Toussaint and chrysanths

[woolybanana]

You have doubtless seen the thousands of chrysanth plants being sold to put on graves; what a sad waste of a beautiful flower. They have been so forced that they won't grow on if planted out.

Try buying them for the garden, a blank.

So, I shall be growing them in my garden, but from plants imported from wherever. Because they are beautiful autumn flowers.

[andyh4]

The reason they frequently do not survive is that they are a half hardy perennial. They dislike cold and wet and those left in the pots they were bought in will quickly get cold roots.

Planting in the garden may be an answer but if you suffer the extreme cold that we do or prolonged periods of winter wet as you might near the coast, the best method is to lift plants in the winter and store them in the dry and a cold but frost free area.

[Judith]

I love chrsyanths, such colourful winter flowers, and I am sad that they are so associated with death here in France, as it means they do not get the look in they should in jollying up winter.

[woolybanana]

My local nursery says that people in France are beginning to grow them for their beauty in gardens. Very wise of them, not letting the culture of the dead dictate to them.

[mint]

Wools, have you tried growing dahlias instead?  They flower late in the year and are still a joy well into the autumn.  The first frost, however, and they droop and die off.

There is such a variety and some of them are large and very showy.  Being showy and only requiring minimal effort fulfils all my criteria for garden plants[:)]

[Patf]

A few days after Toussaint the pots of chrysanths are usually sold at much reduced prices, so a bargain for the garden.

[woolybanana]

Yes, Nimt, I have tons of dahlias, lovely flowers.

The potted chrysanths are very forced and may not survive if planted out, though I am not sure why. Any ideas anyone?

Several sources have told me this quite independently, though it may be fake news.

[Patf]

I've planted them out n the past, and they've survived. Perhaps more likely with the smaller pots and flowers.

[andyh4]

Woolly wrote:

The potted chrysanths are very forced and may not survive if planted out, though I am not sure why. Any ideas anyone?

So you take a plant that has been kept under glass in a cosy environment with controlled intense lighting to stimulate flowering. It probably has not been given massive amounts of fertiliser nor been planted in a rich soil, since these encourage growth rather than flowering.

The you take it out of its nice warmish pot and plunge it into a cold hole in the garden. If it is lucky you will have given it a little fertiliser, but probably you have either given it none or far too much. You probably gave it a really good drink of nice cold (just above freezing) water drawn from your water tub.

It is then subjected to grey days and long dark nights instead of that bright controlled lighting. Within a day or two it will enjoy its first ever frost. If you gave it lots of fertiliser this will have started to stimulate new growth and those micro shoots will now be frozen and will die.

And you wonder why they don't always thrive.

PS the same is true of those pots of herbs from the supermarket.

You can keep them alive but they will need cosseting.

[pip24]

Before we bought the house in france my hobby was growing and exhibiting xsanths but it had to stop due to lack of time.

Different types of xsanth require different but similar over wintering. Best kept in a cold frost free place. Its better to propagate new plants from the old roots every year to retain virus free plants.

For the the type Woolly is on about I would stop watering,let the plant almost dry out cut the foliage back to about 5 inches and thin out a bit. Remove all leaves at the end of December. Keep the compost a little damp. In march shoots should emerge from the roots and stems, when the shoots are about an inch and a half long cut them off with a sharp knife dip in rooting powder and plant 2 cm deep in cutting compost in trays in a bottom heated tray.

Woolmans is a good site to look up but they wont send to France. Halls of hedon looks like they may send rooted cuttings to France.

[woolybanana]

thank you pip, most instructive and helpful

[woolybanana]

pip, I have just been looking at the sites of the suppliers you mentioned and am happy to say I am positively slavering with anticipation at the sight of the chrysanths and the dahlias on offer.

Actually a good moment as I have been lifting dahlias all week, though chased in by the rain today. But now am being squeezed out of house and home by the tubers (I much prefer tubas, sounds so much more fun - imagine being chased out of house and home by overwintering tubas!)

So, how far will the pension stretch; if I get them delivered to UK that is a saving of at least one or two more plants/roots/tubas. Looks like Oiseau will have a full car yet again.