CHRYSANTHEMUMS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 100, 24 October 1940, Page 19

CHRYSANTHEMUMS

Of all late autumn-flowering plants, chrysanthemums must take pride of place, producing beautiful blooms of various colours and forms when comparatively few other plants are in t flower. The best results can only be obtained by planting healthy plants in the first place in suitably prepared soil. At a later stage judicious feeding brings its reward, but meanwhile there needs to be considered the allimportant factors-good cultivation. Briefly, this consists of paying attention throughout the season to various details, proved by past experience to be for the general welfare of the plant. The beginning of November should see all border chrysanthemums well established and making good progress1. Occasionally, odd plants here and there do not grow with the freedom of their more vigorous neighbours, but are inclined to stand still. In such cases an application of nitrate of soda will bring about the desired result. One ounce dissolved in two gallons of water is quite strong enough, and should be given while the ground is in a moist state, preferably after rain. The solution, of course, must not be allowed to come into contact with the foliage. This application is in no way to be regarded as feeding the plant. in. the generally accepted sense of the term. The season is not sufficiently advanced for that. As a stimulant, however, this concentrated nitrogenous fertiliser exerts a powerful influence, speedily building up plant tissue, and usually succeeds in arousing the laggard from its lethargy. Great care must be exercised in its use, as any excess or its continued application will lead to undesirable soft growth, the very reverse of what is required. Besides detracting from the flowers, such growth is very liable to attack by disease. The frequent loosening of the soil round the plants is an important item, but here again care must be exercised. as the plants are surface rooting and touch serious damage may be done by the indiscriminate use of the hoe or prk close to the plant. Although chrysanthemums do not (require much water in normal seasons, watering may be desirable and necessary during dry spells in the summer. , When this is done it should be done

thoroughly, giving a good soaking which will sink well into the soil, and as soon as the surface has dried sufficiently the hoe should be brought into service to loosen the crust which will have formed. For garden purposes it is desirable to have bushy plants, and while some varieties of chrysanthe- , mums are naturally of this nature, many kinds are inclined to grow tall and rather spindly unless encouraged to send out side shoots. This is done This column is intended principally for gardeners with ! small plots, and the aim is to make ft as practical and useful as possible. Inquiries on any matter < of gardening interest will be wel- | corned. All communications must j be accompanied by tbe name and address of the writer, not for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. This is your column—make j use of It. by breaking out the top of the lead-i ing shoot when the plant is from six to eight inches high and again when the resultant three or four branches have grown four to six inches long. This refers only to garden varieties, not those grown for show blooms, the treatment of which is not dealt with in this article. When the plants have grown to a] height of 18 inches and more they are very liable to be damaged by wind, especially when they are weighted with water. The branches are brittle and the surface roots have very little hold in the ground. Unless well staked the plants may easily be damaged if not entirely ruined by neglect of this precaution. In some seasons brown aphis are troublesome. They should be dealt with as soon as' they are discovered, as they increase at an alarming rate. Spraying with a nicotine spray is effective. Grubs are also destructive later in the season when the plants are coming into bud. They are leaf-rolling grubs, and can only be dealt with by hand picking once they have a hold, but spraying the plants with arsenate of lead will act as a preventive. Som€f varieties of chrysanthemums are subject to "rust," which causes the leaves to die. For this disease spraying the plants at intervals of three weeks or so with Bordeaux mixture will help to keep them healthy.