I grow the Enbee Wedding family of sprays because in my opinion they are the best early spray single ever released. Candlewick Limelight in comparison is a more recent release but nevertheless a very useful single cultivar.

Taking cuttings
I take cuttings towards the e nd of February, perhaps even into early March. I do use a hormone rooting powder as I think it has a beneficial effect. In the past I've noticed that the hormone rooting container was date-stamped underneath and contained a warning that the powder was only effective for one year. On more recent purchases this information is no longer printed so I'm not sure whether the formulation has changed to extend the life of the powder or whether I'm using in-effective powder. The compost I use consists of re-steri lised compost from the previous years crop, supplemented by the addition of fresh peat to make up the quantity required. No grit is added as this is recycled in the compost from last year. A small amount of fertiliser is added to the rooting mix. All my cuttings are rooted on a propagating bench in 6" square strawberry containers with individual transparent tops.

Potting on
I use 3.5" square pots for the first move followed by 5" square pots for the second move. Again the compost used is based on the re-sterilised remains of last years compost. The final potting is into 7" or 8" pots - I grow all my sprays in pots.

Stopping
Stopping takes place in stages - 1st April, 15th April and 21st April. I've noticed that with the Enbees every new sport seems to be flowering earlier than the previous one. When Enbee Wedding was first released I could just about get flowers for the last week in September, last year (1996) I had most sports ready during August!

Counting down
Most plants are grown with two flowering stems, although some may be reduced to one if there is only one good lateral produced after the stop. Counting down takes place after the final potting.

Summer quarters
I grow my sprays wherever I can find space in my garden - some will be stoo d in the cold frame, others against the greenhouse and others in the open in lines supported by wires. I don't spray my plants at all preferring to use a granular soil based systemic insecticide.

Feeding with every watering
Light feeding is carried out at every watering. As I am using relatively small containers they dry out almost daily, if I was to use plain water then I'm sure this would simply leach away the feed I had applied on the previous day.

Building the spray head
The break bud is removed when it is about a quarter of an inch in size and all side growths are initially allowed to develop. After a few weeks I remove all side growth below the twelfth break on the Enbees. With Candlewick Limelight it is different as this cultivar will produce only 4 or 5 blooms on each stem so there are fewer side growths to be removed.

As the pedicels extend I use spacers to position them while they are still soft. I've found the large plastic ice cream straws best for this job. Cut to various lengths and w ith a 'v' cut in each end they are positioned between the pedicels for about two weeks, after which the stems have hardened and will remain in place. Covers are erected over the developing sprays when colour begins to show, I use polythene on roll-up slats for this job.

Exhibition
Stems are usually cut one day before the show, as each stem it cut it is inspected and if of a high enough quality the stool is marked with a twistit to indicate that it is suitable for propagation next year. I have never needed to boil the stems of sprays. They always appear to be capable of taking up water.

End of season
When flowering has finished all stools are knocked out of their pots, roots trimmed, green growth removed, boxed up and stored outside in the cold frame. They are kept on the dry side until January (weather permitting) when they are brought back into the greenhouse to begin the propagation cycle once again.

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