Chrysanthemum — Package of Practices
A short-day autumn flower — plant rooted cuttings in the rains, pinch or disbud to suit your market, and harvest cool-season blooms.
Overview
Chrysanthemum is a popular cool-season flower grown for loose flowers (garlands, worship and decoration), cut flowers (sprays and large single blooms) and as pot plants.
It is a short-day plant — it sets flower buds as the nights grow longer, so it naturally blooms in the cool season. Three broad groups are grown: small-flowered loose types, large-flowered standards for single big blooms, and spray types. No specific cultivar is named here.
Climate & season
Growth is best in mild, sunny weather (about 15–25 °C) with cool nights at flowering. Short days trigger bud set, so the crop is timed to bloom in the cool months.
- Plant in the rainy season for a cool-season (autumn–winter) bloom.
- Avoid frost while the flowers are open.
- Bright sun during growth gives sturdy plants and good colour.
Soil & land preparation
A well-drained, fertile loam rich in organic matter suits it, at a pH of 6.0–7.0. Avoid heavy, water-holding soils.
- Form raised beds for good drainage.
- Mix in plenty of well-rotted farmyard manure before planting.
- Work the soil to a fine tilth for the small rooted cuttings.
- Rotate with unrelated crops to keep soil disease low.
Choosing a type & material
Select by purpose (loose, cut or pot), flower size and form, colour, and how it responds to day length. Chrysanthemum is propagated vegetatively from healthy mother plants. No specific cultivar is named here.
Planting material
- Rooted terminal cuttings or suckers from disease-free mother plants.
- Close-spaced loose-flower stands carry a very high plant population per hectare.
- Use uniform, well-rooted cuttings about 25–30 days old.
- Keep mother plants healthy and virus-free.
Preparation
- Root cuttings with a rooting hormone in trays or beds.
- Dip roots in a bio-agent (Trichoderma) at planting.
- Plant in the rainy season for cool-season bloom.
- Water in and shade lightly until established.
Planting & spacing
- Prepare raised beds and incorporate farmyard manure.
- Plant healthy rooted cuttings about 30 × 30 cm for loose types; wider for large standards.
- Water immediately and keep the root zone moist until establishment.
- For bushy loose-flower crops, pinch the tips at 3–4 weeks to encourage branching.
- For large single blooms, disbud (keep one bud per stem) and remove side shoots.
- Provide support netting for tall, cut-flower stems.
Nutrient management
Figures below are a general guide per hectare for one crop — adjust to soil test and type.
| Input | Dose (per ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Farmyard manure | 20–25 t | Mix in at land preparation Basal |
| Nitrogen (N) | 120–200 kg | In splits up to bud stage Split |
| Phosphorus (P₂O₅) | 80–120 kg | Full dose basal Basal |
| Potassium (K₂O) | 80–120 kg | Improves bloom quality Split |
| Foliar / micronutrient | as needed | Balanced spray at bud stage Foliar |
Water management
Keep steady moisture through growth and flowering, without waterlogging.
- Irrigate regularly; drip is efficient and keeps the foliage dry.
- The most critical stages are active growth and the bud-to-flowering stage.
- Avoid wetting the leaves, which encourages mildew and leaf spot.
- Reduce water as the crop matures and flowers age.
- Ensure good drainage during heavy rain.
Intercultural & weed management
- Pinch loose-flower types, or disbud and desucker standards, as the crop requires.
- Provide support netting and earth up to keep cut stems straight.
- Weed regularly and mulch between rows to conserve moisture.
- Photoperiod care: avoid stray artificial light near the plants at night, as it delays bud set and flowering.
- Remove crop debris and rogue out diseased or virus-affected plants.
Plant protection
| Problem | Type | Watch for | Manage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aphids | Pest | Clusters on tender shoots and buds; honeydew; virus spread | Yellow sticky traps, neem, a recommended insecticide at threshold |
| Thrips | Pest | Streaked petals and deformed buds | Blue sticky traps, sanitation, a recommended insecticide if severe |
| Leaf miner | Pest | Pale winding tunnels inside the leaves | Remove mined leaves; neem; a recommended insecticide |
| Caterpillars | Pest | Chewed leaves and bored buds | Pheromone traps, hand-picking, Bt, a recommended insecticide |
| Leaf spot | Disease | Dark spots that spread and dry the leaves | Sanitation, keep foliage dry, recommended fungicide |
| Powdery mildew | Disease | White powdery patches on leaves and buds | Airflow, wider spacing, recommended fungicide |
| Wilt & root rot | Disease | Plants wilt and collapse, often in wet soil | Good drainage, crop rotation, Trichoderma in the root zone |
| Mosaic / stunt | Virus | Mottled, distorted or stunted growth | Use clean stock; control vectors; rogue out infected plants |
IPM-first routine
- Start with clean, virus-free rooted cuttings and a well-drained bed.
- Keep beds tidy — remove debris and rogue out diseased plants.
- Scout weekly; use sticky traps for early warning of sucking pests.
- Favour natural enemies; use neem and bio-agents first.
- Spray recommended chemicals only at threshold, rotating modes of action.
- Keep foliage dry and airy to limit leaf spot and mildew.
Use crop-protection inputs safely
Always read the product label and follow it. Use the correct dose — more is not safer or better. Wear protective clothing (gloves, mask, full sleeves) while mixing and spraying, and respect the pre-harvest interval before you pick. Put IPM and cultural methods first and treat chemical sprays as a last resort.
Harvesting & yield
Harvest stage depends on whether you are selling loose flowers or cut stems.
- Loose flowers: pick fully opened blooms in the cool hours, every few days through the flush.
- Cut flowers (sprays): cut when 2–3 florets per stem have opened; standards when the single bloom is fully developed.
- Cut long stems in the early morning and place them in clean water at once; grade by stem and bloom.
- Typical yield: loose-flower types about 8–15 t/ha; cut types give a good number of marketable stems per hectare under good management.
Chrysanthemum — Package of Practices
A short-day autumn flower — plant rooted cuttings in the rains, pinch or disbud to suit your market, and harvest cool-season blooms.
Overview
Chrysanthemum is a popular cool-season flower grown for loose flowers (garlands, worship and decoration), cut flowers (sprays and large single blooms) and as pot plants.
It is a short-day plant — it sets flower buds as the nights grow longer, so it naturally blooms in the cool season. Three broad groups are grown: small-flowered loose types, large-flowered standards for single big blooms, and spray types. No specific cultivar is named here.
Climate & season
Growth is best in mild, sunny weather (about 15–25 °C) with cool nights at flowering. Short days trigger bud set, so the crop is timed to bloom in the cool months.
- Plant in the rainy season for a cool-season (autumn–winter) bloom.
- Avoid frost while the flowers are open.
- Bright sun during growth gives sturdy plants and good colour.
Soil & land preparation
A well-drained, fertile loam rich in organic matter suits it, at a pH of 6.0–7.0. Avoid heavy, water-holding soils.
- Form raised beds for good drainage.
- Mix in plenty of well-rotted farmyard manure before planting.
- Work the soil to a fine tilth for the small rooted cuttings.
- Rotate with unrelated crops to keep soil disease low.
Choosing a type & material
Select by purpose (loose, cut or pot), flower size and form, colour, and how it responds to day length. Chrysanthemum is propagated vegetatively from healthy mother plants. No specific cultivar is named here.
Planting material
- Rooted terminal cuttings or suckers from disease-free mother plants.
- Close-spaced loose-flower stands carry a very high plant population per hectare.
- Use uniform, well-rooted cuttings about 25–30 days old.
- Keep mother plants healthy and virus-free.
Preparation
- Root cuttings with a rooting hormone in trays or beds.
- Dip roots in a bio-agent (Trichoderma) at planting.
- Plant in the rainy season for cool-season bloom.
- Water in and shade lightly until established.
Planting & spacing
- Prepare raised beds and incorporate farmyard manure.
- Plant healthy rooted cuttings about 30 × 30 cm for loose types; wider for large standards.
- Water immediately and keep the root zone moist until establishment.
- For bushy loose-flower crops, pinch the tips at 3–4 weeks to encourage branching.
- For large single blooms, disbud (keep one bud per stem) and remove side shoots.
- Provide support netting for tall, cut-flower stems.
Nutrient management
Figures below are a general guide per hectare for one crop — adjust to soil test and type.
| Input | Dose (per ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Farmyard manure | 20–25 t | Mix in at land preparation Basal |
| Nitrogen (N) | 120–200 kg | In splits up to bud stage Split |
| Phosphorus (P₂O₅) | 80–120 kg | Full dose basal Basal |
| Potassium (K₂O) | 80–120 kg | Improves bloom quality Split |
| Foliar / micronutrient | as needed | Balanced spray at bud stage Foliar |
Water management
Keep steady moisture through growth and flowering, without waterlogging.
- Irrigate regularly; drip is efficient and keeps the foliage dry.
- The most critical stages are active growth and the bud-to-flowering stage.
- Avoid wetting the leaves, which encourages mildew and leaf spot.
- Reduce water as the crop matures and flowers age.
- Ensure good drainage during heavy rain.
Intercultural & weed management
- Pinch loose-flower types, or disbud and desucker standards, as the crop requires.
- Provide support netting and earth up to keep cut stems straight.
- Weed regularly and mulch between rows to conserve moisture.
- Photoperiod care: avoid stray artificial light near the plants at night, as it delays bud set and flowering.
- Remove crop debris and rogue out diseased or virus-affected plants.
Plant protection
| Problem | Type | Watch for | Manage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aphids | Pest | Clusters on tender shoots and buds; honeydew; virus spread | Yellow sticky traps, neem, a recommended insecticide at threshold |
| Thrips | Pest | Streaked petals and deformed buds | Blue sticky traps, sanitation, a recommended insecticide if severe |
| Leaf miner | Pest | Pale winding tunnels inside the leaves | Remove mined leaves; neem; a recommended insecticide |
| Caterpillars | Pest | Chewed leaves and bored buds | Pheromone traps, hand-picking, Bt, a recommended insecticide |
| Leaf spot | Disease | Dark spots that spread and dry the leaves | Sanitation, keep foliage dry, recommended fungicide |
| Powdery mildew | Disease | White powdery patches on leaves and buds | Airflow, wider spacing, recommended fungicide |
| Wilt & root rot | Disease | Plants wilt and collapse, often in wet soil | Good drainage, crop rotation, Trichoderma in the root zone |
| Mosaic / stunt | Virus | Mottled, distorted or stunted growth | Use clean stock; control vectors; rogue out infected plants |
IPM-first routine
- Start with clean, virus-free rooted cuttings and a well-drained bed.
- Keep beds tidy — remove debris and rogue out diseased plants.
- Scout weekly; use sticky traps for early warning of sucking pests.
- Favour natural enemies; use neem and bio-agents first.
- Spray recommended chemicals only at threshold, rotating modes of action.
- Keep foliage dry and airy to limit leaf spot and mildew.
Use crop-protection inputs safely
Always read the product label and follow it. Use the correct dose — more is not safer or better. Wear protective clothing (gloves, mask, full sleeves) while mixing and spraying, and respect the pre-harvest interval before you pick. Put IPM and cultural methods first and treat chemical sprays as a last resort.
Harvesting & yield
Harvest stage depends on whether you are selling loose flowers or cut stems.
- Loose flowers: pick fully opened blooms in the cool hours, every few days through the flush.
- Cut flowers (sprays): cut when 2–3 florets per stem have opened; standards when the single bloom is fully developed.
- Cut long stems in the early morning and place them in clean water at once; grade by stem and bloom.
- Typical yield: loose-flower types about 8–15 t/ha; cut types give a good number of marketable stems per hectare under good management.