How to Grow Chrysanthemums From Seed

Hi, this is Yolanda Vanveen and next we're going to talk about how to grow chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums are a beautiful addition to your garden and most people get them as gifts like this is a 4th of July chrysanthemum and then they leave them in the house and they bloom and they're so gorgeous. They leave them in too much water because there is no drainage and then they die and then they wonder what did I do? I killed it. Now you've got to remember by the time that your chrysanthemum is in bloom when you receive it as a present a lot of times it is towards the end of its blooming cycle so it's going to die pretty soon anyway so you haven't killed it it's just doing it's cycle. You know once you get it as blooming then it dies. First of all when you get a chrysanthemum or you buy it as a present take it out of the plastic. The plastic is beautiful for the party. Once the party is over with you want to take it out of the plastic or even put some holes into the plastic and put it on a plate so that it can get some drainage because if that stays wet all the time it is going to start rotting so the trick with chrysanthemums is to keep them moist but not wet so you want to make sure that they completely drain so you can easily just take it back out of there too, just put it on a plate and then that way it can have good drainage and you can keep track of it a little better, but you know for the party it's always nice to keep it in the plastic. Now chrysanthemums are very hardy so they will come back from year to year even in very cold climates so I have found that the best thing you can do is when they are done blooming and they look ratty, chop them down. So as soon as the blooms are done chop the blooms out and a lot of times they'll keep giving you more and more and more blooms which is wonderful and that way you can enjoy them for longer. Eventually they'll turn brown even outside once you plant them in a sunny spot they'll start turning brown so whenever they are green and lush leave them be. When they turn brown just cut the brown out. When the whole thing looks ratty chop it to the ground. The root is what matters and so that is what's going to survive from year to year so I always turn around and plant my chrysanthemums out in the ground or leave it in the pot and then that way you can enjoy it from year to year. In the ground they are fine. Sometimes if you leave it in that pot over the Winter outside you'll lose it so put it up against the eaves or keep it indoors and keep it dry but not too wet and not too dry either so there is a fine line. You have got to check on them but chrysanthemums are really tough. I have found them to survive really bad conditions and you can revive them. A lot of times you think you've killed it and you haven't. Chop it down to the ground, put it in the ground and it will come back. They're a great addition to your garden.