Growing notes

Chrysanthemum Growing Notes

Written by Mr Ken Judd

For the Bendigo Goldfields Chrysanthemum Association

Includes a month by month growing guide

A guide to staging blooms on the show bench.

All Feeds and Insecticides should be used as per the manufactures instructions.

These notes are a guide only.

August:

Time to prepare for the next season and the challenges it may confront us with, as no two seasons are the same.

Hopefully, you have been feeding your plants over the resting period with Aquasol, Thrive, etc, at 2 week intervals, promoting healthy growth from which to choose your cuttings.

A few days before taking your cuttings give all plants a spray of Zaleton to guard against any rust spores. Spray also with Success and Confidor to kill any insects and grubs on the plants.

Your cutting mix can be either a premium grade propagating mix available from your nursery, a mix of 3 parts creek sand, (do not use brickies sand this holds the water and will rot your cuttings), 1 part fine coco peat or your own special mix that you have had success with. If using a heat blanket use 3 parts sand and 2 parts coco peat as the heat will dry the mix faster.

Clean your small tubes or 30x30cm seedling trays, trays will hold 35 cuttings. Clean your cutting implement. Have your tags ready and your writing implement. Have rooting compound available if you are going to use it.

The day before cuttings commence, give each plant a long, deep water to ensure your cuttings will be hydrated.

In late August you can commence taking cuttings from section 1 and 2 plants

When selecting cuttings the more vigorous ones are usually at the outer edge of the pot, in some cases you may be forced to take cuttings from the stem of the stock plant to get enough cuttings.

Ideal cuttings are 50-60mm long, always cut on a slant just under a leaf node, strip excess leaves leaving 1 set of leaves and the growing tip.

Soak cuttings in a solution of 4 teaspoons of Domestos to 1.5 litres of water then rinse in clean water, dip cut ends into rooting compound then insert into a damp mix in your tubes or trays, give a light water to settle cuttings into soil, then place in hot house and give a very fine mist only when required.

If you don't have a hot house make your own mini one from a polystyrene box and cover with clear plastic, don't place in full sunlight, you run the risk of scorching.

Think ahead to potting on. What medium will you use? A commercial potting mix or your own mix? Make sure you begin to get it ready. Continue to turn your compost heap.

September:

Cuttings of your section 1’s and 2’s should be complete and from 1 September on you can beginning taking all the other cuttings you require.

Just a warning, DO NOT use coco peat or any seed mix that has been contaminated or is musty/mouldy for your new cutting, if you do the results will be disastrous.

Some growers have already finished taking their cuttings, there is plenty of time in September to complete this task as some take cuttings in November and as late as mid January with excellent results. With the later cuttings there is less chance of the plants being infected with rust etc.

Wash all pots with a diluted solution of disinfectant such as White King/Domestos in readiness to pot on.

Toward the end of September, cuttings taken early should be showing fibrous roots through the bottom of tubes or seed trays. They are ready to pot on into larger pots 120/ 150mm using whatever medium you choose adding the John Innes No1 fertiliser at the rate of 500grams (margarine container) to a bricky's barrow plus a tablespoon of trace elements per mix.

To growers that are not familiar with John Innes, it is a fertiliser developed in the U.K specifically for growing chrysanthemums. The ingredients used are 85 grams of Blood & Bone, 85 grams of superphosphate, 45 grams of sulphate of potash and 45 grams of dolomite. What does John Innes No 2, 3, and 4 mean? Put simply J.I No 2 is double the amount of the base fertiliser mix, No 3 is triple and No 4 is quadruple.

September is a good time to divide your charms/cascades and to start your hanging baskets. Always shade the newly potted plants until they become established, spread some snail bait around to be on the safe side. Keep a watch for Aphids and if any are present spray with Confidor.

Continue to turn the compost heap which by now should have broken down and be ready to use.

October:

As the weather warms your cuttings will be on the move. Don't let them dry out, keep misting them occasionally.

As you cutting show sign of growth, pot on into 150/160 pots using the medium your choice plus 500 grams of John Innes No 1 fertiliser and 1 teaspoon of trace elements to 72 litres of medium.

If possible place newly potted plants in filtered sunlight until they become established, then begin weekly feedings of ½ strength Aquasol, Thrive etc.

Don't forget to spread snail/slug bait around as these critters just love to feast on the new plants. Keep watch for other pests and diseases and spray if required Aphids (Confidor). Rust white or brown ( Zaleton). Powdery Mildew (Eco Oil or Full Cream Milk once a fortnight). Grubs, (Success or ECO NEEM (organic)).

For more information on White Rust follow this link (White Rust)

Dispose of old plants via the rubbish bin. DO NOT put them in your compost as they may contain diseases.

If you have not already, Charms/ Cascades can be divided and repotted now or at your leisure.

For the home gardener lift clumps, divide and replant into new positions or renew soil with compost adding some Osmocote and feed/water with Aquasol, Seasol etc weekly.

November:

Potting on into the final pots starts this month. Some growers choose 250mm pots others use 200mm pots and some choose to plant into the garden beds. Make sure the PH level of your mix is 6,5, higher than 7 . PH lower than 6 you need to correct the level before you pot on. Potting on using a John Innes No 2 mix leaving room in pots to top up in January with J.I No 3 mix. Always select your best plants when potting on but don't discard all as you may need them if you have a mishap Start feeding twice a week alternatively with products such as Aquasol, Thrive, Seasol/Powerfeed, Go Go Juice etc and the occasional extra table spoon full of Seamungus .Use Sudden Impact or Rooster booster to keep plants on the move. Also give plants a feed of high nitrogen in the form of Epsom salts, either 1 tablespoon dissolved in warm and added to a watering can to water 10 pots or added to 9 litres of water and spray over foliage. Don't forget to keep a watch for the nasties and spray accordingly . Plants will break themselves naturally about mid/to end of Nov but if they haven't you need to do the break by 1st week in Dec [break means pinching out the growing tip of the plant]. Time also to take cuttings for the use of late one ups, approx 16th Nov. Fukuskes. Spray mother plants with Alar 3 days before taking cutting approx 16th Nov. See Mr Robert Wilson notes for Fukuskes on The Chrysanthemum Society of Victoria website which can be reached through our ‘Links’. Charms and Cascades should be starting to look good, feed regularly with any of the above feeds and start shaping the plants to your requirements. DO NOT PINCH LEADING TIPS ON YOUR CASCADES. December:

Most plants will have broken naturally (1st break) those that haven’t will need to have the centre tip removed depending on the size of the plant. Shorten by 3 or 4 sets of laterals or whatever is the desired height you require. Top up pots with a John Innes No 3 mix, if you didn’t leave enough room use 1 tablespoon around each pot and water in. Continue to feed weekly alternately with Aquasol, Thrive, Liquid Manures, etc.

At the end of December, January and February give plants a watering containing raw sugar at the rate of 1 tablespoon to 9 litres water or ½ kg to 200 litres, dissolve sugar in hot water before adding to water any mixture left over will start to ferment in a few days, this treatment certainly benefits the health of the plant.

Keep watch for Aphids, Earwigs. Grubs, Powdery Mildew, Rust etc and spray accordingly. The club has a range of chemicals that members can purchase to keep the nasties at bay.

Fukusukes. See Mr Robert Wilson notes for Fukuskes on The Chrysanthemum Society of Victoria website which can be reached through our ‘Links’.

Charms.

Keep shaping plants by nipping centres out of leading laterals to the desired shapes, continue feeding to keep plants growing vigorously.

Cascades.

Continue to tie leading laterals down and prune to the shape you require, do not pinch out leading laterals, feeding the same as for charms

If you are getting good results from your method of growing continue to do so, what works for you may not work for someone else.

January: The temperature is on the rise so time to keep plants well hydrated, water early morning to let plants take up plenty of water before the heat kicks in.

It may be necessary if exceptionally hot to spray the ground between rows to keep the moisture level up to keep plants from over stressing. This month is the time to top up pots with a John Innes No 3 mix, if pots are full sprinkle 1 desertspoon of fertiliser around the plant and water in, always make sure soil is moist before starting this task.

Continue feeding plants 2 or 3 times weekly with liquid fertilisers such as Aquasol, Miracle Grow, Seasol/Powerfeed or GoGo Juice. A feed or two of Epsom Salts at the rate of 1 dessertspoon per 9 litres per 10-12 pots will help improve plants. Use all insecticides as per instructions on containers.

The pests are on the move, spray as a preventative measure with Bugmaster or Success, stick grubs are again proving themselves to be a real nuisance, the two finger treatment may be the only way to remove them, spray towards the end of January for spidermite and again mid March for spidermite with Sorceror. If Aphids appear spray foliage or water pots with Confidor.

Secure plants to stakes or wires and again remove all excess laterals leaving only what you require to flower on. Cascades and Charms. Keep shaping plants to the required shape by pinching out tips. DO NOT remove leading laterals on Cascades and give plenty of liquid feeds to keep them healthy. February:

Thirteen weeks to the show. Your plants should be strong and healthy if you have been feeding and spraying regularly.

Some varieties have broken naturally, others will need to be stopped ( growing tip pinched out) no later than the 2nd week in February. Late cuttings (November) some break naturally, others can be flowered one up without the need of stopping. There are some varieties that need to be stopped 3 times, namely Margaret Nelson, Lakelander, Stoakes Apricot Delight, also Symphony, Western Sundew can be delayed if the need arises.

Plants that are yellowing, test the PH, 6.5 is ideal. It may be necessary to give the plants a watering with quick acting limal to correct the acidity problem. Keep feeding 1 or 2 times weekly as the next month is important as to the flower your plants produce. Mid February give a side dressing of “Tas Jones mix” at a rate of one scoop per pot (scoop in miracle grow packet large end), this mixture helps the flower development.

Recipe by weight: 8 parts Blood & Bone, 4 parts Potash, 2 Parts Sulphate of Iron, 2 Parts Epsom salts.

PESTS:

• Spray for: Spider Mite mid February and again end March with Sorceror, also helps Dahlias and Orchids.
• Aphids: Confidor.
• Grubs: Success, Grubmaster or what you have success with.

Charms & Cascades: Keep shaping by pinching out tips but not the leading laterals. Feed twice a week. Fukusuke: See Mr Robert Wilson notes for Fukuskes on The Chrysanthemum Society of Victoria web site which can be reached through our ‘Links’.

March:

We are now at a very important stage of the chrysanthemum growing season and at the time when your plants should be healthy, strong and sturdy. Keep tying laterals to wires or stakes to keep them straight for the show bench. Blooms look their best when exhibited with straight stems. Blooms should sit on the top of laterals as in a T.

Start reducing solid feeds, give a final feed of blood and bone and potash in the 2nd week of March then replace with liquid feeds until the 2nd week of April. Then cease all feeding as there should be enough nutrients left in pots to allow the bloom to finish.

Give a sugar feed at the end of March.

When selecting the final flower bud don’t be in too big of a hurry to disbud, allow side buds to grow on a little, about 2 to 3 cms, as it is easier to snap them off. If taken off too early there is a possibility that the stem may go askew. Remove side laterals to put all the plants’ goodness into finishing off the bloom.

Spray plants to keep pests in check, even if you can’t see them - better to be safe than sorry. Use

• Eco-neem for grubs,
• Confidor for Aphids,
• Sorceror for Spider Mite,
• Mancozeb Plus for Powdery Mildew; and
• Zaleton for Rust - at manufacturers’ recommendations.

Charms and Cascades should have their last trim by mid March, but continue to feed twice a week until mid April.

Fukuskes Continue to feed weekly until budburst. Bud selection is mid March, remove all side shoots and suckers, stake if required and spray for grubs.

April:

We all know April is the busiest month in the chrysanthemum calendar.

Tasks to do are:

Finish disbudding and continue to remove unwanted side shoots.

Attach supports to laterals to ensure stems are as straight as possible. This task is very important for presenting blooms on the show bench. It is not a good look if blooms are cockeyed as this makes staging difficult and you will lose points when judging takes place.

Keep a sharp lookout for the nasties and a precautionary spray will be beneficial even if you can't see them. For grubs you can use a variety of sprays such as: Grub master; Eco-neem; and Success. Use Confidor for aphids, Sorceror for spider mite, Mancozeb Plus for mildew, and Zaleton for rust. There is nothing to be gained in feeding beyond this point as there should be enough nutrients in the soil.

Inspect your carrying frames and repair if needed, sharpen secateurs, and have cotton buds, tweezers etc on hand.

READ YOUR SCHEDULE CAREFULLY.

When cutting blooms always recut stems under water to prevent air locks which will stop the blooms taking up water and remaining fresh. Take note the varieties that have not come up to expectations and throw out, replacing with other varieties that are superior. Most growers will help you obtain the varieties you require.

Fukusuke's & Cascades. Give half strength feeds when watering up to flowering.

I hope you all have success at the show and are proud of what you achieve.