This Is How Pro Gardeners Grow Chrysanthemum Plants With Abundant Flowers
Chris is a gardening writer and nature enthusiast. He graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2022 with an MA in Psychology. Chris works with the Leeds Green Action Society, helping their food cooperative by growing various fruit and vegetables on their two allotments in Hyde Park, Leeds.
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.
Chrysanthemum – or “mums”, as they are affectionately called – are one of the most popular flowers among gardeners, and rightly so!
With their vibrant shades of violet, yellow, red, and orange, they are sure to add a burst of glorious colour to any garden.
Not only will this beautiful plant bring luscious flowers to your garden, but choosing the right variety will prove to be a gift that keeps giving year after year.
They are also fairly easy to grow.
Overview
| Botanical Name | Chrysanthemum |
| Common Name | Mums |
| Plant Type | Perennial / Annual Flower |
| Native Area | East Asia and North-East Europe |
| Hardiness Rating | H3-H4 |
| Foliage | Aromatic, pinnately lobed leaves |
| Flowers | Flower heads diverse in hue and form |
| When To Sow | April, May |
| Flowering Months | September, October |
| When To Prune | October |
Sunlight
Preferred
Full Sun
Exposure
Sheltered
Size
Height
1 – 1.5M
Spread
0.1 – 0.5M
Bloom Time
September – October
Soil
Preferred
Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture
Moist but well drained
pH
Any
Of all daisies, none have been bred and cultivated as much as the chrysanthemum, whose name means “Golden Flower”.1Chrysanthemum – The Golden Flower. (n.d.). Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.kfbg.org/en/KFBG-blog/post/Chrysanthemum-The-Golden-Flower
Originally cultivated in China as a herb, these hardy plants bloom from September to frost and are accentuated by their deep green leaves.
Being relatively inexpensive they have kept their place as a firm favourite in gardens around the world, up there with other big names like roses, tulips, and carnations.
Are Chrysanthemums Annual Or Perennial?
There are hundreds of different varieties of chrysanthemum, and people often ask whether they are annual or perennial.
The short answer is both – it depends on the variety. However, annual varieties are more commonly grown as potted plants.
Here is an annual variety known as Corn Marigold that I successfully grew from seed last year:
How To Grow Chrysanthemum
When planting your Chrysanthemum, timing is everything.
No doubt you want to fill your garden with their loaded blooms, and understanding what they need to thrive will give you the best chance to do just that.
Planting
Obviously it’s important to read about the exact flower you are planting, but as a general rule of thumb, planting perennial chrysanthemums is best done in the spring.
This gives the flower a chance to establish itself over the months and adapt to its new home.
Giving the root system time to grow stronger over the summer and autumn will help ensure your chrysanthemum survives the winter.
Soil Requirements
Chrysanthemums are best suited to well-draining soil with plenty of moisture.
While in theory it is possible to grow them in hard dry soil, be aware that this will prevent the roots from properly establishing themselves.
At the other end of the spectrum, wet boggy soil risks drowning the roots.
To create the ideal soil for your Chrysanthemum, work the soil down to a depth of around 20-30cm.
Follow this by adding some compost and mix it in to a depth of 5-10cm.
When you squeeze the soil in your hand it shouldn’t clump together, it should just gently crumble.
Spacing
Spacing is extremely important when planting chrysanthemums.
When you first plant them the garden might still feel quite bare, but don’t be tempted to plant them too closely together.
By the autumn after the spring planting, your flowers could be up to three feet high!
They are known to increase in size yearly as well, so keep this in mind and make allowances when planting.
“I grow chrysanthemums in pots as I like to use them in a seasonal pot display in autumn,” says Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant with previous experience at The Eden Project.
“This will also allow you to control the soil conditions if your soil is heavy and to move the plant to favourable positions in the garden.”
Sunlight
Chrysanthemums love the sun.
A nice little secret about this plant is that when it senses the change in light as evenings become darker in late summer, it will begin to set buds.
Planting your chrysanthemums near artificial lights is a way to take advantage of this, and lengthen their bloom time.
Ongoing Plant Care
As we’ve mentioned, chrysanthemums are not difficult plants to grow and are pretty low-maintenance.
That said, having a good care plan will ensure you really get the most out of them and will keep your garden bright and colourful.
Watering
As we said earlier, chrysanthemums thrive in well-drained soil with plenty of moisture.
Watering this plant evenly and regularly throughout spring, summer, and autumn will keep it strong and healthy.
We recommend watering in the morning to a depth of about 20cm, directing the water to the base of the plant.
Pruning
Chrysanthemums don’t actually need pruning, but “pinching” them throughout the growing season is important; this will allow your plants to branch out and flourish.
In autumn, deadhead when necessary until the flower ceases to bloom.
When your chrysanthemum dies back for winter, don’t cut it back.
Allowing it to die back naturally will usually produce a much stronger and healthier plant the following year.
Feeding
To give your chrysanthemums the very best chance to flourish, fertilising is highly recommended.
Feed them with a well-balanced, all-purpose fertiliser and do so consistently throughout the vegetative stages.
This will prevent premature flowering and ultimately help your plants grow even larger and more luscious.
Once your chrysanthemum flowers are in bloom, switch to a balanced, water-soluble fertiliser and apply monthly from early spring through summer.
Common Issues
Chrysanthemums really are a low maintenance plant, and although they are at risk from some diseases, they seldom have any trouble if you care for them well.
Pests
The main suspects to watch out for are mites, thrips, aphids, and earwigs. And slugs and snails of course!
To deal with these mini-beasts use either insecticidal soap spray or a good strong blast from your hose to remove them from the foliage.
Diseases
Among the most common diseases to watch out for, fungal diseases are the easiest to spot and can be dealt with quickly.
Keep an eye out for leaf spot, powdery mildew, rust, and moulds.
There are a multitude of very effective anti-fungal sprays that can be bought from any gardening centre, although with some fungal problems, removing the parts of the plant that are infected is necessary to prevent it from spreading.
Some of the pests mentioned above can also spread viral problems, many of which sadly have no cure – look for signs of stunted growth and yellowing foliage.
Unfortunately if you determine the plant is suffering from a viral issue, you may need to destroy it.
Sad though this is, keep in mind that it is very unlikely: providing you are caring for your chrysanthemum well, they rarely contract diseases.
Chrysanthemums are a timeless favourite and welcome addition to any British garden.
They are colourful, versatile, and surprisingly hardy for such a pretty flower.