Our experiments aimed to develop a method of encapsulation of Dendranthema nodal segments that can be used for non-sterile sowing. Shoot cultures of six genotypes of Dendranthema x grandiflora (Ramat.) were cultivated on modified MS medium and subcultured in 6-week-intervals. For encapsulation, 4- to 5-mm-long nodal segments were isolated 5 weeks after subculturing. Nodal segments were mixed with a liquid modified MS medium supplemented with 3% Na-alginate and hardened in 75 mM CaCl₂. For sowing in non-sterile conditions, a second layer containing water, MS medium, 0.2 M mannitol, or 0.5 g l^-1 activated charcoal, was added to the beads. In vitro water-agar, as well as sterilized perlite, vermiculite, and sand and gravel, were used as growing media. These mineral growing media were moistened with 7 ml deionized water with pH 5.8. For in vivo conversion non-sterilized perlite (average grain size = 2 mm) filled in 7-cm diameter pots was used. Up to 100% of the encapsulated nodal segments formed shoots and roots within 5 weeks of in vitro culture, provided that the beads contained MS medium and 1.0 mg l^-1 indole-3-acetic acid. Approximately 50% of the beads without a second layer were contaminated in vivo. If the second layer contained MS medium the infection was similarly severe. A second layer of Ca-alginate with water reduced the contamination to 6.7% and shoot formation was recorded in 73% of the encapsulated nodal segments. Root formation occurred in 45% of the encapsulated segments. Up to 18% of the encapsulated segments died and up to 18% of the beads did not develop in vivo.