Belgian Mum Soul Sister Red Rooted Cutting Liner

Planting and Fertilization

Garden Mums© grow well in a well-drained, loose, soilless media. Peat based or bark based mixes work well. Be sure to plant rooted cuttings as soon as they arrive in moist media. Do not use any type of water retaining gel. This will create root disease. Begin liquid N-P-K fertilizer containing 200-300 ppm Nitrogen as soon as you plant your rooted cutting. You may consider using controlled-release fertilizer to ensure a steady supply of nutrients if your crops are grown outside with overhead irrigation. If you go this route, be sure to choose a CRF that contains trace elements, plan to use it at a high application rate, and keep a close eye on EC levels to supplement if low fertility occurs. We recommend drip irrigation and water-soluble fertilizer. Weekly soil tests are recommended for maintenance. Grow mums in full sun for best quality.

Garden Mums© require a considerable amount of well-balanced fertilizer. During the vegetative stage of development, we recommend using a balanced 20-10-20 fertilizer at 250-300 ppm with each watering. During flower development, switch to a potassium rich fertilizer like 15-5-30 or KNO3 at 300 ppm until flowers show color. Maintain a soil pH of 5.8-6.2. Once you see color, use clear water. Applying magnesium sulfate as a spray before first color will make plants stronger, enhance color and extend shelf life.

Some growers have trialed an alternative constant liquid feed program of 75-150 ppm N, 1-2 ppm Iron from a complete micronutrient fertilizer package, and 25-30 ppm magnesium sulfate. This program reduces costs and simplifies irrigation by using the same fertilizer throughout the plant’s growth. Doing a trial of this method is recommended before switching over, as it requires vigilant monitoring to succeed.

Garden Mums grown in full sun will have the best quality.

Premature budding occurs when plants initiate flower buds before they reach the reproductive stage due to stressful environmental and growing conditions. This will result in plants finishing short and flowering too early. The following steps could prevent premature budding even if you notice small initiated flower buds on your starting material:

• Never allow plants to dry during vegetative stage
• Light cuttings during rooting — 4 hours night interruption
• Avoid planting/moving outside too early in the North
• Feed with phosphor-rich fertilizer at 200-300 ppm right after transplanting to promote vegetative growth
• If unable to maintain proper temperature and lighting, apply Florel week before or after transplanting at 500ppm no later than June 20th to avoid flower delays.

For the most part, Garden Mums© can be treated as no pinch varieties. If you choose to pinch your crop because you are in a low-humidity area or as part of a blackcloth crop, use the follow guidelines. Pinch when the plant have established roots and 1-1.5" new growth, usually 10-14 days after planting. Pinch out the top .5" of growth. A final pinch can be done in early July in cool areas, or as late as early August in warm regions. You generally do not need to pinch Garden Mums© and are better off starting plants in mid-June with no pinching than starting them earlier with multiple pinches. Pinching hard may delay flowering.

Spacing will vary from grower to grower depending on finished pot size and your target sales market. For best results, the foliage should never touch. To calculate spacing, a good rule of thumb is to use the expected diameter of the plant plus 2".

No growth regulators are typically needed. If most or all of the varieties you grow require PGRs to keep them from getting too big, consider a later plant date to reduce growing time and, therefore, size. Proper fertilizer and irrigation also contribute to plant size. If you need PGRs, B-9 sprayed at 2500 to 5000 ppm will slow the growth. A Bonzi spray at 30-50 ppm or drench at 0.5-2 ppm will almost completely stop all growth. A drench at the very end of the crop cycle can maintain plants at their finished size prior to shipping. The last PGR application should be no later than 4 weeks before first color. Excessive or late applications of growth regulators will delay flowering. Florel will not increase branching but is recommended as a foliar spray to prevent premature budding during rooting, about three days after planting rooted cuttings, and every 10-14 days until two weeks before short days. This treatment is not necessary for indoor finished crops. Florel may not abort existing buds but will prevent formation of new flower buds.

The most common pests drawn to this crop are Leafminers, Aphids, Mites, Caterpillars,and Thrips. Our supplier recommends a rotation of Avid, Citation®, Mainspring GNL and Conserve® SC; do a block rotation of three spray applications each of Avid and Citation and then move to the next product.

Bacterial Leaf Spot is the most significant disease for mums. The best treatment is preventative measures, primarily starting with cleaning cuttings, planting media, equipment, and cultural practices. If you are growing in the field, be sure to clear out any weeds and debris and level any low spots where water may collect. Flush the irrigation line with water plus 2-3 ppm chlorine. Check the lines for clogging and replace drippers as needed. A preventative fungicide rotation can be beneficial, especially if Fusarium Sp. has been a problem in the past. Our supplier recommends a rotation of Heritage® (0.9 oz/100 gal) or Mural® fungicides (2–3 oz/100 gal) as a drench four weeks after planting, followed by a Medallion® fungicide drench (2 oz/100 gal) four weeks later; then an application of Mural® fungicide spray (7 oz/100 gal) focused on the center of the plant three weeks after the Medallion fungicide treatment.

Treat Pythium root rot by closely monitoring EC and pH levels and maintaining the proper range. You can also use a rotation of the following products, one drench every 21-28 days: Subdue Maxx® 1–2 fl oz per 100 gallons, 3 Truban® 4–10 fl oz per 100 gallons, 21 Segway® 1.5–3 fl oz per 100 gallons, 11+7 Mural 2–3 oz per 100 gallons.

1. Plant deep so the top of our ellepot is slightly below the soil level in your container. It is especially hard to plant deep in a growing media with a high content of pine bark. Slow down the transplant line, and do it right.
2. Plant in the center. This will eliminate any issue of lopsided, wobbly plants at finish. There is a chance you had 10-15% plugs planted off-center last season.
3. Do not pinch. Garden Mums© have the ability to self-pinch. None of the pinch techniques are perfect, and you will never achieve good uniformity from pinched plugs.