U RAL POINTERS 

COLE P ointers 
PLANTING 
Chrysanthemums grow equally as well on a raised bench or on a ground bed. The care is slightly 
different in that raised benches dry out more frequently during the summer and early fall months. 
It must be remembered that a good circulation of air is desirable, yet a direct draft is not advisable. 
Under shading information we have added the date of benching and you will note that we suggest 
planting in May and June depending on the date you wish to shade. The reason for earlier plant- 
ing is to allow the plant enough time to grow so that the stem length is sufficient when blooms 
are ready to cut. For normal culture it is our experience that too late a planting, such as in late 
July or August, does not pay. We would like to see all planting done in the month of June. 
Many florists are planting rooted cuttings directly into permanent locations. This not only reduces 
several handlings and production costs, but also produces a better quality bloom. We fully realize 
that it is often an impossibility for all to treat thair chrysanthemums this way. However, we have 
found that young, soft plants are superior to hard woody plants. We do not recommend the plant- 
ing of unrooted cuttings directly into the permanant locations as you may encounter a heavy loss. 
However, we suggest you try rooting the unrooted cuttings directly in pots. 
When planting rooted cuttings either into 2!/4"\ pots or directly into the bench it has been proven 
that if you dip the cuttings, roots and all into a solution of Fermate | ounce to 4 gallons of water 
they will become established faster as well as protecting the young plant from septoria leaf spot. 
If you plant in a cloth house or directly in the open be sure to add this to your must list. 
When planting rooted cuttings into their permanent position it is necessary to shade the glass or to 
put aster cloth directly over the nou plants long enough until they are established. When shading 
the glass be sure that the material be applied lightly. 
It is definitely advantageous to have some shade on the glass during the months of June and July 
when the light intensity is the highest. Cloth houses eliminate approximately one-third of the light and 
we all know what excellent results are obtained under this enclosure. Therefore, shading the glass 
lightly should likewise be beneficial. Remember not to allow the shade to remain on the glass too 
late in the season. 
For good quality pompons we prefer to plant 7x8 inches or 8x8 inches pinched once, and thin the 
shoots to three per plant. Nothing is gained by planting at a closer distance. Light intensity should 
be high at the base of the plant for quality blooms and if planted too close we have lost the factor 
which promotes quality. Large flowered varieties are generally planted 8x8 inches or 8x9 inches, this 
also applies to disbud anemone and single varieties. 
Several growers have had success by planting two plants to a hill, spacing the hills 10x10 inches, 
pinching once and allowing six sprays per hill. This will require a few more plants but it is claimed 
that when planted further apart it is easier to spray and string. A higher production per square foot 
is obtained. 
Knowledge of the varieties, date of benching as well as your method of growing will largely govern 
the distance of planting. 

Mildew | Verticillium Wilt 
