Chrysanthemum appeared in Europe only in the 18th century, but the Chinese have known about it for more than 2000 years. A great variety of shapes and colors characterizes autumn chrysanthemums. They are pink and orange, red and white, "double" and ordinary (like chamomile). Not all flowers love the Russian climate. The most popular are cold-resistant perennial varieties that are able to survive far from warm autumn and winter frosts. Not everyone knows that young chrysanthemum inflorescences are edible. They can decorate fish or salad. Mature flowers should not be used - they are bitter.
Chrysanthemum (dendrathema) is the queen of the autumn garden. It blooms before the onset of cold weather. It is necessary to choose plant varieties so that they bloom one after another, decorating a flower bed from August to November. The combination of bright colors with autumn foliage of trees and shrubs in the garden looks amazing among the falling asleep nature. Therefore, sheltering chrysanthemums for the winter requires increased attention. It's a shame not to save such beauty for the next year.
How to cover chrysanthemums for the winter correctly? This question often torments gardeners. Basic color requirements forsuccessful wintering:
- Only he althy plants should be chosen. If the flower has a sign of a disease, it must be treated with a special preparation.
- Plants in early autumn need to be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
- After flowering, the bushes should be cut to 10-15 cm.
Chrysanthemums are stored in winter either in the ground, or in a trench, or in a cellar. Experienced gardeners practice combining these methods, one part of the flowers is left to winter in the open field, and the other part of the collection is stored in the basement. This allows you not to lose valuable varieties under adverse conditions.
1st option – open field storage
Korean dendrathems, flowers of small selection, can be left in the ground. How to cover chrysanthemums for the winter in this case? Trimmed bushes should be piled up on all sides, covered with an inverted box. From above, you can fall asleep with fallen leaves or branches, cover with roofing felt, plywood or film. That is, it is required to make a shelter that will not allow moisture to get to the roots. When the snow melts in the spring, the branches and film must be removed so that the plants do not rot. When frost returns, it is recommended to cover the seedlings with lutrasil.
2nd option - wintering in a trench
This method is used in more northern regions of the country. How to cover chrysanthemums for the winter in a trench? Place the dug bushes tightly in a previously prepared groove to a depth of 50-70 cm, sprinkle empty places with earth. The trench should not be closed immediately. The first frost will kill all fungaldiseases on the roots, if any. From above, also cover with slate or plywood, then with leaves and film.
3rd wintering option
How to cover chrysanthemums for the winter grown in greenhouses, large-flowered, or new foreign varieties grown in pots? Untested delicate varieties of flowers must be stored in the cellar. To do this, carefully dig out the dendrathem bushes from the ground, transfer them to the cellar. There you can put them in a box with earth, in a pot or just on an earthen floor, then cover them so that the roots do not dry out. The optimum temperature in storage for overwintering flowers is from 0 to -4°C, high humidity is desirable.
When the temperature rises, the bushes may begin to grow ahead of time. The advantage of this option is the ability to start germination and cuttings of flowers at any time, which is used for earlier and lush flowering of chrysanthemums.
Choosing the right type of wintering (cellar, trench, soil) is not easy. The gardener for each variety, each bush must decide where to place chrysanthemums for the winter, applying his experience and our advice.
