Cultural Pointers 
DISBUDDING 
Large flowered varieties produce side shoots in the axils of the leaves which should be removed very 
close to the base at regular weekly intervals. Disbuds are handled the same as standards. 
Taking Bud 
Taking bud means allowing the flowering bud to remain and removing all others, applies to stand- 
ards and disbuds. The chrysanthemum usually produces two distinct types of flowering buds—Crown 
and Terminal. The first bud produced is called the crown bud and is distinguished by being sur- 
rounded by other lateral leaf buds. The second is the terminal bud and is surrounded by several 
flower buds. If the plant is planted especially early, a second crown bud might appear. In appearance 
this second crown bud is exactly the same as the first. 
The procedure of "Taking Bud' depends very largely on the variety. Usually the safest rule to follow 
is not to select a bud on early or midseason varieties before August 25. In our list of large flowered 
varieties under "Select Bud'’ you will find the date on which to select the proper bud. If bud is selected 
too early a large percentage of the flowers will be crippled. Good common sense must be used to 
determine the proper selection of bud. 
The formation of the crown bud usually does not take place when growing according to the “Time 
Pinch Plan." When following "Time Pinch" select the first bud that appears. This will result in straight 
stems without the dogleg growth that appears when second bud is taken. 
The final selection of bud should not be made when the cluster buds are too small as this will very 
likely cause injury to the stem near the bloom. Likewise it is not advisable to delay selecting the bud 
too long. Some growers like to leave an alternate bud until they are certain that nothing will happen 
to the one finally selected. ; 
DISBUDDED SPRAYS 
The procedure in growing disbudded sprays, is to wait until the crown bud forms, then remove 
all vegetative shoots but three. Later when terminal buds appear disbud each shoot similar to the 
normal disbudding of standards. When the blooms mature there are three flowers on each spray. In 
singles and anemones, the size of the blooms will be a trifle smaller than when they are grown as 
one flower per stem. Raise three stems per plant similar to straight disbud. Varieties such as Gold- 
smith, Valencia, etc., can be grown as disbudded sprays. 
Good Chrysanthemums result from the careful and thorough practice of the basic principles of plant 
growth, plus the acknowledgment of certain differences in the nature of various varieties. Growing 
disbudded sprays is a modification in culture which is very much worthwhile. 
Early or Crown bud surrounded Late or Terminal bud surrounded Late or Terminal bud selected 
by lateral buds | by flower buds 
