How to Care for Chrysanthemums in Winter to Ensure Their Survival
The editor will answer your questions about how to care for chrysanthemums in winter to help them survive. Let's introduce the knowledge about green plants and flowers, starting with the editor's explanation.
How to Care for Chrysanthemums in Winter to Ensure Their Survival
To ensure that chrysanthemums can survive the winter, it is important to start with the selection of soil, preferably using loose new soil. Next, pruning and trimming are crucial steps. Then, attention must be paid to water and fertilizer management, avoiding waterlogging and excessive fertilization. Finally, the temperature environment must be considered, keeping them warm and placing them in a sunny, warm location.
Chrysanthemums can withstand temperatures as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius, but this is the limit for their underground stems. Generally, the winter temperatures in the south are higher, so chrysanthemums can survive in warmer outdoor conditions in the southern winter.
In contrast, winters in the north are much colder, making it impractical to leave chrysanthemums outdoors. In the north, chrysanthemums should be moved indoors promptly for care. Leaving them outside could result in frostbite. So, how exactly can chrysanthemums be protected in winter? Let's delve into the details.
Temperature Environment
Chrysanthemums prefer warmth and are not cold-resistant, so it is essential to keep them warm in winter. Move them to a warm indoor location. In the north, there is heating, while in the south, you can use plastic bags for insulation or turn on the air conditioner to increase the indoor temperature.
In areas with higher temperatures, such as Guangdong and Guangxi, it is also possible to care for them outdoors. Chrysanthemums enjoy sunlight, so in winter, try to ensure they receive full sunlight to improve their growth the following year.
Soil Selection
Winter is the dormant period for chrysanthemums, making it the most suitable time for changing the potting soil. It is best to use loose new soil, such as a mixture of humus soil, sand, and ordinary garden soil, usually in a ratio of 2:1:1.
Pruning and Trimming
Proper pruning is a critical step to ensure chrysanthemums survive the winter. If new buds have already emerged, prune the dry old lateral branches. The purpose of pruning is to prevent nutrient loss and malnutrition in new buds. Then, propagate them by cutting the entire plant, including the soil, and inserting it into a new pot with fresh potting soil.
Move it to an indoor location with a temperature of over 5 degrees Celsius and keep the potting soil moist. If new buds have not emerged, you can cut the plant directly from the stem. Old leaves should also be removed to avoid bacterial infections that could affect new bud growth.
Water and Fertilizer Management
Chrysanthemums do not require much water in winter, just keep the potting soil moist. Avoid waterlogging and water once a month. In winter, chrysanthemums do not require much fertilizer; applying nitrogen fertilizer once at the beginning of winter to enhance their cold resistance is sufficient.
The above information about how to care for chrysanthemums in winter to ensure their survival can be referred to by green plant enthusiasts.