A.8.C. Supreme Quality Reated Cuttings 
ficient phosphorus for the life of the crop. Such ma- 
terials as ammonium sulfate or sodium nitrate are used 
at 1 Ib. per 100 sq. ft. or 1 oz. per 2 gal. while muriate 
of potash can be used at half this rate. An excellent 
source of nitrogen is ammonium nitrate which is used 
at % lb. per 100 sq. ft. The fertilizer material potassium 
nitrate is ideal in that all of it can be used by the 
plant and leaves no salt residue in the soil. It is used 
at 1 Ib. per 100 sq. ft. or 1 oz. per 2 gallons. Fertilization 
should be discontinued when buds begin to show color. 
Where soil tests are used as a guide to fertilizer ap- 
plications, nitrate nitrogen should be maintained at 25 
parts per million (ppm), phosphorus at 5 ppm, potas- 
sium at 20 ppm, and calcium at 150 ppm using the Spur- 
way system. The total fertilizer content of the soil is 
also very imortant. This is called the soluble salt or 
Solubridge reading and consists of a measure of all the 
fertilizers in the soil such as nitrates, sulfates, phos- 
phates, potassium, carbonates, copper, boron, zinc, etc. 
Based on the use of 1 part of soil to 5 parts of water, a 
Solubridge reading less than 30 indicates the plants are 
being starved. Between 30 and 80 is considered ideal 
and 80 to 100 somewhat high. If 100 to 150, this in- 
dicates too much fertilizer and the plants probably are 
not growing as they should. Readings over 150 are 
usually associated with very poor growth or death of 
the plants. 
Excessive fertilizer can be removed by heavy water- 
ing or leaching. Several leachings may be necessary to 
wash out the unnecessary fertilizer. High salt content 
of the soil may cause yellowing of the tops of the plants 
(chlorosis), but it should be pointed out that low pH 
and overwatering will do the same thing. 
When the cause of chlorosis is remedied, the green 
color of the plants can be restored quickly by use of 
a material called chelated iron. The 12% chelated 
iron compounds are used at 1 oz. per 20 gallons of 
water and the solution is applied to the soil like a 
liquid fertilizer. The 6% chelates are used at twice this 
strength. 
When either dry or liquid fertilizers are applied, it 
is very important that the soil be moist. As the ferti- 
lizer is washed into the soil, it is constantly being di- 
luted by the moisture in the soil and this prevents root 
damage. If the soil is dry, the strong fertilizer solution 
will burn the roots. 
WATERING 
As soon as the cuttings are planted they should be 
watered twice. This will insure that the soil is moist 
in all parts. This is particularly important in steamed 
soils where the granulation or clumping together of 
soil particles causes air spaces through which water 
will flow rapidly. The level of the soil in the bench 
should be about one inch below the sideboards so that 
the water will not flow off the soil into the walks. 
As the crop grows watering will become more fre- 
quent and during the hot summer weather, it is not 
uncommon to water the soil every other day. Such 
frequent watering will leach out nitrogen and it is im- 
portant that the plants do not become starved at this 
time. 
MULCHING 
A mulch will reduce evaporation of water from the 
soil surface and will be beneficial in preventing crust- 
ing over of the soil. Peat is a very satisfactory material 
and an inch mulch is recommended. Unsterilized ma- 
nure introduces weeds and weed seeds and may pos- 
sibly carry root-knot nematodes; therefore, it is not 
advised. Too deep a mulch may encourage growth of 
organisms causing stem rot. 
PINCHING 
Chrysanthemum plants are pinched to induce branch- 
ing and only one pinch is necessary to obtain the de- 
sired number of shoots. The time that the plants are 
pinched will regulate the spray formation on spray 
types and the kind of a bud on standard types. Thus 
the term “time pinching” has come into general use, 
A pompon plant pinched at the correct time will usually 
have a branched spray bearing numerous flowers but 
the sprays will not be awkward and difficult to bunch 
attractively. Plants pinched too early have awkward, 
loppy spray formations while those pinched too late 
have clubby, tight clustered flower heads. A standard 
mum time pinched will have a straight stem but if 
pinched too early, a “crown” bud forms which must be 
removed and this causes a dog leg in the stem making 
it crooked. 
Cuttings should be benched 2 to 3 weeks before they 
are to be pinched. If given too much time to grow, 
they may form a crown bud and branch, making the 
operation of pinching a cumbersome procedure. Since 
the early flowering varieties are pinched before the 
later types, it is obvious that the early varieties should 
be planted first to be followed by the later maturing 
kinds. If everything is planted at once, the late varieties 
are sure to be very tall and possibly branched when 
they are ready for pinching. 
Remove only a portion of the soft stem of the plant 
when pinching. A pinch made in hard wood usually 
results in fewer breaks that are delayed in their de- 
velopment. 
PRUNING 
Removing some of the stems on the spray type 
chrysanthemums several weeks after pinching is now 
a common practice. If all stems are allowed to develop 
after pinching, many will have few flowers and some 
will be blind. Light is the factor that is all important 
and if uniform quality stems are desired, the shoots 
must be pruned so that each receives approximately 
the same amount of light. 
A retail grower can use some of the sparse flowered 
sprays in small arrangements, but a wholesale grower 
cannot afford to grow this kind of stock. Therefore, 
pruning to four stems per plant on pompons is recom- 
mended. If even better quality is wanted, retain three 
stems on all plants except the outside row which can 
have four because of the extra light. Standards usually 
are grown two per plant and here again three stems 
can be carried on plants in the outside row. 
DISBUDDING 
When growth is vigorous, many varieties of chrysan- 
themums will develop side shoots which should be re- 
