Chysanthemums are also known as winter aster due to their late flowering period. They delight us with their colorful blooms when summer flowers and perennials have long since faded. How to plant the perennial for a long and he althy flowering period.
How and when do you plant chrysanthemums correctly?
Chrysanthemums should ideally be planted in spring or early summer in a sunny to partially shaded location with well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. The planting distance depends on the variety and is about half the expected height.
When are chrysanthemums planted?
It's best to plant chrysanthemums - like most other flowering perennials - in spring or early summer. However, the magnificent autumn bloomers are often only available in stores from September onwards. In this case, you should leave the plants in the pot during the cold season and overwinter in a cool but frost-free place.
By the way, many chrysanthemums in this country are sufficiently hardy to overwinter outdoors - provided the plants have had enough time to take root and grow. However, varieties declared as not hardy should not be planted out.
Which location is optimal for chrysanthemums?
Plant the chrysanthemums in a location that is as sunny as possible because the perennial needs a lot of light to bloom beautifully. But be careful: these demanding plants don't particularly like sunny locations, possibly with intense midday sun. In such a place they will usually only bloom for a short time. However, if you choose a light or semi-shady place, the flowering period will be longer.
You should also exercise caution when it comes to the soil: Although chrysanthemums need a lot of water, they cannot tolerate permanently moist soil or even waterlogging. A protected, bright place with dry, nutrient-rich soil is ideal.
What planting distance do chrysanthemums need?
The distance at which you plant chrysanthemums in the bed depends on the specific variety. There are large and small varieties, each requiring a different amount of space. For popular varieties with a height of up to approx. 85 centimeters such as 'Ordensstern' or 'Citronella' you should plan a distance of approx. 40 to 50 centimeters, for smaller ones such as 'Mandarine' correspondingly less. As a rule of thumb to calculate the ideal planting distance, you can use this formula:
Expected height divided by 2
Please also note the expected growth width, which is often specified by the provider.
How to plant chrysanthemums?
When planting the chrysanthemum, it is best to proceed as follows:
- Unpot the young plant and place it in a bucket of water.
- Dig planting pit
- should be about twice as big and deep as the root ball
- Mix the excavated material with compost (€12.00 on Amazon) and horn shavings
- Plant the plant up to the height of the root collar
- Press the soil well
- tie tall varieties to support rod
- pour well
By the way, the so-called garden chrysanthemums can still be planted in the garden bed in autumn - but only after flowering and when the ground is still warm enough for them to take root. These specimens also need good winter protection.
Tip
Which plants are suitable as planting partners for chrysanthemums?
Chrysanthemums only bloom very late in the year, when all other flowering plants have already faded. Nevertheless, they can be combined well with some grasses (e.g. feather grass or Japanese grass), as well as with upholstery perennials such as autumn asters or gerberas. You can also plant chrysanthemums with different flower colors that harmonize with each other.