Bie db SURESK. MUM S 
Lights 
Light all plants between planting date and “start shade’ 
date as follows: 
During Hours per During Hours per 
night night 
ZNULOUS tees See ees 2 PADUA LYS oot Me eins gee 5 
September aa. naw 2 ome aay CDIUA Tyan ek eet entero 4 
October pn nee 3 INGA Chine eee rete ee 3 
November <7, acta see 4 TAPTIP Re needa ote A 
December oa. a eee 5 
Artificial light is not necessary between May | and August 1 
because days are normally long enough to prevent budding. 
One Pinch, Two Pinches, or Three? 
It seems to be a question of what price plant your trade 
calls for. A three-inch plant is heavier and finer—but it takes 
three weeks longer to grow than a two-pinch plant. Three 
pinches mean more disbudding, watering, spraying, and the 
cost of pinching, too. The same differences apply between 
two pinches and one pinch. In general it is possible to make 
up for the difference between one and two-pinch plants by 
using more cuttings—many growers do. A two-pinch 6 inch 
plant in the spring may bring $1.50 (wholesale) where a 
single pinch (same number of cuttings) flowered at the same 
time would go for $1.25. 
In general it seems that most plants produced in the Janu- 
ary-March period are single-pinch plants—perhaps partly be- 
cause space is at more of a premium then. Spring plants 
(flowered April-June) are predominantly single-pinch, but 
two-pinch plants are grown during this period. Plants flow- 
ered in summer are usually two-pinch, with some pinched 
three times. Toward fall more and more three-pinch plants 
are grown. 
Two-pinch plants tend to be not quite so tall as three-pinch 
plants. 
There are schedules where the grower pots the cutting, 
pinches, and starts to shade all on the same date—“‘pot, pinch, 
and shade.” In general, recent experience seems to favor a 
period of at least a week or two between planting cuttings 
and the shade-pinch date. 
About Temperatures 
At least a 60° minimum temperature must be provided be- 
tween “‘start shade’ date and formation of buds. As with 
cut Mums, this can be provided in a 50-55° house by setting 
plants on a raised bench, covering them with sateen after 
dark, and turning on pipe below the bench. 
Before and after this period, 60° is recommended. Growing 
at much less than 60° during this “before and after’ period 
will tend to delay flowering; the schedule must be advanced a 
week or two accordingly. 
Bob Jung has grown excellent quality Bonaffon DeLuxe 
and Queen of Pinks for February-March flowering at 65° 
to 70° nights right thru. One lot flowered at a straight 70° 
minimum was especially fine and hard—no staking, of course. 
Bob recommends a straight 65° minimum for late winter- 
spring flowering of pot Mums. Higher temperatures give 
fuller, better flower sprays; and do not soften plants if proper 
varieties are used. Blazing Gold won't stand these high tem- 
peratures in winter. 
Incidentally, it was our experience that, when growing for 
a certain holiday, it worked out better to aim our schedule 
to be in flower a week, or even more, ahead of the actual 
holiday date. At best, plants to be sold for Mother’s Day 
must be out where the customers can see them thru the week 
before. 
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How Many Cuttings Per Pot? 
Note, for example, under single pinch plants for April- 
May-June blooming, that 4 cuttings are recommended for a 
6 inch pot. Actually, 3 cuttings will make a presentable plant 
in most cases—and 5 will make a fuller looking plant than 
4. Try it out both ways for yourself. Varieties that break 
easily and quickly require fewer cuttings per pot. It really de- 
pends on what your trade calls for. Also, a very nice plant 
can be produced with fewer cuttings in smaller pots—5’s, or 
even 4's. 
One of the best pot Mum growers we have seen grows 
everything right thru the year at 5 cuttings per 6-inch pot— 
regardless. 
If Plants Flower Too Tall 
Most growers aim at a 15 to 18-inch plant. 
Stem length on the finished plant can be shortened by delay- 
ing the final pinch a week—or even two weeks longer than 
the schedule calls for. Let’s take Queen’s Lace on the two- 
pinch schedule for April-May-June flowering: The schedule 
calls for final pinch 9 weeks before flowering date. If too 
tall, next season make final pinch 8 weeks before desired 
flowering date. All other dates remain the same. 
The date you start shading controls the date the plants 
flower. If a lot of plants flower a week late this year, simply 
move the entire schedule up one week earlier next year. 
Notes on Pot Mum Culture 
Probably you’ve grown them before; if not here are some 
suggestions. 
We find either peat or manure added to the soil will 
really make ’em grow. It also cuts down watering. Super- 
phosphate should be added to soil before potting. As plants 
get into active growth, we give them a weekly feeding with 
a not strong, balanced liquid fertilizer. Weekly spraying with 
wettable Parathion (see page 27) will control insects. 
Like any other Mums, pot Mums appreciate a “wetting 
down” of foliage on hot afternoons. They like humidity. And 
incidentally, they don’t like to get dry at the roots. Pot Mums 
can be summered over outdoors in frames or in cloth houses; 
but they require such careful watching that it’s almost better 
to have them under glass. 
About disbudding. As plants set bud, each stem should be 
disbudded to leave only the center bud. Exceptions: a very 
few Pomps grown as a pot plant, such as Gypsy. 
Avoid crowding the plants; it makes them tall, spindly, and 
poor. 
Leave 3 sets of leaves as you pinch each time, if possible. 
All pinches should be into soft wood. Often it is possible to 
use the tips you remove for cuttings for later flowerings. But 
don’t get off schedule to economize on a few cuttings—it 
doesn’t pay! 
HARDIES AS POT PLANTS 
For the past several springs, increasing numbers of growers 
have finished a batch of hardy or garden Mums in pots for 
Mother’s Day. They are quickly (90 days) and easily grown, 
make showy and unusual pot plants. They have added sales 
appeal in that, after flowering, they may be planted outdoors 
for another crop of blooms in the fall. 
Here is a simple schedule worked out by William Skou at 
Ohio State: (For May 1 flowering) 
February 8: Plant 5 rooted cuttings in a 5 or 6 inch pot, pinch 
same day and start lighting 5 hours per night. Same light 
intensity as for cut Mums. Minimum temperature through- 
out the crop: 60 degrees. 
March 8: Discontinue lights. Pinch plants again, start regular 
black cloth shading from 5 P.M. to 8 A.M. daily till plants 
are in flower. 
