Gardeners grow many plants for decoration in their garden plots, among which chrysanthemums occupy a place of honor. But when choosing a variety for planting, you should consider how the flowers will survive the winter in a given area. Some varieties, which include spherical chrysanthemums, require careful preparation for wintering, otherwise they may die. But you cannot overdo it with shelter - this can also destroy the plant. The first principle when caring for this variety of chrysanthemums is moderation in everything.
Globular chrysanthemums in the world of gardening they are also called multifloras
What is the difference between the variety
The spherical chrysanthemum belongs to the Asteraceae family, it is one of the most common garden plants. The name of spherical chrysanthemums speaks for itself - they have a round and curly head and form numerous small-flowered inflorescences. Flowers become spherical during the process of growth in a natural way, this is explained by their genetic characteristics. Another name for the plant is spherical Multiflora, another synonym for the plant is Chinese chrysanthemum. There are several varieties of spherical chrysanthemums; they vary in size, color, and shape features.
These chrysanthemums are classified as perennial - after planting they grow for a sufficient number of years. Flowers are considered decorative - they are grown in pots, flowerpots, flower beds to decorate the interior and personal plot. Florists find a lot of ideas on how to include them in their original flower arrangements. Due to their shape, they do not require pruning. The flowering of spherical chrysanthemums continues for a long time - from summer until the first frost.
Classification and varieties
The classification of spherical chrysanthemums is carried out on several grounds - the shade of the petals, the shape of the inflorescence, the height of the stem, and the time of flowering.
According to the flowering time, spherical chrysanthemums are:
- early - bloom already in the first half of August;
- medium - flowering time is in September;
- late ones - bloom only in October, bloom until frost.
Based on the height of the stem, these chrysanthemums are divided into:
- short or dwarf - their height is no more than 30 cm;
- medium-sized, which stretch up to 50 cm;
- tall - with a height of more than 60 cm.
There are several varieties of spherical chrysanthemums, differing in color:
- rich lemon shade, bloom in September, average diameter of bushes - 50 cm;
- another type of bright yellow flowers - Sunny, bloom in August, grow up to 50 cm;
- bush chrysanthemum of rich red color, 40 cm high, it is classified as low-growing;
- pink flowers have medium height;
- lilac-lilac, bloom in September, stretch up to 50 cm;
- The time for orange chrysanthemums to bloom also occurs in September.
How to grow
When planting and growing spherical chrysanthemums, several conditions should be taken into account:
- the area should be well illuminated by the sun, which promotes the formation of lush flowers, even partial shade is harmful to the plant - its flowering time may be delayed, and the shape of the shoots may change beyond recognition;
- spherical chrysanthemums can grow on any soil, but it must be well loosened;
- large number There is no need to apply fertilizers - peat or humus is enough.
It is preferable to plant in the spring rather than in the fall. The exact period depends on the time of snow melting in a given region, then the so-called return frosts will not destroy the plant. It is best to choose a day when the weather is cloudy. It is optimal to plant tall bushes with short ones, color scheme should also be selected taking into account the principles of harmony. Ball-shaped chrysanthemums look good next to:
- coniferous trees;
- cereal crops;
- marigolds;
- low green herbs, they can be planted directly on the lawn.
Any containers and open ground are suitable for growing.
Holes are made in the ground at a distance of 50 cm, the depth of one hole is no more than 40 cm. Drainage, which is often used as river sand, must be laid at the bottom of the hole, sprinkled with earth or vermicompost on top and watered. The seedling should be installed in the center of the hole; if it is too high, then you cannot do without support. The root system should remain almost completely on the surface. If the bright sun is shining, then the seedlings must be covered, but so that the material does not come into contact with them.
This variety of flowers is propagated by several methods:
- seeds, when used this method the varietal properties of chrysanthemums are lost, so they rarely resort to it;
- dividing the bush is the most popular method; it needs to be done in the spring, because there is more time for rooting before winter; bushes should be planted at a distance of 50 cm from each other;
- cuttings - it is better to use this method in February, the shoots must be grown in a greenhouse, the cuttings must be cut and placed in a mixture of soil and humus, ensuring greenhouse conditions, in the spring they must be planted in open ground;
- dividing the rhizome.
How to care
The main task when caring for a perennial spherical chrysanthemum is to prepare it for wintering, because it does not tolerate frosts well, otherwise these flowers are unpretentious. There are several ways to help your garden spherical chrysanthemum survive the winter:
- insulate flower beds;
- dig up the root system to preserve it in winter.
Without digging due to the danger of freezing, these chrysanthemums can easily grow in one place for at least 5 years, because they belong to perennial plants. The choice of a specific wintering method depends on the place where the spherical chrysanthemum is grown; in the southern part of Russia it can remain in a flower bed in winter. But you need to trim the stems a little and mulch the root system. Also, advice on how to competently survive the winter can be given by sellers in specialized stores where it is advisable to purchase planting material.
Pruning a bush before wintering
Another option for wintering spherical chrysanthemums: shortly before flowering ends, make a fence around the flowerbed from plastic bottles. After the stems have dried, they should be cut to 10 cm, the roots should be dug up, and the flowers should be placed in a dark and cool place, covered with sand, sawdust or spruce branches. Flowers can also be placed in deep vases for the winter. The place for wintering should be chosen in such a way that there is free air ventilation to avoid the formation of mold. At the beginning of spring, when the sun begins to warm up more actively, it is necessary to return the flowers to the street.
Pruning is not necessary when caring for these chrysanthemums - their crown forms naturally, but some gardeners pinch the tops 3 weeks after planting, and after a while they partially cut off the central shoot. It must be remembered that flowers cannot be cut while they are blooming.
One more important task gardener when growing this plant - protect it from sunlight in the hot summer, otherwise the leaves will receive a severe burn, which is diagnosed by their brown color. As a preventative measure, you can make a canopy from non-woven material that will not touch the plant. Diseased leaves must be disposed of immediately.
Watering is an important part of care; not only regularity is important, but also the quality of the water; settled or rainwater is best. The water should be soft, for this you can drop ammonia into it. In hot summers you should water with small but frequent portions of water. Thanks to proper watering, the flowers become more lush and the shoots do not become lignified.
With regard to spherical chrysanthemums, the principle applies - it is better to give less fertilizer than to exceed the dose. When applying fertilizers to the soil, you must adhere to the following rules:
- do not fertilize the soil for a year after planting;
- during active flower growth you need to add organic fertilizers, it is best to choose mullein or humus;
- When buds form, you need to add superphosphate.
If the plant develops well, then fertilization can be done once - in the spring before the flower buds appear.
We must not forget about periodic loosening of the soil, which will ensure free access to moisture and air. Ball-shaped chrysanthemums are not immune to disease and attacks by harmful insects. The greatest danger comes from caterpillars, aphids, spider mite And powdery mildew, which spoils the leaves, changing their shape and color. Their appearance may be caused excessive watering or sharp fluctuation temperature. In addition to following all the rules of care, you can protect yourself from them by treating them with special preparations; the most effective are those containing copper. Spraying is best done in summer. Another way to escape from pests is to change the top soil layer.
Despite belonging to perennial crops, it is advisable to transplant spherical chrysanthemums to a new place 2 years after planting by digging up and dividing the bush, this will improve appearance plants, will help preserve varietal characteristics.
Conclusion
Trying to grow nice flowers, many summer residents do everything to the maximum - insulation, watering, fertilizing. For spherical chrysanthemums it is better to reduce external influences, this will only benefit them - with its bright and lush inflorescences they will please their owners longer.
Chrysanthemum is considered a fairly popular flower in middle lane. Not long ago it appeared in our gardens new variety- spherical chrysanthemum. This variety is used great success for growing in gardens and on balconies, they are almost never cut. Growing and caring for spherical chrysanthemums does not require much work or any special skills. Flowers feel good in open ground and just multiply.
Varieties and varieties of chrysanthemums
Since this variety of chrysanthemum is very popular, breeders have developed almost 4 thousand varieties of this plant. Flowers come in many different colors and shades, including blue and green. The bushes are small in height and spherical in shape, dotted with many flowers on top. Flowers appear in August and do not disappear until the first frost.
There are a lot of varieties of this flower, but the most common are:
Reproduction methods
Propagation of spherical chrysanthemum is carried out in three ways:
- dividing a large bush into small ones;
- dividing the rhizome;
- cuttings.
The flower should be replanted in the spring, when the frosts end and the ground warms up. If the plant remained in the ground for the winter, then it needs to be dug out of the ground and divided into smaller bushes. Then plant them in a new place. The distance between bushes should be approximately 50 centimeters.
It is preferable to choose a cloudy day for planting. If you have to plant in sunny weather, you must immediately shade the seedlings. The sun shelter is constructed so that it does not touch the leaves.
Multiflora care
An important stage in the life of a spherical chrysanthemum is pinching shoots. They do it several times. The first is at planting, then three weeks later.
But here opinions differ: some gardeners believe that the first pinching is not necessary, others do without the second. Most still recommend getting by with only the second pinching, when the seedlings are 20 days old. At this time, the upper parts of the shoots with 2-3 nodes are removed.
In general, caring for “Chinese lanterns” is extremely simple. They only need timely watering. With a lack of moisture, young shoots become lignified and very few buds are formed on them.
The best water is rainwater; you can also use tap water, but let it sit for several days. Too hard water is softened with 2-3 drops ammonia on a bucket of water.
They feed multiflora twice a season. The first time is in the spring, when the first shoots appear. Use mullein or humus at the beginning of the growing season. They also add superphosphate at the rate of 50 grams for each square meter planting during the period of bud setting. No other feeding is required; for her, overfeeding is worse than underfeeding.
Thanks to its innate immunity to most diseases, the Chinese lantern almost never gets sick. However, preventive treatment will not harm the plants; it is combined with the treatment of other inhabitants of flower beds.
The only disease that quite often affects it is powdery mildew. Moreover, it manifests itself in a non-standard way: the lower parts of the stems become bare, the leaves turn black. As a rule, this is a consequence of overwatering or excessive thickening of the bush itself.
The spherical chrysanthemum overwinters in open ground. Preparation is also extremely simple. All inflorescences are removed, the stems are cut to a height of 10-12 centimeters. Shelter from the cold depends on the growing region. In the south, no additional insulation is required.
In colder areas including Moscow region and the middle zone, use spruce branches or dry foliage. It is poured in a heap on each bush and placed on top wooden box or a basket so as not to be blown away by the wind. You can use synthetic covering materials.
In harsh winter conditions Siberia or the Urals In order to preserve multiflora in winter, it is dug up using the following algorithm.
1. When the tops of the bushes have darkened (the plant has entered a dormant period), they are dug up, having previously trimmed the stems.
2. The dug up plants are placed in a wooden container with slightly moistened sawdust, sand or soil.
3. The container is placed in a basement, cellar or other suitable room with good ventilation, where the winter temperature will be in the range of -3...+5 °C.
The same applies to those plants that grow in pots or flowerpots, but there is no need to remove them from the containers.
The basement where chrysanthemums will be stored in winter is carefully pre-treated to prevent the appearance of mold or fungi.
Multiflora awakens in April. It is taken out of storage and left to bask in the spring sun. When the soil warms up, it is planted in flower beds. Flowers that overwintered in the ground are gradually freed from covering material.
When growing charming multiflora, you need to remember that it loses its decorative properties if it stays in one place for a long time. Therefore, it is recommended to replant it to another place every two years. It is optimal to do this in the spring, when young shoots have 3-4 leaves. Usually this also involves dividing the bush.
Globular chrysanthemums are artificially bred. They are beautiful, but weaker than those varieties that are natural. This is why they are very susceptible to winter frosts. In order for the plant to survive the cold and continue to grow in the spring, additional measures must be taken.
Globular chrysanthemum: wintering
How to preserve spherical chrysanthemums in winter? The measures that should be taken for this depend on where the winter will take place. Flowers can be transplanted into a flowerpot and stored indoors until spring. They can also be left outside all winter. Both methods are used by flower growers.
When should you start preparing for winter?
Chrysanthemums bloom until late autumn, so it is important to determine when you need to prepare them for winter, and when you can still enjoy the beautiful flowers. To determine the time to prepare for winter, it is important to take into account the climate of a particular region. It all depends on the temperatures that set in late autumn and winter. In the south, as a rule, it becomes cold later than in the north or in the middle zone. That is why the beginning of preparing flowers for winter will be different everywhere.
You should think about wintering at a time when the leaves on chrysanthemums begin to fade and the flowers fall off. This is a sign that the plant has already faded and does not have the strength to bloom again. The spherical chrysanthemum is no exception. The wintering of this flower will go well; if you eat it after it has withered, immediately begin to prepare it for the cold weather.
It is worth noting that even in the absence of external signs, it is important to prepare the chrysanthemum for winter before the first severe frost.
General preparation for wintering
Regardless of what type of chrysanthemum you have and what wintering method you have chosen, it is necessary to take some preventive measures. They are common to everyone.
- First of all, inspect the plant. It should look healthy. It is those flower bushes that are not sick in any way and do not suffer from pests that can survive a long winter. Therefore, if you suddenly notice something suspicious, immediately start taking action. Depending on the disease, select a remedy. Apply a fungal preventative to the plant. If the chrysanthemum is completely healthy and intact, it will overwinter normally.
- Suggests chrysanthemum spherical care for the winter. Be sure to fertilize it in advance. This measure also does not depend on whether the flower will overwinter in a pot or open ground. You will apply fertilizing at the beginning of winter. The chrysanthemum will have time to become saturated with useful substances before the onset of cold weather. For fertilizing, use potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. But nitrogen should be avoided, as they provoke intensive plant growth. This, firstly, interferes with flowering. And secondly, it depletes the plant. As a result, he has little strength left for the winter.
- Pruning is also mandatory. It is necessary to cut off the tops of the flowers by about 10-15 centimeters. Why do this? You remove the thinnest stems of flowers, which tend to rot in winter time. Even if this does not happen, they will draw juices from the plant and thereby prevent it from overwintering. At the same time, these parts of the flower do not play any special role.
These measures are not difficult, but by following them you will have peace of mind for your plants. Next you have to choose the type of wintering. It depends on the climate and plant variety. If you are afraid of making a mistake, you can use all the methods for wintering a spherical chrysanthemum at once. Some bushes can be left outside, some can be planted in a pot and taken into the house. Another part can be completely stored in the cellar. Over time, you will be able to understand in practice which method of wintering chrysanthemums you like best.
How to store spherical chrysanthemums in a flowerpot in winter
This method is used by most gardeners as it is minimally risky. With it, the spherical chrysanthemum is transplanted into a flower pot for the winter and brought into a greenhouse or into the house.
When to replant?
When to dig up chrysanthemums for the winter? Globular chrysanthemums? Since this variety of flower is very vulnerable, it is important not to be late in transplanting it into a flowerpot. After the first frost, you will no longer be able to do this, since the plant may suffer hopelessly before this time. This, of course, is about the case if you planned in advance to preserve the spherical chrysanthemum in flower pot and no action was taken to protect it in the open ground. Therefore, it is better to decide on the wintering method in advance. Replant after the flowers on the bush begin to fade, but always before the first frost.
How to replant
Before transplanting a spherical chrysanthemum, you need to choose a suitable pot for it. It should not be deep, but at the same time wide. This is due to the characteristics of the root system of chrysanthemums. Usually, it grows in breadth.
Once the flowerpot is found, start filling it. Be sure to put drainage on the bottom. It can be made from coal, perlite or other similar materials. Next, add soil. It should be loose so that air and water can flow well to the roots of the flower.
Replant the spherical chrysanthemum carefully so as not to damage its roots. After that, place it on a loggia or in a greenhouse. On regular window she may not have enough light.
This method is not entirely good, since the chrysanthemum, while remaining all year round in the warmth, it simply becomes exhausted. This will definitely affect its flowering. Therefore, it is advisable to store it in bright rooms with a fairly low temperature. In such conditions, the flower will remain half asleep. There will be no active growth, but you will know for sure that the flower will overwinter.
Chrysanthemum spherical: wintering in open ground
If you decide to leave spherical chrysanthemums outside for the winter, you will definitely need shelters for the winter. After the required preparatory measures, proceed to insulate the plant.
To begin, sprinkle branches thickly over the roots of the plant. Place dry leaves on top of them. This is necessary in order to protect the plant from the cold, but at the same time allow air access to it.
- plastic film;
- old boxes;
- roofing felt;
- slate.
Each of these materials has pros and cons. For example, polyethylene, despite the fact that it retains heat well underneath, can also lead to the death of the plant. If the winter turns out to be too mild, the chrysanthemum will simply smear under the polyethylene.
Ruberoid can prevent air from reaching the plant. Old boxes require significant deformation of the bush. To push the flowers under such a cover, you will have to bend them seriously.
Against the background of all this, slate stands out well. It can be installed on bricks in such a way that a roof is formed over the chrysanthemums. On the side, the flowers can be thoroughly covered with leaves mixed with twigs. This design will create protection for the chrysanthemum and will not cause the plant to rot.
Why can’t you cover the roots of chrysanthemums with leaves alone, without branches? The fact is that over the winter the leaves can stick together and die. This will lead to rotting of the flower roots.
Whatever shelter you build for the chrysanthemum, still do not leave it unattended throughout the winter. If it is very warm outside, as in winter, you can unwrap the flower a little for a while. This is important so that the roots of the chrysanthemum do not begin to rot. IN severe frosts It is advisable to add cover balls.
This method of wintering chrysanthemums is good because the plant arrives at natural conditions. In the spring, when it gets warmer, the flower immediately begins to grow. It does not need to be replanted, which can lead to long-term adaptation to new conditions.
How to store spherical chrysanthemums in the cellar in winter?
Sometimes a spherical chrysanthemum goes into the cellar for the winter. This is done if the flower belongs to a very delicate variety.
With this method of wintering, chrysanthemums are dug up along with the roots. Then they are placed in boxes and taken to the cellar. There, on the spot, it is advisable to sprinkle the roots with soil. This is important so that they do not dry out. You can sprinkle soil on the plants directly on the dirt floor.
During such wintering, air humidity is important. She must be tall. If you have a dry cellar, then it is better to plant the plant in a flowerpot and send it to the balcony.