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CULTURAL POINTERS 
(Si Os P. otnters 
WATERING 
The knowledge of proper watering is essential to success. Chrysanthemums produce extremely heavy 
foliage and a great deal of water is required at the roots, and under ordinary conditions of bench cul- 
ture overwatering would be difficult. When grown in beds more care should be exercised in watering. 
After benching young plants grown in 2'4"' pots, spot watering around the plants is more desirable 
than watering the entire area. When the plants become established the entire area should be given 
a thorough watering. A trowel should be used to examine the soil to determine the necessity of water- 
ing. Some soils look wet on the surface but are very dry several inches below. 

When planting rooted cuttings directly into their permanent locations it is essential to water thoroughly 
to set the soil around the plant roots. We suggest double watering again when the soil gets on the 
dry side. By this time the plants are established and regular watering should be followed. Keep 
humidity in the house by wetting down bench and walks. 
Leaching 
Many greenhouse soils are excessively rich and chrysanthemums will not thrive in such a medium. If 
this is the case, the remedy is leaching with water. After the soil is sterilized it should be leached. 
Use a skinner line and allow it to run for hours if necessary. Raised benches do not require as much 
water to leach. 
Syringing 
During the heat of the summer it is beneficial to syringe or spray the foliage of chrysanthemums. 
When syringing is started around 8:00 A.M. and continued at regular intervals, with the help of 
a light shade on the glass, the house temperature can be kept down and the humidity raised within 
the house. When the growth becomes thick or when the nights get chilly discontinue all syringing. 
~Some growers who grow quality mums tell us that they do not syringe their crop during the entire 
season, 
TEMPERATURE 
This crop will make its most growth during cool weather. During the summer, syringing overhead plus 
a light shade on the glass will help keep the plants cool. 
Blindness 
Blindness may be a combination of late planting, late 
pinching, too much moisture, too rich a soil and too low 
a temperature at bud initiation. It has been shown that 
if chrysanthemums are grown in temperatures much below 
50° at the time of bud initiation the plants will remain 
vegetative and will not form flower buds. Blindness is 
usually associated with those varieties which flower the 
latter part of November or later. Not all varieties initiate 
buds at the same date. The late flowering varieties may 
not set bud until October. 
To overcome blind growth keep a night temperature of 
55 - 60° from September 15 on until the buds are visible. 
Likewise run the soil moisture low and do not feed during 
this period. After the buds are visible it is safe to reduce 
the temperature to 50°. 
When growing chrysanthemums "The Year Around” it is 
very important to maintain a temperature of 60° during 
the period of bud formation or blindness and poor bud- 
ding will result. 
Verticillium Wilt Showing Wilting 
of Lower Leaves 
