Large-flowered chrysanthemums are popular with gardeners. These attractive plants look impressive both in the flowerbed and in the bouquet. In addition, they flourish at a time when all other cultures are already fading. From this material you will learn how to grow and propagate flowers, the nuances of caring for them.
A bit of history
Large-flowered chrysanthemums, photos of which are given in the material, are herbaceous perennials and belong to the family Astrovidae, or Compositae. Translated from Greek, their name means "sunny flower." This name appeared due to the golden hue of the petals inherent in most varieties of the plant.
China is considered the birthplace of chrysanthemums. According to legend, 2.5 thousand years ago, this flower was brought out by a local breeder and named it Chu hua, which means "put together." Now there are 29 species of this genus, and they are common in all northern and temperate zones of the globe.
But most of all, chrysanthemums are grown in Japan. Buddhist monks brought her here in the IV century. And here the flower is considered a symbol of the country, it is even depicted on the emblem of the imperial seal. Indeed, in ancient times only truly influential people could decorate themselves with chrysanthemum buds.
Flowers came to Europe only in the 18th century. And since then they have become favorites of gardeners.
Botanical Description
Large-flowered chrysanthemum is a perennial shrub with a branched powerful rhizome. The culture reaches up to a meter in height. Branching long shoots of a plant are pubescent or naked. The leaves of the flower, painted in light or dark green tones, are simple, alternately arranged. But depending on the variety, they differ in shape and size.
Small chrysanthemum flowers are collected in a large basket, reaching up to 20 cm in diameter. Buds are simple or double. The most common are Indian, Chinese and Japanese large-flowered chrysanthemums. Such flowers are distinguished by massive bud heads, unpretentious nature and a variety of shades. Below you will find some attractive varieties.
The best varieties
Breeders have bred many varieties of large-flowered chrysanthemums. The following varieties deserved special popularity:
- Gazelle. The variety is appreciated by gardeners for large heads reaching 14 cm in diameter. Terry buds are painted in snow-white color. They bloom at the end of August and delight with an attractive view to frost. Tall shrubs need garter or support.
- Valentina Tereshkova. Variety bred Crimean breeders. It is characterized by its unpretentious nature and a large cap of buds, reaching 13-14 cm in diameter. The upper petals of the flower are painted in red-crimson tones, the lower ones have a lighter, pink shade. The plant grows to 60–70 cm in height. It blooms in early September.
- Alec Bedser. This variety of chrysanthemum reaches 70 cm in height. Hemispherical buds with a diameter of 14 cm are painted in saturated yellow. Moreover, the inner petals are darker than the outer ones.
- Diplomat. A species bred by English breeders. Flat terry buds reach 15 cm in diameter. Petals are painted in wine red and purple tones. The plant reaches a meter in height and needs support. Each bush forms 3-4 buds.
Each of these varieties will become a decoration of a personal plot. And if you want to create a truly attractive flower garden, then plant a mixture of colors of large-flowered chrysanthemums. There are several crop varieties in these seed kits. And thanks to this assortment, a real riot of colors is created. To grow such beauty, you will need to make some efforts and create comfortable conditions for the cultures.
Seed cultivation
If you managed to get potted large-flowered chrysanthemums, then all you need to do is plant the flowers in the open ground in mid-May. And then by the fall they will please with large buds. But, unfortunately, getting such plants is not easy. Therefore, many gardeners grow flowers from seeds. Next you will learn how to do it.
Start the event in mid-January. To grow flowers, take store soil or prepare the substrate yourself from greenhouse land, peat and humus, mixed in equal parts. Before planting, be sure to decontaminate the soil. To do this, bake it in the oven or hold it over steam.
It is better to grow a mixture of large-flowered chrysanthemums in containers. Sowing process:
- At the bottom of the container, lay a layer of drainage from broken bricks or expanded clay.
- Spread the substrate, spread the seeds of large-flowered chrysanthemums and slightly push them into the soil.
- Spray the landing with warm water from the spray gun, and then cover the container with glass or polyethylene.
- Place the greenhouse in a room with a temperature of + 23 ... + 25 ° C.
- Ventilate the crops regularly and spray the soil with warm water from the spray bottle.
After 10-14 days, the first shoots will appear. As soon as this happens, transfer the greenhouse to a bright place and begin to harden the seedlings. To do this, take cover at first for an hour, then for two, and so on.
When 3-4 real leaves appear on the sprouts, transplant them into separate cups, being careful not to damage the roots of the seedlings. Dive seedlings of large-flowered chrysanthemums grow indoors with a temperature of + 16 ... + 18 ° C. Do not forget to regularly water the plants, as well as feed them with complex fertilizers twice a month. If the room is not light enough, then organize additional illumination with photolamps.
Outdoor landing
Plant seedlings in open ground when the risk of night frost disappears, that is, in the middle or end of May. To grow large-flowered chrysanthemums, choose a lighted area on a hill, but at the same time the place should be closed from the wind. Plants prefer neutral or slightly acid fertile loams. If you have clay or sandy soil, then before planting, add humus or humus to the soil along with complex fertilizers.
Start landing on a cloudy, or better yet, rainy day. If the weather is inappropriate, then hold the event in the early morning. How to plant flowers:
- Dig a trench measuring 45 x 50 cm.
- Set the flowers in the recesses along with an earthen lump. Keep a distance between seedlings.
- Fill the voids with soil, slightly compact the top layer and moisten the landing. It is advisable to water the flowerbed with a solution of “Kornevin” at the rate of 1 g per liter of water.
- Pinch the plants immediately after planting, that is, remove the top growth point.
- Cover the seedlings with lutrasil.
Remove the shelter when the plants take root and grow.
Flower care
Growing large-flowered chrysanthemums will not cause much trouble. Nevertheless, there are several rules that should be followed to get beautiful caps of flowers. First of all, when the plants are strong enough, you need to remove the side shoots, leaving only strong twigs. Most varieties need additional support, because the shoots do not support the weight of large heads. Therefore, tie plants to pegs or pull a wire mesh next to them. The rest of the flower care consists of regular watering, periodic dressing and preparation for the winter period.
Watering
Large-flowered chrysanthemums are hydrophilic plants. And they need regular and plentiful watering. The slightest lack of moisture will lead to a deterioration in the decorative colors. Therefore, moisten the bushes 2-3 times a week, as soon as the topsoil dries. Use irrigation or rain water for irrigation. Irrigate the bushes strictly under the root, avoiding moisture on the leaves.
When water is absorbed, be sure to loosen the soil. Otherwise, a crust forms on it, blocking the access of air to the roots. And this will badly affect the beauty of flowers. Remove weeds during the event. To reduce crop care and not weed and loosen, mulch the area with a layer of peat, fallen leaves or humus.
Top dressing
Large-flowered chrysanthemums respond very gratefully to fertilizers. And it is advisable to feed crops at least three times a season. For the first time, fertilize the bushes with ammonia nitrogen at the beginning of active growth, approximately 6-8 weeks after planting. This will help crops grow green mass.
After 2-3 weeks, feed the flowers with organic fertilizers, for example, burnt mullein or bird droppings. But be careful with these substances, because they cause root burns. Therefore, do not exceed the dose.
Last time feed the bushes during budding. This time, apply potassium phosphate fertilizer. This stimulates the intense flowering of chrysanthemums.
All top dressing is done exclusively in liquid form. Water them strictly under the root the day after rain or watering.
Wintering
Large-flowered chrysanthemums are thermophilic plants. And they will not survive the winter in the open ground, even under good shelter. Therefore, with the onset of cold weather, dig up the uterine bushes, cut off all the shoots at a height of 10-15 cm, place them in a wooden box with an earthen lump. Store flowers in the cellar at a temperature of 0 ... + 4 ° C and a humidity of 80%.
Water the soil occasionally to keep it slightly damp. Regularly inspect the bushes, and if you notice signs of mold, then immediately cut the damaged branches, otherwise the whole flower will die.
In late February or early March, move the bushes to a warmer and brighter room. Provide them with regular watering. And when they "come to life" and take off in growth, it is possible to carry out cuttings of flowers.
If you don’t have a desire to propagate crops, then just plant the uterine bush in its usual place as soon as warm weather sets in. But keep in mind that every three years you need to change the area under the flower garden. Otherwise, the plants will begin to be capricious and sick, which will affect their decorativeness not for the better.
Propagation by cuttings
Start a similar method of growing flowers in late spring - early summer, when the outside temperature reaches + 21 ... + 26 ° C. Cut a large-flowered chrysanthemum cuttings with a sharp, sanitized knife. At the same time, choose shoots growing directly from the root of the plant. Slice 2–3 mm above the leaf with the kidney. The length of the handle should reach 6–7 cm. How to root branches:
- Fill the container with nutritious soil and cover it with a 2-cm layer of sand.
- Treat the lower section with a growth stimulator and stick the stem at an angle of 35–45 ° into the substrate. At the same time, make sure that the plant is in the sand and does not touch the soil.
- Place the container on the light windowsill.
Keep the temperature near the landing within + 15 ... + 18 ° C. Do not forget to regularly moisten the substrate, preventing its drying out. After 2-3 weeks, when the cuttings take root, transplant them into the open ground and in the future provide the plants with normal care.
Disease
Large-flowered chrysanthemums are endowed with strong immunity. But if they are not properly looked after, then the plants can get sick:
- Powdery Mildew The disease affects buds, leaves, shoots. It appears white plaque.
- Verticillin wilt. The disease affects the root system. As a result, the stems of the culture die, and the leaves turn yellow and wilt.
- Rust. It is manifested by the appearance of gray spots, which, as the disease develops, turn brown. It affects all terrestrial parts of the plant.
- Gray rot. The disease is recognized by blurry brown spots, which eventually become covered with a gray fluffy coating. In the future, the plant rots and dies.
If you find signs of any disease, then proceed to treatment. Bordeaux fluid will help get rid of gray rot and rust. To cure rust or verticillin wilt, use colloidal sulfur or a copper soap emulsion.
Pests
Most often, large-flowered chrysanthemums attack nematodes. These pests can be recognized by mosaic spots on leaves that darken over time. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to remove these insects. And the affected plant will have to be destroyed. To prevent parasites from appearing, spray flowers with Fosfamide solution before planting and autumn digging. Treat the soil with formalin.
Often aphids settle on the lower part of leaves and buds of plants. The colony of these parasites sucks out the culture sap, which slows its growth and reduces the duration of flowering. If there are few insects, then remove the leaves and petals on which they settled. If there are a lot of pests, then treat the shrub with an Actellic or Aktara insecticide.
No less dangerous for flowers are slugs and snails. They devour leaves, stems and buds of plants. To prevent their appearance, sprinkle crushed egg shells near the bushes. If snails and slugs have already appeared, then they will have to be removed by hand.
Attractive large-flowered chrysanthemums will decorate the flowerbed and fit into any landscape. Of course, in order to grow these crops on a personal plot, you need to pay some attention to the flowers. But your efforts will not be in vain, and the result will exceed all expectations.