Prepare chrysanths for the season ahead
It’s time to prepare now for the season ahead
I've a nice lot of cutting material on my stools that is ready for me to take. Before taking cuttings I like to spray with a combined insecticide/fungicide to ensure the stools are pest free. I’ve mixed my rooting compost of 60 per cent peat, 20 per cent course Perlite and 20 per cent sterilised loam. To every bushel (8 gallons) I add 56g (2oz) each of ground limestone, calcified seaweed, Medwyn’s Base Fertiliser with trace elements and Microlife organic fertiliser with beneficial fungi. If you're just after cut flowers and not championship blooms then three parts multi-purpose compost and one part Perlite is a quick alternative.
I've also cleaned my propagation bench and set the thermostat at 15C (59F). I check it with a
slimline thermometer under the trays and ideally it should stay around 15C (59F) but not over 18C (64F). I fill 12 pack half trays with compost and water, then make a hole with a pencil in each cell.
To take the cuttings, snap them off the stool without using a knife. I like them 3.5-5cm (1.5 -2in). Then insert them one per cell and it’s just a matter of spraying the cuttings over with clean tap water often enough to keep them turgid until they root.
While early chrysanthemums can root in two weeks, most lates for some reason take three weeks. You’ll know when they’ve rooted because they stop wilting and show some nice fresh growth in the centre. Then it’s best to take them off the propagation bench and cool them off for a week to 10 days before potting on.