I grow Salmon Enbee Frill and Goodlife Sombrero because they are both early flowering cultivars which are normally available from mid to late August. Both are excellent for colour.

Propagation
I take the cuttings around the second week in January, using a mix of 50% soilless compost and 50% perlite. After the cuttings have rooted they are transferred to trays for approximately four weeks and then transferred to fish boxes until it's time to plant out. The compost mix for this stage consists of 50% John Innes no 1 and 50% Soilless.

Stopping
The plants are stopped around the second week in April by removing a small section of the growing tip.

Ground preparation
The bed is dug during February and dung is added every second year. A base dressing is applied every year at a rate of 2 oz per square yard just before planting out.

Planting out
Planting out is done during the third week in May. There are three rows to a bed with 18" between rows and 16" between plants. I grow 15 to 20 plants of each cultivar. When planting out each plant is reduced to 2 laterals.

Feeding
The feed the plants receive is basis Chempak no 3 at the end of June and July - no additional feeding is given.

Plant protection
The plants are sprayed on a 10 day cycle with a combined insecticide/fungicide mixture.

Spray development, protection and exhibition
When the buds begin to show they are taken down to 10 buds approximately three weeks before full bloom. Spacers are used to position the blooms and prevent them touching. When colour begins to show I put covers on to protect the developing blooms from the effects of rain and bright sunlight. When cutting for a show I cut 2 days beforehand and cut six stems for a vase of five so that there is always a spare in case of damage in transit. I always inspect the blooms to make sure there are no marked petals or insects, if found these are carefully removed. When the showing season is over around the end of September, the plants are cut down and lifted around the middle of October and put in boxes of approximately six plants of each variety.

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