Winter prep of chrysanthemummmmmmms

[pigletwillie]

Now then, for the last couple of year I have bought said plants from our chairman who is a bit of a showman so the stock is good. After flowering the stools have just gone into the compost bin.

However, I wish to overwinter them this year and propogate my own stock come the spring. I have a rough idea how its done but if one of you chrys guru's out there can illuminate me further on how to do it properly, I would be most pleased.

[Snadger]

Now then, for the last couple of year I have bought said plants from our chairman who is a bit of a showman so the stock is good. After flowering the stools have just gone into the compost bin.

However, I wish to overwinter them this year and propogate my own stock come the spring. I have a rough idea how its done but if one of you chrys guru's out there can illuminate me further on how to do it properly, I would be most pleased.

NTG's the man! He can't have seen this thread or else he'd be on it like a shot!

For what it's worth the advice I was given was to cut of the stems to 8"......rinse off all the soil with a hose.............pack the stools in potting compost in boxes and keep them frost free over the winter.
I only had a small amount of each colour I grew so I put five plants in an 8" pot!
Must admit, I'd kept Chrysanth stools before receiving the above advice by lifting with a good bit soil, packing in tomato boxes and overwintering that way. I seemed to have more success that way, but apparently the washing is to get rid of any nasties.........there mustened have been any on my originals!

No doubt Nick will be along soon!

[nick the grief]

Your right SNadger I haven't seen it

I never wash all the soil off but I tend to get as much of the excess soil off as possible and then trim the roots with a pair of scissors and put about 6 to a seed tray ( try and get the ones made buy stewarts as they are about 2" deep or Catlitter trays if you can fins some cheap - or the polystyrene fish boxes from the chippy) and bed tehm on some fresh compost nestle them in well and then pack plenty of compost around them. Then I water them in with someting like Roseclear 3 as it's a combines fungicide & insecticide) then if you have a coldframe put them in there it wont hurt them to get cold.

Then depending on the type & variety, bring them into the warmth about 4 weeks before you want cuttings and give them a spray over wth some luke warm water to help soften the woody bark and warm them up a bit. Place on bottom heat if possible and wait for the shoots to appear. The first lot might not be much good and can be pinched of & then you can take the 2nd lot. Give them a feed of something a bit higher in nitrogen as you want the cuttings to be soft if possible.

If they are disbuds ( incurve, intermediate or reflex) they'll need taking around January/February time but if they are sprays you can leave these till March time if you want or you can take cuttings at the same time but box these up in to seed trays of 1 variety (throw away the original stools) and then when they have developed 3 or 4 leaves nip the top out and keep doing this until 4 weeks before you want to take your cuttings.

This is called the mother plant method and is how the commercial people produce the cuttings for cut flower production ( and how I take my Late spreay cuttings)

Any more info needed let me know.