The queen of autumn… this is what they call the mysterious and a little sad chrysanthemum flower. When most summer plants finished their blooming, the chrysanthemum becomes the full mistress of flower beds, gardens and container plantings.
The unpretentious and surprisingly cold-resistant plant is spread almost everywhere, although China is considered the birthplace of this amazing flower. It was discovered 2,000 years ago in this country. Much later, a delightful chrysanthemum plant appeared in the countries of Europe, where it successfully decorates garden plantings since the 18th century.
The late flowering plant takes a special place in the hearts of garden lovers and can be planted in open ground twice a year, in spring or autumn. Planting garden mum during the late autumn right before the first frost can be dangerous. However, the chrysanthemum is beautiful, and most importantly it takes root very quickly, so in the early autumn period it is possible to plant it outdoors.
Autumn care for chrysanthemums
Planting
When outdoor planting fall mums in the autumn the main thing is to observe the terms. Too early planting can cause the active growth of chrysanthemum. Thus, the plant will begin to delight the gardener with its wonderful flowering during the first frost period, which will lead to the death of the “Queen of the Autumn”. If the Autumn Mistress is planted too late, it will not have time to take root and gain enough nutrients to survive the cold winter.
The best time for planting the chrysanthemums is the last days of September or the first of October. If the gardener decided to plant the flower in the fall, it is necessary to make sure that the root shoots are formed on the bushes. It is believed that in this case it will be easier for the plant to take root, and it will survive the cold without problems.
Fertilizing
Before you begin pruning and sheltering flowers, chrysanthemum should be fertilized. Potash-phosphorus supplements are perfect for this purpose. They will help the flower to survive the cold weather without any problems. Nitrogenous fertilizers should not be used, because they can be a reason for growing and the plant will die when frost occurs.
Pruning
Preparation of bushes for the cold weather can be done immediately after fertilization. This should be done only after the chrysanthemums have fully bloomed. Shrubs should be pruned. As a general rule, shrubs should be pruned about a quarter of the ground surface.
Watering and sheltering
Pruned and fertilized chrysanthemum bush should be watered. Many gardeners prefer to carry out water irrigation before the cold weather arrives. You need to spend at least half a bucket of water for each bush.
Cover the bushes of chrysanthemums after all the preparatory procedures for wintering are performed. As a shelter, you can use dry leaves, hay, sawdust, spruce branches. It is preferable to choose natural materials that can breathe.