How big does an aster grow? Asters planting and care in the open field propagation by seeds. Soil for perennial asters

Astra is a beautiful and interesting flower, which in Greek means "star". According to an ancient legend, it is believed that the aster flower appeared from ... a small speck of dust, which just fell to the ground from a star.

There used to be such a belief among the people: if a person is in the phase of sleep in the middle of the asters, but carefully listens to the surrounding sounds, he will hear a barely noticeable whisper. It was believed that asters are talking to the stars. Particular attention goes to these flowers in China. There they are a symbol of beauty, modesty and charm. In Hungary, the aster is the symbol of the autumn season. There, the plant even received the following name: "Autumn Rose".

Garden aster is an annual plant. The root system of the flower culture is very powerful and has a wide branching. The stems of the flowers are green, but sometimes turn reddish-brown. Depending on the variety, the stems may be branched or straight. The aster enters the flowering phase in the second summer month, and this period continues until the end of autumn. Asters have their own fruits. They are called seeds. Seeds ripen inside the box a month after flowering has begun. Germination of planting material lasts up to three years.

It is necessary to plant asters only in bright places. However, the plant tolerates light frosts. The plant develops best and blooms more beautifully in a temperate climate with average air temperatures. It is best to choose light but fertile soil as the soil. The acidity of the soil should be close to neutral. It is not recommended to plant asters in flower beds where tulips, gladioli or carnations used to grow. Also, you can not plant asters every year in the same place. It is best if calendula or tagetes are the predecessors before planting asters.

Reproduction of asters

It is recommended to grow a flower such as aster through seedlings. In this way, the flowering of the crop can be accelerated and increased in relation to the time span. In order to obtain seedlings, the flower should be planted in the last week of March in a box with soil taken in the garden. From above, the container must be covered with a one-centimeter layer of soil, then carefully poured with a moderate amount of water and covered with a transparent material - film or glass. Flower seeds have a fairly dense shell, but this fact does not prevent them from germinating very quickly - usually on the fifth day after planting. But the temperature in such a situation should be eighteen degrees. As seeds, it is better to use last year's crop.

Plant seedlings need to be watered moderately, without exaggerating the volume of liquid. After the first two leaves are formed on the shoots, it is necessary to make a pick into a container, the height of which will be eight centimeters. Between specimens of a flower, a distance of three centimeters must be observed. Also, during the picking, you need to trim the roots of asters. The next flower care is timely watering and loosening the soil. It is recommended to harden seedlings by taking asters to fresh air.

In order to be sure of the stability and quality of the seedlings, it should be planted outdoors only when the seedlings have a dense stem with six or ten centimeters in height and about seven healthy green leaves. Asters can be planted in flowerbeds from the first week of May, as this culture tolerates small frosts well and steadfastly. Seedlings will take root in a new place also very quickly.

Some summer residents plant asters seeds directly into the ground after the ground has thawed. It is believed that this helps the plants harden more. Also in this situation, the culture will be much less exposed to pests and diseases. But it is worth remembering that such a planting leads to a later start of the flowering phase. Asters can also be transplanted during flowering. After the first frosts come, there is the possibility of digging up an aster with an earthy clod to be placed in a pot. Then the flower can be put on the window and admire its beautiful flowering all winter.

In the care of the garden, sometimes there is no time at all to provide proper care for the flowers, so for most gardeners, the most convenient option is to grow asters - one of the most unpretentious, but at the same time amazingly beautiful flowers!

Choosing a place for landing asters

Astra is able to regenerate its damaged root system and even during flowering, calmly endure the transplant.

Benefits of growing asters:

• flowers are not afraid of cold weather, and perennial asters are even able to bloom in frosts down to -7 degrees;
• seeds withstand adverse conditions well and sprout easily;
• it is convenient to propagate aster both by seeds and vegetatively;
• growing seedlings does not cause much trouble, but you can sow aster seeds directly in the beds;
• aster is able to regenerate its damaged root system and even during flowering calmly endure the transplant;
• a huge selection of varieties and varieties of asters with flowers of the most amazing shapes and colors allows you to create a real masterpiece from a flower garden!

Even a novice florist can easily figure out how to grow asters. The main thing is to plant flowers in the soil, previously fertilized with nutrients, and do not forget about weeding and timely watering. Well, if you manage to fertilize a couple of times during the summer, your flowers will grow especially beautiful and large, with powerful stems. However, some features of growing asters still need to be taken into account.

Video about sowing and growing asters

In order for multi-colored asters to hurt as little as possible and delight you with their bright beauty for a long time, you need to correctly determine the place on the site for their planting and prepare suitable soil. Like many other garden flowers, asters form large, healthy buds only when there is enough moisture and nutrients in the soil. Therefore, a flower bed for them should be prepared in the fall, by digging up the ground and adding river sand with humus or sand with peat to it, so that the soil is fertile, breathable and well-drained.

The acidity of the soil should be close to neutral. If you apply humus just before planting asters, the plants can be affected by Fusarium fungus (growing asters in dense or acidic soils leads to the same result). In the spring, before digging, it is recommended to add ammonium sulphate, superphosphate and potassium salt to the soil.

To prevent the risk of Fusarium asters disease, they should not be planted after potatoes, tomatoes, carnations, gillyflowers, gladioli, tulips. Asters can be grown in the same flower bed for six years, and asters can be returned to their original place only after four years. The best results can be achieved when sowing asters after marigolds, marigolds, perennial grasses.

The best results can be achieved when sowing asters after marigolds, marigolds, perennial grasses

Asters feel good in partial shade, they love open sunny places, but in extreme heat and drought they lose their decorative effect. It is advisable to choose a place under the flower bed, protected from the wind and from constant dampness, so that the groundwater does not lie too close to the surface of the earth.

Planting asters in seedling and seedless way

You can harvest asters seeds yourself, collecting them from dried inflorescences at the end of summer, or purchase seeds in the store for each season, experimenting with different varieties of asters. The main thing is that the seeds are of high quality, then the seedlings will sprout 100%.

Planting asters in seedlings

Seedling method:

• in the last days of March, fungicide-treated seeds are sown in boxes or in a greenhouse along previously prepared grooves;
• sprinkled on top with a thin layer of finely sifted humus;
• the earth is carefully watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• crops are covered with paper or film;
• until the first sprouts appear, the seedlings should be at a temperature of +18 degrees;
• after five days, you can remove the film and bring the seedlings into the light;
• watering is done after the appearance of green sprouts;
• picking should be done when the first true leaves are formed;
• seven days after picking, you can start weekly feeding of asters seedlings with complex mineral fertilizers;
• plants can be planted in a flower bed already in early May.

seedless way

Seedless sowing of asters

Asters seeds are sown as soon as the earth warms up, directly on the flower beds, sprinkled a little on top of the earth and covered with a film until germination. With the advent of young seedlings, the film can be removed and the plants covered only in case of frost. It is not necessary to dive them, it is enough to sow them at intervals of a couple of centimeters, and then thin out so that 12 cm are obtained between the plants, or leave the plantings thickened. Asters planted in a seedless way begin to bloom much earlier.

Basic rules for caring for asters

Asters cannot stand dampness and excessive waterlogging and are considered drought-resistant flowers, but in dry weather they must be watered abundantly. Pay special attention to watering during the setting of buds, otherwise you can not expect lush flowering.

Asters planted on fertile soil with good watering and periodic top dressing will bloom wonderfully until the very cold. For the first time, flower beds with asters are enriched with complete mineral fertilizer two weeks after transplanting seedlings into a flower bed, and during the period of bud formation and flowering, top dressing without nitrogen fertilizers is used. Organic fertilizers are applied only on poor soils.

Video about asters

Since the main enemy of asters is disease, especially fusarium, it is recommended to spray the plants with a solution containing the following trace elements for prevention: potassium permanganate, salts of magnesium, zinc, cobalt, copper, ammonium molybdate and boric acid.

Also, make sure that when growing asters, they do not show signs of rust, late blight, sclerotinia, powdery mildew, rhizoctoniosis, jaundice, damage by slugs, aphids, scoops, spider mites, nematodes.

Astra - cultivation, care, reproduction. How to plant asters and growing asters in your garden as easy as possible.

Asters have long taken root in our flower beds.

Aster (Aster) belongs to the plants of the Asteraceae family. The name comes from the Greek word "aster" - "star" for the star-shaped inflorescence-basket.

The genus is very numerous, several hundred species. Most of the species are native to North America, while the smaller ones are found in South America. Africa, Europe and Asia; we have 26 species.

Many types of asters are cultivated in gardens and parks. The birthplace of asters is the northern regions of China, Mongolia, Korea and the Russian Far East. What we usually call aster flowers are actually inflorescences, or baskets. And the numerous petals of asters are the flowers.

They are of two types:

regional- false-lingual, female,

central- tubular, bisexual.

Outside, the inflorescence (basket) is covered with a receptacle - medium-sized green leaves. This is where the similarities between the varieties of asters, perhaps, end, and the differences begin:

• plant height - from 20 to 100 cm;
• in the form of a bush - which can be spherical, oval, columnar, pyramidal or sprawling;
• according to the color of the leaves - from light green to dark green with an anthocyanin coating (anthocyanins are the coloring pigments of plants of red, blue and purple color);
• in terms of flowering - from early, blooming on the 70th day after germination, to late, blooming only after 120-130 days.

But most of all, the shades and shape of the inflorescences differ.

Asters come in all sorts of colors:

Known are white, pink, red, salmon, yellow, blue, purple - almost all the colors of the rainbow, with the exception of bright orange and black.

There are also two-tone ones: for example, the edges of the petals are blue or red, and the middle is white.

There are varieties in which the center is painted white, and several rows of extreme flowers are pink, red or purple.

Aster, cultivation which is not difficult, continues to delight with a riot of colors even when almost nothing in the garden is already blooming. Of course, the main reasons for the popularity of the annual aster are beauty and diversity.

Aster is also appreciated for unpretentiousness:

• at a temperature of about 20 degrees, aster seeds germinate in a few days;
• aster seedlings and hardened seedlings tolerate short frosts down to -3 - 5 degrees;
• seedlings of asters already in the phase of 4 - 5 leaves lay flower buds (pinching the apical bud promotes the growth of lateral shoots);
• young plants tolerate transplantation well in the budding and even flowering phase

Perennial asters are exceptionally frost-resistant.

In autumn, when frost damages gladiolus, dahlias and other flower crops, asters are still fresh and make an excellent cut.

Plants are photophilous, but they can be grown in partial shade. Soils must be fertile and sufficiently moist.

Location

The place of these plants should be chosen bright, even, so that the water does not stagnate during irrigation and in rainy weather.

It is desirable that asters and other crops suffering from fusarium (potatoes, tomatoes, levkoy) should not be grown here for 3-4 years before that.

Asters need open sunny places.

Low areas with stagnant waters are unsuitable for them.

They are undemanding to the soil, they develop well in deeply cultivated areas.

The rhizomes of asters grow rapidly, the plantings become thickened, therefore, after 4-5 years, it is recommended to plant the plants.

They can grow in one place for 5-6 years, but it is better to divide and replant every 3-4 years.

Asters Care

Watering

During the dry season, these flowers require abundant watering, especially during the budding period. However, remember that asters are very sensitive to excessive moisture and absolutely cannot stand wet soils and close groundwater. On well-fertilized soils, with abundant watering with top dressing, asters will bloom profusely until frost. With a lack of water and nutrition, the leaves turn yellow prematurely, the number of inflorescences decreases. Generally drought tolerant, but New Belgians require wetter soils, while New Englands are more fertile.

With a lack of water and nutrition, the leaves turn yellow prematurely, the number of inflorescences decreases. Generally drought tolerant, but New Belgians require wetter soils, while New Englands are more fertile.

top dressing

Asters are fed mainly with mineral fertilizers: they have a positive effect on the growth of bushes, the abundance and duration of flowering, and the brightness of the color of the inflorescences.

Asters respond very well to the application of phosphate fertilizers and lime.

Organic fertilizers - chicken manure (1: 20) are used only on poor soils.

The first top dressing with complete mineral fertilizer is carried out 1.5 - 2 weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground, when the plants have fully taken root:

• 8 - 10 g of ammonium nitrate or urea,
• 15 - 20 g of superphosphate,
• 10 - 15 g potassium sulfate or potassium chloride

Fertilizer can be applied dry and dissolved in water.

The next two top dressings are carried out during the period of budding and flowering, nitrogen fertilizers are excluded from the composition of top dressings, since they significantly reduce the resistance of plants to Fusarium.

30 - 40 g of superphosphate and 15 - 25 g of potash fertilizers are applied per 1 m2.

During the growing season, fertilizing is traditionally given at 2 terms - in the spring, when sprouts appear, nitrogen 6, potassium and phosphorus, 4 g per square meter. m, in the budding phase, potassium and phosphorus 5 g each and one in the fall with a complete mineral fertilizer.

landing conditions

Asters, as mentioned above, are rather unpretentious plants, but they give the greatest decorative effect when they create conditions similar to those in which their wild relatives grow. The general rules are as follows. It can be grown in semi-shady places, but well-lit places are preferable for autumn flowering asters so that they have time to bloom. In addition, with less light, the likelihood of powdery mildew is high. They are not too demanding on soils, but they prefer cultivated, quite fertile, dug up no less than 20 cm loams. Light soils need to be moistened regularly. Before planting, poor soils must be filled with organic matter at the rate of 10 kg of humus per 1 sq. M, and 20 g of nitrogen mineral fertilizers are also added to light soils. Asters prefer well-drained, permeable soils. Damp and flooded areas in spring and autumn are unsuitable for them.

Asters blooming in autumn are best planted and divided in spring (they begin to grow), then they will bloom in the same year. When planted in autumn, they often do not have time to take root before the stable freezing of the root layer of the soil and die. Plants are planted at a distance of 20-40 cm from each other so that young underground shoots are covered with soil with a layer of 2-3 cm.

After planting, watered, if the plants are exposed, then sprinkle the soil. Top dressing is carried out from 2 years after planting.

reproduction

Asters are propagated by seeds and vegetatively. Seed propagation is rarely used, if necessary, because. germination is quickly lost, sow immediately after harvesting before winter in open ground or greenhouses, in extreme cases in spring to a depth of 0.5 cm. Seedlings with 2-3 true leaves swoop down, and next spring they plant them in a permanent place. Seedlings bloom 1-2 years after sowing.

Seeds are sown in the ground in early spring, as soon as the soil is ready. They are sown in shallow grooves, covered with a layer of soil 0.5-0.8 cm, watered well and in dry weather lightly mulched or covered with covering material until germination. Well-developed seedlings in the phase of 2-3 true leaves are thinned out to a distance of 10-15 cm.

Aster seeds are sown not only in spring, but also before winter (on frozen soil, in previously prepared grooves). In this case, plants are almost three times less likely to be damaged by Fusarium. In the spring, seedlings are thinned out.

Asters begin to bloom, depending on the variety and method of cultivation, from late June to mid-August. Flowering continues until frost.

Many varieties of asters set seeds well in the conditions of central Russia. To save the variety you like, you need to wait until the petals on the inflorescence fade, and its center darkens and a white fluff begins to appear on it. Such inflorescences are torn off, put in paper bags and dried in a warm, dry place. On the package, you must write the name of the variety, or at least the color and shape of the inflorescence and the year the seeds were collected. The only negative is that during storage, the seeds lose their germination rather quickly: after 1-2 years, it decreases from 90-95% to 40-50.

As a rule, vegetative propagation is mainly used in practice. The division of the bush is carried out in early spring, when the asters begin to grow, while removing all weak stems. You can propagate asters without digging a bush. With a sharp shovel, one or more parts are separated from it, which, in turn, can be cut into smaller pieces. In a standard delenka, there should be 3-5 new shoots, others believe that at least one bud and several roots are enough. The planting scheme depends on the capacity of development in adulthood and can be from 20x30 to 50x80 cm. Varietal asters are also propagated by cuttings, which can be carried out from May-June to August. For this purpose, apical cuttings 5-7 cm long are used. The cuttings are planted in specially prepared ridges with a loose substrate (soddy soil with the addition of peat and sand 2:1:1) in a shaded place, preferably under a film. After 25-30 days they take root. You can take cuttings in spring and early summer, shoots that have reached 15 cm, separate them from the bush, cut into pieces 2 internodes long (each should have 3 leaves). In this case, in late August or early September, they can be landed in place.

Before planting, seedlings are watered abundantly, especially if they were grown without pots. It is better to plant plants in the evening at a distance of 20-30 cm (depending on the splendor and height of the variety). 7-10 days after planting, asters can be fed with complex fertilizer and repeated feeding after 3-4 weeks. In dry weather, the plants are moderately watered.

And in the flower bed and in the vase

Asters look very nice in group plantings on lawns, rocky areas and slides.

Asters are suitable for cutting, especially tall varieties.

Inflorescences of perennial asters are usually cut in half bloom early in the morning or late in the evening, when there is still a lot of moisture in the plants.

Store cut in cool places.

So that there is no pause in the cut, it is convenient to have 2 plots with an interval of 2-3 years in planting time, then the bushes can be divided every 5-6 years.

In the cut, many species and varieties stand in water for up to 10-15 days.

Before placing them in a vase of water, the ends of the stems are split.

Diseases and pests

Diseases

Fusarium.

Fusarium wilt, or aster fusarium, is a fungal disease that is caused by one of the fungi of the Fusarium genus.

The disease usually manifests itself already in adult plants, in the phase of budding and the beginning of flowering.

Radical measures to combat the disease have not yet been invented. However, there are preventive control measures that can reduce the incidence.

It is very important for the aster to create a crop rotation on the site, and crop rotation on large areas.

Astra should alternate with other flower and vegetable plants so that it returns to its original place no earlier than after 5, preferably 6 years.

Manure and fresh compost should not be applied to the site that is being prepared for planting asters, but only humus and well-rotted compost.

All methods that increase the physiological resistance of plants increase field resistance to Fusarium, namely: pre-sowing treatment of seeds with solutions of microelements, growing healthy, strong seedlings, foliar top dressing with macro- and microfertilizers. Plants should not be planted densely, it is necessary that the aisles are well ventilated and water does not stagnate at the root collar.

Plants affected by Fusarium should be removed from the site or from the flower garden as soon as possible. In no case should they be buried in the ground or composted. They must be burned. And of course, it is very important to choose the most resistant to Fusarium varieties for planting. And there are many such varieties.

In damp summer, in addition to fusarium, aster can be affected gray rot, verticillium, powdery mildew.

In the fight against these diseases, periodic treatments with preparations such as fundazole help.

Sometimes viral diseases appear on the aster - jaundice and cucumber mosaic. To prevent these diseases, it is necessary to deal with periodically appearing aphids. It is the main carrier of viral diseases on plants.

Plants affected by viruses are removed and burned as soon as possible. They should not be buried in the ground or laid in compost.

Pests

Kidney aphid.

It damages young plants even in seedlings, when plants have only 3-4 true leaves.

The bud aphid causes deformation of the leaves at the top of the plants. The leaves seem to be wrinkling.

Control measures: spraying with chlorophos, karbofos, depis or Inta-Vir is used.

Spraying should be done early, when the plants have no more than four true leaves.

In addition to aphids, aster can be damaged tobacco thrips, slobbering pennitsa, meadow bug. In the south of the country it is badly damaged sunflower flame.

To combat them, use approved and commercially available drugs.

How to plant asters

Asters are considered autumn flowers, but, depending on the variety chosen, they can be admired from mid-late July.

The abundance of varieties and colors of asters gives scope for the grower's imagination, and cultivation, as a rule, is not difficult. How to plant asters

In short, there are two ways: seedlings and sowing seeds. In our latitudes, annual asters are more common, but there are also perennial ones that reproduce by dividing the bush.

Perennial asters perfectly tolerate cold winters, they are unpretentious and very effective.

The flowers of perennial asters are smaller than annual ones, but their abundance fully compensates for this shortcoming. If you plant asters with seedlings, you must either grow them or buy them.

If you want to get good and friendly seedlings of asters, use only fresh seeds. Seeds from last year's harvest are considered fresh.

Many flower growers complain that asters sprout poorly, but if you soak the seeds in a special solution before sowing, then the strongest sprouts will appear in a day, the rest may be a little late.

Important in the question of how to plant asters is the observance of sowing dates. It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously, because the timing depends on the climatic conditions of the area.

It is necessary to proceed from the fact that from sowing to flowering takes from 3 to 4 months (depending on the variety). Usually, the packaging indicates the timing of sowing and planting seedlings in the ground, but you should always make allowances for the local climate.

Seedlings are grown in greenhouses or on the windowsill. Seeds are sown in rows in a container with soil, watered and sprinkled with light soil. After sowing, the containers are covered with a film.

The most optimal temperature for seed germination will be 20-22 degrees.

After shoots appear, the temperature is reduced to 16 degrees.

As soon as two true leaves appear, the seedlings dive, that is, they are transplanted into separate cups.

If in the southern regions it is possible to plant seedlings of asters in open ground already at the beginning of May, then in the central regions this is done from mid-May to the end of the first decade of June, that is, somewhere before June 10-15. Through seedlings, asters are grown only by especially diligent flower growers.

This is also justified if you bought expensive seeds of some unusual variety.

For those who prefer simpler ways to achieve the goal, the answer to the question of how to plant asters is unequivocal: with seeds in the ground. And you can do it both in spring and autumn. In autumn, asters should be sown more densely than in spring. Some of the seeds may not sprout, but you will get earlier flowering. If the seedlings turn out to be thick, you can always plant the plants, but if they are rare, you will either have to sow in the spring or buy ready-made seedlings of asters.

If you sow asters in the spring, cover them with foil, which should be removed as soon as the threat of late frost has passed.

To avoid diseases, try not to sow asters every year in the same place. Follow the crop rotation, and every autumn you will be able to admire the splendor and color of the asters.

How easy it is to grow asters

For five years now, I have stopped growing seedlings of annual asters at home, as this requires a lot of effort. It can be done much easier.

In the fall, I allocate a new place for a seedling bed.

I remove plant residues, scatter "Kemira" and loose, well-ripened humus, dig up the soil.

I make a ridge with a height of at least 20 cm, so that in spring the earth warms up faster.

In early April, if the snow has not yet melted, I sprinkle the ridge with wood ash, and after two weeks it is ready for sowing. I loosen the surface with a chopper, level it with a rake and make sides along the edges so that water does not drain when watering.

Seeds for sowing are prepared in advance.

In winter, I store them on the refrigerator door, so I take them out about a week in advance to keep warm.

Be sure to pickle in a strong solution of potassium permanganate and soak in Epin, then rinse and dry on a newspaper.

I sow the next day, because prepared seeds cannot be stored for a long time.

I make even grooves 1 cm deep and at a distance of 10 cm from each other with a plank from a fruit box across the ridge, spill them with boiling water from a kettle. I scatter the seeds thickly. I read somewhere that they grow better this way.

I fill the furrows with sand, install small arcs over the ridge and cover with a film, leaving a small hole at the end for ventilation.

Short-term frosts down to -3 ° C are not terrible for seedlings, and if suddenly the temperature is promised lower, then at night I cover the ridge with a rug.

When sprouts appear, I try to thin them out as early as possible: I remove the extra and weak ones.

During the formation of the second pair of true leaves, I feed with a solution of humate. And of course, I water, field and loosen the seedlings systematically.

At the end of May, the plants begin to harden. First, I completely open the end of the tunnel, then I lift the film from one side.

I wait a few more days for the asters to get stronger in the air.

I transplant only on cloudy days or in the evening, at first I shade the plants.

*** Aster seeds are sown before winter in the soil, or in the second half of March - early April in greenhouses, or boxes. Later crops will not give good results. Seedlings are planted in semi-warm greenhouses, or boxes, when the first true leaf appears.

*** Seedlings are "hardened", gradually accustoming to cold air. Blow up on a permanent place in late May - early June.

*** Asters grow well and develop in fertilized loamy soils. However, you can not make fresh humus, through it the plants can be affected by Fusarium.

*** It is necessary to feed with mineral fertilizers 2-3 times in June - July, a few days after planting seedlings and with an interval of two weeks.

*** Care during the summer consists of 2-3 weeds. Regular loosening and watering.

*** Seedlings planted in the ground must be properly watered. Asters love moist soil, but this does not mean that young plants need to be watered daily. If the weather is damp, then the beds need to be moistened once a week, in dry weather - more often. The next day after watering, the earth needs to be loosened. Watering is better in the evening.

*** Asters are easily transplanted, because they can be transplanted even with.

*** In autumn, to continue flowering, asters can be transplanted into pots and brought into the room (undersized varieties are better suited for this).

*** For better development of lateral shoots, sometimes pinch the top of the plant.

*** Well-blooming flowers are cut with a sharp knife in the wound in dry weather.

*** In order for cutting asters to remain in water longer, they must be put on a “rest” at night, placed in a sugar solution (1 teaspoon per 2 liters of water). The leaves wither faster than the flowers, so they are removed and replaced with a second green. Prematurely withered asters are revived in warm water.

*** The most dangerous disease of asters is fusarium. From it, seedlings, or adult plants turn yellow and wither. Infected specimens are removed and burned. In the old place, asters grow no earlier than after 4 years.

*** Another disease is septoria. Symptoms - the appearance of yellowish-brown spots on the upper leaves. The disease contributes to the premature drying of the leaves. The main control measure is the destruction of the affected leaves. for prevention, it is recommended to sprinkle with copper sulfate.

Asters classification

annual asters

Large, hairy and fluffy asters with one head on a long stem, which we are used to seeing in bouquets, are annual asters, they are also callistefuses. This noble and beautiful flower is appreciated by gardeners all over the world.

Landing asters
Preparing the soil for the future planting of asters should be done in the fall. Large flowers will be obtained if the aster grows in soil that is well fertilized and moistened. Digging up the site, be sure to add humus to the soil. An annual aster is usually grown using seeds, seedlings or seedlings.

Seedling
For seedlings, seeds must be sown in the last decade of March - early April in prepared boxes or directly into the soil of the greenhouse, into the grooves, then wrap the grooves, pour with a solution of light pink color of potassium permanganate and cover with paper or film. To prevent the disease of the "black leg", the seeds on the eve of sowing must be powdered with a fungicide and shed the soil with its solution. When shoots appear (3-5 days), paper is removed from the boxes and they are placed in a bright place.

As soon as the first true leaf appears, the seedlings need to dive at a distance of no more than 5-7 cm from each other into small pots or a larger box, or even into the soil of the greenhouse, asters seedlings are not afraid of transplanting.

Asters seedlings can be planted in open ground already in the middle of May, since the plant is cold-resistant - it is not afraid of frosts down to -3-4 ° С. It is necessary to plant seedlings in a permanent place on a bright, level place in order to prevent stagnation of water during irrigation or rain.

Seedlings ready for planting in the garden should have well-developed roots and the height of the aerial part should be at least 10 cm. It is best to plant plants in open ground in the evening, in grooves filled with water, at a distance of at least twenty to thirty centimeters from each other, taking into account the splendor and height of the variety. Leave the distance between the grooves up to half a meter.

A week or two after planting asters, you can start feeding with complex fertilizer, repeating feeding in a month. If the weather is dry, moderate watering is required. Light sandy soils require constant watering. At the same time, asters seedlings must be treated against possible diseases.

Sowing in the ground
Seeds are sown in the ground in early spring, in shallow grooves, shallowly covered with soil, watered abundantly and covered with a film until germination. Aster seeds can also be sown for the winter (in frozen soil, in pre-dug grooves).

After the appearance of the third true leaflet, the strengthened seedlings are thinned out at a distance of ten to fifteen centimeters between them. Try not to tear extra bushes, but carefully dig them out and transfer them for planting to another bed.

Asters Care
Compared to other flowers in the flower beds, caring for asters is not difficult. If the soil was well fertilized, then during the growing season it will only be necessary to water and weed the beds in a timely manner.
If you can feed the asters at least once or twice, it will be more than enough, and the asters will give you large flowers on powerful stems.

perennial asters

Cultivation and care

Perennial asters are grown in places that are open to the sun's rays (it can also be grown in partial shade), well moistened (but not wet). In damp areas, the plant is prone to disease. In one place it can grow up to 6 years. Rhizomes grow quite quickly. Perennial care is easy. It requires loosening the soil layer, trying not to affect the root system, and treatment with drugs for diseases of gray rot and powdery mildew.

reproduction
Transplantation and reproduction of perennial asters should be done in the spring. The plant is propagated by green cuttings. In spring or summer, young shoots appear on the stems of the plant, which can be used for propagation. They easily take root, quickly take root and grow, the bushes are quite strong. In addition to green cuttings, it is possible to propagate perennial asters (octobrins) by dividing the rhizome. Of course, there is a method of propagation by seeds, but it is difficult and unproductive.

Perennial asters are good to use in gravel gardens, in rose gardens. They go well with stonecrop, violets, bergenia, geraniums and other flower crops.

Classification of asters by type

All types annual asters are divided into three large classes, depending on the shape of the petals: reed, tubular and transitional.
In turn, in all these classes there are varieties cut- which are cut for bouquets, with long stems and lush flowers, casing- long-flowering, with many inflorescences, universal, which can be cut into a bouquet, and planted and planted to decorate the garden potted, compact.

tubular asters
This type of asters has petals in the form of thin tubes. Cut varieties are pinnate and tubular, and casing midget can be grown both in a pot and in the garden.

transitional asters
This class has inflorescences with tubular and reed flowers. Here are the types of asters: simple, semi-double and coronal.

At simple asters the middle of the flat basket consists of small yellow tubes and is framed by several rows of straight reed petals. Varieties: Sonnenschein and Margarita - cut, Edelweiss, Sonnenkugel, Waldersee, Apollo - casing.

Semi-double flowers more voluminous, bristling with reed petals to the sides and up, but the core is still clearly visible. 6 varieties: Anemone and Madeleine - cut, Mignon, Anmut, Rosette and Victoria Baum - casing.

Crown asters lush and similar to pom-poms, the core is barely visible. Varieties: for cutting - Princess, Fantasia, Laplata, Aurora, for planting - Pompon, Ambria, universal Princess bouquet.

reed asters

In reed asters, the cores with small yellow tubes are not visible at all. The flower is lush, hairy, spherical.

curly asters- elegant ribbon, wide reed flowers, slightly curled at the ends. Market Queen, Hohenzollern, California Giant and Ostrich Feather - for cutting, Early Miracle, Chrysanthemum and Comet - universal.

petals ray asters narrow, in the form of a tongue, twisted along the length, but do not grow together. Radio, Artistic, Unicum and Corallen are cut varieties.

tongues at needle asters look like needles, thin and twisted in length. Riviera, Krallen, Valkyrie are universal varieties.

Reed asters also include imbricate, hemispherical and spherical varieties.

Among the species perennial asters Alpine, Italian, shrubby, New England, or American, and New Belgian, or Virginian aster are distinguished.

Astra New Belgian, or Virginia- a bush with shoots from a meter to one and a half high. The bush is not durable, many varieties "fall apart", lose their appearance in flower beds. New Belgian aster begins to bloom at the end of August. Many of the varieties bloom before the snow falls.

Astra New England or American reaches a height of 160 cm. It grows in slender, even, almost columnar bushes that do not require any support. Large semi-double inflorescences, various colors: from white, pink, lilac to purple, and the middle is yellow or reddish-brown. These asters begin flowering in the first decade of September. Blooms until frost.

Aster varieties

Aster peony

Exquisite bouquet. Plantheight up to 65 cm. Peduncles are strong, 40-45 cm long. Inflorescences are hemispherical or spherical, double, 8-10 cm in diameter, up to 10 pieces per plant. Reed flowers are tightly pressed to each other and bent in the middle. Blooms August-September. They are used very widely: for planting in prefabricated flower beds in groups, for flower beds - in rows and for cutting.

Agricultural technology.The plant prefers an open sunny place, but tolerates partial shade. Grows best in light, fertile soils. Does not tolerate the introduction of organic fertilizers in the year of planting. Seeds are sown from mid-February to April. The seed placement depth is 0.5 cm. At a soil temperature of +15 ° C, seedlings appear on the 7-14th day. After 3-4 weeks, the crops dive and grow at a temperature of + 12-15 ° C. Seedlings are planted in the ground in the second half of May, the distance between plants is 25-30 cm. varietal asters

Astra Yabluneva

Astra Yabluneva belongs to the cultivar of peony asters. A plant 50-55 cm high, with a columnar bush and very strong flower noses, which are crowned with white inflorescences that turn pink as they bloom. The variety is resistant to fusarium and is excellent for cutting. Growing conditions: Sowing: late March - April through seedlings. Seedlings are planted in May. It is possible to sow in open ground at the end of April - in May under cover. Planting pattern: 30x35 cm. Flowering: July to September.

Astra KING SIZE

Magnificent bouquet! The plant is wide-spreading, up to 100 cm high. Terry inflorescences, 9-11 cm in diameter. Reed flowers, blue in color. Blooms in August-September. They are used very widely: for planting in prefabricated flower beds in groups, for flower beds - in rows, for borders and cutting.

Agricultural technology.The plant prefers an open sunny place, but tolerates partial shade. Grows best in light, fertile soils. Does not tolerate the introduction of organic fertilizers in the year of planting. Seeds are sown from mid-February to April. The depth of seed placement is 0.5 cm. At a temperature of +20 ° C, seedlings appear on the 7-14th day. After 3-4 weeks, the crops dive and grow at a temperature of 12-15 ° C. Seedlings are planted in the ground in the second half of May, maintaining a distance between plants of 20-30 cm.

Aster dwarf FLOWERING CARPET

Excellent undersized variety for carpet flower beds. The plant is compactabout 20 cm high, with many side shoots. Blooms profusely from July until frost. Used in prefabricated flower beds, on discounts, for borders and mini-bouquets.

Agricultural technology.The plant prefers an open sunny place, but tolerates partial shade. Grows best in light, fertile soils. Does not tolerate the introduction of organic fertilizers in the year of planting. Seeds are sown from mid-February to April. The depth of seed placement is 0.5 cm. At a temperature of +20 ° C, seedlings appear on the 7-14th day. After 3-4 weeks, the crops dive and grow at a temperature of 12-15 ° C. Seedlings are planted in the ground in the second half of May, the distance between plants is 20 cm.

Astra claw CAMEO

Excellent cut flowers. The bush is narrow, bouquet-shaped, durable, height 75 cm. On the plant 12-15 double inflorescences, 8-10 cm in diameter. The color of the inflorescences is rich pink. Short, inwardly curved and curled petals give the inflorescence a characteristic claw shape. Blooms August-September. They are used very widely: for planting in prefabricated flower beds in groups, for flower beds - in rows and for cutting.

Agricultural technology. The plant prefers an open sunny place, but tolerates partial shade. Grows best in light, fertile soils. Does not tolerate the introduction of organic fertilizers in the year of planting. The variety is resistant to adverse weather conditions. Seeds are sown from mid-February to April. The seed placement depth is 0.5 cm. At a soil temperature of +15 °C, seedlings appear on the 7-14th day. After 3-4 weeks, the crops dive and grow at a soil temperature of + 12-15 ° C. Seedlings are planted in the ground in the second half of May, maintaining a distance between plants of 20-30 cm.

Astra GIANT RAYS

Hustomahrovaya needle-shaped aster! Plants about 60 cm high. Inflorescences are dense, long-needle, white, cream-yellow, silver-blue, purple, silver-pink, red. Blooms in August-September. They are used very widely: for planting in prefabricated flower beds in groups, for flower beds - in rows and for cutting.

Agricultural technology.

Astra BOUQUET

The most beautiful inflorescences of numerous, densely double, various bright colors. The bush is compact, cylindrical, the stems are strong, height 60-65 cm, flat-round inflorescences, 9 cm in diameter, used for landscaping and for cutting.

Agricultural technology. The plant prefers an open sunny place, but tolerates light shading. Grows best in light, fertile soils. Does not tolerate the introduction of organic fertilizers in the year of planting.
Seeds are sown from mid-February to April. The seeding depth is 0.5 cm. At a soil temperature of +20°C, seedlings appear on the 7-14th day. After 3-4 weeks, the crops dive and grow at a temperature of +12-15°C. Seedlings are planted in the ground in the second half of May, the distance between plants is 20-30 cm.

Astra california

Annual. Plant height 80 cm. Inflorescence diameter 15 cm.

Excellent cut aster of medium flowering time. The bush is wide, strong, up to 80 cm high, during the growing season it forms up to 20 inflorescences on strong, long peduncles. The inflorescences are flat-round, double, non-drooping, 10-15 cm in diameter. The petals are wide, ribbon-like, very long, bent at the ends like curls and completely cover the central tubular flowers.

Astra Princess

Annual. Extraordinarily large inflorescences of bright color. Plants 70-80 cm high. Inflorescences of various colors, resistant to adverse weather conditions. Blooms August-September. They are used very widely: for planting in prefabricated flower beds in groups, for flower beds - in rows and for cutting.

Agricultural technology. The plant prefers an open sunny place, but tolerates partial shade. Grows best in light, fertile soils. Seeds are sown from mid-February to April. The seeding depth is 0.5 cm. At a temperature of + 15 ° C, seedlings appear on the 7-14th day. After 3-4 weeks, the crops dive and grow at a temperature of 12-15°C. Seedlings are planted in the ground in the second half of May, the distance between plants is 20-30 cm.

Aster stunted Red carpet

Annual. Excellent undersized variety for carpet flower beds.The plant is compact, about 20 cm high. The inflorescences are red. Blooms profusely from July until frost. Used in prefabricated flower beds, on discounts, for borders and mini-bouquets.Agricultural technology.The plant prefers an open sunny place, but tolerates partial shade. Grows best in light, fertile soils. Seeds are sown from mid-February to April. The seed placement depth is 0.5 cm. At a temperature of + 20°C, seedlings appear on the 7-14th day. After 3-4 weeks, the crops dive and grow at a temperature of 12-15°C. Seedlings are planted in the ground in the second half of May, the distance between plants is 20 cm.

Astra Unicum

Annual. Plant height 70 cm. Inflorescence diameter 16 cm.

The bush is wide-spread, branched, plant height is 70 cm. Inflorescences are flat, terry, very graceful, 16 cm in diameter, slightly drooping. Petals of reed flowers are tapered, narrow. Used for cutting.

ASTRA Ruby Stars

Annual. Sort type Unicum. The plant is 55-60 cm high. The bush is compact. Terry inflorescences, very graceful, 10-11 cm in diameter, ruby ​​color. Well-lit areas with fertile loamy or sandy soil are suitable for cultivation. Asters have high cold resistance - they tolerate frosts down to -3-4 ° С. Used for cutting and decorating the site.

Agricultural technology. Sowing seedlings in light, permeable, previously disinfected soil. Seed depth - 0.5 cm. At the optimum temperature of 18-20°C, the seeds germinate within 7 days. Picking at the stage of 2-4 true leaves. Landing in open ground on a sunny, wind-sheltered place with well-drained soil. Care: timely watering, loosening, top dressing.

Aster pompon

Annual. Plant height 60 cm. Inflorescence diameter 8 cm.

The bush is compact, columnar, strong, up to 50-60 cm high, during the growing season it forms up to 25 inflorescences on long, slightly leafy peduncles, numerous shoots provide it with unusually lush flowering. Beautiful in tape and group plantings, successfully used as a cut and pot culture.

Astra salina
Aster tripolium L

Aster salina is a biennial herbaceous naked plant. The leaves are alternate, juicy, lanceolate linear-lanceolate. Flower baskets are light blue, fragrant, collected in corymbose panicles. Height 30-100 cm.

Aster star
(Chamomile aster) Aster amellus L.
Star aster is a perennial herbaceous, slightly pubescent plant with a simple stem. The lower leaves are petiolate, spatulate, the upper ones are sessile, oblong-lanceolate. Flower baskets are relatively large, bluish-lilac, on short legs. Height 25-70 cm.

Types of asters

Alpine aster (Aster alpinus) reaches a maximum height of 20 centimeters. Baskets are single, large, 3-4.5 cm in diameter, they are placed on long, single, almost bare stems. Marginal flowers of pseudo-lingual, purple hue, there are subspecies with white or pink flowers. The middle flowers are golden yellow. Blooms in May. It is an undemanding plant that thrives well in any permeable alkaline soil containing calcium in a sunny position. Blooms strongly in late May. The plant reproduces by dividing roots, seeds or ground shoots. Hybrids are bred, higher than the representatives of the original species and are distinguished by huge baskets.
Aster shrub (Aster dumosus): bred hybrids obtained by crossing, Dumosus-Hybrids (Aster dumosus x Aster novi-belgii), which reach a height of 20-30 centimeters. Bloom in autumn. The flowers are beautiful, blue, blue, scarlet, lilac-lilac, pinkish. Plants are unpretentious in leaving, develop on any soil. This variety is able to breed novice amateur flower growers. In particular, they develop well in permeable alkaline soil, they tolerate prolonged drought very well. Blooms strongly in sunny areas. Propagated by division roots or cuttings.

Look great in large areas, completely planted with asters. Aster shrub propagates by underground rooted shoots (unlike the subspecies Aster novi-belgii), therefore this variety is recommended to be planted m / y with stones, filling free space with them. They also plant it in flower walls. Low-growing subspecies are used as borders, and high subspecies are used for cutting, for floristry.

Series of messages " ":
Part 1 - Astra - cultivation, care, reproduction

Many flower growers know this herbaceous plant under the name - september, which has a highly developed rhizome, with high erect shoots.

The leaves on the shoots are small, lanceolate, the inflorescences are small baskets not exceeding 5 cm in diameter. The flowers are predominantly from crimson to purple, there are also pure white.

All asters are conditionally divided into 3 groups: early spring, summer and autumn.

Alpine aster belongs to the early spring group. Flowers on the bushes appear in May-June. This is a low rosette plant, flowers up to 6 cm in diameter. Flowering is plentiful, begins at the end of May and continues throughout June. Seeds are collected in August.

In the middle of summer, the Italian aster blooms, belonging to the second group of asters. The shoots of this species grow to a height of approximately 60 cm, the leaves on the shoots are alternate. Small baskets are collected in corymbs, the flowers are lilac-blue in color.

Flowering can continue until mid-autumn. The Bessarabian aster also belongs to the summer group. The height of such an aster bush can exceed 80 cm. Numerous flowers have a brownish center.

American aster, as well as New Belgian aster, belong to the autumn group. These species are distinguished by high growth (2 meters or more), strongly branched stems, and numerous inflorescences. These asters bloom from the beginning of autumn until the onset of frost. Astra New Belgian (Virginskaya) is distinguished by the fact that about 200 baskets collected in panicles can bloom on the shoots.

Cultivation, care, reproduction

Astra is a photophilous plant, blooms profusely in areas open to direct sunlight, loves loamy and medium-heavy soils. The rhizomes of the bushes quickly thicken, so the bushes must be planted at least once every 4 years. An important condition for the proper development of plants is the regular loosening of the soil and the removal of weeds.

Watering is moderate, and in hot weather and the growing season is enhanced. Astram needs phosphate fertilizers, as well as organic top dressing.

Asters reproduce by dividing bushes and seeds. The first method is preferable, since when dividing the bush, the characteristics of the mother plant are preserved, and when propagated by seeds, the expected result is not always obtained.

Alpine aster is planted in the spring, or immediately after the flowers wither. The rhizomes of asters of the late flowering group are divided only in spring. Other species can be planted in spring and autumn, but keep in mind that plants planted in autumn may not bloom during the year.

Another way to propagate asters is cuttings. Cuttings are cut from young shoots that grow slightly away from the main bush. Such cuttings take root very quickly, while retaining all the signs of the mother plant.