Mums- the word

There are over 160 species of chrysanthemums. One of the most popular is Chrysanthemum morifolium, or florist chrysanthemum.

Chrysanthemums are native to China, Europe, and Japan. It is recognized as the Imperial seal of Japan.

Mums are short season crop, so daylight must be regulated for flower production. Short season means they bloom when the days are short, and the nights are long. What time of year is the best to grow mums?

First let’s talk about- Media or medium. In other words, soil. For our cuttings, we will be using a commercial potting soil. Why? It is weed free, sterile, and can provide some moisture retention. The soil used should hold moisture, but drain well. We want it to be moist, but not wet.

If the soil is too moist- Stems of the new plant will rot. If the stem rots, rooting will not take place.

If the soil is too dry- Rooting will not take place. The cutting will need moisture to establish.

First you need a plant pylon, or tag. On your pylon or tags you will write in permanent black marker- It will include  Your name (no initials)  Period  Name of plant- Chrysanthemum morifolium  If possible, cultivar “Yellow Diamond”  Date planted

We will need a container. We will be using a 4” plastic pot. Remember, when your done, put your pylon or tag in the pot! Put your pot in your flat!

So, How do we plant? 1.Always start with a clean pot. 2.We make sure our soil in the pot is within ½” of the top of the pot. Make sure the soil is even. 3.Moisten the soil slightly before you start.

4. Plant your plants at 12,3,6,and 9.

5. Plant must rest on the rim of the pot, so they are placed at an angle…45 degrees.

6. Make sure your cutting is ½” in the soil. Remember, don’t cover any leaves!!!!

So… they are planted, now what?? Like….

We have to worry about temperature. If the greenhouse is too warm, we will get lots of green growth, but few flowers If the greenhouse is too cold, we will get flowers, but the will not be evenly set. So, we need to set the temperature at about all the time.

Hungry??? Our plants will need food! Fertilizer is stored in the soil. It is comprised of the elements of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and traces of other elements. These nutrients help the plant the plant produce its’ own food. There are different ways of applying fertilizer. The one we will use will be constant application.

So- Only use the water in the center greenhouse in the injector, not the water at the end of the benches. The water at the end of the benches does not contain any fertilizer.

Speaking of water… Don’t water everyday!!!! You only water when the top of the media is dry. If you aren’t sure, stick a finger in the soil. If it comes up moist, don’t water. Remember the roots do not sit right under the media, they go deep and hold moisture for the plant. So water your plant until water comes out of the holes at the bottom of the pot.

Our plants have rooted, now we wait. The next step in the mums is to pinch. This will be done after the plant is rooted and added about an 11/2” in height. This will take some time.

Why do we do this??? Without pinching, our plants will look like sticks in the dirt. Pinching removes the end growth of the plant, or the leader. The plant has to grow a new one, so now we get side shoots on the plant. The result will be a fuller plant.

We may need to add A growth retardant. It is called B-9. This chemical shortens the stem, and promotes compact flower growth. We do this process 2 weeks after pinching the plant, or side shoots are 2” long. The plant should not be watered for 24 hours after a B-9 application.

Pests? Disease??? Our greenhouse can have bug and disease problems. How do we prevent this??? The solution is you!! 1. Keep your flats, the bench, the floor, and the greenhouse clean. Clean up plant litter and soil. 2.Water carefully. Just the soil, not the plants. 3.Report any bug or problem to Mrs. Daniels

Then… We disbud. It sounds strange to remove the flowers we want. But if we don’t, we will have too many flowers. We want to remove all flowers but the terminal bud.

The final grade will be given when you… Foil and bow your plant!!! Then, take it home!

Your lab will take all semester. 1.You will make observations of your plant every day you are in the greenhouse. Note any changes to your plant. 2.Measure your plant weekly. Measure only in centimeters, and record it on your record sheet. We will be graphing the growth throughout the semester.

3.Only work with your plant, leave your neighbors plants alone. 4. Grades will be given periodically on your project. You will need to ALWAYS have your mum project sheet and your record sheets. 5. Have fun!!

All images- Google