Coming Late to Chrysanthemums

Once our June garden openings were over and a brief period of relaxation was out of the way, thoughts began to turn to changes or things I felt could be improved. As the season progressed, and the garden began to throw off any attempt at discipline, the urge to commence these attempts at improvement has grown – but I must be patient and wait until the plants involved are dormant.

Even the most well-planned border can look a bit shabby or even colorless by mid to late summer. Gaps can occur for many reasons, such as long summer heat waves, extended periods of drought, or—as is my case this year—an unexplained overpopulation of rabbits. There is one more common reason: It’s easy for us gardeners to fall into the trap of buying perennials that bloom earlier in the summer, as that is when most of us visit garden centers, and we are more tempted into buying plants already in bloom rather than something that doesn’t bloom until later.

David Tsay

The harvest video was on Hudson Valley Seed’s Instagram account, and one of that New York-based organic seed company’s co-founders, K Greene, talked with me about growing shallots and their more commonly grown cousin, garlic. He also shared some other ideas for succession sowing of edibles whose planting time still lies ahead—whether for fall harvest or to over-winter and enjoying in the year ahead. Read along as you listen to the Aug. 7, 2023 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) o

With my new found enthusiasm for Chrysanthemums I thought I would have a day reviewing my gardening performance, sorting out my Chrysanthemums in the greenhouse and planning actions to improve my show of next year.

Here in Oxford, we tried sowing some Kale in the middle of August.

Apart from late Tulips I think it is best to leave spring bulbs out of the ground – the end of November is too late even though you can buy very cheap bulbs.

I took my camera to the Autumn flower show and came back with some colourful pictures of great Chrysanthemums. On the doormat when I got home was a newly printed catalogue for Chrysanthemums  so I thought someone was trying to tell me something.

If a plant is worth growing it is worth growing well and this applies no more so than to Chrysanthemums. I have said recently that Chrysanthemums will repay the gardeners attention with a productive crop of flowers for the home, show bench or garden.

Some aspects of gardening are a trial not to say a tribulation. This year I resolved to get on with my Chrysanthemums (aka Chrysanths or Mums) and see if I could encourage enough of them to perform to a reasonable standard. So far I am failing for reasons which will become obvious.

Rhododendron buds

Opium Poppies – Geograph – Pods of the opium poppy at Woodcote, Oxfordshire