A chrysanthemum in a pot, care at home for which is not difficult, is a wonderful decoration of any apartment interior. The flower, with all its charm, enlivens the room and brings cosiness and harmony to the atmosphere.
Material Content:
Potted Chrysanthemum Varieties
The genus of chrysanthemums has more than 150 species. Among them, many garden varieties are grown as potted flowers, having miniature sizes due to growth-inhibiting drugs. Most often, there are varieties of Chinese and silkworm chrysanthemums on the windowsills, among which Cascade ampel forms are of undisguised interest. Also in the pots can be cultivated spherical bushes of the Multiflora series of Korean chrysanthemum. Often on sale there are varieties of Indian chrysanthemum, which in temperate latitudes is cultivated only in closed ground and looks great on any windowsill.
The most interesting varieties that can be purchased at flower shops are:
- Lilya is a stunted bush up to 35 cm in height, blooming with burgundy double flowers with a diameter of 3 cm.
- Lake Worth Dark is a medium-sized variety, reaching 50 cm in height, with simple large red flowers.
- Elfie is a medium-sized semi-double chrysanthemum with a spherical crown and white inflorescences.
- Ottawa is a medium-sized white-cream variety with large double flowers up to 10 cm in diameter.
- Cheryl Spicy is a spherical small-colored chrysanthemum blooming with orange double flowers.
- Trumpf Violet is an interesting low-growing variety belonging to late chrysanthemums. During flowering, the spherical crown consists of large flowers of raspberry-lilac color.
- Ursula is an early chrysanthemum of bright pink color with terry inflorescences forming a charming ball from the crown.
- New York Dark is a medium-sized variety up to half a meter in height with large double flowers of an intense pink color.
- Little Rock is a semi-double chrysanthemum, pink flowers of which stand out by the white tips of the petals.
- Breeze Purple is a late representative with semi-double purplish-red inflorescences.
- Hollywood is a bright variety, characterized by tubular petals of a yellow semi-double flower.
- Preston is a medium sized chrysanthemum with simple red flowers.
- Trumpf Yellow is a large-flowered compact bush with a spherical crown. Flowers with a diameter of 12 cm are painted in dark yellow.
- Dover - a medium-sized variety distinguished by a silver-pink color of flowers.
- Kashmir is a bright early chrysanthemum, with terry lemon-colored flowers which reach 12 cm in diameter.
- Cheryl Regal - terry variety with lilac-pink flowers.
- Durango is a medium-sized chrysanthemum that delights the eye with medium-sized yellow-red flowers.
Home Care
To get a healthy plant that delights with a bouquet of beautiful flowers, you should properly care for chrysanthemum, observing all agrotechnical requirements for the cultivation of pot culture.
Location selection and lighting
In an apartment environment, the ideal solution is to place the flower on a well-lit, cool balcony, where there is no direct sunlight access. If this is not possible, then you can place the pot on the windows of the western or eastern directions and provide the culture with a systematic flow of fresh air.
Temperature mode
The optimum temperature for growing chrysanthemums depends on the season:
- in the summer it is 20-23 ° C;
- in spring and autumn - 15-18 ° C;
- in winter - 3-8 ° C.
Important! Chrysanthemum loves coolness, therefore it can tolerate short-term frosts up to -3 ° C without damage to the aerial part.
Watering
The flower requires abundant but infrequent watering, in the intervals between which the surface of the earthen coma should have time to dry out on two phalanxes of the thumb. As a rule, watering is carried out twice a week in the evening.
Air humidity
A moisture-loving plant needs additional spraying, which is carried out using a spray gun. In the absence of time for frequent spraying, air humidity can be increased using a humidifier or by placing a container of water near the pot.
Top dressing
For full development and lush flowering, a chrysanthemum that quickly depletes the soil needs additional nutrition. During the period of active growth, top dressing is carried out three times a month with an interval of 10 days using liquid mineral complexes, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Attention! Before flowering, nitrogen is excluded from the top dressing, which stimulates the growth of green mass to the detriment of the formation of buds.
Bush formation
To maintain the decorativeness of the bush, it is necessary to carry out its formation. All appearing stems that are knocked out of the common crown are pinched. As a rule, during the spring-summer period, 2-3 nips are enough, which not only prevent the shoots from breaking the existing shape, but also stimulate the laying of new buds on the emerging sprouts.
It is interesting:care for chrysanthemum multiflora
Transfer
The procedure is performed for young specimens annually, for adults - in a year. The flower is transplanted by transshipment into a new container with a drainage system from the holes and a layer of expanded clay. The soil should be filled with a substrate of garden soil, peat and sand in equal parts.
Flowering period
Chrysanthemum is a flower of short daylight that loves coolness.Therefore, flowering occurs in the autumn, and sometimes spring, period while maintaining the temperature within 15 ° C.
Features after flowering
After the chrysanthemum in the pot has faded, it must be pruned, the degree of which will depend on the conditions of wintering. After the haircut, the flower goes to winter, and when spring comes, it replants. In the case of adult plants, transplantation may not be performed.
Winter season
To preserve chrysanthemums in winter, you can use one of the methods of maintenance:
- In a cool illuminated place (loggia, porch) - with this method, the flower is cut to 10-15 cm and transferred to a cool place with a temperature of 3-8 ° C, where it is watered 1 time per month.
- In the apartment on the windowsill - in this case, only sanitary pruning is carried out with the removal of faded buds and injured shoots. Watering continues as usual.
- In the basement - a popular way among owners of private houses, in which the flower is cut to 10-15 cm, watered and after light drying, so that the soil is still moist, dipped in the cellar.
- In the open ground - a rarely used technique, since it is impossible to predict the conditions of winter and the ability of an instance to withstand them.
Pest and Disease Control
Among the diseases that affect the plant as a result of improper care, the following are noted:
- gray rot and septoria resulting from excessive watering;
- powdery mildew, the manifestations of which are recorded with waterlogged air.
As a protective measure, the flower is treated with a fungicide.
If a spider mite or aphid has appeared on the chrysanthemum, then the plant should be treated with an insecticidal preparation according to the instructions.
Propagation of chrysanthemums at home
Chrysanthemums reproduce in vegetative and generative ways. However, the latter due to the complexity and low efficiency is rarely used at home.
Among vegetative receptions two are popular:
- Dividing the bush is the simplest method, in which, during the growing season, shoots that are formed in winter are separated from the mother bush and planted in a separate container with a fertile substrate. In the case of dividing the bush, a new plant will delight in flowers this year.
- Cuttings - stem cuttings 10 cm long are planted in a light substrate by 1.5 cm and covered with a film, which is periodically removed for ventilation and watering. After the roots are formed, about 6 cuttings are planted in one pot, which are nipped after they reach 15 cm in height to form the correct shape of the bush.
The main problems when growing plants
Growing chrysanthemums in a pot can be difficult
Why do leaves turn yellow?
Yellowing of the leaves can be caused by several reasons associated with a weakening of immunity:
- Population of the plant with a spider mite, sucking juice from leaf tissue.
- The development of rot due to excessive watering, in which it is necessary to examine the rhizome, remove the affected areas, treat the cut sites with an antiseptic and transplant the plant into a new disinfected substrate.
Chrysanthemum does not bloom
With the advent of autumn, the chrysanthemum blooms - this is an axiom.
If this does not happen, then the main reason lies in the violation of the content regulations:
- Improper lighting - lack of light (less than 7 hours) or too long daylight hours (more than 10 hours).
- Untimely pruning or pinching - late procedures.
- The lack of phosphorus and potassium in the soil for growing - top dressing with the wrong concentration of macronutrients or lack of additional nutrition.
Important! After reviewing all the rules for care and finding a mistake, the grower will not only correct it, but will never again encounter difficulties in cultivating a charming flower.
So, in a timely manner, following the above care recommendations that are not particularly difficult, the grower will receive a strong flower with beautiful and lush flowers, the fragrance of which continues until late autumn.
