How to Grow Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum morifolium
When to Start
Best started from plugs, corms, or slips. Pot up indoors 7 weeks before last frost, then plant out once soil reaches 7°C.
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Growth Stages
Approximate days from start
Care Essentials
- Balanced feed in spring. High-potash feed fortnightly once buds form.
- Pinching and disbudding are key to good flowers. Hardy garden mums are the easiest to grow.
Companion Planting
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Growing Conditions
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- Direct sow
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- First harvest
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Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 45 cm |
| Row spacing | 60 cm |
| Sow depth | 0 cm |
| Mature height | 60 cm |
| Mature spread | 45 cm |
For perennial garden mums. Good air circulation is vital to prevent mildew. Spacing depends on the final size of the chosen variety.
Care Guide
- Feeding
- Balanced feed in spring. High-potash feed fortnightly once buds form.
- Watch for
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- Aphids
- Capsid bug
- White rust
- Leaf miner
- Earwigs
Pests & Diseases
Pest Aphids
Identification: Clusters of small green, black or pink insects on shoot tips and undersides of leaves, often with sticky honeydew
- Squash by hand or blast off with a water jet
- Spray with fatty acid or plant oil-based insecticide
- Encourage ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies
- Spray with a contact insecticide containing deltamethrin
Pest Capsid Bug
Identification: Ragged holes and distorted shoot tips; brown-edged puncture marks on young leaves. Bugs are fast-moving and rarely seen
- Remove plant debris where bugs overwinter
- Encourage ground beetles and spiders as natural predators
- Spray with a contact insecticide when damage first appears
Pest Earwigs
Identification: Ragged, irregular holes chewed in petals and young leaves, mainly overnight. Earwigs hide in flower heads during the day
- Trap in upturned pots stuffed with straw placed on canes among plants
- Shake flower heads over a sheet to dislodge and remove
- No chemical controls currently available for home gardeners
Pest Chrysanthemum Leaf Miner
Identification: Pale, winding tunnels (mines) visible within the leaf tissue, created by larvae feeding between leaf surfaces
- Pick off and destroy affected leaves promptly
- Squash larvae visible within mines
- No effective chemical controls available for home gardeners
Disease Chrysanthemum White Rust Puccinia horiana
Symptoms: Pale green or yellow spots on upper leaf surface with buff-white pustules of spores on the underside
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected leaves immediately. Do not compost infected material
Prevention: Ensure good air circulation, avoid overhead watering, and buy plants from reputable sources. Inspect new plants carefully
Disease Powdery Mildew
Symptoms: White powdery coating on leaves and stems, causing yellowing and premature leaf drop
Treatment: Remove badly affected leaves. Spray with a fungicide approved for ornamentals
Prevention: Space plants well for good airflow, water at soil level, and avoid drought stress
Disease Grey Mould (Botrytis) Botrytis cinerea
Symptoms: Fuzzy grey mould on flowers, stems and leaves, often starting on damaged or dying tissue
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected parts promptly. Improve ventilation around plants
Prevention: Avoid overcrowding, remove dead material promptly, and water at soil level rather than overhead
Growing Conditions
| Min. soil temperature | 7°C |
| Germination temperature | 18–22°C |
| Base growth temperature | 8°C |
| Min. daylength to start | 10h |
| Photoperiod sensitivity | short day |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far apart should I plant Chrysanthemum?
- Plant Chrysanthemum 45cm apart with 60cm between rows.
- When does Chrysanthemum flower?
- Chrysanthemum typically flowers approximately 110 days after transplanting.
- Is Chrysanthemum frost hardy?
- Chrysanthemum is classified as Half Hardy.
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