Free garden tracker 1st time grower8/18/2023 High levels of fertilizer help prevent early bud set. During the vegetative growth period, plants should be fertilized at each watering at a rate of 250-300 ppm using a complete fertilizer such as 20-10-20. Prolonged rainy periods will require additional fertilization to get plants growing. Weather is an important consideration for plants grown outdoors. Begin fertilization as soon as rooted cuttings are planted. Plants that undergo water stress are more likely to initiate premature flower buds.įertilization. It is critical to keep plants actively growing in the early stages. Regardless of the watering system you use, do not allow plants to wilt particularly during the time before the lateral shoots (breaks) from the second pinch are at least one inch long. To prevent foliar diseases always water early enough in the day to allow the foliage to dry before evening hours. Overhead irrigation is satisfactory and inexpensive but the umbrella effect caused by the leaves and the effect of wind results in a lot of wasted water. Whenever possible, irrigate garden mums automatically (spaghetti tubes, drip tubes, subirrigation). They may initiate flower buds under photoperiods in excess of 12 hours (spring and summer). The plants will almost always continue to grow and develop into a quality fall crop. If premature budding occurs, buds should be pinched off, and adequate moisture and fertilizer supplied. With several cool nights in a row, garden mums can initiate many buds prematurely which results in early flowering of the plants. Here in Massachusetts we can experience very cool nights in June. However, temperature has a greater influence than daylength on flowering of garden mums. Both flower initiation and development of the flower buds occur more rapidly under short days than long days. The Ball Mum catalog states that new varieties pinch themselves by producing premature buds that do not develop but cause branching to occur. When in doubt, talk to your supplier about the varieties being grown. If both terminal and lateral buds have developed when cuttings arrive, it is best not to plant them, as they most likely will not perform satisfactorily. This will force out lower breaks which tend to be more vegetative. When cuttings with terminal flower buds are planted, they should be pinched hard (allow 4-5 leaves to remain) when they are turgid (4-5 days after planting). If terminal flower buds are observed when cuttings arrive, they should perform satisfactorily. Garden mums initiate flower buds easily and develop rapidly, especially if plants are stressed in any way. Some growers prefer to initially plant the cuttings in small containers and transplant them later into their final larger containers when more space is available.Ĭrown Buds on Cuttings. The final initial irrigation should contain 200 ppm each of nitrogen and potassium using 20-10-20. Irrigate the medium after planting at least two times, and three if necessary, until the growth medium is wet. Plant cuttings at the same level cuttings were in the cell pack. Larger 12-inch and 20-inch are used as novelty plants.The potting mix should be moist but not sopping wet. Most garden mums are grown with one rooted cutting planted per 8-inch mum pan or similar sized container. The pH for a soil-based medium should be 6.3 to 6.7 and 5.8 to 6.2 for a soilless medium. The mix must be free of insects, disease organisms, weeds, and toxic chemicals such as herbicides. Any growth medium that is well-drained and aerated may be used for planting. Be certain that the rooting medium is slightly damp. Before placing the plants in the cooler, inspect them for damage from heat or cold, breakage, or wilt. If necessary cuttings may be stored for 2-3 days in a cooler at 33-40✯. It is best to plant rooted cuttings immediately. The most common market for garden mums continues to be late summer and fall which will be the focus of this fact sheet. Garden mums can also be shaded and grown for markets in July and August. In the spring, garden mums can be sold as green plants along with perennial crops, or as flowering plants where they can be planted by the consumer to flower again in the fall. While most growers view garden mums as a fall commodity, the possibility of enhancing spring and summer sales should not be overlooked.
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