Chrysanthemum - growing cascades

MY METHOD FOR GROWING CASCADES.
Jack EastLake (WA)
Reprinted from the Australian Chrysanthemum Yearbook 1991/1992

Pot Cascades.
I do not consider myself a great expert in this field. My original information came from books published in England. From this background, I have developed my own method which has stood me in good stead over the years and which annually results in a substantial display in my garden and eventually in the show hall of the West Australian Chrysanthemum Society. Propagation is best by cuttings. These should be taken at least a month before the other exhibition types because of the length and mass of growth which is required. Cuttings are struck in trays with a plastic divider so that each cutting is close to an edge. Each cutting is dipped in a fungicide before planting and a hormone rooting compound is also used. Ordinary garden soil is used; the only requirement I have is that it has good draining properties. When I plant the cuttings, I saturate the soil so that it does not require more water for some time. I have found that freshly rooted Cascade cuttings have a tendency to go to a terminal bud when very small. I believe that this is caused by keeping the cutting trays in the shade. In trying to obviate this, I have had great success by placing trays in full sunlight protected from the winds by a glass wall app. 600mm high on three sides, the fourth being a low retaining wall. Plants here are perfectly sheltered and yet get maximum sunlight. Here my plants get a very fine spraying directly onto the foliage to prevent wilting. When the cuttings are well rooted, they are then planted into 95mm (4inch) pots and when they reach a height of 300 - 350 mm, the growing tip is pinched out and at this stage I plant them out into their final pots, 250 mm (10 inch). These pots have a wire mesh frame attached to the top edge and hanging down on one side. These pots are then placed in their final growing position on a tubular steel frame with a rail 230 mm high with the wire mesh hanging down over the rail. In order to assist with the cascading process, when given its final potting, the plant is potted at an angle to reduce the amount of bending required and the resulting arced plant can be tied down, being very careful not to overdo the bending process. A little bit and often is the thing here. A snapped off plant is no use to anyone. After the first stop or pinching out, select one growth from the top as the main leader and do not stop this one again. If by mischance this is broken, then it will be necessary to grow another main leader. All other growths should be pinched out when they reach four or five leaves. The leader will eventually need to be tied down to the wire frame but do take it gently. Eventually it will be very simple when the plant is well grown, but more difficult as a young plant. The side laterals may also be tied down outwards to suit any pattern which is required. The pinching out should continue throughout the summer until the beginning of March when the buds should start forming. Tying down should continue through the summer. Growth will be fairly rapid from bud formation and care must be taken not to damage these as they develop. Buds will start to show colour in early April and will be in full bloom later in that month and into May. Most Cascades will produce basal shoots. These should be allowed to grow upwards. the tips of these growths should be pinched out when they have developed four leaves or more as tastes dictate. Left alone they will grow to a height of 50 cms. At the later stages of growth a section of wire mesh is attached vertically at the back of the pot and the rear laterals should be tied to it. By doing this, the overall effect is a much better looking plant. I have decided to make very little comment on soil except to say that my advice would be to continue to use the soil or compost which has been giving success up to this point. Fertilising should be treated in the same way as with other chrysanthemum plants, but with one significant difference, that being that a fertiliser with a high nitrogen content should be used throughout the growing period and right up to just before the appearance of buds. The reasons for this are to keep the laterals pliable and to assist the mass growth of all those laterals. Fertilising should be undertaken every three days. During the growing period when the temperatures are less than 28 degrees, plants should be watered once each day, but if the temperatures rise higher it may be necessary to water more often. If the soil is damp and the plant is wilting then it is helpful to spray the foliage with water. The rate of growth seems to be partly controlled by heat. At lower temperatures with cool nights, Cascades will grow up to 35mm overnight, but when the temperature is over 28 degrees growth is reduced to nil.

Hanging Baskets.
Baskets should have wire mesh attached to the top edge and hang downwards in a tubular shape about 600mm. Three plants should be used. They should be planted at the back of the basket at an angle with all plants leaning forwards and the two outside ones leaning towards the centre. The main leaders should be tied downwards. The main purpose is to train all three plants to grow downwards and be trained around and down the tubular wire frame. The side laterals may be left a little longer with basket plants before being stopped in order to encourage more sideways growth. Should growth extend beyond the bottom of the wire tube, then it may be worked around to fill in any unwanted gaps. Again as with the more normal pot Cascades, basal growth from the three plants should be nipped and trained to form the upper parts of the plant and give it more balance. When the buds are forming, it is important to be careful of rain and high winds, for any damage to the plant will ruin its form and very little can be done to remedy the situation. During the growing phase my plants are grown in full daylight. I have constructed a special framework for my basket Cascades, but when the buds are forming, my best ones are taken down and placed under cover for protection. The majority have to take their chance and are left outside at the mercy of the elements. As a final point it must be remembered that cascades may be grown to any shape, its only restriction is related to the ability of the grower to fashion the shape of the laterals and the imagination of the grower.

Growing Cascades
MY METHOD FOR GROWING CASCADES. Jack EastLake (WA) Reprinted from the Australian Chrysanthemum Yearbook 1991/1992 Pot Cascades. I do not consider myself a great expert in this field. My original information came from books published in England. From this background, I have developed my own method which has stood me in good stead over the years and which annually results in a substantial display in my garden and eventually in the show hall of the West Australian Chrysanthemum Society. Propagation is best by cuttings. These should be taken at least a month before the other exhibition types because of the length and mass of growth which is required. Cuttings are struck in trays with a plastic divider so that each cutting is close to an edge. Each cutting is dipped in a fungicide before planting and a hormone rooting compound is also used. Ordinary garden soil is used; the only requirement I have is that it has good draining properties. When I plant the cuttings, I saturate the soil so that it does not require more water for some time. I have found that freshly rooted Cascade cuttings have a tendency to go to a terminal bud when very small. I believe that this is caused by keeping the cutting trays in the shade. In trying to obviate this, I have had great success by placing trays in full sunlight protected from the winds by a glass wall app. 600mm high on three sides, the fourth being a low retaining wall. Plants here are perfectly sheltered and yet get maximum sunlight. Here my plants get a very fine spraying directly onto the foliage to prevent wilting. When the cuttings are well rooted, they are then planted into 95mm (4inch) pots and when they reach a height of 300 - 350 mm, the growing tip is pinched out and at this stage I plant them out into their final pots, 250 mm (10 inch). These pots have a wire mesh frame attached to the top edge and hanging down on one side. These pots are then placed in their final growing position on a tubular steel frame with a rail 230 mm high with the wire mesh hanging down over the rail. In order to assist with the cascading process, when given its final potting, the plant is potted at an angle to reduce the amount of bending required and the resulting arced plant can be tied down, being very careful not to overdo the bending process. A little bit and often is the thing here. A snapped off plant is no use to anyone. After the first stop or pinching out, select one growth from the top as the main leader and do not stop this one again. If by mischance this is broken, then it will be necessary to grow another main leader. All other growths should be pinched out when they reach four or five leaves. The leader will eventually need to be tied down to the wire frame but do take it gently. Eventually it will be very simple when the plant is well grown, but more difficult as a young plant. The side laterals may also be tied down outwards to suit any pattern which is required. The pinching out should continue throughout the summer until the beginning of March when the buds should start forming. Tying down should continue through the summer. Growth will be fairly rapid from bud formation and care must be taken not to damage these as they develop. Buds will start to show colour in early April and will be in full bloom later in that month and into May. Most Cascades will produce basal shoots. These should be allowed to grow upwards. the tips of these growths should be pinched out when they have developed four leaves or more as tastes dictate. Left alone they will grow to a height of 50 cms. At the later stages of growth a section of wire mesh is attached vertically at the back of the pot and the rear laterals should be tied to it. By doing this, the overall effect is a much better looking plant. I have decided to make very little comment on soil except to say that my advice would be to continue to use the soil or compost which has been giving success up to this point. Fertilising should be treated in the same way as with other chrysanthemum plants, but with one significant difference, that being that a fertiliser with a high nitrogen content should be used throughout the growing period and right up to just before the appearance of buds. The reasons for this are to keep the laterals pliable and to assist the mass growth of all those laterals. Fertilising should be undertaken every three days. During the growing period when the temperatures are less than 28 degrees, plants should be watered once each day, but if the temperatures rise higher it may be necessary to water more often. If the soil is damp and the plant is wilting then it is helpful to spray the foliage with water. The rate of growth seems to be partly controlled by heat. At lower temperatures with cool nights, Cascades will grow up to 35mm overnight, but when the temperature is over 28 degrees growth is reduced to nil. Hanging Baskets. Baskets should have wire mesh attached to the top edge and hang downwards in a tubular shape about 600mm. Three plants should be used. They should be planted at the back of the basket at an angle with all plants leaning forwards and the two outside ones leaning towards the centre. The main leaders should be tied downwards. The main purpose is to train all three plants to grow downwards and be trained around and down the tubular wire frame. The side laterals may be left a little longer with basket plants before being stopped in order to encourage more sideways growth. Should growth extend beyond the bottom of the wire tube, then it may be worked around to fill in any unwanted gaps. Again as with the more normal pot Cascades, basal growth from the three plants should be nipped and trained to form the upper parts of the plant and give it more balance. When the buds are forming, it is important to be careful of rain and high winds, for any damage to the plant will ruin its form and very little can be done to remedy the situation. During the growing phase my plants are grown in full daylight. I have constructed a special framework for my basket Cascades, but when the buds are forming, my best ones are taken down and placed under cover for protection. The majority have to take their chance and are left outside at the mercy of the elements. As a final point it must be remembered that cascades may be grown to any shape, its only restriction is related to the ability of the grower to fashion the shape of the laterals and the imagination of the grower.