THE GROWING OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3765, 11 May 1926, Page 11

THE GROWING OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

NOTES BY AN EXPERT. February and March are the months in New Zealand when the chrysanthemum makes rapid growth, and during ibis period the plants require careful attention. We, therefore, reprint from the Gardeners’ Chronicle the following useful notes sent to the paper by a *».*« ondent:— If all has gone well the leaves and sterna will develop tones that betoken ripeness; the former will often be tinted Dionzygreen The earlier bloom buds will be swelling favoured by the heavy dew* at nights, and at this period the plants will be free from insect pests, but not entirely, for while earwigs do not matter much, there is the leafmining maggot to consider, and soon the grower will be ivorried by small birds which in their desire to rid the plants of thrips will peck all too deeply into the flower bud and may leave impressions in the florets under the outside cover.

To cope with the latter pieces of muslin should be placed over the bud* in the case of those Intended to supply specimen blooms.

It is to be preferred that the flower buds should swell and partially open while the plants are outside; but the moment the petals show colour, or rather, so soon as the bud bursts and shows its floret*, it is well to protect the plants from overhead moisture. If the bloom* set and swell under glass the top growth is apt to run up spindly an 1 become soft; but this will not occur with buds and top leaves developed in the open Every pient should have ample space. For tin's puroose the grower should be continually- shifting and replacin'? the pots; apparently a small item, but there is much in it. In mv plant, the number of branches or stems is severely limited Thus a plant intended to produce a giant bloom may have but one r.tem. and, of course, one flower Other* -ire intended to furnish stoutly grown blooms of the decorative type from half-n-dozen upwards, and the same with re*p**' v i ro die single-flowered varieties. Having decided or- the number of bloom* a plant *hall he allowed to carrv. every little side-shoot should be removed, because if is superfluous Stimulants should be given the roots re gularlv, the rule bein'? a little and often Liquid manure mnv be ii«ed. and soluble fertilisers in showery weather The IntteT should he used v; : th caution and not always according to the instructions of the ranker® , for in tance. in the case of a well-known fertiliser it is recommended to use a table sooonfui to a plant in a IDin pot I would not. however nse it at thin strength hut prefer a quarter of that quantity. Too many ills arise from plants are over fed. and very great caution is needed «n stimulant* io chrysanthemums The fi»'*t consideration of the grower is to get the pots wpH filM with root*, and the second to “feed” them so that the*e shall not he burned The docav of the hlossom as it is opening is often termed damning, and many theories have been put forth a* to it.* cause. T can Provide one—viz . improper use of stimulants. LnT autumn, a test was made to find out if certain varieties of chrysanthemums would withstand full exnosure to simchine What was considered the rrnrt delicate sort- or tether the one most lil"dv to he affected, the coloured N D**”!® wo« placed so that it? blooms were within a feu inebe* of the glass, and the latter no* shaded

The blooms opened perfectly, without a sneck of decay, and mv contention is that nnv chrysanthemum b’ossom mev he opened in exposure to sun and he all the hette* for the sunshine in autumn, nrovided the roots of the plant are in good order, and the growth not soft through the tmp r opei use of fertilisers The glasshouse should he well-ventilated and, when the condi tions out* ; de are undu’v moist or foggv. a little fire-heat should be used The nlants are rarely safe in the open after the end of Sentember. If the grower wishes to retard any of his plants a good nlan is to arrange some kind of shelter to ward off frosts: this is a capital plan with late-flowering sorts. Outdoor chrysanthemums are in good condition owing to the recent rains, and the flower buds are showing freely. I favour thinning these nlants severely; in fact I allow but one flower to n hram h in the of mo<=t varieties. Blooms of good substance, with stems of considerable length, provide valuable material for decoration of the home. Not all earlv kinds are treated in this wav ; many are allowed to develop as thev please in the matter of hud and bloom with h»st a stick or two to keep the plant upright. Lifting chrysanthemum plants from the open ground to bloom under glass is practised by many growers, I have not, now ever, adopted this plan yet The trouble comes at a critical time, for. do the work ever so well, the plant is bound to receive a serious check when blooms are either forming nr swelling. True, a saving in labour is effected but correspondingly there is a loss in quality of the subsequent crop. Referring again to pot plants, it is early perhaps, to write much about special varieties: so far ns strength of plant goes, however, there are few to compare with the new Japanese variety raised in Australia named Mr T. W. Pockett. This should prove a fine sort of the big blossom type. The time for exhibiting is closely upon us. and we may expect to find examples of the flower as well grown as ever they were, but fewer growers compete than formerly. A leading society has allowed a space of lft on the stands or boards for each big bloom, but it. seems doubtful if such a change is likely to improve the old-time way of showing. One looks to the single type of the flower to keep up the interest in the autumn displays, and in respect to single chrysanthemums, I shall not be far wrong in stating that greatly improved varieties will be seen in the near future.— H S.. Woking