Chrysanthemum | Salmon Fairy

Salmon Fairy is an intermediate incurve Chrysanthemum with a delicate blushed pink colour that looks like a pretty ballet tutu. It has a large flower size which can be up to 18 cm if grown as a disbud.  To disbud is the process of removing surplus buds on the stem of the plant as they appear so that the plant can put all of its energy into producing one rather than many flowers.

Chrysanthemums need at least 5 to 6 hours of sun daily to perform at their best.  They are prone to powdery mildew so need to have good air circulation, the morning sun is needed to dry the dew on the leaves and in addition to this, they need good drainage.  The plants are actually pretty tough but do benefit from a light and frequent feeding with a balanced fertiliser during their period of growth which is autumn. 

When plants are about 15cm tall, pinch off the tips to encourage bushiness which will, in turn, encourage more flowers.  Pinch back again when plants reach 30cm. Some gardeners pinch back every few weeks until January to encourage heavy autumn flowering. The last pinching out should be about 100 days before the desired bloom time if you are growing for an event.

After flowering, some gardeners cut them back to about 10cm tall and cover with a light, airy mulch or straw although this is not actually necessary but can tidy the plants up.  Chrysanthemums can also be easily divided.

A fabulous cut flower that lasts so well in a vase, often for more than two weeks.  Pick them when they two thirds to three-quarters open, be sure to strip all of the leaves off so they do not sit under the waterline.

Read our Garden Journal for more information about Growing Chrysanthemums

Perennial | Deciduous

Flower size - approximately 10-12cm

Height to about  1.2 meters, staking recommended.

Plant size: PB2 - Equivalent of 1.2 litres