Asters (Aster) are ornamental plants that are widely used in creating flower beds, decorating country houses, gardens and personal plots, and are grown for cut flowers. The aster flower is an unpretentious autumn favorite. But even hardy plants require some care and maintenance. We talked in detail about the specifics of cultivation, methods of propagation and transplantation of asters, problems and diseases that gardeners may encounter when growing flowers.
Asters are unpretentious decorative flowers.
Asters are annual and perennial herbs originating from China, growing in mountain, forest and steppe regions of Eurasia, Northern and South America. The genus includes over 200 species and belongs to the Asteraceae family. As for the garden aster, known in floriculture, the flower does not belong to the genus Astra, but to the related genus Callistephus.
In floriculture, annual asters are mainly used, less often - perennials, which can grow as a separate flower or as a whole bush. According to height, asters are distinguished between high (50–75 cm), medium (30 to 50 cm) and low (15–20 cm). A bouquet collected from asters can stand in water for up to 18 days.
Aster flowers different varieties differ significantly in size (from 3–4 cm to 15 cm), shape (radiant, spherical, needle-shaped), structure (rose-shaped, peony-shaped, chrysanthemum-shaped). The colors of the flowers are also varied: white, pink, lilac, red, pale blue, blue and dark purple.
The name of the magnificent flowers is translated from Latin as “stars”. The beauty of these stars was appreciated not only by flower growers, but also by artists. Asters in painting are represented by beautiful paintings by Claude Monet, Zhukovsky, Zhdanov and many other masters.
Plant care
Caring for asters is not difficult, since this undemanding flower can grow in almost all types of soil, reacts normally to partial shade, and tolerates light frosts (up to 3–4 ° C below zero). The most important thing is to regularly loosen the soil, remove weeds, know how to plant correctly, and don’t forget to hill up each bush before flowering to a height of 5–7 cm.
When planting asters in a country house or in a garden, select places with diffused sunlight (preferably from the southwest). The plants are shaded from the hot afternoon sun.
When it’s warm, water the asters in the flowerbed once a month. In case of drought it is necessary abundant watering. But the soil cannot be over-moistened - the flower does not like either drought or high humidity.
Grow asters on the ground with high level groundwater almost impossible.
Asters cannot grow in swampy and heavily moist soils.
Growing aster
In order for the flowers to grow healthy and beautiful, you need to plant the plant correctly, and before that, prepare and fertilize the soil. What is the best way to plant asters? If you plan to grow flowers in infertile soil, it is better to sow aster seeds for seedlings. Growing seedlings is also bred late varieties. Sow seeds directly into open ground better when grown early varieties.
Soil
Light, fertile soil with an acidity close to neutral is most suitable for the plant. To grow beautiful flowers garden aster, you need to prepare suitable soil:
- Fertilize sandy, low-humus soil in the garden with humus or compost;
- lighten clay soil with a mixture of earth and sand (1 part each) or a substance of perlite and peat (also taken in equal parts);
- add lime to the acidic soil (1/3 part lime to 1 part soil).
Fertilizers
Like any other plant, aster needs nutritional compounds. In this case, fertilizers must be applied according to a certain pattern.
To improve the structure and increase fertility in the fall in the soil per meter square area contribute:
- humus (2–4 kg);
- phosphate rock (50–80 g);
- potash fertilizers (30–50 g).
In the spring, before planting aster seedlings or sowing seeds on square meter land area enter:
- ammonium sulfate (20–40 g);
- potassium salt (15–20 g).
In the spring and summer, the plant is fed:
- complex mineral fertilizer with phosphorus (2 weeks after planting);
- phosphorus-potassium fertilizing (during the formation of buds and flowering, since these elements contribute to the development of beautiful flowers).
If the soil is wet, fertilizers are applied in dry form while loosening the soil. In dry weather, the fertilizer is pre-dissolved in water. Organic fertilizers (chicken droppings at a dilution of 1:20) you can only feed a flower grown in poor soil.
Growing seedlings
The optimal temperature for seed germination is from 18 to 20 ° C, for the growth of seedlings – 16–18 ° C.
To grow aster seedlings from seeds you need:
- prepare the seeds by soaking them in a solution of molybdenum, boron or manganese microfertilizer for 15–18 hours or in an infusion of calendula seeds (pour a tablespoon of seeds with a glass of boiling water, leave for 3 days) for half an hour;
- prepare the soil by mixing soil (2 parts), peat (2 parts) and sand (1 part);
- treat containers for seedlings and soil with a solution of potassium permanganate (for disinfection);
- scatter the seeds on moist soil, cover with paper (remove after germination - usually on days 3–7) or sow to a depth of 5–7 mm (then there is no need to cover with paper);
- Water the seedlings regularly and keep them at a temperature of 16 to 18 ° C;
- When the first true leaf is formed, the seedlings need to be picked, the seedlings should be planted at intervals of 5–7 cm and fed with mineral fertilizers.
When growing aster seedlings in an apartment, it is better to sow the seeds in March, in a greenhouse or flower greenhouse - a month later.
Planting seedlings in flower beds
Aster seedlings are planted in holes pre-filled with water. After planting, the holes are watered again. A distance of at least 25 cm should be maintained between the holes for tall plants and 15 cm for low-growing varieties.
Asters should be planted in open ground at the end of May, preferably in the evening. When planting on a sunny day, asters are subjected to unnecessary stress and can get sunburned. The plant will probably take root, but will grow weak and become sick. Before planting, the ground needs to be weeded, leveled, and loosened.
Sowing seeds in open ground
Growing aster from seeds is carried out during breeding early species. In this case you need:
- choose resistant varieties;
- choose the right time to plant the plant - at night the air temperature should not fall below 12 ° C;
- Thin out the seedlings in a timely manner (first by 5 cm, and after 2 months - by 15–25 cm, depending on the height of the plant).
If the seeded material does not germinate or the seedlings grow poorly or dry out, it is better to replant, fulfilling all the requirements for the composition of the soil and its pre-sowing treatment.
You can sow seeds not only in the spring, but also before winter in previously prepared furrows. If sowing seeds is carried out on the eve of cold weather, the plant will bloom 1.5–2 weeks later than when planting seedlings in the spring. In this case, flowering will be longer and more abundant. Asters are cross-pollinated plants, so to maintain variety different types flowers are planted at a distance of at least 5–10 m from each other.
Bloom
Flowering in various plant varieties begins 83–131 days after seed germination. Asters bloom until frost. But the exact time depends on the species - there are both early and late varieties that will bloom at different periods:
- early – May–June;
- summer – July–August;
- autumn – September–November.
Asters cannot be cut immediately after watering, otherwise the petals will quickly rot and the bouquet will lose its decorative effect.
How to care for an aster so that it blooms longer? Don’t forget to water, loosen the soil, destroy weeds and diseased flowers, and treat plants with remedies for diseases and pests. A separate inflorescence blooms for 20–40 days, the seeds ripen 35–40 days after flowering.
Transfer
Perennial flowers are replanted if they do not have enough space or diseased plants appear nearby. Asters have a stable root system, so replanting does not harm them. Flowers are replanted in the evening in the summer. Before and after replanting, water the hole generously.
Diseases
Caring for and growing flowers includes regular fine loosening of the soil, destruction of weeds, and watering if necessary. But even if you provide flowers optimal conditions growing, they may get sick.
Fusarium
Fusarium is a dangerous disease caused by the Fusarium fungus. Fungal spores can persist in the soil for many years, affecting the planted bush. The mycelium, growing into the roots of the flower, clogs the conducting system. Lack of nutrition leads to plant wilting, which usually occurs during the formation of buds. Brown stripes and oblong spots appear on a diseased plant.
Treatment consists of removing diseased flowers and treating the soil with quicklime. Prevention involves alternating crops (aster cannot be planted in the same place for at least 5 years) and treating seeds with fungicides before planting.
Fusarium affects plants less often if you plant garlic among asters or grow flowers next to petunia and nasturtium.
Jaundice
The cause of the disease is viruses transmitted by aphids and cicadas. With jaundice, the leaves lighten, growth slows down and the bushiness of the plant increases. Infected plants are burned, healthy ones are sprayed with antiviral agents.
Rust
A fungal disease that affects leaf blades: first, their underside becomes covered with swellings with spores, and later dies completely. You can prevent the disease by periodically spraying the flowers. Bordeaux mixture. Treatment is carried out with the same Bordeaux mixture, and the plants are sprayed daily for 10 days. You can’t plant an aster near a pine tree - rust lives on it.
Blackleg
Blackleg is a fungal infection manifested by blackening of seedlings and seedlings, followed by rotting of the stem. Fungal spores overwinter in the ground and are more common in acidic soil. To avoid infection, you need to disinfect the soil before planting with potassium permanganate. Treatment consists of removing the affected flowers and disinfecting the soil.
Septoria (brown spot)
It mainly affects weak plants, and on the diseased bush appear brown spots. Treatment is carried out by spraying with anti-infective agents twice a month.
To avoid diseases, you cannot grow asters in one place for more than 5 years or return them to their original place earlier than after 5 years.
Pests
- Tilled slug. It feeds on leaves and buds, leaving silvery marks on the leaf blades. To destroy the pest, insecticides are used and weeds are removed.
- Meadow bug. It feeds on plant sap. When a pest attacks, white dots first appear on the leaf blades, then the leaves die. Prevention and treatment consists of spraying the plant with insecticides.
- Spider mite. It attacks the underside of leaves and feeds on sap. Leaves become limp and yellow due to lack of nutrition. To avoid spider mite attacks, you need to treat asters with anti-mite products.
- Aster blizzard (otherwise known as sunflower moth). Small butterfly caterpillars feed on flower petals and pollen. Planting asters away from sunflowers and collecting caterpillars by hand will help prevent pest attacks.
- An ordinary subterfuge. The pest feeds on leaves and flowers. Control includes manual collection of insects and spraying with insecticides.
- Scoop Gamma. The green caterpillar chews heavily on the plant. To prevent a pest attack, you need to dig the soil deeply (then the larvae will not survive) and weed the weed.
Reproduction
Almost all asters reproduce easily:
- cuttings;
- dividing the bush;
- seeds.
Cuttings
Cuttings are carried out in the spring or summer months. Young shoots are cut from the bush under acute angle, cut off their leaves to reduce moisture evaporation. The cut is treated with a solution of heteroauxin (a chemical growth stimulator). The cuttings are dropped in and covered with film. When the plant takes root, the film is removed.
Dividing the bush
Reproduction by dividing the bush is carried out in the fall. This method is more suitable for plants that have reached the age of five years. Transplantation by division is carried out simply: the flowers are dug up, carefully separated so as not to damage the root system, and planted in the right places.
Seeds
How to collect aster seeds? To do this, you need to wait until all the petals wither, the center of the flower darkens and a fluff forms in its middle. Such inflorescences need to be picked and left until completely dry. The seeds are covered with a dense shell, thanks to which they remain viable for a long time (about 2 years).
Over time, germination rates decrease, so it is better to take fresh seeds.
Where to buy
In specialized flower shops you can purchase aster seeds and seedlings. The cost of a package of seeds (0.2 g), depending on the plant variety, varies from 12 to 170 rubles. Price for seedlings various types ranges from 200 to 900 rubles.
Garden aster blooms beautifully and can survive in almost any conditions. Planting and care in open ground does not cause any particular difficulties: the plant does not need frequent watering, perennial crops do not need special shelter in winter. Sowing aster seeds, growing seedlings and transplanting perennials is also easy. The main difficulty in growing and caring for flowers is treating flowers from diseases. But if you treat the seed and disinfect the soil, diseases can be avoided.
When the colors of summer disappear, the stars of asters light up in multicolor, delighting the eye until the frosts. The aster, everyone’s favorite flower, decorates front gardens, city flower beds, summer cottages. How to plant asters and care for these flowers in open ground will be discussed in detail in the article.
Growing methods
Asters are grown in two ways, both of which are quite successful:
- seedless - seeds are directly sown in the ground;
- seedling - sowing seeds for seedlings in a greenhouse or in the house.
Due to the long growing season, asters are often used for growing seedling method to get flowering plant in a flowerbed in short terms. This is relevant in middle lane Russia, and especially in Siberia, where the summer is short.
Seedling method
Growing from seeds by seedlings in the middle zone and northern regions is considered reliable, but labor-intensive. Prepared planting material sown in containers installed in a greenhouse or other enclosed spaces to obtain seedlings.
Timing of sowing seeds
The sowing time depends on the variety; this is done in March and April.
Processing of planting material
Seed treatment before planting includes:
- soaking in a product that accelerates germination;
- treatment with solutions of special drugs that protect against diseases.
A week before sowing, the seeds are disinfected and germinated: kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for two hours, washed, and laid out without drying on a damp cloth. Place in a warm place for pecking.
Soil for asters
As soil for seedlings, take ordinary soil from the garden with the addition of sand, humus, and ash; its consistency is loose and light. The soil is disinfected with a hot solution of fungicides or potassium permanganate.
Sowing seeds
Soaked in a means to accelerate germination, the seeds are sown in one container to a depth of 1 cm, after moistening the soil. Cover with glass to create greenhouse effect, installed in warm room(up to +20°С). When sprouts appear, transfer to a cool, illuminated place. After the formation of two true leaves, they are planted one at a time in pots.
Temperature and lighting
After emergence of seedlings, the temperature is gradually reduced (over 3 days) by 5°C. +15°C is enough. Maintain optimal lighting at all stages of growth to avoid stretching of seedlings. If there is insufficient lighting, artificial supplementary illumination with a lamp is used.
Watering seedlings
Watering is carried out in the morning, carefully moistening the soil so that excess moisture dries out during the day.
Picking plants
Planting and care include picking, which must be done when three or four true leaves appear, pinching off the central root by a third.
- The composition of the soil for picked plants is identical to the soil for seeds; ash is added to it (1 tablespoon per 1 liter).
- Watering is moderate.
- After 7 days, apply the first fertilizing with complex mineral fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. Subsequent feedings are carried out every week until planting in a permanent place.
Hardening
Before planting, hardening is carried out. The containers are taken out into the open air, increasing the time the seedlings are outside every day. By the time of planting in the ground, up to 8 leaves should appear on the seedlings, the height of the seedling is 10 cm with a strong stem.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Asters begin to be planted in open ground in mid-spring, when the plants reach a month of age. Seedlings grow up to 10-12 cm, and root system powerful, well developed. Determined by site selection and soil preparation. A sunny part of the site with fertile, light-drained soil, where calendula previously grew, will be comfortable for the flower. In the fall, the selected area is dug up deeply, and humus or compost is added at the same time. Mineral fertilizers (superphosphate, potassium salt) are added to loosen the soil.
Tall varieties are planted maintaining a distance between plants of up to 40 cm; for short varieties, 20 cm is enough. It is recommended to leave 50 cm between rows.
It is better to plant in the evening; before doing this, you should water and mulch the soil.
The soil is sprinkled with dry soil. Water after 2-4 days. The first fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers is carried out after 2 weeks.
Direct sowing of seeds in open ground
You can get new specimens if you plant asters with seeds directly into open ground. At the same time, the seedlings harden and get sick less, but they begin to bloom much later.
When to sow
In spring, seeds should be sown in open ground after the soil has thawed and warmed up, when the temperature is set at +10°C. When the temperature drops, the crops are covered with film. Sowing of early varieties is carried out in late April, late varieties are sown in mid-May. The method of sowing seeds before winter is not popular, although it has a number of advantages. For seeds to swell and sprout, moisture from melted snow is enough. In a rainy, cold spring, when it is not possible to sow, asters sown before winter will immediately begin to grow when the weather warms up. Sometimes pre-winter sowing is carried out directly in snow furrows (in December-January). After the snow melts in the spring, the plantings are covered with film. It is necessary to strictly observe the timing of winter sowing: seeds sown too early can germinate before the onset of cold weather and die from frost, and late sowing cannot be carried out due to soil freezing.
Choosing a site on the site
Asters grow and develop better in well-lit areas without waterlogging, sloping to the south or southeast, protected from the wind.
Soil preparation
Astra prefers fertile soil without manure content with neutral acidity. In autumn, the area chosen for planting the flower is limed. When digging, add superphosphate and potassium sulfate (50-80 g per 1 m²). Suitable predecessors are calendula and tagetes. Before planting, the soil is weeded and loosened to a depth of 6 cm.
Sowing scheme
When planting, holes are made in the area the size of cups of seedlings. The distance between the holes depends on the variety and ranges from 15 to 35 cm.
Outdoor care
With proper soil preparation, planting asters and caring for them in open ground includes basic procedures: watering, weeding and fertilizing, which is accessible even to beginners.
Weeding and weed control serve as disease prevention.
Loosening enriches the soil with oxygen. In dry times, it is recommended to mulch the soil to retain moisture.
Growing asters in open ground requires following a number of rules:
- do not allow the soil to become waterlogged (leads to rotting of the roots);
- regularly loosen;
- promptly remove diseased plants;
- destroy pests that carry diseases.
Watering
An important care measure is watering, however, from an excess of moisture, as well as from its lack, the flower outdoors suffers greatly, which affects the decorative form inflorescences.
Water the aster flower when the soil dries out, avoiding waterlogging.
In hot weather, it is suggested to water less frequently, but more abundantly (up to 30 liters per 1 m²).
Feeding
The aster flower requires feeding until three times during the season for normal growth and full flowering. Timely application of fertilizers is the key to successful plant growth. The timing of application, mineral fertilizers, and the required quantity are indicated in the table:
From depositing nitrogen fertilizers should be refused, because this causes abundant leaf production and reduces the number of flowers.
Why do you need flower pruning?
To prevent the aster from losing its decorative appearance, it is necessary to promptly remove drooping flowers and dried leaves. It is better to do this in the morning, then during the day the wounds will heal and healing will accelerate. Otherwise, the plant is forced to devote strength and nutrition to the restoration of diseased and faded parts.
Seed collection
For planting material, seeds of strong, healthy plants without pests and signs of disease are selected. Ripening occurs on the 40-60th day after the start of flowering. This period, and accordingly the time of seed ripening, shifts depending on the weather. Baskets of drooping flowers are collected in dry, sunny weather.
Bushes with unripe seeds are carefully transplanted into pots and placed in a dry, ventilated room for growing and ripening the seeds. To ensure uniform lighting and ventilation, the pots are rotated. Ripe seeds are cleaned and placed in glass containers with airtight lids. Store at low temperature (+2°C) in a dry place. At proper storage germination lasts three years.
Reproduction
Did you manage to grow beautiful flowers? Do you want to propagate your favorite varieties? There are several ways to do this. Annual varieties are grown from seeds, using seeds from the previous and the year before for planting. One-year-old aster sharply loses the viability of seeds collected earlier. Planting is carried out in the spring. Perennial seeds are collected and sown in the same fall. Perennial varieties successfully reproduce vegetatively - by dividing the bush. The bush must be divided if the part to be separated has four shoots, one bud and several roots. The plant tolerates division painlessly, and the separated bush, replanted in the spring, will bloom in the fall. In summer, perennial asters are propagated by cuttings, cutting apical cuttings up to 6 cm long. For planting use a mixture turf land, sand and peat. Rooting occurs a month after planting.
Diseases and pests
Aster is susceptible to insect attacks, fungal and viral diseases. The table shows the most dangerous diseases, signs and methods of control:
| Diseases | Signs | Methods and means of control |
| Fusarium (fungal disease) | The appearance of dark stripes on the stem, a pinkish coating on the root area; wilting of leaves on one side. | Adding lime to the soil. Prevention: etching of planting material in a foundation solution; steaming the soil before planting |
| Jaundice of asters ( viral disease, carriers – cicadas, aphids) | Lightening the leaf along the veins; gradual suppression of growth; acquiring a green color, stopping the development of buds. | Destruction of virus carriers. Removal and subsequent burning of diseased plants. Spraying all aster bushes on the site with yarrow infusion. |
| Blackleg (fungal disease) | Blackening of the base of the stem and root neck in young plants. | Removal of diseased plants followed by soil disinfection. Prevention: early picking of aster seedlings while simultaneously sprinkling the root area with sand. |
To prevent fungal diseases, watering with water with the addition of infusion of celandine or nettle will serve.
The danger to aster comes from insect pests and carriers of viral infections. The table shows common pests and control methods:
| Pests | How to get rid |
| Spider mite (active reproduction in dry weather) | Spraying with 0.2% Karbofos solution or onion infusion. |
| Cultivated slug (reproduction in conditions of high humidity) | Destruction of weeds, carrying out autumn plowing. Sprinkle lime along the border of the plot. |
| Earwig | Pollination of plants with foundationazole. |
| Aster blizzard (butterflies and caterpillars are dangerous) | Do not plant asters next to sunflowers. Prevention: before planting, treat the soil with “Bazudin” (the pupa overwinters in the ground). |
| Aphid | Prevention: treatment of plantings with karbofos, “Decis”, “Intavir” until four true leaves appear. |
Preparing the infusion: Place 100 g of onions (warm) in a 3-liter jar of water and close tightly. Leave for 8 hours. Strain, add 7 liters of water and 45 g liquid soap. In the fight against other pests, they use special chemicals available for sale. To avoid losses from diseases and pests, it is necessary proper care. Its unpretentiousness, variety of shapes and colors have made aster one of the popular flowers. Planting asters and caring for them in open ground does not require a significant investment of time, which was the reason widespread flower. Existing varieties and varieties in terms of flowering time, shape of inflorescences, color palette make it possible to choose and grow your favorite flower in the country - the star of autumn flower beds.
Astra translated from the ancient Greek word άστήρ means “star”. And indeed, these beautiful plants resemble small stars with their sharp-angled limbs. They add a stunning appearance to the landscape and require little maintenance.
What are asters?
Asters are beautiful velvety plants of the Asteraceae family.. It is curious that everyone is accustomed to thinking of asters as a flower; in fact, they are an inflorescence. One spikelet contains several sterile (incapable of reproduction) flowers, wrapped in so-called reeds, which are mistaken for petals. In the center of the inflorescence are located small flowers in the form of tubes, usually yellow.
The genus Asteraceae includes about 200 species. Here are the most popular ones:
Do not confuse the aster with callistephus (which is popularly called the “garden aster”). Callistephus has rounded edges on sterile flowers, while aster has a sharper and elongated inflorescence shape. Previously, these two different genera of plants were combined into one genus due to a number of similar characters, which is not surprising, since they are close relatives of each other. It is interesting that among the genus Callistephus there is only one representative - Callistephus sinensis.
When to plant asters?
There are three types of sowing in open ground:
- early spring;
- late autumn;
- winter.
Each of them has its own characteristics and rules for planting in the ground.
Early spring planting of seeds
Boarding is in progress either mid or late April or early May. The choice of month largely depends on the climate, temperature environment and soil type. For light soil on southern slopes, planting is suitable in April, and for heavy loamy soil - in May. It is very important not to be late in sowing early-ripening varieties. The optimal germination temperature is +20–25 degrees Celsius (after ascension, the best temperature is +16–18 degrees, so before germination of the aster it is better to cover it with film to raise the temperature).
Before sowing in open ground, flowers must be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate (a 0.5% solution is suitable, for this you need to mix 200 ml of water and 1 g of potassium permanganate), or better yet, with any fungicide. Processing must be done in a cup with a previously prepared solution. Dip a cloth with seeds into it, leave for 25 minutes, remove and wash the seeds running water. Such seeds will be more viable and have less risk of disease.
Before planting asters, the ground is cleared of weeds and debris, compost or fertilizer is added. You should not add fresh manure, as this increases the risk of fusarium disease. The planting depth should be 0.5 cm, and the distance between flowers should be at least 3 centimeters. It is best to plant medium-sized and tall varieties farther apart from each other, otherwise they will begin to compete.
Late spring planting of seedlings in the ground
Early and mid May You can replant seeds previously grown in containers. The seedlings should be strong and have 5–7 leaves. Flowers are planted according to the scheme 20x20, 30x30 and 40x40 centimeters, the choice depends on the plant variety. Do not plant tall asters close to each other. If the bed has not been fertilized with anything for the last 2 years, then compost or manure should be added, and additional mineral fertilizers (3–5 g) should be added to the holes. It is worth considering that different varieties have different cold resistance. Hardened seedlings tolerate frosts down to -4 degrees and can be planted a little earlier.
After May 20, annual asters can be planted. Cloudy weather is best for them. If the weather is consistently sunny outside, then it is best to replant them either early in the morning or after five in the evening. Before planting, seedlings should be watered. It is important not to damage the roots when removing the plant from the container. It is best to replant asters together with a lump of earth.
So that seedlings better adapt to new conditions , it should be hardened. To do this, the pots with future flowers are taken out to the balcony and left there for 1–2 hours, and the rest of the time the seedlings are placed in the shade on the windowsill. You should gradually increase the number of hours of hardening, and eventually keep the seedlings on the balcony for a whole day.
When seeds are planted directly into open ground, they adapt better than transplanted seedlings. They tolerate coolness and drought more easily and begin to bloom faster, since from the very beginning of germination they adapt to environmental conditions.
Late autumn planting of seeds
It is produced on the twentieth of November. It is necessary to prepare the beds in advance (dig up the soil, remove debris and weeds with roots, make furrows about 2 cm deep). Seeds are sown at a rate of 70–80 seeds per meter (not all of them will sprout by the beginning of the season). At this time of year it is difficult to make furrows with soil, so compost, peat or humus is laid on top. The mulch layer should be approximately 2 centimeters in height and at least 5 centimeters in width. The seeds will begin to germinate in the spring. There is no need to worry about short warm spells at the end of autumn; as a rule, temperatures in November do not rise to the point at which the seeds begin to swell and sprout.
Winter sowing of seeds
Optimal month for winter sowing – December and January. To do this, you need to prepare the beds with furrows in advance. The seeds are scattered on the snow, the height of which should reach from ten to fifteen centimeters (if the thickness of the snowdrift is below ten centimeters, then the snow can melt, washing away the seeds). The seeds planted on top are mulched with humus or peat, harvested in the fall. If there are no sudden changes in temperature in the spring, and the snow melts slowly and gradually, then no threat to the seeds is expected. With very sharp warming, the seeds can be washed away by melted snow.
Mulch and freshly melted snow create optimal conditions for the germination of asters, since the seeds are sufficiently supplied with moisture and do not overheat. If by the end of spring too many asters have sprouted, then the bed is thinned out, the extra asters are either thrown out or transplanted to another place (according to the scheme, one plant is at least 20 by 20 centimeters). As a rule, it is worth repeating this procedure after seven or ten days. Do not allow the soil to dry out too much, as this can lead to Fusarium infection. At the beginning of spring, the soil is loosened (the depth should not exceed five centimeters, and 2 centimeters near the plant; the roots of asters are located in the surface layer of the earth). When weeding, it is important to remove all weeds along with the roots.
When the flowers grow, they will delight not only the owners of the site, but also all the visiting guests!
In order for magnificent asters to grow, when to plant their seeds or seedlings in the ground? How to choose good seed or hardened seedlings? After all, in the fall there is nothing brighter than a flower bed of blooming asters, and you really want not to miss the time to get healthy plants so that at the end of the hot summer you can admire all the colors of the rainbow in your garden or on the balcony. The answer to these and other questions worries many novice gardeners.
Aster seeds need to be prepared in the fall. If you don’t have your own at home, you can replenish supplies at flower shops or buy them at the market. It is worth noting that sowing such seeds does not guarantee 100% germination and flowering of exactly the same variety of flowers as stated upon purchase. After all, during the flowering process, asters can cross-pollinate, acquiring the color or shape of the petals of neighboring plants of their kind.
However, in 90% of 100%, when choosing well-ripened seeds, asters of the desired variety and shade grow. When choosing planting material by weight, you should pay attention to its appearance. The seeds must be whole, dry, free of foreign impurities and plaque. Seeds stuck together in lumps are poorly dried and may not survive until planted in the ground (they will sap or their germination rate will drop by 20-40%). It is not advisable to buy such material, no matter how attractive its cost.
When purchasing packaged aster in stores or online resources (especially hybrid varieties) you need to pay attention to the date of packaging of the material. From that very time until the period of purchase, no more than a year should pass, because with each month the germination of seeds worsens. 3 years after collection, it is completely equal to zero.
You also need to be prepared for the fact that flowers will have to be grown only by seedlings. When sowing them directly into the ground, you should not expect friendly shoots and mass flowering. But seeds collected with your own hands or bought secondhand from familiar amateur gardeners can be safely sown directly into the beds.
Sowing seeds
The end of March is the ideal time for sowing aster seeds for seedlings, since these beauties will take from 80 to 130 days from the appearance of the first shoots to flowering.
Sowing can be done in two ways:
- in a common greenhouse under glass;
- in individual cups.
For a general greenhouse, you need to prepare a wooden or plastic tray with a depth of at least 10 cm. The soil for seedlings should be warmed up to room temperature, soak the seeds for 30-40 minutes in a growth stimulator for ornamental plants or mix them with a pinch of Fundazol powder to protect against fungus. The seeds prepared in this way need to be distributed over the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a layer of substrate (sowing depth - 0.5 cm).
It is better to moisten the soil in the greenhouse with settled water from a spray bottle, and cover the top of the greenhouse with glass. In the room where the seedlings will develop, the air temperature should be within +18...+25°C. IN comfortable conditions The first sprouts will appear in 5 or 7 days. From this moment, in the morning, the glass can be lifted and the plants themselves can be moistened with the same settled water using a “dew drop”. By evening, the soil should dry out a little, then asters are not afraid of blackleg - a putrefactive infection that can kill even the strongest shoots.
After 10 days, when it is already possible to easily count 3-4 true leaves on the plants, the aster needs to be planted in individual pots, and at the phase of 4-5 leaves, it must be gradually hardened, lowering the temperature by several degrees during the daytime.
If the seeds are planted immediately in separate cups or peat tablets, the picking process is not required and the seedlings can more easily tolerate transplantation into open ground. However, the procedure itself will require maximum diligence and patience. Aster seeds are small, so it is better to use tweezers as an assistant. Otherwise, the algorithm of actions remains unchanged.
Aster seeds are sown in open ground in the second or third ten days of April (the signal can be complete thawing of the soil to the depth of a spade bayonet). If you want bright colors to decorate the garden earlier, planting material should be placed in the soil in the fall - at the end of October to mid-November, before the first frost.
Before sowing, it would be good to fertilize the soil with ash, compost or mullein infusion (for spring planting It is better to prepare the beds in the fall). Seeds are planted to a depth of 0.8 cm, autumn crops cover with sawdust, fallen leaves or spruce branches.
Selection of seedlings and timing of planting
If you don’t particularly want to tinker with seeds, greenhouses and soil mixtures, and direct planting in the ground has very disastrous results, you can buy aster seedlings. Having chosen grown and hardened autumn beauty plants, you will have to spend only a couple of hours to “relocate” them to their own flowerbed.
The main task is to acquire healthy, strong seedlings. They should not be too large or small, the ideal size is from 7 to 10 cm. Each plant should have 6-8 true leaves of a rich green color, without spots and mechanical damage. The soil on the roots should not be very wet and sticky, but dry soil is not a very good sign either. Ideally, moist soil falls off the roots quite easily: such seedlings tolerate replanting more easily.
As soon as warm weather sets in (and this happens by the end of April), asters can be planted in the beds. If possible, prepare the soil in the fall: dig it with a shovel, remove weeds and their roots, apply fertilizers (humus or compost, superphosphate and potassium salt). In the spring, holes are made in thawed beds and filled with water (you can pour as much liquid as you like - there won’t be too much).
Low, strong seedlings are buried to the root collar; plants taller than 12 cm should be planted deeper so that they do not break from sudden gusts of wind. The soil around the stems can be compacted a little and covered with mulch (sawdust, fine hay or straw). At first, it is better to cover the bed with asters with film or white agrofibre for the whole night, and if it gets colder, then for the whole day.
By observing these terms and planting rules, it is easy to obtain by the end of summer bright flower bed double inflorescences of all colors of the rainbow.
Aster from the Asteraceae family came to Europe from China back in the 17th century. Since then, flowers have become an integral attribute autumn landscape landscape gardening compositions. And the simple planting and care of asters in the open ground contributed to the rapidly growing popularity and universal love.
IN wildlife, mainly in North and Central America, grow from 200 to 500 species of the genus Aster (according to different sources the numbers vary significantly).
All varieties are divided into two large groups:
- Annual asters - the group is represented by single-stemmed herbaceous plants with large inflorescences, which are often grown for cutting.
- Perennials are bushy plants with highly branching shoots.
Perennial asters
The classification of perennial varieties is based on such a parameter as the flowering period, which unites asters into 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, which blooms in late spring. Popular varieties: Wargrave, Glory.
- Italian aster is a chamomile aster with large corymbose inflorescences, which are observed in the first half of summer. Plant height can reach 70 cm. Among the varieties, Rosea and Rudolf Goeth stand out.
- Aster Bessarabian is a branched, medium-sized bush up to 75 cm in height, the shoots of which are crowned with colored purple tones inflorescences.
Autumn-flowering
A subgroup characterized by a diversity of species composition:
- The bush aster is the earliest of the subgroup of flowers, the height of the leafy stems of which does not exceed 60 cm. The most famous varieties: "Niobe", "Blue Bird".
- Aster novobelgica is a widespread variety in gardens. It is represented by both tall and dwarf varieties, including special attention deserve dwarf Snowsprite, Jenny, medium-sized Royal Velvet, Winston S. Churchill, tall Dusty Rose, Desert Blue.
- New England aster - another popular variety is represented by tall plants, up to 160 cm high with a large number of small inflorescences. Common varieties: Browmann, Constance.
Annual asters
The garden aster, or also known as Callistephus (a Chinese monotypic genus), has more than 4,000 various varieties, which are often mistaken for dahlias, chrysanthemums and even peonies.
There are several classifications based on various parameters:
- by flowering time (early, middle, late);
- by height (dwarf, short, medium-sized, tall, giant);
- according to the purpose of cultivation (cutting, casing, universal);
- by the structure of the inflorescences (tubular, transitional, reed).
Among the huge variety of varieties, the spherical large-flowered aster “American Beauty”, the needle-shaped “Record” with medium inflorescences, the curly variety “Ostrich Feather” and the semi-double “Rosette” stand out.
Growing asters from seeds
Aster is grown from seeds in two ways: seedlings and non-seedlings.
Non-seedling planting of asters
Sowing of early varieties is carried out in early or mid-March, and later varieties - in the second half of spring, when consistently warm weather above 10°C has established.
In this case:
- Grooves 4 cm deep are prepared.
- Seeds are placed in the grooves and filled with water.
- With the arrival of dry weather, the crops are mulched.
- After the seedlings have formed 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 spring, asters are planted in the fall before winter:
- Grooves are made along the frozen soil into which seed is placed, which is practically not damaged by fusarium.
- After the snow melts in the spring and seedlings appear, thinning is carried out.
Sowing aster for seedlings
The seedling method is more reliable, and the grower will be able to admire asters grown through seedlings much earlier.
Sowing is carried out in the first half of spring as follows:
- 7 days before sowing, the seed, wrapped in cloth, is soaked in a manganese solution for 10 hours.
- After the allotted time, the fabric is wrung out and, together with the seeds, placed in cellophane for germination.
- The seedling boxes are filled with a light substrate, which is watered with a fungicidal solution for disinfection.
- Seeds are planted to a depth of 5 mm.
- The container is covered with glass and then moved to a warm place.
- When shoots appear, the seedlings are taken into a room with a temperature of 16°C.
- After the seedlings have two pairs of true leaves, they are picked and the roots are shortened.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Before planting, the seedlings are hardened off. The optimal time is considered to be the second half of spring, when the seedlings reach a height of 10 cm and have 4 pairs of true leaves.
Site selection and soil preparation
Asters thrive in sunny areas with well-drained, light, neutral soil.
The soil for flowers is prepared in advance:
- In the fall, humus is introduced under deep digging at an application rate of 2-4 kg per 1 m2.
- In the spring, the area is loosened again with the simultaneous application of complex mineral fertilizers at the rate of 50 g of nitroammophoska per 1 m2.
Landing technology
The disembarkation procedure is carried out as follows:
- Shallow holes are dug at a distance of 20 cm from each other and a row spacing of 50 cm.
- Planting holes are filled with water.
- After drying, the seedlings are lowered into the depressions and sprinkled with soil.
Caring for a garden aster
Asters are unpretentious, so care will not take much effort and time from the gardener.
Watering and loosening
It is necessary to water the plants abundantly, but not too often. In dry summers, the water consumption rate per 1 m2 is 3 buckets. After each moistening, the soil will be loosened to a depth of 4-6 cm.
Weeding and hilling
To speed up the growth of the root mass before the aster stems begin to branch, it is recommended to hill up to a height of 8 cm. An important maintenance measure is clearing the soil of weeds.
Feeding
For lush flowering, plants need additional nutrition, which is provided at least three times per season:
- 10 days after planting the seedlings in open ground, fertilizing is carried out using complex mineral fertilizers, which include nitrogen.
- During the budding phase, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied to the plants.
- At the beginning of flowering, asters are fed a third time with fertilizers high in potassium and phosphorus.
Asters have faded - what to do?
If annual varieties grew on the site, then all plant remains should be removed and burned, after collecting the seeds from the varieties you like. Seed material can be sown before winter, but in a different area that is not infected with specialized harmful organisms. Perennial representatives of the crop are winter-hardy and can grow in one place for up to 5 years. When reaching the age limit after flowering, it is worth digging up the bushes and dividing them. Plant the delenki in other areas.
Diseases, pests and care during this period
Tender and graceful flower If agricultural cultivation techniques are violated, it can be affected by both diseases and pests. Among the diseases, the greatest danger is fusarium, which cannot be treated, as well as rust, powdery mildew and black leg, developing in the seedling phase. Among the pests on asters, the meadow bug, slobbering pennies, tillage slug, common earwig, spider mite, kidney aphids and armyworms, which should be controlled with systemic insecticides.
The choice of art object for the design of which asters will be used depends on the size of the variety. For example, heather aster ground cover is perfect for decoration alpine slide, and medium-sized varieties of Italian aster will harmoniously combine with decorative yarrows in a mixborder. Flowers will fit into any flower arrangement, if you choose the right plant shape.
Thus, the aster represents beautiful flower with high decorative qualities, which, for all its grace, remains undemanding in care.