GrowSabzHow to grow chrysanthemum in pots
Also called Mum, gul daudi, aqhawan, chrysantheme · Chrysanthemum morifolium
گل داؤدی
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 6–8hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 0.8 Levery 2 days, 10 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 18–24°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 10 L20 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 90–120days from sowing
- ⚖️ Yield
- 1 kgper 20 L pot
Chrysanthemum keeps producing once it starts. First picking comes around day 90, and the plant then crops for roughly 60 more days — but only if you keep picking. Blooms left on the plant is a signal to stop making more.
Short answer
Grow chrysanthemum in a 10 litre container at least 20 cm deep, watering about 700 ml per 10 litres of soil every 2 days, and keep temperatures between 18 and 24 °C. First harvest comes 90–120 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does chrysanthemum need?
10 litres and 20 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 10 L | 20 cm | Ensure good drainage. Repot as needed. |
| Grow bag | 10 L | 20 cm | Excellent for air circulation around roots. |
| Open ground | — | 25 cm | Plant in well-drained beds with good air circulation. |
| Raised bed | 20 L | 25 cm | Provides excellent drainage and soil control. |
Watering
How often should you water chrysanthemum?
Every 2 days through the growing season, at about 700 ml per 10 litres of soil — daily in hot weather, every 3 days when it turns cool. Water in the early morning. Base of the plant works best.
Too little water
- wilting leaves
- stunted growth
- flower bud drop
Too much water
- yellowing leaves
- soft stems
- root rot
- fungal issues
Avoid: overhead watering; standing water; letting soil dry out completely.
Climate
Can you grow chrysanthemum where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 18 – 24 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | -5 – 30 °C |
| Germinates above | 18 °C — best at 21 °C, about 10 days |
| Flowers drop | above 28 °C, or below 5 °C |
| Sunlight | 6–10 hrs/day, best 8 |
| Frost | Medium sensitivity |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 30 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for chrysanthemum? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Chrysanthemum growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for chrysanthemum
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why chrysanthemum fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 10 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Chrysanthemum wants about 700 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 28 °C, or below 5 °C, flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Planting it beside Fennel
Produces substances from its roots that inhibit the growth of many plants, including chrysanthemums.
Companions
What to plant with chrysanthemum
Good neighbours
Repels nematodes and other soil-borne pests, protecting chrysanthemum roots.
Emits a strong scent that deters aphids, spider mites, and other common pests.
Known to repel Japanese beetles, ants, flies, and other garden pests.
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and parasitic wasps, which prey on aphids and other soft-bodied pests.
Acts as a trap crop for aphids, drawing them away from chrysanthemums and other valuable plants.
Keep apart from
Produces substances from its roots that inhibit the growth of many plants, including chrysanthemums.
Can share diseases like Verticillium wilt, which can be detrimental to chrysanthemums.
Like potatoes, tomatoes can host diseases such as Verticillium wilt that can spread to chrysanthemums.
Releases juglone, a chemical highly toxic to many plants, including chrysanthemums, causing wilting and death.
Can compete heavily for nutrients and light, and some varieties may release allelopathic chemicals that inhibit chrysanthemum growth.
Problems
Chrysanthemum pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Aphids humidity any · temp 15-25
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and undersides of leaves, sucking sap and causing distorted leaves and sticky honeydew.
Spider Mites humidity <50% · temp >27
Tiny pests causing stippling, yellowing leaves, and fine webbing, especially on undersides of leaves in hot, dry conditions.
Powdery Mildew humidity 50-70% · temp 20-27
White, powdery spots appear on leaves and stems, leading to yellowing, distortion, and premature defoliation.
Botrytis Blight humidity >80% · temp 18-24
Grayish-brown fuzzy mold on flowers, buds, and leaves, causing rot and collapse, especially in dense, wet foliage.
Chrysanthemum Rust humidity >70% · temp 18-24
Orange-brown pustules on the undersides of leaves, leading to yellowing, wilting, and premature leaf drop.
Leaf Miners humidity any · temp >20
Larvae tunnel within leaves, creating winding white trails, reducing photosynthesis and aesthetic value.
Thrips humidity any · temp >20
Tiny, slender insects that feed on flower petals and young leaves, causing distortion, streaking, and browning of blooms.
Verticillium Wilt humidity any · temp 20-28
Soil-borne fungus causing wilting, yellowing, and browning of leaves, often affecting one side of the plant first.
Chrysanthemum Stunt Viroid humidity any · temp any
Viral disease causing stunted growth, smaller and paler flowers, and overall reduced vigor. No known cure.
White Rust humidity >90% · temp 10-20
Highly destructive fungal disease specific to chrysanthemums, causing raised, waxy, white pustules on undersides of leaves.
Harvest
When to harvest chrysanthemum
First picking falls between day 90 and day 120, and the plant then keeps producing for about 60 days. Pick often — what you leave on the plant signals it to stop making more.
How to tell it's ready
- Flowers fully open but firm
- Just beginning to unfurl for longer vase life
How much to expect
Storing it: Place cut stems immediately in water, keep in a cool, dark place.
Questions
Chrysanthemum: common questions
How long does chrysanthemum take to grow?
About 100 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 90 and day 120. It then keeps producing for roughly 60 more days. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does chrysanthemum need?
At least 10 litres and 20 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 20 litres of soil and 25 cm of depth.
How often should I water chrysanthemum?
About 700 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 2 days in normal weather — daily when it is hot and every 3 days when cool. Water in the early morning.
Why is my chrysanthemum flowering but not fruiting?
Almost always pollination. Chrysanthemum carries separate male and female flowers and needs pollen moved between them — without insects, nothing sets. Hand-pollinate in the morning with a male flower brushed against the centre of a female one.
What temperature does chrysanthemum need?
It does best between 18 °C and 24 °C and survives from -5 °C to 30 °C. Seed needs soil above 18 °C to germinate, ideally around 21 °C.
Can I grow chrysanthemum in winter?
It tolerates cold better than most, down to about -5 °C, so a sheltered spot or a cold frame will often carry it through.
How do I know when chrysanthemum is ready to harvest?
Flowers fully open but firm; Just beginning to unfurl for longer vase life. Once picked: place cut stems immediately in water, keep in a cool, dark place.