William Orange, from the Chrysanthemum Society, grows the chrysanthemums for his own enjoyment and has family connections. Chrysanthemums have been around for a long time, originating in China. They are the national flower of Japan and represented on early pottery. They came to England in 1789 which were then bred into named varieties in the early 19th century. New cultivars were produced in the late 19th century in England, Chicago and Healesville. They are not particularly hard to grow and are reasonably hardy and popular autumn flowers – their name comes from the Greek word for gold and is related to daisies.Main types can have a row of petals on the outside, have a pom pom form or come in sprays. There are spider types with the ends of the petals curling up or quills with a spoon shape on the end of the petals. Some have a large cushion of flowers in the centre, some petals grown inwards and others outward, giving a shaggy appearance. They are great in floral displaysTo grow, they need well drained soil and a warm sunny position protected from the wind. They like the soil to be firm around their roots and require adequate watering, especially when being established. They respond well to liquid fertiliser - feed them every four to six weeks. Pinch out the growing tips in November and focus on the best of the lateral stems to promote larger blooms. For show blooms, protect them from rain which would spoil them. Plants need to be divided every year or so to refresh them. You can take cuttings in early spring to strike in a propagation mixture. Pruning them will encourage extra stems. Pests to look out for are aphids and you can add Confidor to potted plants which will protect them for their lifetime – use around 50ml for a 10-inch pot. Mildew can be controlled with rose dust.They like slightly acidic soil – around pH 6.5 – use a solution of equal parts lime and dolomite to correct the soil.William spoke of the ‘Mother’s Day Pots’ – they need to be kept in a bright position and watered regularly – cut back to around six inches and plant out in the garden with slow release fertiliser when flowering is finished.To take cuttings, use a piece a couple of inches long – cut off near a node and spray with rose shield to protect against any fungal infection. Use a tiny pot with a mix of one-third coco peat and two-thirds coarse sand, slightly damp. Dip into rooting hormone; poke a hole in the propagating mix and plant. William uses a foam box with a clear lid to allow light and places this in a sheltered position. They will develop roots in a couple of weeks and will need to be transferred to larger pots progressively. Don’t disturb the roots. The Chrysanthemum Society has a plant sale each year – at the Burwood Uniting Church Hall - which is a great source of plants.The Society has a show in early May and William invited us to come along.
