Taking Cuttings

Remove a cutting from the stool (stock plant) and make a cut just below the node and insert 8 per 3.5in. pot in a 50/50 peat/sharp sand compost.

Propagating Frame

Bed the pots of cuttings in a bottom heated frame with peat and put the frame lights on leaving some ventilation

Potting Rooted Cuttings

When the cuttings are rooted gradually harden off and then pot into 3.5in. pots using a John Innes Potting No2 compost

Plants potted into 3.5in. pots

Early Chrysanths in Frame

After rooting early chrysanths can also be planted in tomato boxes rather than pots and put out into a cold frame.

Early Chrysanths Ready for Planting Out

Early Chrysanths are ready for planting out into open ground in early May

Stock for Late Struck Cuttings

Some types of chrysanth may be restruck as cuttings in June/July to reduce the overall height of plants. Cuttings taken of these varieties are taken at the normal time then boxed and put in a cold frame and stopped twice to produce cuttings later.

Late Struck Cuttings Potted and Staked

After rooting late struck cutttings are then potted into 5in. pots, stopped and staked, tying in regularly and grown on in a green house.

Charms in Frame

When the plants are well established they are put in a cold frame to harden off

Cascades in Frame

Charms Potted into 5in. pots

When the plants have a well established root system pot them into 5in. pots

Cascades potted into 5in. pots

Training Cascades

Training of cascades chrysdanths starts while they are in 5in. pots. Plants which are to cascade are trained at 45 degrees on a split cane and those for a pyramid trained upright (right) side shoots being pinched at every second pair of leaves. Those for standards have the side shoots removed.

Charms in 9in. pots

As the plants establish the are potted on to 9in. pots in a JIP3 potting compost and put onto a standing ground for the summer.

Cascades on Stand in 9in. pots

Cascades which you are wishing to cascade are put on a stand and bought down at 45 degrees on a large cane.

Cascade in Training

The side shoots of cascades are continually pinched at the second pair of leaves while the leader is regularly tied down to cane.

Cascades Trained as Standards

When the single stem has reached the desired height pinch leaving atleast 6 shoots to develop, these are then pinched at every second pair of leaves to create the head.

Cacades Trained as Pyramids

Training a pyramid is the same as a cscading form but trained upright.

Cascades Trained as a Fan

Cascdes can be trained into shapes as here as a fan. Two plants are potted into a 9in. pot and then pinched the same as a cascading plant but tied back against a wire frame