Garden mums are often produced outdoors during the summer months, meaning they can be highly susceptible to harsh weather conditions, as well as insect and disease pressure. After protecting crops from diseases like root rot and insects such as thrips and aphids, finish the season strong by incorporating a plant growth regulator (PGR) application at the end of production to help ensure healthy, beautiful mums by the time they reach consumers.

Common Mum Diseases

Two of the most common diseases encountered during garden mum production are root rot caused by Pythium spp. and Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum.

Pythium spp. infections occur in areas that experience frequent, heavy rain and hot temperatures. Infected plants will be lighter color, appear smaller and wilt during the heat of the day.

Fusarium infections often show in late summer but begin much earlier than when symptoms appear. These symptoms include wilting from the bottom up and lighter colored foliage in canopy sections.

In all stages of production, mums are highly susceptible to thrips, aphids and worms.

• Thrips feed by scraping and piercing plant tissue, resulting in leaf stippling, scarring and distortion, and can spread viruses such as Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV).
• Aphids can spread viruses such as Chrysanthemum Virus B (CVB) and cause physical damage by using their piercing mouthparts to extract fluids from stems, leaves and other plant parts.
• Loopers, armyworms and other lepidopteran pests also feed on mums and can damage plants.

Apply a PGR to Finish the Season Strong

Incorporating a PGR in your operation helps maintain strong, attractive plants through storage and shipping. PGRs differ by active ingredients, application rates, methods and more, so understanding how to select and use one effectively is critical for achieving the desired effects.

Bonzi^® plant growth regulator ensures plants stay compact and beautiful by keeping them at their peak for longer. Bonzi helps:

• Maintain compactness by reducing stem elongation.
• Enhance shelf life for extended freshness.
• Improve appearance with deeper green foliage, brighter flowers and better water use efficiency.

Bonzi can be applied as either a spray or drench application.

• For spray applications, use rates of 50 to 200 ppm.
  • Applications should begin when axillary shoots are 2 to 3 inches long.
  • Sequential applications of lower rates can provide more uniformly shaped plants.
• Drench applications should be at rates of 1 to 4 ppm.
  • Applications should begin when axillary shoots are 2 to 3 inches long.
  • Late applications may be required to hold plants at the desired height and prevent late stretch.

By following these guidelines, you can maximize the benefit of PGRs to produce high-quality, marketable plants.

For more information about finishing mums with Bonzi, visit GreenCastOnline.com/Bonzi.

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