CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 267, 10 November 1934, Page 6 (Supplement)

CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

To grow healthy plants it is advisable to plant in new ground, or add a fair proportion of new soil every year; for preference, a. iibrous, but rather retentive, soil that is well drained, and where the plants will have, say, twothirds of the natural sunlight. A good dressing of manure and bonedust should bo incorporated into the soil. Very sheltered and shaded positions favour unripened growth, which is subject to aphis and other pests. If extra large blooms are intended, and attention and water be available, raised beds are- preferable. These may be constructed as follows:—Select an open, airy position, sheltered from strong winds, and where there is no possibility of bad drainage; arrange the beds for preference east and west. Construct the beds three feet wide by placing 9in by lin on edge for the sides; well ram the bottom if not already of a solid formation, then give a heavy coating of lime. Soil should be four parts good turfy loam, one part partly decayed horse manure, quarter part ashes from smouldering rubbish lire, and a 3in pot full of bonedust to each barrowful; also a similar quantity of lime. The whole should be put into a stack a month previous, and turned at least once. Select a time when the soil is between wet and dry, then fill up between boards to within an inch of the sides. Tread it well, so as to leave same about 3in below the top of the boards. If intended to plant in September, place the plants in two rows Oin from the board, and 18in apart, but if planting be intended, say, November, they may be planted a foot apart. Plants from cuttings are always preferable for beds, as they throw up less suckers and have a better root system. After having planted into beds, say, for two or three weeks, it is wise to nip out the tips to make them all break uniformly As the plants become well established they require far more water and attention than those in the garden. Most of the early planted ones may be kept to three stems, whilst those planted later may have two. Some varieties form buds very freely, others do not, and owing to our climate favouring continuous growth during the summer, there is no recognised rule that can be generally adopted with regard to the number of breaks made, consequently the most reliable plan is to select the buds at a time best suited to each individual variety, to give the best results, bearing in mind that the less buds allowed to develop on individual plants the later the bud selection should be.