How to grow chrysanthemum: Keep plant flourishing by pinching and deadheading them
Chrysanthemums come in vibrant shades of purple, yellow, red and orange and are sure to add a touch of glorious color to any garden. Not only will this beautiful plant bring luscious flowers to your garden, but choosing the right strain will prove to be a gift that is given again and again, year after year. They are also fairly easy to breed. Experts have shared everything gardeners could possibly need to know about growing and caring for this fashionable flower.
Before knowing how to care for these flowers, it is important to know when to plant them. Chris Lee, Garden Expert at Horticulture, said: “Obviously it’s important to do some research on the exact flower you’re planting, but as a general rule of thumb, planting perennial chrysanthemums is best done in spring. This gives the flower a chance to become established and adapt to its new home over the months.
“Giving the root system time to grow stronger during the summer and fall will help your chrysanthemum survive the winter. Planting in the spring also gives you a greater chance of having a much larger bloom the following year.”
However, to ensure they continue to thrive, experts have stated that these plants need pinching and uprooting rather than general pruning.
Chris explained, “Chrysanthemums don’t actually need pruning, but it’s important to ‘pinch’ them during the growing season. This allows your plants to branch out and thrive.”
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However, the gardening professional noted two scenarios where it is acceptable to prune these plants. He said: “If you notice that some of your plants have been killed off after a frost – usually the top of the bush – then prune those branches back to the living part of the stems.
“Also, if any part of your chrysanthemum plant shows signs of disease, cut that part off immediately.
“At the end of the growing season, when there are no more flowers in bloom, you have the option of cutting the perennial back to 15 to 20 cm from the ground.
“Just cut off the branches at that height and throw them on the compost heap. The alternative is to simply leave the plants as they are over the winter. Personally, I would cut them back, but some gardeners don’t.”
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As well as pinching off chrysanthemums, deheading them is just as important, as John says it allows the plant’s energy to be focused on the newly developing buds and flowers.
He advised: “Cut off the flowers during the growing season by cutting off the faded flowers with pruning shears or scissors.
“At the same time, remove any dead leaves and look around for signs of disease in the plant. Trim any branches that show signs of rot or fungus, and be sure to wipe your clippers between cuts so you don’t spread the disease to other parts of the plant.
“At the end of the growing season, you can leave the dead flowers on the plant for visual interest during the bleak winter months.”
In the fall, Chris advised only killing when necessary. He said: “In the fall, if necessary, dead head until the flower stops blooming. If your chrysanthemum dies back for the winter, don’t prune it back. If you let it die off naturally, it usually produces a much stronger and healthier plant the following year.”
If chrysanthemums are allowed to grow naturally in the garden without pinching out or becoming dead, many types of garden mums grow tall and leggy, according to Brent Wilson of Wilson Bros Gardens.
He said: “Mums sprout in early spring and then sometimes start growing bushy. However, depending on the weather and environment, some strains will flower too early and become quite tall and leggy if left to grow naturally without pinching.
“In this case, the weight of the flowers on the stems often causes the branches to fall over. To avoid branches falling over, becoming tall and leggy, and to maintain a compact form with more branching, pinch the mums back from early spring into mid-summer.