Chrysanthemums and How to Grow Them

By T. W. Sanders

This little book is addressed to those gardeners who love chrysanthemums but who perhaps have not had sufficient experience in growing them to produce them at their best. Complete in its unabridged, original form, extensively illustrated and full of instruction that is as useful and practical today as it was when originally published. Contents include - Introduction And Methods Of Propagation - The Culture Of The Japanese Chrysanthemum - Incurved Chrysanthemums - Decorative Varieties - Early-Flowering Chrysanthemums - Single Chrysanthemums - Cascade Chrysanthemums - Anemone-Flowered And Pompon Chrysanthemums - Exhibiting Chrysanthemums - Pest And Diseases. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Jan 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781447481997

Book preview

CHRYSANTHEMUMS

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION AND METHODS OF

PROPAGATION

THE prospective grower of chrysanthemums will probably be asking himself several questions. Is my soil suitable for growing chrysanthemums? Have I the necessary appliances for their successful culture? How much money shall I require to start a collection? And so on.

Several types of chrysanthemums exist, each with its own requirements. Exhibition chrysanthemums, whether they be Japanese or incurved varieties, will require the constant feeding and attention demanded by all first-class pot-grown plants. The hardy varieties need only such care as a good gardener gives to all his herbaceous perennials. The remainder will occupy a greenhouse for about eight months of the year. This must be heated sufficiently to be frost-proof, and must be spacious enough to hold plants three to five feet high when full grown.

It will be seen from the foregoing that no gardener need be deterred from growing chrysanthemums of some type. The man with a small pocket will probably favour the outdoor varieties on account of the small initial outlay and the ease with which a collection may be maintained. If a greenhouse is available the chrysanthemum is again an obvious choice, as it requires little heat and is very easily managed. Many of the decorative varieties may be grown without even the expense of purchasing pots, by the simple process of planting outside in May and lifting the roots from the open ground in October, so that the flowers may have the protection of a greenhouse.

The more ambitious gardener will be attracted by the magnificence of the exhibition Japanese chrysanthemums and the perfection of the incurved section. Moreover, these types, though requiring a greater initial outlay in the way of pots, ingredients for potting composts, bamboo canes, a good light greenhouse, etc., and considerably more skill in culture, offer by way of compensation great rewards in the way of prizes and trophies. The chrysanthemum is one of the most popular exhibition flowers, and, in the autumn, shows are held and valuable prizes offered in many parts of the country.

Chrysanthemums collectively have a very long period of flowering, and a succession of blooms may be obtained from August until after Christmas. The range of colours is such that blooms can be grown for any scheme of decoration. As they make excellent cut-flowers, lasting well in water, and provide very decorative pot-plants of varying sizes at a time when other flowers are scarce, no further reason for growing them need be sought. They are invaluable both for cottage and mansion.

PROPAGATION

All types of chrysanthemums can be grown from seed, but the resulting plants will not be named varieties. Nevertheless, if obtained from a reliable source, seedlings will give much pleasure.

The majority of chrysanthemum plants raised every year are propagated by means of cuttings taken from the previous year’s plants, which have been cut back. These old plants are known as stools. Plants are rarely grown on a second year. Young shoots appear from the bases of the woody stems and from the roots towards the end of the autumn and throughout the early spring. These are removed to make cuttings when they are only a few inches high.

The time at which the cuttings are made will depend upon the greenhouse accommodation and heating at the grower’s disposal, and also upon the type of plants it is desired to obtain. Thus growers for exhibition usually like to get cuttings rooted as early as possible, generally in December and early January. This is ideal if there is ample room for the young plants, and sufficient fire-heat in very cold weather.

A GOOD STEM CUTTING.

Though basal shoots thrown up from the roots make the best cuttings, stem shoots such as that shown above can be used with success.

Amateurs who have only very limited space under glass and no means of applying artificial warmth do much better to wait until February at least before making their first cuttings. If they make an earlier start they run the risk of the plants suffering a severe check just as growth is commencing. It is possible for late struck cuttings to produce blooms for exhibition, but in order to obtain the same quality the number of blooms must be restricted to one per plant.

Cuttings of the late-flowering class are usually taken before those of the early-flowering varieties, as they require a much longer season of growth. Those intended for the open border are propagated some time between February and April.

It must not be imagined that chrysanthemums require great heat. So long as they do not get frozen or suffer severe fluctuations of temperature, the cooler the conditions under which they are grown the better. However, once the cuttings have started to grow it is important that there should be nothing to prevent them continuing steadily. They must not be allowed to make rapid progress in a warm atmosphere for several days and then be brought to a sudden standstill by a drop in temperature, for they are very susceptible to such chilling.

The vigour and progress of young plants will depend considerably upon the type of shoot selected for making the cuttings. Plants from defective growths can never be really successful, however careful the subsequent cultivation. Wherever possible the shoots chosen should spring direct from the roots, and those from the stumps of the old stems should be avoided, unless there is a great shortage of better material. Stem shoots are prone to throw premature flower buds and to mature before they have made a plant of any size. Many growers take cuttings when they are from two to three inches in length, and consider it an advantage if they can be severed a little below ground level. Others prefer to take the top two or three inches from shoots which are four or five inches high.

Where late cuttings are required they may be made from the tips of shoots which require stopping in April (for full explanation of this term see Chapter II., pp. 22 and 23), but an attempt to combine propagation and stopping is not to be recommended as a general practice.

A TYPICAL BASAL