Starting from scratch ; If you are without any stock, check out my list .
For those with some existing ''stools'' (last year's plants cut down to about 6'') and boxed up for Winter, they should be kept in the cold frame until early January when they should be brought into the greenhouse and started into growth with a little water and gentle heat.
 
Compost should be prepared for taking cuttings. A mixture of equal parts loam, peat and grit, or coarse sand is suitable, or if preferred a soil-less compost can be used. If a little bottom heat is available a start can be made at the end of January or early February, but don't forget, good plants can still be produced from March and even April cuttings.
 
Cuttings  The best are usually obtained from young growth coming from the base of the old stool, although stem cuttings are permissible if no others are available. NEVER take cuttings from a dry stock plant, water them the day before to plump them up. Snap off between finger and thumb, remove the bottom leaves, leaving the cuttings about two inches long. Dip the bottom half inch in a hormone rooting powder and shake off surplus. Both pots and boxes can be used for rooting in. For a suitable compost use 15 equal parts of loam, peat and sharp sand. If bottom heat can be provided, about 60 F. is ideal. A simple propagating case can be made by the handyman - (i.e. a wooden box covered with a sheet of glass) Rooting usually takes place in about two - three weeks.
 
Growing on When rooted; remove from bottom heat or propagating case, and pot up singly into 3.5'' pots or if preferred boxes about 4'' deep can be used, spacing out the plants about 4'' apart. For this, John Innes No.1 is suitable. Place in cooler part of the greenhouse, preferably on a shelf to prevent plants being drawn. The aim is to encourage root growth and short stocky plants. ''Earlies'' can be kept in boxes until planting out time, when the weather is suitable, usually from mid March onwards, plants should be moved into a cold frame for hardening off. Watch out for frost, and be prepared to cover frame with sacking, etc. if severe frost is expected. If plants do happen to get frozen, spray with COLD water and thaw out gradually.
 
Beds for Earlies should be prepared during the Winter, manuring if possible and incorporating a general balanced fertiliser, such as Vitax Q4. About three weeks before planting, a dressing of early chrysanthemum fertilizer should be forked into the top soil 6'' or so deep. Canes are put into position before planting, allowing about 15'' between plants and rows if space permits.
 
Planting out of Earlies should be commenced about the second week in May. If a little protection from the wind can be given, it will help give the plants a good start.
 
 Stopping  (pinching out the growing points) is done at the end of May. This ensures the Earlies will flower before the frosts get too keen. Only when growing for Show purposes does the stopping date need adjustment for certain varieties. Routine spraying, hoeing and weeding should now be practised.
 
Dis-Budding  When the side shoots elongate, one has to decide the number of blooms each plant will be allowed to carry, remembering if you want large blooms obviously you cannot expect as many per plant. Remove surplus shoots GRADUALLY, until you are left with the number you require to flower - for general use, usually about six stems per plant, or for showing, about three per plant. These shoots should be tied in regularly, adding more canes as necessary. Keep these shoots clear of side shoots, and eventually a cluster of buds will appear at the top of each stem. DIS-BUDDING then takes place by removing all but the central bud on each stem, ensuring that this has not been damaged by insects, etc. - if so, allow a side bud to develop instead. DON'T dis-bud all at once - remove buds over a week or so.
 
 Feeding When the bud starts to swell, a little feeding can be advantageous. Use one of the proprietary chrysanthemum feeds which are available, always using the manufacturer's recommended strength and application rates. A mistake often made by beginners is to cut blooms far too young for full development to take place. Blooms need to be HALF OUT to enable them to fully open in water. If a little protection is given from the weather, better results still will be obtained. Use greaseproof paper (NOT plastic) bags, or plastic sheeting on a framework which must be made secure. Flowering time is when one selects the BEST PLANTS for next year's stock. Anything not up to standard MUST be discarded after flowering.
Avoid over feeding, especially the spray varieties, because the taller lanky plants become lush and invite disease.
Control fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew with specific fungicides.
Remove any aphids right away as they can introduce viruses.