Chrysanthemum Growing Methods and Precautions
Soil
Chrysanthemums prefer loose, sandy soil with good water retention. The ideal soil pH is between 5.5 and 7. However, chrysanthemums are highly adaptable to soil and are relatively easy flowers to grow.
Light
Chrysanthemums are short-day flowers. They only need 14 hours of light per day during the vegetative stage. At other times, keep them indoors as much as possible. Avoid exposing them to the scorching summer sun, which can burn the petals.
Temperature
The suitable temperature for chrysanthemum growth is around 21°C. They are cold-tolerant and can withstand temperatures as low as -5°C in winter, but they are not heat-tolerant, so we need to provide appropriate shade.
Chrysanthemums have so many benefits and uses. Flower lovers, hurry and grow a pot at home. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!
Chrysanthemum Growing Methods
Soil
For potting chrysanthemums, it is best to choose loose, fertile, sandy soil with good water retention. Chrysanthemums are also highly adaptable to soil acidity and alkalinity, so we can choose soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.
Light
Chrysanthemums are shade-tolerant and do not favor strong light; they are short-day flowers. If they receive too many hours of light per day, their stems and leaves struggle to bloom. They only germinate and bloom when the light duration is shorter. However, note that during the vegetative stage they need 14 hours of light per day, and during the flower bud differentiation stage they need 12 hours of sunlight per day.
Temperature
The most suitable temperature for chrysanthemum growth is 21°C. Ornamental chrysanthemums are very cold-tolerant and can withstand temperatures as low as -5°C, but they are not heat-tolerant. When the temperature exceeds 32°C, growth slows down, so in hot summers you can move them indoors.
Fertilizing
Chrysanthemums love nitrogen fertilizer. When fertilizing, apply light fertilizer frequently. However, during the bud stage, stop nitrogen fertilizer and apply potassium fertilizer instead, keeping to once a week.
Now that you have learned the chrysanthemum growing methods, here is a little tip that can help your chrysanthemums grow more vigorously!
Chrysanthemum Propagation Methods
Chrysanthemums are generally propagated by cuttings, division, grafting, and tissue culture. The most commonly used method is cuttings. Let us go through each propagation method one by one:
(1) Cuttings can be divided into bud cuttings, softwood cuttings, and leaf-bud cuttings. For bud cuttings, cut off the basal shoots from the plant in autumn or winter and use them for cuttings. The standard for selecting buds is that they are relatively far from the plant and plump. Remove the lower leaves, plant at a spacing of 3-4 cm between plants and 4-5 cm between rows in flower pots or cutting beds inside a greenhouse or polytunnel, maintain a room temperature of 7-8°C, and plant outdoors after warm spring arrives.
For softwood cuttings, this method is the most widely used, mostly done in April-May. Cut 8-10 cm softwood shoots as cuttings. At a temperature of 18-21°C, they root in about 3 weeks and can be planted out in about 4 weeks. For outdoor cutting beds, the medium is best as plain sand, and the bed should be shaded. Fully lit mist propagation beds do not need shading. For leaf-bud cuttings, cut a single leaf with an axillary bud from a branch and use it for cutting. This method is only used for propagating rare varieties.
(2) Division Generally done around Qingming, dig up the plant, separate it along the natural form of the roots while keeping the roots intact, and replant in separate pots.
(3) Grafting To make chrysanthemums grow strong and vigorous, for creating “Shixiangjin” or large cascade chrysanthemums, you can use Huanghao or Qinghao as rootstock for grafting. Sow wormwood seeds in late autumn, sow in a greenhouse in winter, or raise seedlings in a hotbed in March. In late April, when the seedlings are 3—4 cm tall, transplant them into pots or plant them in the field. In May—June, carry out cleft grafting on a sunny day.
(4) Tissue culture Using tissue culture technology to propagate chrysanthemums has the advantages of rapid propagation, a large number of seedlings, virus elimination, and maintaining variety characteristics. The basic medium is MS, with an appropriate amount of plant hormones added, pH 5.8. Use chrysanthemum shoot tips, tender stems, or flower buds as explants, cut into 0.5 cm segments and inoculate. The culture room temperature is 25°C+1°C. Provide 8 hours of light per day at a light intensity of 3000—4000 lux. After 1—2 months of culture, seedlings can be induced.