Question

Chrysanthemum - Alecost, Cost Mary, Costmary, Fever Few, Golden Feather, Marguerite, Mint Geranium, Mum, Paris Daisy, Shasta Daisy, Sweet Mary

Answer 1

DESCRIPTION: These hardy plants are natives of China, Japan, northern Africa, and southern Europe. They belong to the Daisy family, Compositae. Their flowers come in every color except blue. Their blooms come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes. Some are spherical in shape and have incurved petals at the center. Some have tubular-shaped petals of unequal length with little hooks at the end. Spoon Chrysanthemums have rather flat petals that are spoon-shaped at the end. Anemone Chrysanthemums have fairly flat, thin petals with shorter tubular petals in the center. Chrysanthemum carinatums are striking annuals with their beautiful yellow, purple and red rings. They originate in Morocco and grow 2-3 feet in height. C. maximum (Shasta Daisy) is a perennial found wild in Spain and Portugal. They form tufts of foliage close to the ground and in the summer, bear large, white flowers on 2- to 3-foot stems. Large plants of this variety tend to become straggly, so it is smart to lift the clumps every year or two and separate them. This assures finer blooms and more manageable plants. Only the young outer pieces should be chosen for replanting. C. rubellum is a herbaceous perennial that bears clusters of pale rose-pink flowers on 3-foot stems. C. cinerariaefolium's inflorescences are of considerable importance in the manufacture of Pyrethrum insecticides. C. balsamita (Costmary, Alecost, Sweet Mary, or Mint Geranium) is a sprawling, hardy perennial that reaches 3 feet in height when in bloom. The yellow flowers are rather sparse and the leaves are elongated, oval and toothed. They are leathery when dried and can be used as bookmarks. Fresh young Costmary leaves can be used in salads and to add a balsam flavor to ****, soups, and bread. Other Chrysanthemums will be listed below in the varieties section.


POTTING: Greenhouse - Greenhouse Mums are mostly late-flowering varieties that won't bloom in the open ground without special shading treatment to encourage earlier blooming. They naturally come into bloom from October to January, which means that they'll need the protection of a greenhouse during their flowering period, though they may be set outdoors during the summer. Most of these greenhouse varieties are more sensitive to cold than the hardy garden Mums. In many regions these plants won't survive the winters. To grow Chrysanthemums in pots, you need to have a good soil mixture. Cuttings that have a good root system, about 1½ inches long, should be inserted into two parts topsoil, one part fine granulated peat and one part coarse sand. For each pailful of compost, thoroughly mix one 3-inch potful of fine bone meal. The compost should be very slightly moist. Fill 2- to 3-inch pots two-thirds full of compost and carefully place the young plant in it with the roots spread evenly on top. You can then cover them with more compost leaving a half-inch space from the rim for water. Don't pot the plant too firmly. The plants should now be watered with a fine mist. Place them in full sunlight and make sure they have plenty of water. A temperature of 45-50 degrees at night is the best and a 5- to 10-degree increase is allowed. After they have filled the pots with their roots, which is from 4-6 weeks depending on the vigor of the variety, they need to be repotted in larger pots (either 4 or 5 inches) with a new soil mixture of three parts topsoil, one part granulated peat, one part coarse sand, and one-half part dried cow manure, and twice as much bone meal as before. The plants should be watered the evening before you repot them. Place broken earthenware and coarse leaves over the drainage holes and an inch of compost, which is firmed. Place the plant in the center and add a little soil at a time and make it rather firm. When finished, the ball of roots should be about a quarter inch under the surface and there should be about three-fourths inch of space at the top for water. The plants will need some support at this time, so tie each stem onto thin, 2-foot canes that are inserted close to the sides of the pot. After repotting, water them. The final potting should be done when a lot of roots can be seen around the outsides of the soil. The new compost should be three parts fibrous loam, roughly chopped, one part coarse peat, one part coarse sand and one part dried, crumbled cow manure. To each bushel add one 4-inch potful of bone meal, hydrated lime, one-fourth inch charcoal, and a long-lasting complete fertilizer made for Mums. Make sure to cover the drainage holes with broken earthenware. The plants should be potted firmly at this time and there should be a 2- to 3-inch space at the top for future top dressings and water. They need to be well watered the night before repotting and again after you have repotted them. They also need to be supported with canes that are inserted right after you have finished repotting.

Fertilizer: After they have been potted for a month they must have a liquid fertilizer supplement, either with liquid animal manure, liquid fertilizers, by top dressing with fertilizers, or with a combination of these methods. Sheep, chicken or cow manure is well suited to Chrysanthemums. A 28lb. bag of manure is set in a 40-gallon tub; at first, one part of the solution to three to five parts of water makes a liquid feed of ample strength. The amount of the solution used in relation to the water added may be increased as the solution weakens, due to water being added to the tub as the liquid is drawn off. It's important to discern the needs of the plants from their appearance. In a wet season, growth may become soft; to toughen the foliage and stems, an application of one ounce of sulphate of potash per plant may be necessary at 10-day intervals. On the other hand, a dry, sunny season may make growth too firm; this may be corrected by applying a solution of dried blood or other nitrogenous fertilizer. As the season advances, the plants need more potash and phosphorus than nitrogen. After the middle of September, the nitrogenous animal manures are no longer necessary and a complete fertilizer containing a high percentage of potash applied weekly is all that is necessary. When the buds start to form, feeding should cease until the buds seem to swell. Overfeeding at this stage will cause the buds to tip over. To strengthen the root system and build up really strong plants, top-dressing them with rich soil is desirable. This may be done three times at two-week intervals beginning in mid-July. The top-dressing should consist of equal parts finely chopped loam, granulated peat, and old manure mixed together thoroughly. After you have finished, water them with a fine spray to avoid making holes in the compost. Special care must be taken in the watering of your plants. Each plant has its own needs. Over watering plants that do not have a sufficient root system is especially harmful because it will cause the roots to rot and the foliage will become yellow; plants that becomes dry repeatedly will produce buds too early.

Summer treatment: Mums usually grow best when cultivated in a greenhouse, but they may be placed outdoors towards the end of May (at the final potting) in an open situation where the plants can be exposed to full sun and have shelter from strong winds. The plot of ground needs to be large enough to prevent crowding; it should be level and covered with a layer of gravel or ashes. Since mature Mums become top-heavy, canes should be tied to horizontal wires stretched between posts that are inserted firmly at the ends of the rows. Each row should have two wires. One should be a foot from the ground and the other 3 feet high. As the stems lengthen, each one must be securely tied to the supporting cane. This starts shortly after the final potting and must be done every few days right up to the time of disbudding. Whether they are grown in a greenhouse or outside, Mums benefit from being sprayed overhead with water. When it is sunny weather, this should be done several times a day in the greenhouse, less often outdoors. This prevents the stems from ripening and becoming woody too soon. The foliage is stimulated and the rate of transpiration is reduced. Overhead spraying is valuable in hot, dry weather; it isn't necessary in dull weather.

Autumn treatment: Greenhouse Mums that have been growing outside during the summer should be brought into the greenhouse before frost. The greenhouse needs good ventilation at all times. Even in cold weather the ventilators should never be completely closed and at night a little side and top ventilation is necessary to ensure a circulation of air. A 50-degree temperature at night is high enough. Care must be taken to keep the interior of the house reasonable dry, especially at night.

Answer 2

Cut flowers: When Chrysanthemums are being grown for cut flowers, they are usually grown in greenhouses in raised benches or in ground beds. Benches containing a 5-inch depth of soil are suitable. They should be filled with loamy, rich and well-drained soil. The young plants are taken from 2½- to 3-inch pots and potted firmly. Large-flowering Decoratives that are to be restricted to one flower per plant may be spaced 6 by 6 inches; if 2 to 3 flowers are desired, then a 7 by 8 or an 8 by 8 inch space should be allowed between each plant. Singles should be spaced 8 by 8 inches. Pompons need 7 by 8 inches if restricted to two stems and 8 by 8 if it's to carry three stems. Large-flowered Exhibition varieties need from 8 by 9 to 10 by 10 inches between each plant. Fertilizing, watering, staking and all other care is the same as detailed for pot-grown plants. To preserve the cut blooms, in addition to slitting the stems and soaking the foliage to keep the flowers fresh in the vases, scald them to force the sap up to the blooms to keep them erect. All that is necessary is to soak the bottom inch of the stem in freshly boiled water for 3 minutes. Another way is to replace the loss of sap by introducing dextrose (glucose) into the water in the vase; one teaspoonful per quart of water is sufficient. Cane sugar may be substituted. One cause of decay of a bloom is the overabundance of poisons by harmful bacteria in the water. Adding a few drops of mild nonpoisonous disinfectant or a few crystals of potassium permanganate will keep the water sweet, while a few pieces of charcoal will absorb poisons from the water. The life of the flowers will be lengthened if a half-inch of stem is cut off every two or three days.

Standards: To train Mums into tree-form, a stout, rooted cutting is chosen early in the year and kept potted and grown without pinching the main stem until it reaches the height desired. All the side shoots are pinched out as soon as they are seen except four to six that develop from the top of the main stem after it has been pinched. These form the main branches of the head. These main branches are pinched when they have developed 4-5 leaves and this is repeated with sublateral branches until about the middle of August, when pinching stops. The main stem must be neatly tied to a strong stake and the main branches may need to be tied also. If the branches crowd each other, they may need to be thinned out before they do harm. The plants should be turned part way around once a week to encourage uniform growth on all sides. In addition to training them as cascades and standards (tree-form), it is a simple matter to train Mums in other fancy forms including fan-shaped and even into the figures of animals and other elaborate shapes. Thin-stemmed kinds are needed for this because they are easier to tie to the wire frameworks that are used for this purpose.

Early blooming: Mums may bloom earlier if given shorter days. Flower-bud formation is controlled by hormones that seem to be transmitted mostly at night. Short days alone are not enough to induce flowering, though. The stems must also be mature. This may be controlled by the date at which the last pinch is given; a 60-degree temperature is also necessary for the formation of flower buds. Although some varieties need very long nights to stimulate flower bud growth, the time usually given is 14 hours. The cloth must be closely woven material; black sateen is often used. Shading must begin 9 to 12 weeks before the flowers are needed. Late varieties usually require the full 12 weeks.

Exhibiting Chrysanthemums: There are several factors to consider when assessing the qualities of a bloom for show. The main attribute of a flower is good form. This includes shapeliness and evenness of development and applies to blooms in all sections, but especially the Exhibition Incurved, whose form should be as compact and globular as possible. A good bloom is tightly packed with petals, especially the Exhibition Incurved and Decoratives. Singles are an exception and shouldn't consist of more than 5 rows of petals, evenly laid, with a clean central cushion free from ray florets. Naturally the larger the bloom, as long as it has refinement, the better chance it has. Assuming the flower isn't under developed, a fresh bloom of moderate proportions is better than a large stale specimen. Signs of staleness are faded basal petals and limpness, as well as washed out color. A good bloom has brilliant, even color. Whites should be pure and crisp with no pink streaks, which indicate that the flower is past its best. In all but classes for Large Exhibition blooms, the judge is able to award points for foliage. Leaves should be turgid, dark green and smooth and free from damage from pests or disease. The stems should be cut long and the lower few inches slit to allow free passage for water. Immerse the whole foliage in water overnight. Flowers shouldn't be cut while the plant's roots are dry.


PROPAGATION: To obtain more greenhouse Mums, you cut back the main stems to 9 inches after the plant has finished flowering. This will encourage the production of side shoots from which the cuttings are taken. When the shoots are 2½ to 3 inches long, the lower leaves should be stripped off and the lowest leaf joint should be cut cleanly with a knife. They should be dipped in a mixture of insecticide and fungicide before being inserted into coarse, clean sand that is firmly packed. Holes, 1 inch deep, should be made with a pencil and the cuttings inserted. They will be droopy at first so they should be shaded from direct sun until they perk up. The temperature determines the time it will take them to root. If 45-50 degrees is maintained at night and 5-10 degrees higher in the day, it should only take a few weeks. The garden varieties of Mums are propagated in a similar manner. Plants should be cut down to 9 inches after flowering, the stools are lifted with the fork before the ground freezes and they are placed in boxes of sandy soil. Keep the boxes in the frame until mid-January, when they should be placed in the greenhouse that has a night temperature of 45 to 50 degrees. Cuttings may be taken and rooted in the manner as for greenhouse Mums. Though the plants produced will be smaller, cuttings may be rooted in a cold frame in the spring or under a bell jar outdoors at that season. If bottom heat is used in the frame, roots will develop faster. They can also be increased by division in early spring. Each single shoot, 2-3 inches long, with roots attached, forms a division. Hardy Mums can also be increased from seed sown early indoors. The seedlings are transplanted to flats and then outside after danger from frost has passed. Seedlings show mush variation in habit, form, color and other characteristics. Seeds of the hardy annual kinds can be sprinkled thinly and covered by raking over the soil. Thin the seedlings out 10-15 inches apart, according to the height of the different varieties.

Answer 3

Outdoors - There are many hardy, perennial Mums that are great for growing in a garden. They need plenty of room to grow, however, so they should be planted 18 inches apart, in rows, 2 feet apart. The best time to plant is late April to mid-May. Mums benefit from a rich soil composed of an abundant supply of animal manure or compost and commercial fertilizer. The soil should be made firm around them. Moist peat or strawy manure around the roots is great for keeping the roots cool and moist in hot weather. Hardy varieties are pinched regularly until the middle or end of July; the tips are taken off of all shoots as soon as they attain a length of six inches. Generally, one sturdy central cane will serve for each plant, though the stems will have to be looped around and tied to the cane as growth increases. For exhibition purposes, each stem should carry a separate cane to support each individual bloom and prevent them from rubbing against each other. Like the greenhouse varieties, the garden Mums benefit from being top-dressed with animal manure and applications of fertilizers. Liquid manures encourage vigorous growth until the production of buds when a good fertilizer is applied every ten days to aid in producing extraordinary blooms. Dry fertilizers should be watered in well during dry spells. A good method of feeding plants growing on light soil is to feed them through 5-inch pots that are sunk to their rims between the plants; liquid manures or fertilizers in solution are the best. To prevent rapid evaporation, cover the pots with pieces of slate. Border Mums must not become dry at the roots. When there is drought, water needs to be applied lavishly every few days. Axillary growths appearing at every leaf join in late summer indicate that buds are due to appear at the tips of the stems. If large blooms are desired, the side shoots must be rubbed out. When the bud grows away from the surrounding shoots, the latter must be removed to leave a single bud to each stem. If sprays of flowers are needed, only a slight removal of the lower shoots is necessary. To obtain sprays of a uniform development, the central bud may be removed to encourage the surrounding buds. C balsamita (Costmary), when grown for its foliage, should be planted in well manured soil in partial shade. Feed and water often to maintain large leaves with good color. A single Costmary plant will produce enough leaves for fresh and dried use. In late summer, when the leaves look tattered, prune back half of them to the ground. Feed and water the plant; when new growth appears, shear back the rest of the old leaves.



VARIETIES:

Below are hardy perennials -

C. maximum (Shasta Daisy) and some its best varieties are: Mount Shasta (double white), The Speaker (single white), Astrid (double white), Marconi (double white, frilled flowers), Alaska (white), Majestic (immense white flowers), Mark Riegal (large, white of distinct form) and Cobham Gold (cream, yellow center).

C. rubellum (sprays of pale rose pink single flowers).

C. Parthenium flore pleno (Feverfew - can grow in sun or shade - tons of small, double, white flowers and has a scent somewhat resembling Chamomile) and its variety aureum (Golden Feather - is dwarf with yellow leaves).

C. uliginosum (herbaceous, large, white flowers).

C. nipponicum (shrubby, stems don't die in the winter. Large, white, single, flowers resembling daisies - Great for borders, rock gardens and seaside gardens).

C. Balsamita and its variety tanacetoides (commonly called Costmary, Sweet Mary and Mint Geranium). Costmary is grown in herb gardens and sometimes in flower borders and wild gardens & is naturalized in some parts of North America. Costmary was once reputable for its medicinal values and is used for flavoring foods.

C. arcticum (native of the arctic regions. It produces white to lilac colored daisy-like flowers).

C. yezoense (white flowers fade to a pinkish color).

C. Zawadskii (pink flowers - 2 or less inches in diameter).

Hardy annuals - These are derived from C. carinatum, C. segetum and C. coronarium: Morning Star (pale yellow), Evening Star (yellow), Northern Star (white), atrococcineum (red), Burridgeanum (white marked with crimson and yellow). Double varieties: Double White and Double Yellow and Bridal Robe (small, white flowers).

Some other popular types are: C. frutescens (Marguerite or Paris Daisy); C. indicum and C. morifolium (scinensis).

Here are the classifications of Chrysanthemums:

Japanese, Large Exhibition or Large Irregular - Have broad, irregularly incurved petals with blooms larger than 6 in. across.

Large or Exhibition Incurves - Have petals overlapping regularly and blooms larger than 6 in. across.

Intermediate Regular Incurves - Similar but with blooms over 5 in., but not more than 6 in. across.

Small Regular Incurves - Similar but with blooms not over 5 in. across.

Decoratives - Petals are regularly or irregularly reflexed. This is the most common garden class; the blooms measure 1½ to several inches across. The petals can be long.

Singles - Have disc florets that form Daisy or Marguerite "eye" in the center of the flower. The ray florets are arranged in not more than 5 rows.

Semidoubles - The ray florets are arranged in more than 5 rows but the disc is clearly evident as a daily-like eye.

Anemones - The ray florets are in 5 or fewer rows and shorter petaloid disc flowers form a cushion-like center.

Pompons - Blooms are usually spherical, though sometimes they are almost flat when small. They are usually not over 4 in. wide. Some Pompon varieties have incurved petals in the center of the flower head.

Spoons - Have disc florets that are rather flat and ray florets that are regularly arranged and spoon-shaped.

Quills - The disc shouldn't show, but tubular florets issue from the center and form a globular flower head. The tips of the petals may be recurved or spoon-shaped.

Spiders - Have relatively long, thin and tubular petals of irregular length, sinuous or hooked at the tips.

Threads - The disc may or may not show. The ray florets are of unequal length, tubular and delicate.

Azaleamums and Cushion Chrysanthemums - Dwarf, spreading garden varieties of hardy character.

Cascades - This name is applied to the varieties that have thin, wiry stems that can easily be trained to grow downward from pots and baskets to form a cascade effect when in bloom. The term Cascade refers mainly to the mode of training; the same varieties grown naturally develop into regular bushy plants.