I grow Apricot Courtier and Formcast because they flower early in the season and are very consistent. Both cultivars develop very heavy plants without much feeding. I have grown these cultivars for some time now - Apricot for ten years and Formcast for si x years.

Taking cuttings
The first cuttings are taken during the second week of December and then every seven days until the first week in January. Both cultivars produce an abundance of cuttings. My rooting medium is equal parts JI no 1 plus peat plus 3mm grit, I don't use hormone rooting powder. Cuttings are rooted on the open bench on a soil warming cable.

Potting on
Moving on is into 4" deep plastic trays using a JI no 1.5, cuttings are watered before moving, then water is withheld. Initially only about 2" of soil is put into the trays with more soil added as the plants grow. They will stay in these trays until planting out. There are only 8 plants per tray.

Stopping in batches
Stopping the plants takes place 10-12 weeks after rooting, starting at the end of the first week in March and then every 7 days. Just a small tip is taken out. I do no use growth retardant on these cultivars.

Preparing the plot
Ground preparation starts in October for the following season. I dig it over adding 8oz of 6X Concentrated manure to the square yard. Basamid is also incorpoated as I dig. I then roll the soil, flood it with water and cover it with polythene. The polythene is left on until February.

I usually have a soil test done professionally every two years, relying on DIY tests in between. For my base dressing I put on 2oz Vitax Q4 and 1oz Nitroform.

Covers up pre-planting
Covers are put on place 10 days before planting out, usually at the end of April. They are removed in the first week of June. Planting takes place about 10th May or thereabouts depending on the we ather. I grow about 300 plants, mostly reflexes. Planting is done using a domino five system with spacing about 22" x 18". I wait for about 10 days after planting before reducing the number of laterals. Most plants are planted out with three laterals, thi s is then reduced to two.

No feeding!
These varieties do not take to bloom feeding, they do not like feed at all! As I live in a wet area I tend to stay away from additional feeding.

Protecting plants and blooms
Spraying starts early in the season, ringing the changes: Sybols/Nimrod T, Tumbeblite/Tumblebug, Derris, Malathion, Murphy's Systemic every seven days. Since the black fly started I give a drench in between the seven days with a very weak mixture of Armillatox - this is sprayed on the bottom half of the plant.

Special attention is taken at bud time, making sure the buds are clean. These cultivars have a tendency to cock buds; I've tried taking the bud early and late but it still happens. The bud is cleared of all side growth by the time it is the size of a pea.

Covers go on during the first week in August. Normally there are quite a few flowers in colour by this time and these are double bagged with bud bags for about 10 days. I drench the buds with Pirimor and snip off the small bracts below the bud. Buds are s prayed up to the paint brush stage. I also smear Vaseline on the stem about 1.5" below the bud.

Preparing for exhibition
When cutting blooms for local shows I do not boil the stems, however if I am travelling any distance to a show then the stems are boiled. Blooms are normally cut 24 hours before the show. I expect to get an 80% cut from Apricot Courtier but only 50% from Formcast as this cultivar has the habit of lifting around the crown. Not much dressing is needed, just a g ood tidy up. Both cultivars are very heavy in the stem so there is no need for additional staging supports. They are easily matched for size, colour and stage of development.

End of season
I start to clean up the stools as soon as possible after the sho ws are finished. They are washed and trimmed ready for hot water treatment and all green growth is removed. The hot water treatment is carried out about 9 weeks before cuttings are required. After treatment stools are left to drip dry for two days, they a re then boxed up and sprayed and placed into the cold frame. Stools are taken into the greenhouse at the beginning of November when most of the stools are showing signs of life. These are two healthy cultivars, in my experience free from problems such as crown gall.

If you would like further information or wish to comment on this publication please send your e-mail to: paul.barlow@chrysanthemums.info

Last updated on 20 December, 2001