Why am I talking about Chrysanthemums at the onsets of monsoons.. ! ! Isn't it a winter plant!?
Chrysanthemums are first flowers of the winter season in the northern plains. They grow in bunches, stay for long, come in varied colors ranging from white, to pink, to deep magenta, to yellow and even blood red! They are ideal for container gardening, in fact they look much better in containers than if planted directly to the soil.
They produce their first bloom around september, so yes, if you are planning to rear them from saplings, this is the time to begin!! in fact you should plant them sooner rather than later.
How to 'Option 1': Saplings
Saplings are usually available in the nurseries. However, in the recent years, Delhi nurseries rather want to make people buy full bloom plants rather than saplings (because of obvious difference in profit margins), so they are becoming increasingly difficult to procure.
How to 'Option 2': Cuttings
Guldoudi plants are rather easy to grow from cuttings. So, what you need to do is take 4-6 inch cuttings from an older plant, rip off the leaves on bottom half, and plant 4-5 cuttings together. Planting multiple cuttings together facilitates a 'fuller' container, once they are in bloom. They might wilt initially but should be fine in a couple of days.
Caring for your newly planted Chrysanthemums:
1. Show them morning sun for a couple of weeks, but keep them away from harsh noon sunrays.
2. In case of cuttings, please make sure that the donor plant is healthy, as guldoudis are quite prone to pest attacks.
Here is a picture of the second option to give you some idea on how a newly planted set of cuttings may look:
Chrysanthemums are first flowers of the winter season in the northern plains. They grow in bunches, stay for long, come in varied colors ranging from white, to pink, to deep magenta, to yellow and even blood red! They are ideal for container gardening, in fact they look much better in containers than if planted directly to the soil.
 |
| White Chrysanthemums... my yesteryear produce |
How to 'Option 1': Saplings
Saplings are usually available in the nurseries. However, in the recent years, Delhi nurseries rather want to make people buy full bloom plants rather than saplings (because of obvious difference in profit margins), so they are becoming increasingly difficult to procure.
How to 'Option 2': Cuttings
Guldoudi plants are rather easy to grow from cuttings. So, what you need to do is take 4-6 inch cuttings from an older plant, rip off the leaves on bottom half, and plant 4-5 cuttings together. Planting multiple cuttings together facilitates a 'fuller' container, once they are in bloom. They might wilt initially but should be fine in a couple of days.
Caring for your newly planted Chrysanthemums:
1. Show them morning sun for a couple of weeks, but keep them away from harsh noon sunrays.
2. In case of cuttings, please make sure that the donor plant is healthy, as guldoudis are quite prone to pest attacks.
Here is a picture of the second option to give you some idea on how a newly planted set of cuttings may look:
 |
| Day 1: Chrysanthemum cuttings |
