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ThisistheVOASpecialEnglishAgricultureReport.
Peoplehavebeengrowingchrysanthemumsformorethantwothousandyears. Mumsmakebrightandcolorfulgardens. PeopleinChinaandotherAsianculturesmaketeawiththeflowers. GiacomoPuccini, thegreatItaliancomposer, evennamedoneofhisworksafterchrysanthemums, "Crisantemi."
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Onebasickindofmumisthehardyorgardenmum. Theotherbasickindisthefloristmum. Thegardenmumisbetterabletohandledifferentgrowingconditions.
Therearemanyvarietiesofmums. Thedecorativemumisoftenseeningardens. Anotherpopulartype, thequillmum, haslong, straightpetalslikeatubeorneedle.
Chrysanthemumbloomscanbewhite, yellow, gold, redorothercolors. Theplantsoftengrowonemeterhigh.
Thesoilforchrysanthemumsshouldbekeptmoistbutwelldrainedsoitdoesnotgettoowet.
Newlyplantedmumsshouldbewateredtwoorthreetimesaweek, dependingonconditions. Plantsestablishedinthegroundmaydowelljustwithnormalrainfall.
Mumsgrowbestinfullsunshine. Theyproducecolorfulbloomswhendaysgetshorterandnightsgetlonger. Thelifecycleoftheplantdependsontheamountofdaylight. Thisiswhyexpertsadviseagainstplacingmumsnearnightlightsorstreetlights. Thelightmayinterferewiththeirnormalgrowthcycle. Theplantsmaydevelopbudstoosoon.
Inclimateswheretemperaturesfallbelowfreezing, plantmumsatleastsixweeksbeforethefirstfrostisexpected. Thatway, theplantswillbewellestablishedforcoldweather.
Placingmulcharoundtheplantscanprotectthemfromthecold. Considerusingstraworshreddedleavesforthemulch. Thematerialwillalsoaddnutrientstothesoil.
Somegardenerssaythemostbeautifulpresentationcomesfromplantingmumsclosetogether. Butbesuretoleaveenoughspacetoletairflowbetweentheplants. Ifnot, theremaybeagreaterchanceofdisease.
Togetmoreblooms, gardenerspinchbackthebrancheswhennewgrowthhasreachedfifteencentimeters. Squeezeaboutfivetosevencentimetersoffeachbranch. Pinchitagainwhenabranchgrowsanothertwelvetofifteencentimeters. Stopthepinchingaboutonehundreddaysbeforeyouwanttheplantstobloom.
Andthat'stheVOASpecialEnglishAgricultureReport. I'mJimTedder.
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