 parts sandy loam, and 1 part cake fertilizer residue evenly to prepare the growing medium.

Place broken tiles at the bottom of the pot to facilitate drainage. When potting, plant the chrysanthemum seedling with its small soil ball into the pot. After planting, water thoroughly and place in a ventilated, sunny spot. For watering during the growing period, water appropriately less during the spring seedling stage to promote root growth. Summer is hot, so water once in the morning and once in the evening each day, with sufficient water, to prevent the plant from wilting due to lack of water.

If the weather is too dry, spray water on the leaves, but note that waterlogging should be avoided. In autumn, during the bud-developing and flowering period, be careful not to let the potting soil become too dry. Water once a day in the morning or afternoon to keep the potting soil moist. Half a month after potting the seedlings, fertilize once every 2-3 weeks, mainly with nitrogen fertilizer, with a fertilizer-to-water ratio of 2:8, to promote growth.

After the Beginning of Autumn, apply a fully decomposed phosphorus and potassium liquid fertilizer once every 7-8 days, or use 0.1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate, applying it 3 times in succession, to promote flower bud differentiation. After the flower buds form, apply a 30% concentration of decomposed cake fertilizer water once every 5-6 days until flowering. Before fertilizing, let the potting soil dry slightly; after fertilizing, spray a small amount of clean water with a watering can to rinse off any fertilizer liquid that has stuck to the leaves, avoiding yellowing and leaf drop.

Fertilizing should be stopped during high summer temperatures and when flower buds begin to differentiate. For pinching, large chrysanthemums are generally pinched 3 times. The first time is half a month after planting, when the seedlings are 15-20 cm tall and have 6-7 leaves, leaving 3-4 leaves at the base. The second time is 3-4 weeks after the first pinching, removing the tips of new branches and leaving 2-3 leaves at the lower part. The third time is another 3-4 weeks later, using the same method, commonly known as "setting the head." Bud removal and thinning: to concentrate nutrients on bud development and flowering, promptly remove these new branches and buds, leaving only the strong, properly distributed branches that are needed.

Generally in early to mid-October, when the main bud is about the size of a pea and the flower stalk has slightly elongated, remove the buds. The selected flower buds should be basically consistent in size so that flowering will be uniform, neat, and beautiful. Bud removal is carried out multiple times to achieve the ideal flower shape.

Chrysanthemums are susceptible to damage from aphids, red spiders, whiteflies, longhorn beetles, leaf rollers, slug moths, inchworms, white grubs, and other pests, as well as brown spot, black spot, powdery mildew, root rot, leaf blight, rust, and other diseases, and should be controlled promptly.