How to store chrysanthemums at home in winter

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Chrysanthemum is the real queen of autumn. It pleases with its beauty when other plants have already left to "rest" until spring. But it is difficult to care for this crop, especially when it comes to its wintering. We will tell you how to store chrysanthemums in winter.

Outdoor placement

If you live in cold climates, the upper stem of the plant may freeze due to the cold. If this does not work out, cut the shoots to ground level. Use a light, airy mulch. Evergreen tree branches are a good choice of mulch. This shelter will warm up a little and protect your plants from frost.

The biggest danger to chrysanthemums in winter is the constant moisture and ice that accumulates on the leaves. Another significant problem may lie in the alternating freezing and thawing of the soil.

To help your plants overcome these problems and protect them, it is important to keep the moisture within the normal range. One way to do this is to create a small mound of soil around each individual plant. You should also make a drainage channel next to the embankment.

It is also vital to use a light, airy mulch. It insulates the flower roots and provides some frost protection. In addition, it is best to keep the plants in the shade and away from strong drafts whenever possible.

In pots

You can also let the chrysanthemums overwinter in pots. You can process them after digging with a solution of copper sulfate in a ratio of 10 g to 0.5 liters of water. You can wait for the shoots to dry, then put the pots in a warm enough place for the winter. But this is a difficult method, because it is important to know how to prevent the death of plants, as well as to store them correctly.

Flowers should wilt naturally. Wait for this period, then dig them up and put them in pots. Move them to a cool but well-lit area. Water the plants, but not too vigorously.

Once the soil is dry to a depth of 5-6 cm, water the plants well. Water so that water flows out of the hole in the bottom of the pot.

Interesting! How to store begonia at home in winter

Keeping plants in a cool and bright place will help them overwinter without any problems. Once the frost has passed, the flowers can be planted outdoors again. It is best to do this after the risk of frost has disappeared.

But if new shoots have not yet formed, you can plant them even at low temperatures at night. If new leaves have appeared, you must wait until the frost has passed. Then they can be planted on the street.

When preparing to transplant chrysanthemums, acclimate them gradually. You should first place them in a sheltered part of the garden, preferably in partial shade. Keep them there during the day, but remember to move them to the coolest room in the house at night.

Do this as long as there is a significant difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures. During the period, as soon as the temperature has evened out, you can leave the plants outside. Finally, when the danger of frost is over, plant them again in the garden. Be sure to add some flowering fertilizer to get your plants to bloom early.

Wintering cuttings in a greenhouse

If the gardener on the site has a winter greenhouse, loggia, veranda or other room in which a stable temperature from 0 to +5 ° C can be maintained in winter, then the most convenient place for storing chrysanthemums is here.

Cut plants that have entered the hibernation phase are placed in pots or (if it is a winter garden) the root system is transferred to large containers. The substrate should be loose and water-permeable and slightly damp.

In the basement

It is preferable to place rhizomes in a cellar or basement in winter and cover them with soil. Shrubs should be close to each other. In this way, the roots receive a constant supply of moisture and nutrients, and your attention is practically not required.

At an acceptable temperature in the cellar (from 0 to 4 ° C), young shoots will not appear, and the rhizomes of chrysanthemums will not freeze. At higher temperatures, the shrubs quickly wake up from hibernation and begin to grow vigorously in the middle of winter.

As a result, the shoots become too thin for outdoor planting. For this reason, it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature and avoid sudden changes.

When storing in a basement, it is important to avoid the formation of mold. In this case, additional care, in particular, spraying is not required. But you should check the plants once or twice a month. The main problem you may face is rot. If you find traces of it on single plants, remove them right away and spray all other flowers with an antifungal solution.

Interesting! How to store begonia at home in winter

Other suitable storage space

In case there is no basement, the following options are suitable:

• unheated country house or car garage;
• terrace;
• windproof shed;
• loggia in the apartment.

Florists are interested in how to store chrysanthemums in an apartment in winter. It is inappropriate to leave the excavated rhizomes of the culture to winter at home. The plant senses the onset of a dormant phase. Without proper daylight hours and lack of sunlight on the windowsill, it will dry out. Alternatively, you can place the cuttings pots on a glazed loggia or balcony, covering them with a loose woven fabric.

The rhizomes of the flowering plants in question, stored in summer cottages, garages or terraces, are best wrapped in an air-permeable cloth. If possible, once a month, the containers are slightly moistened. This is especially important for the globular variety of this crop. In the event that a growth has arisen, it must be cut.

Outcomes

1. It is not recommended to store garden varieties of chrysanthemums in an apartment, since this can literally confuse the plant, which can cause it to die.
2. If the soil in your area does not freeze too much, you can leave the flowers in the soil by protecting them with a covering material.
3. If your area is characterized by harsh winters, remove the cuttings and pots with root systems in the basement, or on a loggia or balcony, remembering to cover them with breathable material, but not too warm.