How to save chrysanthemums in winter: outdoor care, preparation rules, digging

Many flower growers are interested in the topical issue of how to save chrysanthemums in winter. Today, there are many ways that allow you to protect the culture from frost. To choose the best method, you need to take into account the plant variety and the climatic features of the region. There are quite a few resistant types of flowers that are able to winter in the open field. Heat-loving plants must be dug up for the winter.

Features of autumn care and preparation for wintering

Proper preparation of horticultural crops for winter is an important procedure. Chrysanthemum needs to provide a supply of useful elements for the entire rest period. To prepare a perennial flower for frost, you should do the following:

inspect and remove old stems and remnants of leaves;
cut bushes - usually stumps are made about 15 centimeters high;
clean up the area in the flower growing area - this helps to get rid of pests;
treat the bushes with special preparations;
fertilize;
perform pre-winter watering.

Pruning and fertilizing

To prepare the crop for winter, in August or September, complex preparations should be applied under each bush. They must contain phosphorus and potassium. These elements contribute to the accumulation of nutrients by crops for the winter.

When persistent frosts come, chrysanthemums should be cut. It is recommended to do this as late as possible. Thanks to this, nutrients will get to the roots. Weakened, old and rotten shoots are to be removed.Powerful branches are shortened by 10-15 centimeters. It is not recommended to touch young sprouts.

How to properly dig

If you need to dig up a plant, do it as carefully as possible so as not to damage the roots. If the rules of manipulation are violated, there is a risk of developing diseases and death of the culture.

To avoid this, it is recommended to follow these cleaning rules:

Dig up chrysanthemum in late autumn.
The digging site should be moistened with water. This will help avoid damage to the roots.
Don't shake off the ground. It is important to keep the lump in its original form.
Leave the plant for 2 days to dry in the fresh air.
In case of damage or the presence of pests, it is worth immediately cleaning and treating the affected areas with special preparations.

Winter storage rules

Culture can be stored in different ways. It is worth choosing a specific method individually, taking into account climatic features.

In the trench

This method is suitable for regions in which the soil does not freeze deeply and is covered with a good layer of snow. The depth of the trench should be from 0.5 to 1 meter. To do this, dig a narrow hole.

It is recommended to fold the bushes as tightly as possible. With a large number of plants, they are laid in 2 layers. The remaining space is filled with loose soil, sawdust, dry leaves. It is important that the inside is dry, as moisture is harmful to chrysanthemums. From above it is worth placing spruce branches, boards or slate. Then they stretch the film and put leaves, soil or needles.

In the cellar on the floor

To save chrysanthemums, it is recommended to choose the right room. It must meet the following criteria:

constant low temperature - from 0 to +4 degrees;
good humidity;
full ventilation;
no fungal microorganisms, harmful insects, mold.

Chrysanthemum rhizomes are placed on the cellar floor or placed in a special box. It is recommended to pour 5-7 centimeters of earth into it. Bushes should be folded as tightly as possible and sprinkled with substrate.

During the winter, the rhizomes should be inspected once a month. If they seem dry or lethargic, irrigate with water. When mold appears, infected plants are taken out of the cellar, and the rest are treated with anti-fungal agents.

In a container

For plants use boxes or buckets.In this way, it is recommended to store the culture on an insulated balcony, in a barn or basement. It is important that the temperature is within 0 … +5 degrees. The selected container should be filled with prepared soil. It is best to mix peat and coarse sand in equal parts.

In the greenhouse

Chrysanthemums are perfectly stored in the greenhouse. For this, flowering bushes should be transplanted there in advance. This helps to increase the flowering period of crops. At constant negative temperatures and freezing of the stems, the plants should be cut. As a result, it is recommended to leave hemp no more than 2-3 centimeters. From above, the bushes should be covered with humus.

In order for the plants to survive the winter, each bush should be sprinkled with dry soil. Its height should be at least 20-25 centimeters. It is important that the soil is completely dry, as moisture is harmful to chrysanthemums in winter. Then planting is recommended to be insulated with any covering material.

In a flowerpot

To store a chrysanthemum in a pot, it should be carefully dug up. The pot should be wide enough. A layer of drainage should be laid at the bottom. For this purpose, gravel, crushed brick or expanded clay is suitable. Then the plant is recommended to be placed in a container and filled with a light and loose substrate.

When the culture fades, it is cut off, after which the plant is transferred to a dark and cool place. It is best to use the basement or cellar. Flowers will start to grow in spring. When the weather is warm, they are planted in the soil.

What varieties to dig up

The zoned varieties of plants overwinter well in the flower bed. However, there are crops that are definitely recommended to be dug up. These include gift bushes and Indian plants that have been rooted from bouquets.

The most common heat-loving varieties include the following:

Nimbo;
Talaxi;
Sudis;
Dramatic;
Alyonushka.

Varieties that can survive the winter in the garden

There are many varieties that can survive the winter in different regions - in the Urals, in the Middle lane, Siberia and the Moscow region. It is not recommended to dig them up, but you should definitely cover them.

Oak tree

This is a popular plant that can survive the winter even in Siberia. To achieve good results, the culture should be cut. As a result, stumps of about 15 centimeters should remain. To cover the plant for the winter, use sawdust, foliage, spruce branches. It is important that the layer is not too thick.

Korean

This is a beautiful plant that was bred by Korean breeders. After flowering is complete, the culture should be cut to the very root.This plant tolerates winter well. It is important to consider that it can grow in one place for a maximum of 3 years. Then the bush should be dug up and divided. In this case, it is recommended to remove the central part.

Chamomile

This crop also needs to be prepared for winter. Bushes are recommended to be cut at the root. Then hilling is carried out and the plants are abundantly sprinkled with leaves. If severe frosts are expected, it is recommended to dig a root with an earthy clod. It should be put in a container and sprinkled with damp earth. Store in the basement.

Purple mist

This is one of the most beautiful types of chrysanthemums. It has a standard height of 60 centimeters. The plant is characterized by beautiful double flowers with a diameter of 6.5 centimeters. The culture is growing and developing rapidly. It is characterized by high resistance to winter frosts.

Malchish-Kibalchish

This Korean-bred plant is a low bush covered with simple flowers.In appearance, they resemble chamomile and have a diameter of 7 centimeters. For the winter, it is recommended to cover the culture with leaves, branches or spruce branches. Also, the plant is sprinkled with earth or peat. The layer should be 20 centimeters.

Red Moscow

This is a Korean variety, the bushes of which are 75 centimeters. The plant has beautiful dark red flowers that have a crimson hue. The diameter of each flower is 7 centimeters. In order for this chrysanthemum to survive the winter, it is recommended to cover it.

Everest

This is an unpretentious plant that has large flowers. It is characterized by high parameters of resistance to frost. Long underground shoots are considered a distinctive feature of the plant.

How to properly shelter for the winter in the open field

In order for the plant to endure frost normally, it is recommended to cover it properly. There are several ways to do this.

Increasing the mulching layer

This method can be used to winterize varieties that are highly resistant to frost. With the first frost, the bushes should be spudded. For this, sawdust, peat, shavings are used. You can also use humus or compost.

In frosty winter, it is recommended to additionally cover the plant with branches or spruce branches. From above it should be sprinkled with dry foliage.

Storage above ground

In order for the plant to overwinter, it is not recommended to cut it low. The trunks should be pulled off, carefully bent for the winter and covered with any suitable material. It is important that the covering layer does not get wet. It is best to use film for this.

Dome Storage

This is the most efficient way to prepare a chrysanthemum for a hard frost. Separately located bushes are insulated with individual designs. They can be overlaid with bricks, on top - install boards, slate or plywood, and then sprinkle the plants with a layer of earth.

When the snow falls, it is recommended to throw it on the shelter. This will help create an additional thermal insulation layer.

If the plants are planted in a row, it is better to use a tunnel structure. Arcs should be installed at certain intervals. It is recommended to tie long slats to them. Any elastic material is pulled on top of the frame.

Features of conservation of some varieties

There are specific varieties of chrysanthemums that have certain characteristics.

Globular

These varieties were bred relatively recently. In the south, it is enough to cover them with spruce branches or straw. In colder areas, chrysanthemums are recommended to be dug up for the winter. Plants should be dried, cleaned from the ground and get rid of dry shoots. Then place the bushes in containers with straw and clean in a dark and cool place.

Dwarf

Such plants are usually grown at home. However, sometimes they are planted in open ground. Before winter, it is recommended to cut them, leaving the stems a maximum of 10 centimeters. After that, the plant is transferred to a bright room with a temperature of +8 degrees. The culture is recommended to be watered every month.

Royal

After the first autumn frosts, chrysanthemums should be cut. This can be done high or low. Royal plants are resistant to frost, so they can be left in the ground. However, in any case, it is recommended to cover them with spruce branches.

Typical mistakes

Common florist mistakes include the following:

no timely feeding;
heat-loving plants are not dug up before winter;
Perennials that overwinter in open soil do not properly cover.

Helpful tips

To save the plant for the winter, you should follow the recommendations of experienced flower growers:

There is no clear time to start work on preparing chrysanthemums for winter. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account climatic features. It is worth starting the required manipulations with the arrival of the first frosts. Moreover, experts advise waiting a few days for the flowers to harden. This will help them get through the winter better.
It is not recommended to cover crops with weeds, straw and plant debris. It is in such an environment that garden pests live. If you use such materials for insulation, the chrysanthemum will be seriously damaged by spring.
It is recommended to maintain a stable microclimate during culture storage. Sharp fluctuations in humidity and temperature parameters will lead to the death of the flower. Such a plant simply will not survive the winter.

Saving a chrysanthemum for the winter is not so difficult. Many methods are known to solve this problem.

To choose the most suitable one, it is worth considering the plant variety and the climatic features of the region.