Experienced gardeners know that with the advent of autumn, a crucial moment in field work begins. Almost all cultivated plants need special care and special preparation for wintering. In order for the flowers, decorative fruit shrubs and trees to rest, gain strength and be able to grow in the spring, they need to provide special care in the cold season.
Preparatory work
Preparation of chrysanthemums for winter begins in late August - the last summer month.
- It is during this period that the flowers should be thoroughly fed. As seasonal, it is best to use those that are produced on a potash and phosphorus basis. The main function of such fertilizers is to increase the frost-resistant characteristics of green spaces.
- Secondly, the preparation of chrysanthemums for winter includes regular inspection of plants, because it is recommended to keep only healthy bushes. They better tolerate temperature changes in the autumn-winter period, adapt well to frost.
- Thirdly, when a gardener is planting flowers on a site, it is important that he takes into account the climatic conditions of his region, and how much the selected varieties correspond to them. Therefore, the preparation of chrysanthemums for winter can be either radical, when the bushes are simply dug up and sent to a cellar or other dark and cool place before spring, or phased, when the flowers remain in the open ground and just take cover.
- And, finally, another stage that neither an amateur grower nor a professional should forget about. This, of course, is cropping. Chrysanthemums are shrubs whose stems reach a height of more than a meter. But in severe frosts, winds, under the weight of snow and an ice crust, they easily break off, which can ruin the appearance of the plant or lead to its freezing. Therefore, pruning chrysanthemums for the winter is not only recommended - it is required! The operation is performed when the movement of juices practically stops in the plant: it is preparing for hibernation. This usually happens with the establishment of cold weather, a steady decrease in temperature. How many centimeters of stalks should be left from the ground when pruning so that the preparation of chrysanthemums for winter is successful? Not more than 8-10. The rule applies to both adult flowers and young flowers planted only this year.
Wintering chrysanthemums in the ground
Winter warming and storage of chrysanthemums in open soil is possible in both mild and rather harsh climates. First of all, around the bushes you need to well dig up the earth, thoroughly spud. Try not to make holes near the stems, otherwise the soil will begin to swamp, and the roots may rot. And in frosts the soil will freeze too much, cover with a crust, which will also lead to the death of the bush. If your winters are mild, a lot of snow falls, chrysanthemums will hide well under it. Under other conditions, additional shelters need to be built above the bushes. It can be a canopy that protects against excessive moisture, “huts” made of fir branches for warming or heaps of fallen leaves, straw, hay. But peat, sawdust - not the materials that can be used for shelter. They absorb moisture too much and can cause bushes to rot. If the plant needs to be dug up, and there is nowhere to store it until spring, you can dig a small trench, put bushes in it along with a lump of earth on the roots, cover with slate, a wooden board or an iron sheet on top, and then sprinkle with earth. In spring, chrysanthemums are pulled out and planted again.
Such care is required for these beautiful autumn flowers!