Highly beautiful flower, quite popular in the world. True, they bloom a little late, but all the same they are very pleasing. Today, there are very a large number of varieties of this flower, from Latin its name is translated as "star". Due to the fact that the flower blooms very late, but I still want it to start blooming as early as possible, many begin to plant seedlings on asters even with the beginning of spring. Today we will explain to you how to grow aster seedlings at home.

When to sow asters - timing of sowing seeds

Asters can be distinguished by their flowering time:

• Early asters begin to bloom 90 days after germination.
• Medium asters bloom after 110 days.
• All varieties of late flowering - after 130 days.

Since these are late flowers, they bloom right up to the very frost. These beautiful flowers are not afraid of the cold at all. It is highly desirable that before the time when you drop them off at open ground, the seedlings were one month old, rather small, about 6 cm, with good roots.

Therefore, you should determine the sowing time yourself. Very often, seedlings for asters are sown in early April. If you have a greenhouse, you can plant asters at the same time. And if your greenhouse has heating or you can sow asters on the windowsills in March, but you should not do this earlier, since sunrises love light and will be drawn to it, and if you plant very early, there will be quite a bit of light and the sunrises will begin to wither ...

Sowing seedlings at home

Seeds for sowing asters are quite large in comparison with others, so they should be spread less often. First you need to sow in small containers, then you need to plant in separate cups or small boxes. No need to be afraid to transplant, aster loves it, and in a spacious pot it will grow root system.

You can take the soil purchased or prepare it yourself. You can take even the most ordinary land from the garden, add humus to it, it is worth adding and purchased soil, ash, you can also use sand. All this is necessary in order for you to get a fluffy soil that will pass air and water well.

It is best to use the freshest seeds. If they are two years old, then they are unlikely to come off.

You need to sow seeds to a depth of 1 cm. Water and put the container in a bag and in a few days the first sunrises will appear. Place it immediately close to the window so that it is light enough and a little cool.

When you see real leaves, you can plant them. Aster seedlings are quite strong, but very fragile in the place where the stem transition to the root occurs. Therefore, first you need to moisten the earth, and after a while (after about half an hour) you need to carefully remove it with a toothpick, or you can use a match, small asters and plant in pre-prepared cups or boxes.

How to care for seedlings at home

Asters need to be watered infrequently but abundantly. There must be drainage in the seedling cups so that excess water can drain off. But never fill it with water, because it can get sick and die after a while.

It grows quickly and well, if you have prepared very good soil, then you should not fertilize. But if the land is poor useful material, then a week after transplanting, it is worth watering the seedlings with biofertilizers. You can pour it with ash tincture.

You should not get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers, although they claim that they are good, but still not worth it, otherwise there will be very large, dense, green bushes, and flowering will come a little later and in quality will definitely be lower than desired.

Planting seedlings and care

Seedlings can already be transplanted outdoors in the middle or towards the end of May. But in order for the plant to undergo a successful transplant and all possible cold snaps, it is definitely worth hardening them. In early April, you can already take out the seedlings outside, if they grow in your greenhouse, then you need to open the doors on warm days.

It is necessary to plant tall asters at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. They branch very well and form a lot of shoots with flowers. When they grow, they will bloom in one continuous carpet.

When summer leaves, the flower beds are suddenly painted with all the colors of the rainbow. It is the asters blooming, which always carry me in my memories to the time of my school childhood. Beautiful, varied and very unpretentious, they will serve as an excellent decoration for your garden at a time when most plants have long faded. Next, how to plant and grow the best asters.

Annual asters

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

Planting 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 moist. When digging up a site, be sure to add humus to the soil. One-year-old aster is usually grown with the help of seeds, by seedling or non-seedling methods.

Seedling

For seedlings, seeds must be sown in the last decade of March.- in early April, in prepared boxes or directly into the greenhouse ground, into grooves, then wrap the grooves, pour with a solution of light pink 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 spilled with a solution of the soil. 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 real leaf appears, the seedlings should be dived at a distance of no more than 5-7 cm from each other into small pots or a box bigger size, and it is possible in the soil of the greenhouse, aster seedlings are not afraid of transplantation.

Aster 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. Plant seedlings on permanent place it is necessary in a bright, level place 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 aboveground 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 the aster, you can start feeding complex fertilizer with repetition of feeding in a month. If the weather is dry, moderate watering is required. Light sandy soils require constant watering. At the same time, the seedlings of asters must be processed against possible diseases.

Sowing in the ground

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

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

Caring for asters
Compared to other flowers in flower beds, caring for asters is not difficult. If the soil has been well fertilized, then during the growing season you will only need 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

Growing and care

Perennial asters are grown in places that are open sunbeams(can be grown in partial shade), well hydrated (but not soggy). In damp areas, the plant is susceptible to disease. In one place it can grow up to 6 years. Rhizomes grow rather quickly. Perennial care is simple. Requires loosening of the soil layer, trying not to affect the root system, and treatment with drugs for diseases of gray rot and powdery mildew.

Reproduction

The transplantation and reproduction of perennial asters should be dealt with in the spring. The plant propagates by green cuttings. In spring or summer, young shoots appear on the stems of the plant, which can be used for reproduction. They take root with ease, take root and grow quickly, the bushes are quite strong. In addition to green cuttings, it is possible to reproduce perennial asters (octobrines) by dividing the rhizome. Of course, there is a way to propagate by seeds, but this is difficult and unproductive.

Perennial asters are good for use in gravel gardens, in rose gardens. They go well with stonecrop, violets, incense, geraniums and other flower cultures.

Types of asters

All kinds annual asters are divided into three large classes, depending on the shape of the petals: reed, tubular and transitional.
In turn, all these classes have varieties cutoff- 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 to plant a garden and pot, compact.

Tubular asters

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

Transitional asters

This class has inflorescences with tubular and ligulate flowers. The types of asters are distinguished here: simple, semi-double and coronal.

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

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

Crown asters lush and similar to pompons, the core is barely visible. Varieties: for cutting - Princess, Fantasy, Laplata, Aurora, for upsetting - Pomponnaya, Ambria, universal Bouquet Princess.

Reed asters

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

Curly asters- elegant ribbon-like, wide ligulate flowers, curling slightly at the ends. Market Queen, Hohenzollern, Californian 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 did not grow together. Radio, Khudozhestvennuyu, Unicum and Corallen are cut varieties.

Tongues at needle asters like needles, thin and twisted in length. Riviera, Krallen, Valkyrie are versatile varieties.

Reed asters also include tiled, hemispherical and spherical varieties.

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

New Belgian aster, or virgin- a bush with shoots from a meter to one and a half in height. The bush does not differ in strength, 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 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 to bloom in the first decade of September. Blooms until frost.

Unlike most flowers, including a variety of annuals, aster can be grown from seeds not only in spring, in early April, by sowing seedlings in containers, but also in autumn, under the snow. However, at the same time, the aster is quite capricious, and caring for it, especially in the process of waiting for the sprouts to hatch, is associated with special care. In addition, before sowing, practicing gardeners recommend preparatory procedures.

Asters: growing from seeds

Aster seed soil is made up of 2 parts of peat, 1 part of ordinary soil from your suburban area, and a small amount of washed and calcined sand. Additionally, it is worth adding 20-30 g of ash to the substrate or dolomite flour, and first pass the resulting soil mixture through a fine sieve in order to deprive it of the foreign elements that have accidentally wedged in here and loosen it, and then hold it for 20-30 minutes. over the steam. This can be done either by hand, over a cup of boiling water, or in a double boiler. If it is not possible to steam the earth, it is moistened with a highly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate: such actions are necessary to prevent fungal diseases in asters.

Regardless of whether you are sowing a flower for seedlings, or immediately sending it under the snow, the seeds need to be soaked in a fungicide: this will increase their germination rate, especially if the seeds are not fresh - after a few months, almost all chances of sprouting are lost. In addition, the seeds collected from the flowers available on the site germinate much worse and often do not bloom as abundantly as those purchased at the store.

When growing asters from seeds through sowing on seedlings, they are scattered over wet soil, trying to make the layer uniform, but without maintaining any distance between them - not all seeds will sprout. After that, they must be covered with calcined sand, creating a layer 6-8 mm thick from it. If you are working in the open field, sowing aster in autumn, the soil must not be moistened! Cooling it overnight will kill the seeds.

The air temperature where the containers with seedlings are located should not fall below 15 degrees - it is optimal to keep it at the level of 18-20 degrees. In this case, the containers must be exposed to light, but not under direct rays, and also covered with glass or film, which have holes for ventilation - condensation on the "lid" and high humidity must not be allowed.

The glass is removed when the seedlings appear in the containers: this usually happens at the beginning of the 2nd week. Watering, carried out by spraying, is infrequent at this stage, the sand on the surface can be dry - the aster will take its moisture from the lower layers of the earth. Therefore, the approximate schedule of light soil moistening is 1 time in 2-3 days. In the open field, the seedlings do not need to be moistened, because in the fall, the land is already significantly moistened.

Asters: planting and care

• Aster picking in the open ground and at home occurs when at least 3 leaves are formed on the seedlings, and some gardeners are waiting for the 5th leaf to appear. After that, the asters already need resettlement, since they need more nutrients than before. At the same time, in cold regions with late spring, it is recommended to first harden the seedlings on the balcony for 1-2 weeks - this will allow asters to adapt to light frosts.
• If the sowing was late, it is likely that at this stage not only a pick will be carried out, but also the transfer of seedlings to open ground: this usually happens in mid-May or closer to the beginning of June. Practicing gardeners advise not to delay this moment - the seedlings should not stretch more than 7 cm, so as not to happen negative impact the abundance of flowering.
• In the selected area, the land needs to be fed by introducing mineral fertilizers into it. It is desirable to have the same soil composition as was selected for seedlings, i.e. mix peat, sand and ash in a hole with garden soil. Plants are buried so that the connection of the root and stem goes into the soil by 1-1.5 cm, and the area near the stem is carefully pressed with hands, trampling down.
• The area where the asters will grow should be constantly well lit, rare shading is allowed. It is recommended to divide it into several tracks, between which a distance of 10-30 cm is kept, depending on which varieties are planted here. Small ones can be placed quite tightly, tall ones need more free space... Basically, asters are planted not on a flower bed or in a flower garden, but along the paths, as a kind of living curb or lawn fence.
• Last important point in caring for asters - watering, which is rarely carried out (1-2 times a week), but abundantly, and after that the earth is necessarily loosened. In the summer, when the buds are tied, once watering is combined with liquid mineral fertilizer, where potassium and superphosphate predominate. You need to repeat the procedure at the very beginning of flowering.

Annual aster varieties: photoand features

Annual asters are grown from seed through seedlings, since the moment of germination needs to be accelerated, as well as to ensure the maximum germination of purchased seeds. At the same time, they are often sown in 2 stages: first in April, then at the end of May to get long flowering... Annuals are quite resistant to frost, withstand low temperatures up to -7 degrees, in addition, they tolerate drought well. Among the varieties of annual asters, the following have deserved special love of gardeners:

"Isadora" and "Arlecchino", which have white petals, with flowers with a diameter of 13-15 cm. Bushes stretch up to 55 cm, can have up to 20-25 inflorescences. It blooms for 2 months and is great for cutting.

"Alice" is a flower with sharp petals of a lingonberry shade, inflorescences on a bush no more than 15 pieces, the diameter of each flower is 14 cm. Flowering lasts 1.5 months, the variety perfectly tolerates drought and cold.

"Bazhena" is a tall bush (90 cm), in the photo the aster flowers of this variety have a certain similarity with peony flowers, but with narrow and short petals. The color is uneven, white-pink from the middle, darkens towards the ends. Inflorescences are small, up to 7 cm in diameter, there are 35-40 of them on the bush. Flowering lasts a little less than 2 months.

"Blue Lagoon" fully corresponds to its name - the petals of this variety have a sky-blue hue, atypical for asters, the inflorescences are also similar to peony inflorescences, also small (6-7 cm), but there are only 10-12 of them on the bush.

"Prima Donna" is a mix variety, since both boiling white and blue-violet petals can be found here. Medium height bushes (50-60 cm) are not densely strewn with flowers (up to 10 pcs.), bloom for 2 months, retain their attractiveness for a long time in cut.

If you grow perennial asters from seeds, their "place of residence" must be changed annually so as not to increase the likelihood of root system diseases. In addition, they can be provoked by planting a flower on a site where gladioli or tulips previously grew, since they are susceptible to the same diseases. But the soil after the marigolds, on the contrary, will improve the condition of the asters.

Perhaps every gardener will agree that today aster is one of the brightest, unpretentious and popular flowers growing in gardens and front gardens. With its bright buds and ability to preserve for a long time fresh look this culture attracts the attention of both gardeners and florists. In this article, we will consider the features of growing asters from seeds. Useful recommendations will also be given in the review.

Origin

Aster comes from East Asia, and was brought to Europe in the 18th century by a camel caravan. Then the flowers made a long way through the entire territory of Siberia, got to the European part of Russia, and then were brought to Moscow. And from straight they ended up in the royal gardens of France. There flowers immediately gained special popularity and thus became famous all over the world.

In those days, the so-called language of flowers was popular in French houses. On this language the aster flower meant "the versatility of love." Having presented such a flower to a lady, the gentleman thereby said that his love for her is multifaceted.

In the Czech Republic, where aster is also popular, it is called autumn rose... Also in Ancient Greece Asters were credited with magical protective power. That is why most often these plants were planted in front of temples or in front of the houses of noble people. Also in ancient times, asters were used to decorate clothes and hairstyles. V Ancient China asters were called "stars on earth." Wu symbolizes modesty, tenderness, grace. And in the popular teachings of Feng Shui - love and tender feelings.

The scientific name of the flower is calistefus, which means "beautiful crown" in Latin. This is not surprising, because it begins to bloom in the fall, when everything around has almost faded and lost its attractiveness. Today it is difficult to find a plant that would have as many different species and colors as an aster. Currently, there are about 4 thousand species of this flower. Thanks to the varied colors and the abundance of varieties to grow this flower on your site is becoming a very popular activity.

Description and appearance

Today, a wide variety of varieties are presented on the market, as well as in flower shops. Each of them has its own way of growing. Flowers are striking in their uniqueness, variety of shapes and colors. Most aster varieties (over 500 species) grow wild in North America. On the territory of Russia there are only 26 varieties of asters.

All aster varieties can be divided into three types:

• dwarf;
• American;
• italian.

Dwarf asters

Today, dwarf low-growing asters (we will consider growing from seeds later) can rightfully be considered the most popular and demanded type of flowers on the market. All types of this plant grow in lush bushes, the height of which reaches from 30-150 cm. The size of the flowers of dwarf asters reaches 3-5 to 1 cm. Most often they are used for landscaping balconies, as well as for growing in pots. This species is also very popular among landscape designers(especially perennial alpine aster, cultivation from seeds of which is not at all difficult).

The most popular varieties of dwarf asters:

• Ada Ballard.
• Beechwood Rivel.
• Astra Milady (considered one of the best and most popular varieties of dwarf asters in the world).
• Alpine aster (growing from seeds is described below).
• Erfurt dwarf.

American asters

The most famous varieties of American asters include:

• Bars Pink.
• Rubishats.
• Constgans.
• Dr. Ekener.

Italian asters

In another way, they are called chamomile, or European asters. it perennial... This species is especially popular in France and Italy, as well as in some countries of South-Eastern Europe and Western Siberia. The diameter of the flowers reaches 5 cm.

The most popular varieties include:

• Heinrich Seibert.
• The Rose.
• Herman Lena.

There are also many popular varieties among annual asters. Plots are often grown from seed chinese asters... Flowers differ in a variety of petal shapes, color, plant height. It is popular among summer residents to grow pion-shaped asters from seeds. The flower structure is very similar to the peony. The shape of the buds is vaulted and spherical. The bush itself reaches a height of 40-50 cm.

The pomponnaya aster looks very beautiful (growing from seeds and when to plant is described later in the article). Double flowers, flat rounded. The bush itself is low, it looks decorative and beautiful in flower beds.

Consider now how and when to plant asters, growing from seeds.

Preparing seeds for planting in the ground

Absolutely all types and varieties of asters are not recommended to be planted directly into the ground. In order for a beautiful lush bush to form from the seeds, the seeds must be prepared for planting in advance. The whole planting material must be treated with a fungicide solution or potassium permanganate. Several cotton pads must be placed in a container with a solution. Then you need to place the seeds on top and leave in this form for 25 minutes. It is important that the aster seeds are completely in solution. After which they must be thoroughly rinsed. running water... The seeds are now ready to plant.

Landing

Do not go straight into open ground, not all plants take root in this way. In any flower shop you can purchase quality soil for planting flowers. It is not necessary to cultivate such soil or fertilize, all these procedures have already been done by the manufacturers of this product. Before you start growing asters from seeds at home, the soil must be poured into a seedling container, then slightly moistened. Next, you should evenly distribute the seeds and sprinkle with earth on top. There is no need to sprinkle them too much. After all that has been done, the container with the seedlings must be covered with a clean film that will keep the soil moist.

The first shoots begin to appear in 5-7 days. After that, the film can be removed.

Picking

After 2-3 full-fledged leaves have formed on the seedlings, the aster can be dived. The resulting shoots must be transplanted into clean pots with fresh soil. Flowers tolerate this procedure very well. Usually, after transplanting, the sprouts begin to grow actively.

Planting seedlings in open ground

At the age of 5-6 weeks, the seedlings are completely ready for planting in open ground. Despite the fact that aster is a frost-resistant plant, it is recommended to plant it in warm weather. Planting in the warm season (mid-May is best suited) will help keep as many shoots as possible.

American asters: growing and care

Perennial asters are grown from seeds in sunny areas; asters are not very fond of the shade. It is desirable that the soil is loose and rich in trace elements. Flowers of this type do not need frequent watering. A slight drying out of the soil is tolerated normally. It is better to water the flowers in moderation. American asters do not require frequent fertilization. Fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus is necessary only in the spring. For the rest, the flowers have enough of those trace elements that are contained in the soil. If you periodically remove all dried leaves and flowers from the bush, then the plant will bloom until late autumn.

With the first snow, the bush will need to be cut. All shoots must be cut very low. Only stumps with a height of 3 cm should remain from the bush. As already described earlier, this type of aster is not susceptible to pests. Flowers reproduce by division. You can always dig out some of the roots with shoots from one bush and transplant it to another place. Aster division is very well tolerated.

Dwarf asters: growing and care

Most often, asters of this type are found in pink and red shades. Purple is the least common. The cultivation of asters of this species from seeds is unremarkable. This species is unpretentious in watering and feeding. Flowering begins in mid-July and lasts until September. Dwarf asters are biennial plants. This type of flowers is most optimal for landscaping balconies. There is no need to fertilize plants with natural ingredients (manure, humus). Asters of this type need to change landing sites or soil every year (if it grows in balcony boxes).

Italian asters: growing and care

Italian asters are the most beautiful view given colors. Inflorescences are in the form of a hemisphere. But this species blooms very little. Mid-July to September. The plant loves sunny places and calcareous soils. Growing asters from seeds is not difficult. This species is unpretentious in its care. Flowers need to be watered periodically in moderation, as well as loosened. It is necessary to fertilize the plant no more than those times during the entire flowering period. One of the clear advantages of this species is the ability to maintain a fresh look for a long time. Italian asters can stand in a vase for more than one day.

Seedless (winter) method of growing asters from seeds

Today, many gardeners actively use planting seeds in autumn soil in their practice. This planting method is often called seedless. It is best to plant seeds in late October or early November. It is recommended to plant in slightly frozen ground. Growing asters from seeds is carried out as follows. To plant seeds, you need to make a bed with well-dug soil. It is also recommended to fertilize frozen soil with microelements. It is best to plant seeds in grooves, at a distance of 2 cm from each other. The garden must be covered until spring plastic wrap. This method planting is most often preferred by gardeners. Plants grown in this way are more frost-resistant.

Growing difficulties

There are times when asters grow very poorly or die. And there are times when they do not grow at all. This is not a reason to be upset. The expiration date of the seeds should be carefully checked. Or soak the seeds in ash for a day (1 teaspoon per glass of water). If there is no ash on hand, you can soak it in aloe juice (also a teaspoon in a glass of water). It is also recommended to change the soil.

Incomplete inflorescences in flowers are in the case of abundant watering or a lack of potassium.

Diseases of asters

• Fusarium. It is a fungal disease. This disease affects not only asters, but also any other garden flowers and plants. The disease mainly affects mature plants. Stems and leaves weaken, turn yellow and wither only on one side. In order to prevent this disease, it is not recommended to plant asters in the same place all the time. If, nevertheless, the plant has become infected, it is recommended to dig up the affected parts of the bush and take it away from the site or burn it. This disease spreads very quickly to other garden plants.
• Most frequent fungal disease, to which absolutely all seedlings are exposed, is called a black leg. It begins to develop due to acidic soil... The stems of all seedlings begin to rot and turn black. Diseased plants should be removed immediately, and the affected areas should be watered with a fungicide.
• If the site has conifers, it is advisable to plant asters away from them. The fact is that on conifers rust spores are often formed. Getting on the leaves of flowers, the spore begins to actively multiply, thereby killing garden plant... If the flowers are nevertheless infected with rust, it is recommended to treat them with Bordeaux liquid (1%) every week.

How to collect aster seeds

The very first flowers are best suited for seeds. Most often they are the largest and strongest. When the aster flower withers and darkens, a small fluff appears in its center, which must be cut and put into a clean bag. Seeds are best harvested in dry weather. If it rained outside, and the seeds need to be urgently collected, it is recommended to disassemble and dry the flowers. This method will save the seeds from rotting. Harvested Seeds usually ripen in a packet.

As already described above, it is not particularly difficult to grow such a flower in your garden or on your balcony. It is enough to follow all the indicated recommendations, and the result will not be long in coming. And the fruits of your work done will delight you and those around you with their bright flowering for a long time.

Astra - beloved by many garden flower, belonging to the Astrov family. There are about five hundred species of them in the family. V wildlife asters grow all over the world - from China to North America... From China, the flower came to Europe. It was taken out secretly (the Chinese did not want to share their floristic "treasure") from the imperial gardens in the 17th century. In China, astra is given great importance and deep sacred meaning.

The name of the flower is translated from Latin as "star". According to legend, two Chinese monks, deciding to reach the stars, set off on a journey, and there was no end to this path, and the stars shone in the sky, still far and unapproachable. Then one of the monks stopped looking at the sky and turned his gaze to the earth And saw an amazingly beautiful flower that looked like a star. The monks brought flowers to the monastery and began to grow them under the "star" name. Is it not, but in Chinese culture, asters are still a symbol of unattainable charm and unearthly beauty, given to man as a gift by God.

Asters - rhizome herbaceous decorative flowering plants with simple leaves, basket inflorescences, which consist of central yellow tubular flowers and marginal reeds - of a variety of shades.

Today, breeders have bred many varieties of asters of unimaginable colors and structures - velvet, terry, paniculate.

Astra and her "relatives"

There are perennials and annuals asters. And here there is one obscure nuance for amateur flower growers. There is a genus of asters, which include both annuals and perennials, grown in culture as annuals due to the peculiarities of certain climatic zones... There are exclusively annual asters, they are "relatives" of all asters, but they are called differently - callistefus (Chinese callistema). This is the only representative of its kind, singled out as a personal type by Carl Linnaeus.

Callistema is characterized by alternate petiole leaves, dark green or burgundy-red stems, basket inflorescences. Today there are about four thousand breeding varieties of callistema, divided into forty species groups. Here they are usually grown by flower growers on their plots as annual asters.

Perennial asters

Aster perennials can belong to two large varieties:

1. Early flowering.
2. Late blooming.

Group	Name	Specifications
Early flowering		Blossoming in May. Height - 15-25 cm. Low-growing, medium-sized flowers (4 cm in diameter), similar to daisies. The color is blue, pink. Usage - rockery, arabesque
Early flowering		Bloom - June. Height - up to 70 cm. Tall, with large flowers from 5 cm in diameter. The color is red-brown, purple. Usage - alpine slides, rocky gardens
Early flowering		Bloom - June. Height - from 75 cm.Very tall bush with lilac flowers... Used for flower beds and borders
Late blooming		Tall variety - up to 125 cm. Small dwarf - not higher than 40 cm. It blooms in the first autumn month. The flowers are blue, snow-white, burgundy, purple and pink, burgundy
Late blooming		Early autumn - blooms in late August and throughout September. It grows to a height of 60 cm.The flowers are white and blue
Late blooming		Blooms in late September - October. It grows up to one and a half meters. Most large view, but the flowers are small, not more than 4 cm, not similar to chrysanthemums. Colors - purple, brown, red-pink

Annual asters

If with perennial asters everything is quite simple, then there are many annual Chinese classifications. They are categorized by:

• growth,
• color,
• flowering time,
• the structure of the inflorescences;
• cultivation goals.

Flowering times are early, mid and late. It starts with the arrival of summer and ends with the arrival of autumn.

The height of the bush is from dwarf forms (20-25 cm) to meter-high giants.

The colors of summer asters are very diverse: blue, yellow, red, white, pink, blue, purple, burgundy, brown. There are even two colors. So far, only the black aster has not been brought out, orange and green.

Asters can be grown for cutting and for decorating flower beds. The latter are subdivided into casing (they are more compact and used as curb) and universal.

By the structure of inflorescences there are:

• terry, semi-double and non-double;
• curly and rectangular;
• coronary;
• spherical;
• hemispherical;
• needle-like;
• tiled.

Growing asters

Grown by seeds for seedlings and seed seedless method. Moreover, with equal success. You can sow seeds in early April, and admire the flowers in the flowerbed in July. But more often, flower growers grow asters seedlings in an apartment or greenhouse. Seedling seedlings bloom earlier.

Asters from seeds in a flower bed

Early varieties can be sown in early April. For later date sowing - in early May. It is desirable that the temperature does not drop below + 10 ° C. In the case of short-term depressions, crops and young seedlings are covered with a film.

1. Seeds are sown into four centimeters deep grooves.
2. They are covered with soil, watered, mulched to retain moisture.
3. You can cover crops with spunbond until shoots appear.
4. In the phase of development of three leaves, flower crops must be thinned out, leaving a distance of at least 10 cm between them for low-growing varieties and at least 25 for tall varieties.

Determining the sowing time

Asters have a long growing season. Early varieties will bloom three months after sowing. Late may take up to 120 days. This is why asters prefer to grow seedlings.

Late varieties are not afraid of the first autumn frosts, so they can bloom all October and even part of November. You can sow them in May. Early blooms from June. It is advisable to propagate them by seedlings, sowing seeds in March.

Sowing before winter

You can sow asters before winter. This method, unlike winter sowing some garden crops, which enterprising summer residents have already mastered, is not yet widely popular, but in vain.

From a scientific point of view, seeding before winter has several advantages. Imagine, the spring is dry, there is not enough moisture, there is no rain. And the seeds sown before winter do not wait for "manna from heaven" - they have enough melted snow to swell and give early shoots. Another situation is a cold, rainy spring, the weather does not allow to cultivate the soil and carry out sowing. And the winter seeds are already in the ground, and as soon as the first sun comes out, they are ready to start growing.

Important! The timing of winter sowing is decisive. If you sow the seeds of asters too early, when it is still possible warm weather, they will germinate, and the seedlings will die immediately after the onset of cold weather. If you wait for deep frosts, the soil will freeze and sowing will be difficult.

Video - How to sow asters before winter

What happens to the seeds of asters sown in the winter. They cool down (do not freeze, since they are covered and mulched), thus passing through the cold stratification procedure. And in the spring, as already noted, they are the first to take all the spring "blessings" in the form of heat, the first sun and moisture from the melted snow. The main thing is that the seeds sown in the cold season are dry and in no case germinated.

Two weeks before winter sowing, the seeds of asters must be soaked with an average concentration of potassium permanganate solution, and then dried thoroughly.

If in spring the seeds are sown in grooves up to 4 cm deep, then before winter the sowing depth is halved. The sowing pattern is used as for spring. The seeds are laid in the grooves dry and in dry weather, and then mulched with peat, a layer of at least 3 cm (this is necessary not only for "insulation", but also so that a crust does not form on the soil after the melt water melts).

Usually, seedlings of aster seeds sown in November appear as soon as the snow melts. But sometimes they grow right out of the snow. These are especially hardened specimens. You don't have to worry about them - in the spring they will not die anymore, because they have gone through excellent hardening and can even withstand frost down to -7 ° С. And very soon these seedlings will give abundant flower stalks, and in the process of development they will be less susceptible to diseases, in particular, fusarium, than their spring "neighbors".

Sowing asters for seedlings

Growing seedling method- the most reliable, although it requires more labor and time. Sowing is done in March or April, depending on the variety.

1. Seven days before sowing, the seeds must be germinated. Soak in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours. Then rinse and, without drying, put on a damp cloth in a warm place.

   

2. Prepare containers. You can use boxes or pots that need to be disinfected. Lay drainage on the bottom.
3. Prepare the ground. Mix part fertile soil with part of the peat and part of the sand. The earth should turn out to be light and moderately loose, not viscous.
4. Disinfect the soil. A solution of fungicides or all the same potassium permanganate is suitable. The solution should be hot and wet all the soil well.

   

5. Make a two-centimeter deep groove in the soil, lay neatly hatched seeds, sprinkle with sand.

   

6. Pour the soil through a fine sieve or spray with a spray bottle.
7. Cover crops with plastic or glass cover.

   

8. Place crates in moderation warm place, up to + 22 ° С.

Seedlings usually do not keep themselves waiting long, they hatch already on the fourth or fifth day. But then the aster develops slowly and various problems begin.

Seedling care

The main problem with aster seedlings is the black leg. It arises from rotting of the stem base, due to waterlogging of the soil. For prophylaxis, it is necessary to disinfect seedlings after one watering with potassium permanganate and try not to overmoisten the soil.

Seedling disease - black leg

The temperature after germination should be reduced by 5 degrees, but not abruptly, but gradually, over three days. Optimal for growing seedlings of asters is + 16 ° С.

Seedlings need light at all stages to prevent stretching. If there is little light, additional illumination is carried out.

Picking is mandatory, on three to four real sheets, according to the 40x40 mm scheme. When picking, the central root is pinched by a third.

The composition of the soil for the cut seedlings is the same as for the seeds, but ash must be added to it, one tablespoon per liter of soil.

Watering the transplanted seedlings should be done in moderation, only to prevent drying out - the danger of the black leg remains until the seedlings are planted in the ground, where it is replaced by a more formidable scourge - fusarium.

A week after the dive - the first feeding with a mineral complex with an increased nitrogen content. Then top dressing - every week until planting in the flower bed.

Landing of asters

Before planting, the seedlings need to be hardened. Take it outdoors gradually, leaving each day for a longer period of time. For planting, seedlings should have many leaves, at least eight. Optimal height planted seedlings - 10 cm. The stem is strong. The bush is squat and lush. You need to plant in April, depending on the variety. The temperature outdoors at night should be at least + 4 ° С.

Asters are best grown in a sunny place, not drained soils. Their predecessors are tagetes and calendula.

1. Before planting, the flowerbed is weeded out of the weeds.
2. The ground is loosened 6 cm deep.
3. Further, the seedlings are moistened in pots.
4. In the flowerbed, holes are made according to the size of the seedling containers.
5. The soil is watered.
6. The distance between seedlings can be 15, 25, and 35 cm, depending on the variety.
7. The seedlings moved into the soil do not need to be watered, they should be covered with dry soil.
8. Ten days later, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are applied to the wells.

In the future, asters are unpretentious, taking care of them does not require much effort. They definitely need soil loosening after each moistening (watering, rain, liquid fertilization). Weeds need to be removed near them. Before branching the stem, it is good to huddle it with soil by 5-7 cm - this way the roots will grow faster and develop better.

An excess of moisture is harmful to astram, but a deficiency is not useful either. Better in the heat to water them rarely and abundantly.

You need to feed the flowers at least three times during the season. The second feeding after planting is when tying buds. The third is when flowers appear. The composition of the dressings - in the first superphosphate prevails, ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate are added to it in a ratio of 3: 2: 1. The second and third nitrate does not include, only superphosphate with an equal amount of potassium sulfate (1: 1).