Asters landing and care in the open ground

Astra is a grassy rhizome plant from the family Asteraceae, or Astra. Grows in bushes, can reach a height of up to 150 cm. The stems are straight and strong, the leaves are simple. Petals have the shape of a tongue, they are of different lengths, collected in baskets. The closer to the center, the shorter the petals. The central ones are painted yellow, the color of the other petals can be anything: blue, pink, orange, lilac, etc. The elongated seeds have a parachute for easy distribution. There are up to 200 species of asters. There are annual and perennial asters. The scientific name is callistefus.

Description of colors

Asters were brought to Europe from China. The name in Latin translates as "star". Chinese legend says that once two monks decided to reach the stars, climbing the mountains of Altai. Returning back in failure, they stumbled upon a meadow dotted with flowers, and one of the monks exclaimed: "We were looking for stars in the sky, and they live on the earth!" They called them by their speaking name - aster.

Title

Asters, planting and care in the open field for which does not require much effort, will decorate any garden. How to grow asters in the country, further.

Seed cultivation

Asters (growing from seeds requires a well-prepared soil) loves slightly acidic soil. Prepared mixtures are used as soil or soil is prepared on their own: peat, turf, sand are mixed in a ratio of 2: 1: 0.5, half a glass of wood ash is added (or 2 tbsp.spoons of dolomite flour), sieved and evaporated in a double boiler for an hour. If it is not possible to steam the soil, you can wet the soil with a saturated solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide. These measures are designed to protect seedlings from fungal infections in order to grow healthy seedlings.

First, use small containers. Reinforced seedlings are transplanted into separate boxes, pots or cups. Astra tolerates a pick well and develops in a large capacity.

Choosing the right time for sowing

When to plant asters for seedlings? The best time is in early April. In a good greenhouse, it can be sown in March, but not earlier, as the seedlings will lack light.

Seed preparation and sowing

A week before sowing asters, their seeds are wrapped in tissue and soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After 12 hours, excess moisture is squeezed out and placed in a plastic bag and placed in a warm place for germination.

Aster seeds are large, so they are planted less often.

For planting, grooves are made in the soil, seeds are poured there, sprinkled with a layer of sand on top and spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate through a sieve. Cover with a film or glass top and leave to emerge in a warm place. Emerging shoots are placed in a cool place.

Properly prepared fresh seeds germinate 5-10 days after planting.

How to care for seedlings

It is necessary to water the aster rarely and abundantly, but not pouring it, since the flower can get sick with a black leg (fungus).

As soon as the first sprouts appear, a container with seedlings is placed in a sunny and cool place (on the windowsill).

Aster seedlings emerge well. If nutrient soil has been prepared, fertilizer is not necessary. In poor soil, seedlings are watered with biofertilizer or infusion of ash a week after transplantation.

Site selection and soil preparation

Non-acidic fertile soil is suitable for asters. The place is chosen bright, sunny, in which watering will not stagnate during irrigation.

Landing

Before planting asters on the street, the plants temper: you need to take them out to the street or open the doors if the seedlings grow in the greenhouse. So she will easily tolerate the "relocation" and possible cooling.

It is possible to transplant seedlings into the open ground from mid-May: the finished sprouts should be 10 cm in height and have leaves. The most fragile place of a sprout is where the stalk goes into the spine. To avoid injury, the flowers are abundantly watered and after half an hour they are removed from the soil with a toothpick or a match.

Shoots are planted in water-filled grooves at a distance of 20-30 cm, between the grooves left up to half a meter.

Landing

Replanting method

It is preferable to choose perennial asters, planting and caring in the open field for which is not particularly difficult.

Growing aster flowers from seeds can be carried out immediately in the open ground. This is done in early spring. Seeds are covered in small grooves, covered with soil a little above and covered with a film. When shoots appear, the film needs to be removed. When three strong leaves appear, the sprouts are thinned out so that the distance between them is 10-15 cm. Extra seedlings must be carefully dug out and transplanted to another bed.

How to organize proper sowing in spring and before winter

In winter, asters plant in the fall, in October-November. When digging, fertilizer is added to the soil. The surface is leveled with a rake and grooves are made and covered with lutrasil until the first frosts.

At the first frosts, dry seeds are sown in prepared grooves and sprinkled with soil at 2 cm.

The bed is covered with plastic wrap, the edges are pressed with slats or bricks. In this form, sowing is left for the winter. In spring, closer to April, polyethylene is replaced with covering material.

If it was not possible to prepare the soil before the onset of frost, then at low rates you can still plant: dig up the frozen soil, add ash or house humus and sow the seeds.

Sowing

Care after flowering and preparation for winter

In preparation for winter, asters do not need to be fertilized (only if these are fresh plantings). Trimming the plant or not is an individual choice. In both cases, it winters well. If dried bushes are cut, then the base must be covered with dry foliage. If the plant is weak, it is covered with spruce branches.

How do asters breed

There are several options for propagating flowers.

Bush division

Perennial asters are propagated by dividing the bush in the spring. It is not necessary to dig out bush asters, it is enough to separate with a shovel. The process of division is preferably carried out every 3-4 years, so the plant will rejuvenate and get rid of excess thickening, which contributes to the aging and development of fungal diseases.

You can divide the bush into small parts with several buds. Next year, each part will become an independent plant.

Division

Cuttings

Cuttings are carried out from May to August. The stem can be both the crown of the stem and the entire stem. The place is shaded. Before planting asters, the bed is fertilized with a mixture of turf, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Planted cuttings are covered with a film.

Features of plant care in the open ground

Caring for asters is not difficult. What do you need to remember?

Temperature

The air temperature should not be too high, as this contributes to the development of fungi.

Lighting

The place for asters should be sunny, because the plant is not afraid of light. It can be planted at partial shade, but flowering will be less plentiful.

Watering

The beds are watered as the soil dries, avoiding waterlogging and not overdrying the soil.

In dry weather, roots can be covered with dry grass or sawdust. If the weather is rainy, stop watering.

Spraying

Basically sprayed seedlings or small shoots in the open ground. In the first week, the procedure is carried out once a day, in the second - once every 2 days, in the third - 2 times per week.

Humidity

Soil moisture is required average. Deviations from the norm contribute to the development of fungi and decay of the plant.

Priming

The soil must be loose for oxygen saturation. It needs to be regularly loosened and harvested weeds, this helps to protect against diseases.

Top dressing

Fertilizers are applied three times:

• 2 weeks after planting;
• during the formation of buds;
• before flowering.

Mineral fertilizers and wood ash are suitable.

Lighting

When and how it blooms

Depending on the species, asters bloom in early summer or closer to autumn. They are divided into species according to their life, height of the bushes and flowering.

The most popular are asters:

• Chinese
• Alpine
• Italian
• Tatar;
• Siberian
• dwarf varieties;
• chrysanthemum varieties;
• peony varieties.

Large flowers bloom on asters of the following varieties:

• Italian gnome;
• Galaxy;
• Gala
• Oktyabrina;
• Snow White.

The smallest flowers in species:

• dwarf alpine;
• New English (American);
• gold perennial.

Asters bloom for a long time, as many new buds form on the bushes. And one bud flaunts for 2-3 weeks, then gradually fades. Flowering lasts from June to July until the first frost.

Bloom

Transplant after purchase and during reproduction

The plant tolerates the transplant well, the main thing is not to injure the roots, properly prepare the soil before planting asters (steamed or poured with potassium permanganate from pests and add humus).

Possible problems in growing

What problems can a gardener face when growing asters?

Leaf problems

Leaves may turn yellow, lighten, dark streaks appear on them, swelling filled with spores may form. In the end, they curl and dry. All these are signs of a plant infection.

Pests

Among the pests are:

• slobbery pennies release foam in which larvae develop, devouring the leaves and stems of the flower. Because of this, growth slows down, and with severe damage the plant dies. To combat the pest, a decoction of tobacco is used: 400 g is steamed in a bucket of water for 2 hours. In the finished broth, water is added to 10 liters. A little laundry soap is also added so that the medicine sticks to the leaves;
• the meadow bug feeds on the juice of flowers, stems and leaves, leaving behind white dots. To combat the parasite, the plant is sprayed with a solution of malathion or pyrethrum;
• the spider mite also feeds on the sap of the plant, but settles on the back of the leaves, which makes them yellow and fade. To combat it, asters are sprayed with infusion of tobacco or onion. It can also be a decoction of yarrow;
• gamma scoop feeds on the aerial parts of the plant. It is a caterpillar from which a brown butterfly hatches with a pattern on the wings in the form of the Greek letter "gamma". Expelled by spraying with chlorophos or karbofos;
• the kidney aphid devours plants (especially the tips) at the seedling stage. To combat, spray chlorophosomes or karbofosomes.

Aphid

Disease

Possible asthma diseases:

• Fusarium The causative agent is a fungal infection. Viruses develop in the soil and penetrate the plant through the root system. Leaves begin to fade, turn yellow, curl, dark spots appear. Appears quite rarely under favorable conditions (high temperatures). The affected plant must be removed, and closely growing sprayed with a solution of copper oxychloride. Also, the soil is sprinkled with quicklime;
• blackleg. The causative agent is a fungal infection. Seedlings are affected: first they turn black, then the stem begins to rot. The diseased plant is removed, the rest are treated with a solution of bleach. The soil around the plants is sprinkled with sand;
• rust. Leaves swell on the back. Pustules filled with spores form. Affected plants are sprayed with a mixture of sulfur and lime in a 1: 1 ratio or Bordeaux liquid;
• jaundice. The causative agent is aphids and cicadas. Leaves begin to lighten and lose pigment. Growth slows down, buds turn green. Affected plants are removed. To combat pathogens, they are sprayed with a feverfew or an actelik. To prevent the disease, it is necessary to fight aphids (spraying with a decoction or infusion of yarrow).

Disease

Signs of improper care

Although asters are considered unpretentious colors, they still require some care.

• The flower is afraid of drought, but its enumeration is also harmful: with a lack of water, the plant dries, with an excess - it rots.
• Asters need weeding: this protects them from pests and diseases.
• The appearance of sores is also a consequence of improper care or preparation of the soil.

In any case, asters are worth the time spent on them. The main thing is to choose a variety, plant it correctly and provide the required conditions. And then the flowers will delight the eye all summer until late autumn.