My Sunbeam: Why I'm Hooked on Chrysanthemums

Hello everyone!

I'm continuing my series of reviews about flowers that thrive on our little dacha. We're still pretty new to gardening, so we tend to stick with flowers that don't require a lot of fuss. The only exception to this rule are roses - I'm willing to run around after them like a crazy person if it means they'll bloom!

But today, I'm not going to talk about those finicky beauties. Today, it's all about the humble and charming chrysanthemum!

This little guy is only 2 years old. We bought it last spring, and it was on sale - it was tiny, only about 10 centimeters tall, and it had fewer than 5 stems.

And look at it now!

It's not huge, but it's absolutely stunning.

Now, I know chrysanthemums aren't super high maintenance, but there are a few things to keep in mind if you want to get the most out of your plant.

So, let's get started!

Chrysanthemums absolutely love the sun, so you'll want to plant them in the sunniest spot on your property. Even a little shade will slow down their growth.It's also a good idea to plant them on a slight elevation, so the roots don't get waterlogged. If the soil is too wet, the stems will start to stretch, and the buds might not form or will be delayed. We created a little mound for our plant by adding more soil to the planting area.And the most important thing! Right after planting, you'll need to pinch off the top growth points, also known as the 'growth tips'. This will help prevent the existing stems from getting too leggy and encourage new growth to develop. We actually forgot to do this with this particular plant, but as you can see, it didn't cause any harm!When it comes to watering, chrysanthemums prefer it moderate. They don't like it when the soil is too wet or too dry. In hot sunny weather, we water them in the late evening and early morning to prevent the water from evaporating and causing damage.If the soil isn't rich in minerals, you'll need to fertilize your chrysanthemum with special plant food 1-2 times a month. We sometimes use compost tea or buy commercial fertilizers.Over the winter, the chrysanthemum's roots stay in the ground. Around November, we covered our plants with a layer of mulch and left them be. In the spring, when the snow melted, we removed the mulch, and new growth started to appear within a few weeks!

Our chrysanthemum was pretty sparse last year. No wonder, really – it's a small plant that had just gone through a stressful move and transplant. But this summer, after it had a chance to recover, it's been blooming like crazy for almost 1.5 months now.

And since there are still plenty of buds on the plant, I'm confident we'll be enjoying these cheerful flowers for a while longer!

The blooms on this particular variety are actually pretty small, measuring around 3-4cm in diameter.

The colors are super vibrant and change a bit depending on the time of day – from bright yellow to a softer orange hue. But they're always super bright and vibrant.

As for the scent, I'm happy to report that there isn't one! I mean, I don't smell anything except for the usual earthy smell of the plant. And I'm not counting that as a minus, since it's just the way this particular variety is.

This chrysanthemum grows up to 60-70 cm tall, but the real magic happens over the years – its bush gets bigger, and new shoots pop up, growing rapidly and producing amazing flowers!

Next year, we're planning to propagate this beauty! We'll carefully dig up the bush (in the spring) and divide the root system into two parts.

Propagating these plants is a breeze – they hardly ever get sick after being separated and replanted (we've tested this on another chrysanthemum).

All in all, I'd say this chrysanthemum is a perfect choice for beginner gardeners. It's not fussy and doesn't require a lot of fuss around it. Just make sure to plant it in the right spot!

Of course, I highly recommend growing this beauty on your own plot – and I hope you will!

Thanks for stopping by!

If you're interested, you can check out my other reviews of garden plants:

Pleated Rose - super finicky, but ridiculously gorgeous;Tulips - these flowers are absolute stunners, and they're a breeze to care for;Crocuses - the first signs of spring on our plot, and they're so comforting to see;Lavatera - these bright, beautiful blooms are a real treat;Mallow - a childhood favorite of mine, and still one of my go-tos.And here are a few reviews of the flower seeds I've tried:

Aster Pomponna Karukla Krasnodar - 3*;Aeolita Cynia Georginovaya Mix - 5*;Barkhatsy Otlichennye Krasnaya Borkada - 5*.