Description of the best species and varieties of chrysanthemums, planting and care in the open field
Many owners of ornamental gardens would like to decorate them and give them a unique look. To do this, some of them decide to plant chrysanthemums on the site. These unpretentious flowers are distinguished from other flowering plants by their bright flowering and pleasant aroma. However, before planting seeds, you should familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of planting and caring for chrysanthemums.
Description and characteristics of the plant
Before planting a flower, you need to understand its description and main characteristics. Most often, gardeners plant varieties of shrubby plants on their plots. With proper care, their height reaches one and a half meters. The flowers of the planted bushes are green in color and have an oblong shape. During flowering, the petals of a garden perennial chrysanthemum acquire a bright color.
How to plant in the ground
There are several recommendations you need to know before landing.
Time recommendations
The choice of suitable dates directly depends on the planting method used. It is best to sow seeds in the spring, when the upper layers of the soil are well warmed up. If cuttings are used instead of seeds, it is best to plant them in the fall.
Selection and preparation of planting material
When choosing plant material, the following criteria are taken into account:
- frost resistance;
- flowering time;
- ease of care;
- petal color.
In the process of preparation, the shoots selected for planting should be dipped in liquid manganese and sprouted.
Site and Soil Requirements
The flower growing area should be well lit with sunlight and protected from gusts of wind. The soil in which the chrysanthemums will be grown must contain a sufficient amount of nutrients. Therefore, it is fed in advance with mineral and organic dressings.
Landing scheme
When planting, planting holes are dug at a distance of 15-20 centimeters from each other. Then 2-3 seeds are placed in each of them.They are sprinkled with earth and sprinkled with water.
Breeding methods
There are three main breeding methods for chrysanthemum bushes.
Cuttings
This is the most common selection method for planted chrysanthemums. They are engaged in cuttings in the fall, when pruning seedlings. Shoots 6-8 centimeters long are used as cuttings.
Before planting, they are soaked in water for 2-3 weeks. When their root system is formed and strengthened, they are transplanted into the ground.
Divide the bush
Some people prefer to propagate chrysanthemums by dividing the bush. To divide the seedling, it is first dug up and carefully separated with secateurs or by hand. Then the separate parts of the plant are planted in separate holes.
Root shoots
Another common breeding method is the use of root shoots. To do this, you will need to dig up a bush and separate several strong roots from the root system. They germinate in a container with water, after which they are planted in the ground.
General rules of care
For a planted chrysanthemum to flower well, it must be well cared for.
watering mode
Seedlings should be watered abundantly in mid-summer, since buds form on them at this time. After the start of flowering, the number of waterings is halved. To moisten the soil, it is best to use warm water at room temperature.
top dresser
Chrysanthemums are fed three times:
- In spring. In mid-March, nitrogen fertilizers are added to the soil.
- Summer. To make the flowers bloom better, they are fed in the summer with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
- In autumn.In autumn, it is necessary to strengthen the root system. For this, fertilizers containing phosphorus are added to the soil.
Loosening and weeding
The area with planted chrysanthemums should be weeded periodically. This is done not only to get rid of weeds, but also to loosen the soil.
Weeding is carried out 3-4 times a month.
Protection against pests and diseases
Chrysanthemums, like other flowering plants, can be affected by diseases or pests. To keep them safe, you should periodically treat them with insecticides and fungicides. These products repel insects and protect against disease.
bush formation
Experienced gardeners recommend annually pinching the main shoot. At the same time, they shorten it so that six leaves remain on it. Additional side shoots are also cut off so as not to slow down the growth of the main stem.
winter care
Some chrysanthemums freeze in the winter, so it's best to prepare them for freezing in advance. The soil around the flowers is mulched with a ten centimeter layer of potting soil or peat. This is done in the fall, before the onset of frost.
Size
It is necessary to shorten the side shoots in the spring, before the appearance of buds. It is recommended to carry out the procedure with a sharp pruner, and not manually. If necessary, a new pruning is carried out in the fall.
Possible growth problems
When growing chrysanthemums, some problems may arise that you should be familiar with.
Aphid
It is a small insect that grows and reproduces quickly. Most often appears on young foliage and unopened chrysanthemum buds.In order to detect aphids in time, it is necessary to periodically and carefully inspect the seedlings. Insecticidal products will help get rid of aphids.
Mites
If the chrysanthemum leaves begin to dry out quickly, it means that a spider mite could attack them. It appears inside the foliage and feeds on its sap. These pests multiply rapidly, so it is best to get rid of them immediately. To do this, use tinctures based on garlic, dandelion or onions.
Root rot
This is a dangerous disease that begins to develop in the root system of chrysanthemums. Gradually, the disease affects the main stem and young foliage. It is impossible to cure root rot, so affected bushes are dug up and burned.
sheet roll
Leafworms often attack chrysanthemums and feed on their flowering foliage. Adults are often found on the leaves, weaving them. If you don't get rid of the leafroll in time, the plants will die. Insecticides will help protect the bushes.
Snails
Snails, which feed on their leaves and sap, often cause chrysanthemum seedlings to wilt and die. You can eliminate snails mechanically by chipping them off plants. However, if there is too much, it is better to use chemicals.
The caterpillars
If the surface of the foliage of the chrysanthemum is covered with holes, it means that the digger caterpillars have eaten them. These pests quickly spread through the bush and devour it. This leads to drying out and death of the seedlings. Affected seedlings should be treated with insecticidal solutions.
Powdery mildew
There are several reasons for the appearance and development of powdery mildew in chrysanthemums.This disease often occurs due to too thick plantings, improper watering and high humidity.
To protect flowers from powdery mildew, they are regularly treated with a mixture of soap and soda.
Rust
The appearance of round, yellow spots on the surface of the leaf plates of chrysanthemums indicates the development of rust. Due to the appearance of such damage, the leaves begin to dry out. Treatment with fungicides will help fight the disease.
White rust
This is a dangerous disease with intensive development. When the disease appears on the surface of the leaves, white rounded spots are formed. Over time, they increase, which leads to wilting of the plant. White rust cannot be cured, and therefore the chrysanthemums will need to be removed.
Septoria
The disease develops on the foliage located at the base of the bushes. First, the leaf plates are covered with yellow spots, after which the plant weakens and stops growing. To prevent the spread of the disease, affected foliage is cut and burned.
Sclerotinia sclerotia
Sclerotinia is a dangerous disease that affects the base of the main stem. In diseased seedlings, the foliage withers, shoots die, and softened places appear. Diseased shoots should be cut off immediately so that sclerotinia does not develop.
Verticillary wilt
A distinctive feature of the disease is considered its slow development. At first, the wilting does not manifest itself in any way, but then the seedlings grow more slowly, the foliage begins to wither and turn yellow. Infected flowers are dug up, the wilt not being treated.
bacterial rot
Bacterial rot appears due to poor plant care and lack of nutrients. Therefore, in order to prevent the development of the disease, it is necessary to properly care for the planted chrysanthemum seedlings.
Gray mold
The disease develops due to the high level of humidity and frequent rainfall. The main symptom of gray mold is the presence of brown and grayish spots on the stems and leaves. The disease is treated with fungicides.
Viral diseases
Mosaic is considered the only dangerous viral disease for chrysanthemums. Diseased seedlings become covered with yellow spots and begin to dry out. They grow more slowly and stop forming flower buds. Fungicides can help prevent mosaics.
Varieties
All varieties of chrysanthemums are divided into three main groups.
Korean
Some growers prefer to plant Korean varieties of chrysanthemums, which were created more than 90 years ago. The main difference between these flowers is their resistance to high humidity and temperature extremes.
Indian
People who don't like Korean flowers plant Indian chrysanthemums on the site.
It is recommended to plant them in the southern regions, since they are not protected from frost.
chinese and japanese
Flower varieties like Indian flowers need to be grown at high temperatures. Therefore, they are not suitable for cultivation in northern regions.
Kinds
Chrysanthemums are divided into thirteen varieties, each of which has its own characteristics.
Simple
These flowers outwardly resemble chamomile, as their petals are yellow in color. The buds have a flat shape with an open middle. The petals are quite wide, their tips are bent inward.
Semi-double
The flowers belonging to this group are distinguished by the flat shape of the buds. Their middle, unlike non-double flowers, is more lush and elevated. Chrysanthemum petals grow in five rows, painted in different colors.
Anemone
Unlike the above plants, these flowers have a convex central part. The petals are formed in several rows and are snow-white in color.
Terri
A feature of terry chrysanthemums is the large size of the buds. Each petal is slightly curved, which is why these chrysanthemums are often called curved.
Apartment
The flat varieties have flowers with a regular, open middle. On the sides, petals are formed with a length of 3-4 centimeters. They are lemon, white, pink or purple.
Hemispherical
A distinctive feature of hemispherical chrysanthemums is that their petals can bend and bend. The flower head reaches 15 centimeters in diameter.
Spherical
The petals of spherical seedlings are bent from above in the central part. It is because of this that outwardly the bud looks like a ball or a cone. The flowers are not protected from frost and therefore must be covered for the winter.
Curly
In such flowers, all the petals are not evenly distributed, but chaotically. As a result, the bud looks a bit messy and disheveled. The diameter of the flower head reaches 10-12 centimeters.
Pom pom
It is a flower with dense rounded inflorescences that have many small petals. Pompom chrysanthemums are small and grow up to 60-70 centimeters.
Lucid
In radial chrysanthemums, the petals are oblong and narrow in shape. Over time, they curl or curl upwards.
Streamlined
It is a popular flower variety that is resistant to drought and temperature extremes. Chrysanthemum blooms in early summer and blooms until early September.
Domain
Medium-sized plant, the height of which does not exceed sixty centimeters. Outwardly, the flower buds look like white daisies, which have a yellowish middle.
Venichnaya
A tall seedling that grows up to one meter. The plant is covered with separate feathery leaves. The flowers are yellow with a greenish tint.
varietal variety
There are twelve common varieties of chrysanthemums that are often planted in the garden.
Alyonushka
A medium-sized bush that grows up to fifty centimeters. It has non-double inflorescences with a diameter of 50-60 millimeters. Blooms in mid-June.
Barkhan
These are Korean chrysanthemums, which are very popular among domestic flower growers. The height of the shrub reaches fifty centimeters. It blooms early, in mid or late May.
Snowball
The variety differs from most types of chrysanthemums in frost resistance and disease resistance. Snowball inflorescences are small, only five centimeters in diameter. The petals are pinkish.
Michelle
Chinese variety Terry, which is recommended for planting in a greenhouse. Michelle's inflorescences are large, their diameter is 40-50 centimeters. They are white in color and have a pinkish tint at the ends.
Terracotta
A double flower with compact inflorescences with a diameter of 6-8 centimeters. The bushes are compact, so they can be planted not only outdoors, but also in pots.
Saba
Original variety of chrysanthemums, the petals of which can be reddish or yellowish in color. The bush grows up to 75 centimeters.
Inga
Inga is considered the most beautiful chrysanthemum that blooms yellow.A feature of the variety is its late flowering, which begins in September.
Zembla
It is a popular indoor chrysanthemum variety and is best grown indoors. On the street, she will live no more than a year, after which she will wither.
Clover
The variety is popular among florists for its unusual green petals. Shamrock can be grown both indoors and outdoors.
Bacardi
A flower with white petals that look like a chamomile. The diameter of the inflorescence is eight centimeters, and the height of the bush reaches 55 centimeters.
Baltic
The stem of the Baltica grows up to 85 centimeters if properly cared for. The inflorescences are lush and have many petals.
Optimistic
The petals of the Optimist are lilac and pinkish with a green tint. In the open field, the height of the variety does not exceed one meter.
Common Mistakes
Several common mistakes are made when growing chrysanthemums:
- insufficient watering of seedlings;
- planting non-frost-resistant varieties on the street;
- incorrect pruning of shoots;
- soil clogging.
Use in landscaping
Chrysanthemum shrubs are often used in landscaping. They are planted in the garden to create vibrant flower gardens. In addition, they are combined with other flowers. They can be combined by color, flowering period and even the shape of the inflorescences.
Additional tips and tricks
Additional recommendations and tips will help you create a lush flower garden:
- the most suitable varieties are selected for planting;
- it is necessary to properly care for seedlings;
- in the process of growth, the bushes are regularly sprayed with fungicides to protect against diseases.
Conclusion
Chrysanthemums are considered popular flowers that many growers cultivate. Before planting them, you should familiarize yourself with the varieties of flowers and the peculiarities of growing them.