Seeds

• 1). Press the seeds onto the surface of the garden soil in early spring when there is still a chance of frost, spacing them 5 to 6 inches apart. Chrysanthemum seeds need light to germinate, so don't cover them.
  
  
• 2). Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Water gently using a hand mister to keep from washing away the seeds. It takes 10 to 13 days for seedlings to emerge.
  
  
• 3). Thin the seedlings by clipping out unwanted plants at ground level, using scissors. Space small varieties 12 to 15 inches apart and allow 18 to 24 inches between larger types.
  
  
• 4). Fertilize the seedlings when the first true leaves appear. Apply a half-strength liquid fertilizer twice a week for the first three weeks. Afterward, use full strength fertilizer every 10 to 14 days.
  
  
• 5). Pinch out the growing tip of the plants when they are 6 inches tall, and repeat every time they gain another 6 inches in height. This encourages a well-branched, bushy plant.
  
  

Division

• 1). Divide chrysanthemums in the fall as soon as the flowers fade in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones warmer than 6. In cooler regions, divide plants in the spring. Divide them on a cool evening or on an overcast or slightly rainy day.
  
  
• 2). Cut back the plant by at least two-thirds, using pruning shears.
  
  
• 3). Dig around the plant using a shovel. When the soil is loose all the way around, insert the shovel under the plant and pry upward. Remove the plant from the hole.
  
  
• 4). Brush some of the soil from the roots and divide the plant into sections by pulling them apart. Use pruning shears to clip through tangles of roots.
  
  
• 5). Replant the divisions as soon as possible to prevent the roots from drying. Plant them in holes large enough to accommodate the roots and at the same depth as the original plant.
  
  
• 6). Keep the soil around the divisions moist until they are well-established.