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From the time I was 14 years old until the time I was 16 years old I worked after school and Saturdays on a Chrysanthemum farm on Long Island. We were paid 25 cents an hour.
Suffolk County in those years were parts of tulip farms which have long since been replaced by tract housing and so is the Chrysanthemum farm which has been replaced by a car dealership.
However, in those days this is where my friends and I worked to make spending money.
I learned a lot about Chrysanthemums in those days. They are just about the easiest perennials to grow and they should be planted in the early spring after all danger of frost has past. They can be planted most anytime and we lots of them emerge in the nurseries in the fall with their rust, yellow and orange colors. However, once planted just make sure they have time to set in their root system before the hottest part of summer.
Chrysanthemums love lots of sunshine and you need to give them plenty of water and organic food and they will reward you well with beautiful flowers.
Though Chrysanthemums can be started from seeds I have never done that except when I was a kid working on the Chrysanthemum farm. Nowadays I buy mine at nurseries and even the smallest pots when placed in an area with enough space quickly grow to nice bushy sizes in about 3 seasons. You can also do divisions of larger plants and one can start plants from cuttings.
Chrysanthemums should be planted into well prepared fertile sandy soil. Chrysanthemums do not like “wet feet” so remember to dig your hole fairly deep.
Plant your Chrysanthemums about 18 to 30 inches apart and feed lightly with a good organic fertilizer every 2 weeks when you start them out. If you want a bushier plant then pinch off about ¾ of an inch from each branch when the plants are 6 inches tall.
There are hundreds of varieties of Chrysanthemums and they do well in large containers for those of you who are container gardeners.
You do not have to worry about dividing Chrysanthemums as they grow better and faster when they are divided.
Should you wish to start Chrysanthemums from seed then sow your seeds into prepared soil where they are allowed to bloom at least 2 months prior to the first frost. You can also start them indoors in very early spring and later transplant them. You will need to keep your rooting medium at a constant temperature of 70 to 75 degrees and the germination will take from 8 to 25 days.
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Author Bio Box: Arlene Wright Correll
 For more gardening or cooking information click http://www.learn-america.com/
To see Arlene’s Gardens and to read her gardening diaries or click on Arlene’s Books where you can download or buy her gardening & cook books. Arlene says, “All my royalties from the sale of my books go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and I thank you for visiting my site.”
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