Chrysanthemums

Chrsanthemums are one of the most popular garden plants because of the spectacular blooms they produce. They are commonly referred to as chrysies or mothers day flowers. They are a ‘show’ plant and are extremely popular at flower shows because they come in all colors, many different sizes and shapes. These plants are very versatile and grow well anywhere and can be used as borders, grown in rockeries or in pots. This flower was grown in China around 500BC and was the ‘Golden Flower of the East’. The Chinese and Japanese were the first to cultivate chrysanthemums.

Potted Chrysanthemums

These plants will require several pots as they develop and grow, starting with an 8cm pot then progressing to a 12cm pot and later a 23cm pot and so on. Each time the plant is repotted, more fertilizer should be added to help stimulate the growth. Leave room at the top of the pot to add mulch in the warmer months when the plant is flowering and requires more water. This will also help prevent the top roots from drying out or getting burned from the sunlight.

‘Stopping’ the Plants

To get better flowers and blooms a practice called ‘stopping’ the plants is needed. This is where you pinch out either the tip of the plant or tips of the side growths. Pinching out the main stem causes lateral or side growths to ‘break’ at the leaf axils. This is the point where leaves grow from the main stem. The flowers will develop on these side growths. Plants that have been stopped tend to bloom earlier than plants that break naturally. A second stopping can be done about two months after planting.

Stopping the plants will produce more flowers for you to enjoy.

After the Flowering Season

Cut the plant back to ground level when you see the new shoots and growth starting to appear. This new growth will produce another season of beautiful flowers for you to enjoy. This can happen for a couple of seasons before the plant dies off completely.

I like to photograph my beautiful flowers and sometimes write poetry about them too. I have taken a picture of one of my successes which can be viewed on picable.com