How to Grow Chrysanthemums

Offering lasting colour, whether displayed in beds or vases around the home, chrysanthemums are undeniably captivating flowers that make delightful additions to cut flower gardens. Popular amongst colour lovers, you can grow chrysanthemum plants in a whole variety of hues and can generally enjoy their bright blooms from August to January. 

So, if you’re looking to bring life to your borders during those dreary autumn and winter months, you may now be wondering how to grow chrysanthemums. Here at Johnsons, we can support you in curating the most mesmerising chrysanthemum arrangements and answer your queries regarding ‘when to plant chrysanthemums’ and ‘how to take chrysanthemum cuttings.’ Keep reading our guide on how to grow chrysanthemums, and look forward to beautifying your home.

Ground Preparation

Chrysanthemums are perfect for borders but require well-draining soil in a warm, sunny, sheltered spot to truly thrive. If you’re keen to cut your chrysanthemums for displaying around the home or gifting to loved ones, we advise you to consider how their placement may disturb your arrangements after cutting and choose their location accordingly.

Sowing

One way to grow these beautiful blooms is by sowing chrysanthemum seeds. If you’d prefer to sow them indoors, we’d recommend spreading them across the surface of your seed compost and covering them lightly with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite, ideally between the months of February and April.

Place your seed tray in a warm, sunny location and water lightly, keeping the soil moist. You’ll know that your seedlings are ready to be transplanted into individual pots or modules when they reach a couple of inches tall. Use peat-free or general multipurpose compost and handle your seedlings carefully by their leaves to prevent damage to their young roots and stems. Water in well to settle the soil.

Before they make their way to your outdoor displays, your chrysanthemums will need hardening off. You can achieve this by leaving your young plants in a sheltered, shaded area for an increasing amount of hours for around a week. By the time May comes around, your chrysanthemums should be ready to plant in their final position outside.

Planting

Another way to grow your own chrysanthemums is by buying flower plants at Johnsons. We stock a selection of flower plants that are ready for outdoor planting in your borders, beds, and pots.

Planting chrysanthemums in pots and containers

We recommend that our young plants are potted on into 9cm (3½in) pots, using a good quality, multi-purpose peat free compost. Your chrysanthemum plants will need watering after potting, but not again until the soil is almost entirely dried out. For the first few days, keep your plant out of direct sunlight to allow the roots time to develop.

After this short period, your growing chrysanthemum plants will take as much sun as you can give them. They will also have sufficient food in the compost for three to four weeks.

When to plant chrysanthemum

After three to four weeks, roots will have filled the pots or containers and will be ready to plant out into their final positions. At this stage, plants will still be susceptible to frosts, so harden off carefully from early May onwards. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot with protection from strong winds and well-drained but fertile soil.

To plant, dig a hole slightly larger than the pot, remove the pot and place the rootball in the hole, ensuring that the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil surface and that the rootballs have been lightly teased. Finally, backfill, firm well in, water thoroughly, and wait eagerly for your chrysanthemums to reach their full potential.

Plant Care

In order to achieve the most captivating displays, you mustn't underestimate the importance of ongoing plant care. There are many ways in which you can better the health and appearance of your blooms, from pinching out to deadheading. 

Watering

As we mentioned earlier, it’s important not to overwater your chrysanthemum plants. So, before watering, check the moisture of the soil - if dry, give your plants a good water, but be sure to avoid waterlogging. It’s always better to water plants well, but less often, rather than regularly giving them a sprinkle as this doesn’t fully hydrate their roots.

Pinching out

If you’re keen to give your chrysanthemum plants a fuller appearance, pinching out is an essential step. By pinching out the main growing point of your chrysanthemums, your plant will be encouraged to produce even more flowers. You should consider this in the early summer months when your plants reach around 8 inches tall.

Deadheading

As colour lovers, you can keep your arrangements vibrant and healthy by regularly deadheading faded chrysanthemum flowers.

Cutting

One of the most rewarding parts of growing your own chrysanthemum plants is having the ability to extend their beauty from the outdoors to the indoors. Show off your eye-catching blooms by displaying bold, home-grown bouquets around the home.

Select the stems that you wish to display and cut at a 45-degree angle with clean, sharp secateurs to promote water absorption in the vase. When doing so, try to cut the stem just above a leaf to encourage new growth on the mother plant. 

From there, arrange your cut flowers in whatever way matches your aesthetic preferences. We recommend removing the leaves that sit at the lower end of the stem and rest below the waterline.

Shop Chrysanthemums at Johnsons

Now that you have a clearer idea of how to grow chrysanthemums, why not integrate them into your luscious outdoor arrangements today? As a respected heritage brand with over 200 years of experience, we’re celebrated for our chrysanthemums. So, introduce a new burst of colour to your garden today and look forward to displaying your own mesmerising cut flowers around the home with the support of Johnsons. 

Take a look at our garden essentials today and prepare to showcase stunning displays throughout your indoor and outdoor living spaces.