JANUARY Tips
Cultural tips for late chrysanthemums
By now stools should have been removed from their pots or growing beds,
washed and trimmed, placed into new compost, and put on a heating cable if available,
it is wise to keep them growing steadily by giving a weak liquid feed,
this will encourage growth for which cuttings can be taken.
The reason for taking cuttings is to produce strong and vigorous plants, exactly as the
same as the plants grown last season.
Now is the time to take cuttings of the varieties you wish to grow.
The cuttings should be strong and about 2 inches in length. The cuttings should be inserted
into equal parts of peat and sharp sand or perlite, perlite does reflect light
so helps the speed of rooting, once cuttings have been inserted into the trays place them
on a cable, which should be set around 60 deg. f to 65 deg. f, give them a daily spray to keep
them from drying out,
If no heating cable is used, a polystyrene container can be used and covered over with glass. Make sure there is plenty of light and ventilation at all times, shade if the sunlight is
very strong, never let your cuttings dry out. Once your cuttings are rooted, this should have taken two weeks maybe a little longer without a cable, when the cuttings take on a greener look, this
is the time to take them off the cable or out of your polystyrene box to harden off on the bench.
For about two or three days at this stage of growth, try to keep the greenhouse temperature about 40f ,during the night by using electric fan heaters or paraffin, when using paraffin heaters. a small amount of air must be provided. ( Remember to keep them stools, it is better
to have a few late cuttings than no cuttings at all.)