Indoor chrysanthemum is one of the most popular plants that can be found in many homes. Caring for this crop is quite simple and does not require much effort. Each beginner grower can easily grow indoor chrysanthemum, while observing the necessary conditions. Constant lighting, optimum temperature and moderate watering are required.
Chrysanthemum: indoor care
If desired, you can grow this flower from seeds. But it is worth noting that with self-growing, the growth of room chrysanthemum will be too rapid, and the plant, becoming prohibitively high, will lose its attractive appearance. It’s best to buy a crop at flower stalls because professional growers use chemicals to slow down chrysanthemum growth. As a result, this indoor flower will take on a more magnificent shape and perfectly complement the interior of your home. In this article we will consider several photos of indoor chrysanthemums, discuss what conditions must be observed, and learn about all kinds of diseases that may appear in this flower.
Optimal conditions
Indoor chrysanthemum prefers to be on the western or eastern sides of your home, as the southern windows let in too much sunlight, resulting in fast fading. The north side is considered unfavorable, since the buds can open only in sufficient light. This means that ventilated balconies on the east or west side are best suited for indoor chrysanthemums.
The best temperature for chrysanthemums is 21-24 degrees in the summer, 14-17 in the fall and 3-7 in the winter. If you comply with these standards, then the flower will have many buds, and it will bloom for a long time. But there is no need to scrupulously adhere to these instructions. In indoor conditions, the chrysanthemum is able to withstand short-term frosts of -4 degrees and not die in the hot season, if you transfer the pot to a cool and darkened place.
Watering
As a rule, chrysanthemum is a garden plant, and without proper moisture it can die. Therefore, the flower should be sprayed daily with standing water. To do this, it is better to use a spray gun. If it is not possible to water the plant daily, then use a special tray with expanded clay or an automatic air humidifier. In spring, it is advisable to move the culture to the balcony. Thanks to this, watering will occur less frequently: every 3-4 days.
Watering should be not only regular, but also moderate. Roots can rot due to stagnant fluid. Therefore, it is not recommended to install a pan in which there will be a lot of water. Humidify the plant more correctly when the soil is slightly dry.
Transfer
Indoor chrysanthemum flower has weak roots. Therefore, it must be transplanted as carefully as possible. The slightest damage to the root system can destroy the plant.
The first step is to prepare the pot. Pour some small stones into the bottom. These pebbles will serve as drainage. After that add fertile soil, for example, from a garden or a kitchen garden. Before digging a chrysanthemum, water it to soften the soil. It is advisable to take the bush with a large piece of land, since the roots go quite deeply and place in a prepared pot. Cover the free space with earth.
For the first time, the flower can be installed in a dark, cool place, for example, on the veranda or in an unheated summer kitchen. After a couple of weeks, the pot can be moved to a windowsill in a warmer place.
As soon as the plant fades, many are advised to cut tall stems, leaving about 15-17 centimeters, and to put on a bag made of paper after watering. Thanks to this method, indoor chrysanthemum can be located in a room where the temperature does not rise above 3 degrees.
Top dressing
Phosphorus nutrition is a part of home chrysanthemum care at home. With its lack, any kind of chrysanthemum can not only slow down flowering, but also significantly reduce the size of its leaves. For example, in multiflora with severe phosphorus deficiency, side shoots cease to germinate, as a result of which the plant becomes weak and ugly. Also, phosphorus is needed for large-flowered chrysanthemums, which are grown for cutting. The cut bouquet has strong and resistant stems, which significantly increases the shelf life. This culture is able to independently regulate the consumption of phosphorus, so do not worry about an overdose.
In addition to phosphorus nutrition, home chrysanthemums are in great need of potassium. Its deficiency is observed in dried or discolored leaves, as well as a delay in flowering and a painful form (signs of aging of the bush). Self adjustment in this case does not work. Exceeding the permissible norm will lead to blanching of leaves and stems.
How to care for room chrysanthemum
Many believe that this plant is best grown in the garden. In fact, indoor chrysanthemums are no less popular. In addition, there is a special group that includes several varieties of chrysanthemums intended for home cultivation. Therefore, if you adhere to all of the above requirements and provide the plant with the necessary conditions, then you can easily grow a lush and flowering bush.
As a rule, indoor chrysanthemum is at rest until spring. In this case, to cover the flower or to produce additional watering is useless. It would be more correct to move the pot to a cooler and darker place. Water the plant should be every two weeks, so that the roots are not completely dry. After a long hibernation, the plant can be put in its original place and watch how new sprouts germinate.
Seed Growing
To grow chrysanthemum, it is necessary to sow annual seeds in open ground. Most often, this is done at the end of May, so that flowering occurs in the fall. Flowers may appear earlier, but for this you need a special seedling that is adapted to open soil.
As for perennial seeds, they can be sown at the end of January. But if the soil is very frozen or harsh winter, it is best to postpone the planting in mid-February. Cultivation occurs only in light soil, which consists of humus, sand and sheet soil. It is advisable to prepare a small container and fill the bottom with gravel, expanded clay or small pebbles that serve as drainage. Usually, annual seeds are deepened by 1 centimeter, but if they are Korean seeds, then they simply spread them to the surface.
The first sprouts will appear no earlier than in 2 weeks, but if favorable conditions are created, then this period can be reduced. The soil in which chrysanthemum is grown must be constantly moist, and the air temperature should be at least 18 degrees.
Disease
Proper care of room chrysanthemum at home also depends on knowledge of all kinds of diseases, namely:
- Gray rot.
- Powdery Mildew
- White rust.
- Septoria
Gray rot is formed during cold or damp weather, as well as during transportation of cut bushes. It appears on the petals in the form of brown oily spots, after which it grows into a rotting mass. To eliminate this disease, it is necessary to restore the optimal conditions of detention: air humidity, nitrogen fertilizers and ventilation. Then the affected plants should be removed and treated with fungicides.
Powdery mildew completely affects the entire flower. That is, to remove several petals or a couple of branches will not work. The source of the disease is in the roots themselves, so after cutting the bush, you need to dig out all the roots and burn them. Powdery mildew is more like snow or white plaque that covers each leaf, as a result of which the tissues that are under this plaque dry out and lead to the death of the whole plant. Treatment consists in spraying soapy water with the addition of soda ash.
Septoria appears on the lower leaves, forming small brown spots. At the same time, leaves that are affected by Septoria begin to turn yellow, and the plant weakens greatly. The disease occurs due to unventilated rooms. To prevent this, it is necessary to burn the damaged petals and reduce the dose of nitrogen fertilizing.
The main signs of white rust are yellow spots of 4-6 mm in size on each leaf. Over time, these spots increase in size and change color to brown. Interestingly, the leaves affected by this disease do not fall.
The fight against white rust is especially difficult, because it is necessary to spray the leaves with fungicides, to which a certain immunity has already formed.
Harmful insects
In addition to various diseases, room chrysanthemums can have their own pests, which constantly strive to destroy the plant. Fortunately, the fight against them is not difficult.
The most harmful adversary is a meadow bug. This insect is able to suck out the cellular fluid, which is necessary for the formation of buds and flowering. The affected areas are deformed and twisted, as a result of which the plant weakens and dies. To combat this bug use the drug Fitoverm or Actellik.
There are many varieties of ticks and aphids. Each of these pests can, in a short time, not only spoil the appearance of the flower, but also completely destroy it. Therefore, it is necessary to visually check the plant every day for signs of disease and all kinds of insects.