How to Grow Chrysanthemums
How to grow chrysanthemum
With beautiful, bright flowers that grow closely together, a chrysanthemum in bloom is a stunning sight to behold. These pretty flowers grow in a myriad of colours from bright oranges through to sunny yellows and pastel pinks, so you’re sure to find a colour that suits your tastes.
Maybe you’ve seen a stunning vase of chrysanthemums at a friend’s place, or perhaps you find yourself admiring the bloom in a neighbour’s garden. Whatever your reason for wanting to grow these sweet perennial flowers, the good news is that it isn’t difficult to do! In fact, chrysanthemum flowers make a great plant to grow for beginners, due to their hardy nature.
Today, we take a look at how to grow chrysanthemum plants, while also covering a little about where the flower comes from and some of the different variations out there. Read on to find out more!
Chrysanthemums tend to be a pretty easy plant to grow. The best time to start growing these plants towards the end of summer or in the autumn. Here are our simple steps for growing chrysanthemum.
Step 1: Choose the type and variety you wish to grow
There are so many varieties of chrysanthemums out there! Either do a little research before choosing, or stroll into your local nursery or seed provider and choose a plant that takes your fancy. Chrysanthemums can be grown from seeds or seedlings, however, today we will be looking at growing chrysanthemums from seedlings.
Step 2: Prepare the soil
Chrysanthemums don’t like to be sitting around in damp, sludgy soil, so be sure to choose a spot that has good drainage. You can also prepare the soil by putting in plenty of compost. These plants have a relatively hardy nature so as long as you avoid soil that’s too sandy or clay-based, you should be okay.
Step 3: Choose a nice, sunny spot
These flowers love the sunlight, which makes them ideal for Aussie gardens. While they enjoy the sun, it’s a good idea to offer them some protection against direct afternoon sunlight, as this can be a little too intense for the plants.
Step 4: Plant your chrysanthemum
Once you have prepared your soil and chosen your spot, it’s time to get planting! Simply remove your chrysanthemums from their planters, gently massage the roots, and then place them in the prepared soil.
Step 5: Water well
Once planted, give your chrysanthemums a good water. You should aim to water them whenever the soil around the plant starts looking a little dry. Try and be consistent with watering, and keep an eye out for wilting leaves which could indicate that more water is needed.
Tips for growing chrysanthemum
Pinch off the tips
If you wish to encourage larger flower production from your plant, pinch off some of the buds before they bloom. This will then mean the plant concentrates its energy on growing a fewer number of flowers, but to a larger size.
Grow in pots
Chrysanthemums can be grown in pots; however, they should be placed in a positive that gets plenty of sunlight. You can also grow the flowers in a pot for a while and then transfer it to the garden at a later date.
Why not give growing chrysanthemum a go this summer or autumn?! With so many different types to pick from, chrysanthemums offer plenty of choice for gardeners wishing to add a dash of colour to their garden, and they’re also great for beginners!
Where is the chrysanthemum from?
The stunning chrysanthemum is native to East Asia. There are writings that date as far back as the 15th century in China, describing the plant. In the 17th century, the plant was introduced to the Western world. It was around this time that the perennial plant was given its English name – combining “chrysos” meaning gold and “anthemon” which means flower, in Greek.
Different types of chrysanthemum
If you’re looking for the right chrysanthemum variety for your garden, you won’t be short on choice! There are many different types of chrysanthemums out there, from those that have flat flowers with petals centred around a stamen to those that look like little petal-layered buttons. Some popular types include:
Spider blooms
This type of chrysanthemum has wispy, thin petals that look a little like the legs of a spider. Some varieties of spider bloom chrysanthemums have petals that curl in on themselves, while others droop down. There are many varieties of spider blooms, and they can be found in a range of colours from oranges to pinks to white.
Pom poms
As the name suggests, these chrysanthemums are shaped like pom poms. The flowers are petal-covered balls that make a stunningly unique addition to a garden. Pom pom chrysanthemums can be found in many colours, including green, yellow, white, and purple.
Brush/thistle blooms
Brush chrysanthemums have flowers that look a little bit like a paintbrush. The thistle blooms are a little more spread out, with petals growing every which way.
Spoon blooms
These chrysanthemums look very unique, with tube petals with spoon-like tips that shoot out from the centre of the flower. Spoon blooms are showy and eye-catching. They often contain more than one colour, like the Redwing which is white and red.
Anemone
Anemone chrysanthemums are a little otherworldly. Their flowers have a bulbous mound of florets that is surrounded by rows of petals. Anemone chrysanthemums come in colours such as orange, yellow, white, and pink.
Quilled blooms
Quilled chrysanthemums have petals that are shaped like quills. These thin petals can sometimes look a little like those of the spoon chrysanthemums, as they tend to have tubular petals with cupped tips.
