An Astra from the family Asteraceae came to Europe from China as early as the 17th century. Since that time, flowers have become an integral attribute of the autumn landscape of landscape gardening compositions. A simple planting and caring for asters in the open ground contributed to the rapidly increased popularity and universal love.
Material Content:
Varieties and varieties
In the wild, mainly in North and Central America, from 200 to 500 species of the Astra genus grow (according to data from different sources, the numbers differ significantly).
All varieties are divided into two large groups:
- Annual asters - the group is represented by single-stem grassy plants with large inflorescences, which are often grown for cutting.
- Perennial - bush plants with highly branched shoots.
Perennial asters
The classification of perennial varieties is based on such a parameter as the flowering period, combining asters in two subgroups: early flowering and autumn flowering.
Early flowering
A large subgroup, including such prominent representatives as:
- Alpine aster is a perennial aster with a height of 15 to 30 cm, the bloom of which is observed in late spring. Popular varieties: Wargrave, Glory.
- Italian aster - chamomile aster with large corymbose inflorescences, which are observed in the first half of summer. Plant height can reach 70 cm. Rosea, Rudolf Goeth stand out from the varieties.
- Astra Bessarabian is a branched medium-sized bush up to 75 cm in height, the shoots of which are crowned with inflorescences painted in lilac tones.
Autumn blooming
A subgroup characterized by a variety of species composition:
- Shrub Astra is the earliest flower from the subgroup, the height of the leafy stems of which does not exceed 60 cm. The most famous varieties are Niobe, Blue Bird.
- New Belgian Astra is a widespread variety in gardens. It is represented by both tall and dwarf varieties, among which dwarf Snowsprite, Jenny, mid-sized Royal Velvet, Winston S. Churchill, tall Dusty Rose, Desert Blue deserve special attention.
- Astra New England - another popular variety is represented by tall plants, up to 160 cm high with a large number of small inflorescences. Common varieties: Browmann, Constance.
It is interesting:planting and caring for grouse flowers
Annual asters
Garden Astra, or also known as callistephus (the Chinese monotypic genus), has more than 4,000 different varieties, which are often mistaken for dahlias, chrysanthemums and even peonies.
There are several classifications, which are based on various parameters:
- by the timing of flowering (early, medium, late);
- in height (dwarf, stunted, mid-tall, tall, gigantic);
- for the purpose of cultivation (cutting, casing, universal);
- on the structure of inflorescences (tubular, transitional, reed).
Among the huge variety of varieties, the spherical large-flowered aster “American Beauty”, the needle-like “Record” with medium inflorescences, the curly variety “Strausovo Feather” and the semi-double “Rosetta” stand out.
Growing Asters from Seeds
Astra is grown from seeds in two ways: seedlings and seedlings.
Reckless planting of asters
Sowing of early varieties is carried out at the beginning or in the middle of March, and later - in the second half of spring, when stable warm weather is established above 10 ° C.
Wherein:
- 4 cm deep grooves are prepared.
- Seeds are placed in the grooves and poured with water.
- With the advent of dry weather, crops are mulched.
- After the seedlings form two pairs of true leaves, the rows are thinned out so that there is an interval of 15 cm between the seedlings.
In addition to springtime, asters are planted in the fall in the winter:
- Grooves are made on the frozen soil into which the seed is placed, which is practically not damaged by Fusarium.
- After the snow melts in the spring and the emergence of seedlings, thinning is carried out.
Sowing asters for seedlings
The seedling method is more reliable, while the florist will be able to admire the asters grown through seedlings much earlier.
Sowing is carried out in the first half of spring as follows:
- Seven days before sowing, the seed wrapped in tissue is soaked in a solution of manganese for 10 hours.
- After the allotted time, the tissue is squeezed out and, together with the seeds, is placed in cellophane for germination.
- Boxes for seedlings are filled with a light substrate, which is watered with fungicidal solution for disinfection.
- Seeds are planted to a depth of 5 mm.
- The container is covered with glass, and then moves to a warm place.
- When the seedlings appear, the seedlings are taken out to a room with a temperature of 16 ° C.
- After the appearance of two pairs of true leaflets in seedlings, they are dived with shortened roots.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Before planting, the seedlings are hardened. The optimal time is considered the second half of spring, when the seedlings reach a height of 10 cm and will have 4 pairs of true leaves.
Site selection and soil preparation
Asters feel great in sunny areas with well-drained, light neutral soil.
Soil for flowers is prepared in advance:
- In the autumn, under deep digging, humus is introduced with a spread rate of 2-4 kg per 1 m2.
- In the spring, the plot loosens again with the simultaneous introduction of complex mineral fertilizers at the rate of 50 g nitroammophoski per 1 m2.
Landing technology
The landing procedure is as follows:
- Shallow holes are dug with a distance of 20 cm from each other and a row spacing of 50 cm.
- Landing pits are filled with water.
- After drying, seedlings descend into the recesses, which are sprinkled with soil.
Garden aster care
Asters are unpretentious, so leaving will not take a lot of time and energy from the grower.
Watering and loosening
Watering plants must be plentiful, but not too often. In dry summers, the water consumption per 1 m2 is 3 buckets. After each moistening, the soil lies loosening to a depth of 4-6 cm.
Weeding and hilling
To accelerate the growth of root mass before branching the stems of the aster, it is recommended to bump to a height of 8 cm. An important care measure is to clear the soil of weeds.
Top dressing
For lush flowering, plants need additional nutrition, which is carried out at least three times per season:
- 10 days after planting seedlings in open ground, top dressing is carried out using complex mineral fertilizers, which include nitrogen.
- In the budding phase, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are introduced under the plants.
- At the beginning of flowering, asters are fed a third time also with fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus.
Asters have faded away - what to do?
If annual varieties grew on the site, then all plant residues should be removed and burned, after collecting seeds from the varieties of your choice. Seeds can be sown before winter, but in a different area that is not infected with specialized harmful organisms. Perennial cultural representatives are winter-hardy and can grow in one place up to 5 years. When reaching the age limit after flowering, it is worth digging up the bushes and dividing. Delenki planted in other areas.
Diseases, pests and care during this period
A delicate and elegant flower in violation of agricultural cultivation can be affected by both diseases and pests. Among the diseases, the most dangerous is fusarium, which is not treatable, as well as rust, powdery mildew and black leg, which develops in the seedling phase. Of the pests on asters, there are meadow bugs, drooling pennies, arable slug, common earwig, spider mites, bud aphids and scoops, which should be controlled with systemic insecticides.
Use in landscape design
The choice of art object for which asters will be used depends on the size of the variety. For example, aster heather groundcover is perfect for decorating an alpine hill, and medium-sized varieties of Italian aster will harmoniously combine with decorative yarrows in a mixborder. Flowers will fit into any floral arrangement, if you choose the right plant shape.
Thus, the aster is a beautiful flower with high decorative qualities, which, with all its grace, remains undemanding in care.
