updated on 4/8/24
Zach -
Pinch the top of all new chrysanthemum growths to encourage lateral growth to prepare for cuttings in April
Kalpana -
Take cuttings for most varieties in April to have them ready for the cutting sale.
prepare your soil: Mix Sunshine Pro Mix and Perlite, but coconut coir and perlite is another option. Moisten with some diluted Super Stripe (note: wear a mask to prevent inhaling perlite dust)
prepare your mother plant: Remove bottom leaves so you can see clearly
prepare your cutting tool: Sterilize your scissor/blade with alcohol wipes. Wait until the blade is dry before use. Re-sterilize in between plants
take cutting: Aim for a 3-4" tall cutting. Cut where the stem is still soft/bendable; the tough woody portion is harder to grow roots.
dip in rooting hormone: Try to get the rooting hormone up to the 2nd from the bottom node if possible.
plant in pot: Stick the cutting as deep as possible w/o burying the leaves then tamp down to avoid air gaps. If your pot is bigger, you can put multiple cuttings of the same plant in the same pot.
label: Label your pot with the name, class, color. In 2 weeks, there should be good root system
Bruce -
When taking cuttings, removing all but the top 2 leaves will help to prevent too much water transpiration, which will help with the rooting process
Tiffany -
You can add a humidity dome over the cuttings to also help prevent too much water transpiration. But you have to take care not to have the soil be too wet when sticking, or the moisture will rot the stem before you get roots.