Chrysanthemums reliably mark the transition to autumn, providing a welcome flash of color among the muted seasonal hues. They bloom profusely from early autumn to frost in jewel tones, from deep reds and purples to bright golds, oranges and pastel pinks. From a blanket of flowers to showy cut flowers, different varieties add intrigue to the display.
Color infusion requires energy to occur, from bud establishment to a long-lasting show. With nutritionally rich soils and light, timely feedingsthe number and size of buds and flowers increase. With a limited, strategic application of fertilizers or organic amendments, your fall mums will bloom bold and bright.
Do all moms need fertilization?
Hardy mums benefit from rich, humus, organic soil to thrive. With the right foundation, they don’t need fertilizer to bloom, but can have a looser shape to accompany their profusion of flowers. The elegant mound habit is a beautiful addition to border borders and along the tops of walls.
Fertilizer provides the benefits of supporting strong, thick stems and a couple greater number of flowers and more prominent mom flowers. At the right time, additional nutrients prevent premature budding and flowering by promoting leaf growth before the bud stage. Boosts vigorous plants for fresh, green foliage and increased bud formation.
Commercial growers depend on fertilizers for those perfect specimens we find in the fall. Fortunately, applications are less intensive in the home garden and range from organic soil amendments to liquid feeds.
Types of fertilizers for moms
Fertilizing chrysanthemums is a simplified process, limited to a couple of times per season. He The timing and method are important.since food is most valuable during the vegetative stage. Additional nutrients during this phase, especially nitrogen and potassium, support healthy leaf and root development.
Before chrysanthemums go into the soil, amend the soil with compost or organic material. Blood meal, bone meal or vegetables increase the available nutrients. Choose your fertilizer and method as to when and how to apply it.
Different fertilizers for chrysanthemums:
Soil amendments applied during planting/as fertilizer:
- Compost
- leaf mold
- blood meal
- bone-meal
- green sand
- Alfalfa
Additional opportune applications:
- Controlled Release Granular
- Slow release granular
- Liquid food (water-soluble types, including fish emulsion, seaweed, and compost tea)
Be careful not to over-fertilize. More is not better when it comes to applications. An excessive amount or inadequate application time causes excess nitrogen. Excess nitrogen promotes rapid overproduction of vegetative growth. The result is weak, long and languid branches. Fewer buds are produced as leaf growth consumes the plant’s energy. The excess salts that remain damage the roots. Following application guidelines and measurements prevents overfertilization.
Application timing
It is best to feed mums before the budding stage and the intense heat of summer. TO spring and summer applicationDepending on the type of fertilizer, this is usually all that is needed. If you don’t intend to keep it blooming beyond this season, don’t bother fertilizing it. Specimens in nursery pots come already fed and ready to flower and will not benefit from additional resources.
Aim for a balanced (or nearly so) NPK (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) ratio. Nitrogen promotes leaf and stem growth, phosphorus stimulates roots and flowering, and potassium produces strong branches. Avoid too high a phosphorus (P) number to prevent premature flowering when buds emerge too early in the season.
When to fertilize, depending on the type:
- controlled release granular (such as 10-10-10, 7-6-5, 6-2-4) – spring (April-May) and summer (June-mid-July). The grains decompose to provide food with irrigation.
- liquid feeding (like 15-15-15): monthly from April/May until mid-July, when the buds begin to set. The foliage and roots directly absorb nutrients after application.
- Slow release granular (like 10-10-10, 8-8-8,12-6-6) – once a season, in spring. Pearls release nutrients all season long as they slowly break down with normal water.
Controlled release tends to last a few months, with more release during warm temperatures (above 70°F or 21°C) and with rainfall and irrigation. Slow release is maintained for an entire season and is released on a variable basis. Liquid foods are quickly absorbed into tissues and roots and require more frequent application, once a month.
When to start and stop
The timing of adding nutrients depends on the stage of the plant you are starting at. Start with a well balanced fertilizer in planting for buried mothers and in containers. For newly transplanted divisions or if setting up a potted crop, wait a few weeks to apply a balanced formula.
Young, tender transplants need time to establish roots, and display-ready pots are usually fertilized before they are sold and flowered. For established perennials, start a regimen in spring after the frosts have passed. Wait until new growth emerges and reaches four to six inches tall.
Stop fertilizing when buds begin to develop in early to mid-summer. This is when plants need direct energy to flowering instead of producing leafy growth. Stopping fertilizer also protects against encouraging stressful overgrowth during periods of intense heat, when growth naturally slows. Some gardeners choose to use a high-phosphorus fertilizer in the fall to promote root growth before overwintering (without hindering flowering).
Apply nutrients
Early in the day is the best time to apply fertilizer, out of the direct rays of the afternoon sun. Even better if you have cloudy conditions, which helps prevent leaf burn. Rinse leaves, stems and roots with water immediately after granular applications to remove dust and avoid direct contact.
If planting a larger area or a mixed arrangement in poor soil, use a “bulk” method applying one to one and a half pounds per 100 square feet and working into the soil.
When using granules, distribute them evenly around the base of the plant, keeping the grains away from the stems. Uniform distribution helps Avoid hot spots and prevent burn damage..
Liquid and water-soluble ones work as a foliar feed and root drench. Spray the foliage and root zone to distribute nutrients. Plants absorb and use liquid foods quickly, so they are applied more frequently than granules.
Other soil considerations
Establish healthy foundations with organically rich, franc floors and good drainage It is the best situation for chrysanthemums, which will depend less on fertilizers. It is also useful to know the pH of the soil for growing ornamental plants. Like most garden selections, moms prefer neutral to slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. If your mothers show signs of yellowing despite fertilizing them (first, make sure watering problems or pests are not the problem), there may be a pH imbalance.
Fall is an ideal time to perform a soil test, which is also the best way to determine pH. home kits who interpret the results and offer recommendations help evaluate soil conditions and what needs improvement. The local university extension office is another resource for testing and recommendations.
When it comes to soil pH, beneficial microorganisms do their best work in neutral to slightly acidic soils. An off-base acidity or alkalinity level affects the roots’ ability to access and absorb nutrients. Beneficial microbes have a difficult time breaking down organic matter to nourish the roots.
If your soil is alkaline, it has high pH levels (above 7.5). Soils with a high pH are less soluble, making them harder for roots to absorb nutrients. By not being able to access nutrients, the result is yellowing leaves (chlorosis) and lack of vigor. adding garden sulfur It lowers the pH level and makes them less alkaline over time.
In soils with low pH (acidic), essential macronutrients such as calcium, phosphorusand magnesium become less available. An excess of aluminum causes toxicity at high levels. Soil modification in autumn. with garden file Helps balance the pH level for the next season.
