Topic: Growing/Overwintering Chrysanthemums

[Garden Manager]

This yeay i decided to have a go at growoing these plants. In the spring i bought a collection of 15 'plug' plants from T&M. I got 5 each of 3 different types; Decorative, Incurved and Hardy. I potted them up and grew them on, 2 each of decorative and Incurved and 1 of the hardy ones were planted in the ground the rest grown in black 10 litre pots. All have done very well for their first year, although both the decorative and incurved grew rather leggy as i didnt pinch them out enough.

Winter has now arrived and they have stopped flowering, so i now need to know how to look after them through the winter. particularly the Decorative and Incurved types which i understand are not fully hardy (although they have withstood a few sharp frosts so far). The potted plants have been cut down and put inside a mini greenhouse to keep the worst of the cold off, and the soil planted ones have been given a dry mulch. I know they cant really stay like this. I havew read that they should be treated like dahlias and lifted to be heeled into trays of compost in the greenhouse, but i am not sure if thsi is appropriate for all types. Please advise.

Thanks.

[Tee Gee]

I think you will find all you need to know in here;

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Chrysanthemum/Chrysanthemums.htm

[Garden Manager]

I think you will find all you need to know in here;

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Chrysanthemum/Chrysanthemums.htm

Thanks for the info. Some good stuff there.

Now i just have to work out which types i have...........

[Susiebelle]

Thanks Tee Gee -
haven't managed to lift mine so think I just may have lost them! :'( :'(

[Garden Manager]

Trying to work out which types i have. I think i have nerrowed it down to them being early flowering types and are probably Incurved decorative and either reflexed decorative or intermediate decorative. I was initialy confused as to type as Tee Gee's list refers to Inurved and decorative types in more than omne flowering time category. Through a crude process of elimination i would say they are 'earlies' since they were in flower before october (started in august) and appear to be outdoor types needing no protection. Somebody correct me if i am wrong.

Whilst not the exact collection i did come across this collection of chrysanths on the T&M website that is similar.

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/flowers/flower-plants/flowers-for-cutting-plants/chrysanthemum-bumper-pack/p3474TM

I have now moved the pots of chrysanths in to the greenhouse proper. When they thaw out i will lift the stools out and heel them into trays of compost as advised.

[Tee Gee]

I have had a look at the link and I will attempt to decipher it for you!

Incurved Mixed – Sturdy stems bear rounded blooms with magnificent incurved petals.

= Bottom right square in catalogue picture/s but I think they are mainly intermediates rather than incurves!

This is an Incurve;

 

This is an intermediate;



The petals are not as tightly packed i.e they are neither an incurve or reflex type!

Reflex petals fold down rather than up like incurves as seen here;.

Hardy Patio Mixed – Well branched plants produce rounded domes of colour.

Thats the top two picture in which I see no difference!

My guess is they are a mixture of single & double sprays or pot mums!

These are pot mums;



these are single sprays



The ones in the picture have insufficient petals in them to be classified as a single.

They are probably the result of breeding types that have not come up to the expectations of the breeder and are being sold as garden/cut flower types.

Reflexed Mixed – Backward facing petals create colourful flower heads on strong stems.

= Bottom left in the picture.

I think these might be double sprays similar to these but with a lower petal count.