Assessing the influence of planting time and fertilization on growth, flowering, yield and soil properties of chrysanthemum

To identify optimal planting time for maximizing growth and flowering, and assess the impacts of various fertilization techniques on plant growth and soil health in chrysanthemum. The investigation was conducted at Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India from 2022 to 2023. The study aimed to investigate the impact of various planting times and fertilization schedules on the yield, quality, and soil health characteristics of chrysanthemum. Different planting times from 15 June to 30 August under organic and inorganic fertilization regimes were evaluated. Data related to vegetative growth, flowering, soil chemical and biological properties were recorded. Planting on 15 June along with inorganic fertilization resulted in improved vegetative characters like plant height (74.37 cm) and plant spread (30.56 cm), flowering characters like cut flower stem length (64.07 cm), stem strength (10.40°), flower diameter (11.80 cm) and duration of flowering (22.50 days) and soil chemical properties like available N, P, K (326.53, 40.36 and 359.48 kg/ha, respectively). However, planting on June 15 combined with organic fertilization led to enhancement in soil microbiological properties, including bacterial count (138.33 cfu/g soil), fungal count (31.75 cfu/g soil), actinomycetes count (62.46 cfu/g soil), microbial biomass (52.62 µg/g soil) as well as vase life (19.70 days). In the present study, it was found that planting time and fertilization significantly impacted chrysanthemum growth, yield and soil properties. The 15 June planting with inorganic fertilization boosted growth, yield and macronutrient content, while organic fertilization on the same date enhanced soil microflora. Flowering was influenced by planting time and organic fertilization showed promise as an alternative to chemical fertilization. Optimizing planting schedules and using organic fertilizers would lead to sustainability and offer economically viable alternatives to conventional crop management.