Large -Flowered Chrysanthemums Outdoors— By h. g. Taylor, 



AN AMATEUR'S ACCOUNT OF HIS SUCCESS WITH THE FLORISTS' SHOW VARIETIES 

 AS HARDY BORDER PLANTS— EXACT INSTRUCTIONS FOR GROWING FOUR-INCH 

 BLOOMS, AND A COMPLETE EXPOSITION OF THE DELICATE ART OF DISBUDDING 



New 

 Jersey 



GREAT was my satisfaction in demon- 

 strating that the early varieties of the 

 large-flowered chrysanthemums could be 

 successfully grown out of doors. I prefer 

 to have my plants in the open border, where 

 they lend their beauty to the general scheme 

 of the garden. I have no greenhouse, and 

 I do not want one! 



Planting out is done the latter half of April, 

 either from division of the old roots that have 



been outdoors all winter, or from new plants 

 that I buy from the florists, as I try a few 

 novelties each year. 



Division of the old plants and roots and 

 replanting each spring is a necessary detail 

 if you want flowers , of size and quality. 

 Plants that have wintered in the open ground 

 are dug up as soon as they have made new 

 growths of two or three inches. They are 

 carefully broken into separate pieces, taking 



The best quality chrysanthemum blooms are generally produced by terminal buds, but crown buds give the 

 larger flowers. Figs. 4 and 6, crown buds; Figs. 1,2 and 10 terminal buds; Figs. 5, 6,7, show methods of 

 pinching, and when to do it. Fig. 3 a terminal cluster after disbudding. Figs. 9 and 10 show how disbudding 

 makes the solitary bloom larger than when several buds are left on the stem. Fig. 8, development of Fig. 7 



274 



some roots with each sprout, if possible, 

 as I find that this gives the plant an earlier 

 start, which makes it much stronger. 



As chrysanthemums are what the gardeners 

 call "gross feeders," the ground is made 

 very rich by spading in an abundance of 

 old manure. The bed in which they are 

 planted is raised slightly above the general 

 surface of the garden, so as to secure good 

 drainage, and all through the season I am 

 careful to keep plenty of free space around 

 the chrysanthemum plants, so that they are 

 open to both light and air, which results in 

 a healthy sturdy growth, that counts for 

 much when flowering time comes. 



If I want to grow the plants to a single 

 bloom, one foot apart is ample space to 

 allow when planting. If they are to be 

 allowed to make four or five stems they 

 will need at least eighteen inches, and not 

 less than two feet in each direction if the 

 plants are to be pinched back several times, 

 so as to make large bushes. 



After the plants have been set out, there is 

 very little attention required other than 

 training. I do not know of any plant that 

 grows so easily as the chrysanthemum, if 

 given anything like a fair chance. 



THE ART OF DISBUDDING 



To grow large flowers in my backyard I 

 have to follow the methods of the professional 

 florist so far as disbudding and staking the 

 plants is concerned. It means a lot of work 

 and close attention all the season, and in 

 midsummer I may feel like giving up, but 

 when the October blooms come I feel that 

 after all I am well repaid! 



The largest flowers are grown on plants 

 which are allowed to develop but one stem, 

 and only one bud on that stem. All side 

 shoots are removed as soon as they appear, 

 in order to throw the entire strength into 

 the one flower. The art of chrysanthemum 

 growing centres in a knowledge of the differ- 

 ent flower buds and their qualities. A ref- 

 erence to the photographs will make this 

 plainer. The plant produces two kinds of 

 bud — -"crown" and "terminal." The 

 "crown" is a solitary bud, and the first to 

 appear, forming on the top of the stalk be- 

 fore the branches start (Figs. 4 and 6). Ter- 

 minal buds come in clusters at the ends of 

 the final branches which the plant sends out, 

 and which terminate the season's growth, 

 (Figs. 1, 2, 10). 



CROWN BUDS FOR LARGEST FLOWERS 



When growing for an individual flower 

 of the largest size, a crown bud is generally 

 selected, and all side shoots nipped off as 

 soon as they start (Fig. 6). The first crown 

 bud (Fig. 6), although capable of producing 

 an immense flower, is often deficient in 

 coloring matter, and otherwise lacking in 

 the essentials of a perfect flower. Therefore 



mmm 



■unm 



