Growing asters with all the features to get beautiful healthy flowers. Asters: landing and care

Unlike most flowers, including a variety of annuals, you can grow an aster from seeds not only in spring, in early April, sowing seedlings in containers, but also in autumn, under the snow. However, at the same time, the aster is rather capricious, and caring for it, especially while waiting for the sprouts to peck, is associated with special care. In addition, practicing gardeners recommend carrying out preparatory procedures before sowing.

Asters: growing from seeds

The soil for aster seeds is made up of 2 parts of peat, 1 part of ordinary land from your suburban area, and a small amount 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 foreign elements that accidentally get in here and loosen it, and then hold it for 20-30 minutes. over the ferry. This can be done both manually, over a cup of boiling water, and 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 sow a flower for seedlings, or immediately send it under the snow, you need to soak the seeds in a fungicide: this will increase their germination rate, especially if the seeds are not fresh - after a few months, almost all chances of sprouts are lost. In addition, the seeds collected from the flowers available on the site germinate much worse and often do not bloom as profusely as those that were purchased in the store.

When growing asters from seeds through sowing for seedlings, they are scattered on moist soil, trying to make the layer even, but not maintaining any distances 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 work in open ground, sowing aster in the fall, the soil must not be moistened! Its night cooling will lead to the death of seeds.

The air temperature where the seedling containers are located should not fall below 15 degrees - it is optimal to keep it at 18-20 degrees. At the same time, the containers must be in the light, but not under direct rays, and also covered with glass or film, in which there are holes for ventilation - condensation on the “lid” and high humidity should not be allowed.

The glass is removed when the seedlings appear in the containers, usually at the beginning of the 2nd week. Irrigation by spraying is infrequent at this stage, the sand on the surface may be dry - the aster will take its moisture from the lower layers of the earth. Therefore, an approximate schedule for light soil moisture is 1 time in 2-3 days. In open ground, seedlings do not need to be moistened, because. In autumn, the ground is already significantly moistened.

Asters: landing and care

• Aster picking in the open field and at home occurs when at least 3 leaves form on the seedlings, and some gardeners wait for the 5th leaf to appear. After that, asters already need to be resettled, since they need more nutrients than before. However, in cold regions with late spring it is recommended to first harden the seedlings on the balcony for 1-2 weeks - this will allow the asters to adapt to light frosts.
• If the sowing was late, it is likely that at this stage not only picking will be carried out, but also the transfer of seedlings to open ground: usually this happens in mid-May or closer to the beginning of June. Practicing gardeners advise not to delay this moment - the seedlings should not stretch out more than 7 cm, so that it does not happen negative impact for the abundance of flowers.
• In the selected area, the land needs to be fed by introducing mineral fertilizer into it. The composition of the soil is desirable to have the same that was selected for seedlings, i.e. mix peat, sand and ash in the hole with garden soil. Plants are deepened 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 asters will grow should be constantly well lit, rare shading is allowed. It is recommended to divide it into several paths, between which a distance of 10-30 cm is maintained, depending on which varieties are planted here. Short ones can be placed quite densely, tall ones need more free space. Basically, asters are planted not in a flower bed or in a flower garden, but along the paths, as a kind of living border or lawn fence.
• Last important point in the care of asters - watering, which is carried out rarely (1-2 times a week), but plentifully, and the earth after that must be loosened. In the summer, when the buds are tied, once watering is combined with a 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 must be accelerated, as well as to ensure 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, in order to get long flowering. Annuals to frost are quite resistant, withstand low temperatures up to -7 degrees, in addition, they tolerate drought well. Among the varieties of annual asters, the following deserve special love from gardeners:

"Isadora" and "Arlekino", with white petals, with flowers with a diameter of 13-15 cm. The bushes stretch up to 55 cm, can have up to 20-25 inflorescences. Flowering lasts 2 months, the variety is excellent for cutting.

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

"Bazhena" is a tall bush (90 cm), in the photo the aster flowers of this variety have some similarities with peony flowers, but with narrow and short petals. The color is uneven, white-pink from the middle, darkens towards the ends. The inflorescences are small, up to 7 cm in diameter, there are 35-40 of them on a 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 tint, atypical for asters, the inflorescences also look like peony inflorescences, also small (6-7 cm), but there are only 10-12 on the bush.

"Prima Donna" is a mixed variety, since both boiling white and blue-violet petals can be found here. Bushes of medium height (50-60 cm) are covered with flowers not densely (up to 10 pcs.), Bloom for 2 months, remain attractive for a long time in the cut.

If you grow perennial asters from seeds, their “place of residence” needs to be changed annually so as not to increase the likelihood of root system diseases. In addition, they can also be provoked by planting a flower in the area where gladioli or tulips used to grow, since they are prone to the same diseases. But the soil after the marigolds, on the contrary, will improve the condition of the asters.

Asters (Aster) - favorite garden flowers, an indispensable attribute of any site. Creating conditions for successful cultivation asters from seeds, planting seedlings and further care in open ground. How to care for garden asters to ensure their long flowering?

Most often, an annual variety of aster is grown from seeds - Chinese Callistephus (Callistephus chinensis), sowing seeds every year anew. Do this with seedlings or in a seedless way.

Like chrysanthemums, there is big choice different varieties asters for every taste, both in height and size of the bush, as well as in color. Inflorescences - baskets in their structure are simple and terry, peony-shaped, rose-shaped, pom-pom, needle-shaped, such as "ostrich feather", etc. Of course, the Chinese aster will become the queen autumn flower garden! These beautiful bright annual flowers will brighten up any flower bed.

When to plant aster seeds for seedlings?

They begin to sow the seeds of annual asters using the usual seedling technology in March - early April or immediately into open ground in spring (in April - early May), or late autumn when the soil is already dry and frozen.

For spring sowing asters immediately on permanent place the bed is prepared in the fall. After sowing, the crops are covered with covering material in two layers. On calm days, when the air temperature rises above 7 degrees, the shelter is removed to harden the plants. The shelter is finally removed at the end of May.

Growing asters from seeds for seedlings - about 1.5–2 months will pass from sowing to planting in open ground. Sowing on March 25, we get seedlings by May 20-25. From germination to the beginning of flowering, 80-140 days pass. To see the flowering of asters even earlier, shift the sowing dates to the beginning of the first spring month. Early flowering varieties are sown a little later. Usually this information is indicated on the bags of seeds.

Soil preparation for sowing seeds...

The soil for seedlings is taken fresh, light and loose, moderately saturated with humus, not previously used for other plants. Made in 3 parts sod land, 2 parts peat, 1 part coarse river sand and 2 tablespoons of wood ash. Mix everything well and pour into small containers or a seedling box. On top add river sand with a layer of 1 cm.

If it is not possible to prepare the soil yourself, you can take the finished soil mixture, add ash, sand to get a light soil that passes air and water well.

Aster seeds are quite large, they are easy to decompose less often. In properly prepared soil, with a non-thickened planting, well ventilated, seedlings are rarely affected by diseases. Protect seedlings Preliminary processing soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If necessary, the seeds are disinfected in any fungicide, then dried.

Planting aster seeds and sprouting...

Before sowing, pour the mixture, sow the seeds of the aster, slightly pressing them into the wet sand. It can be slightly deepened to a depth of about 0.5-1 cm. Having covered the crops from drying out, we put a box with planted seeds in a bright place for germination. This technique greatly increases their germination (after 5-6 days). Monitor soil moisture, excess water can lead to the death of seedlings. Temperature environment before germination should be 18-20 degrees.

When shoots appear, put closer to the window so that it is light and cool. After the appearance of the first two true leaves, the seedlings can dive. As a rule, this happens on the 10th day after sowing the seeds. Next, seedlings of an annual aster are grown at a temperature of 13-15 degrees.

Sometimes they use a different method of sowing asters

When growing seedlings from seeds, stratification is used - temperature contrast, cooling in the refrigerator allows the seeds to germinate faster.

• The seeds spread out on the surface of the earth are sprinkled with snow on top (1 cm layer). The snow melts and pulls the seedlings into the ground. With this sowing, an imitation of asters sowing occurs in the fall before winter.
• I sow the aster on the surface of the earth. I put the crops overnight in the refrigerator, during the day I put them in a warm place - and so on several times until the seeds hatch. Then I lay them out in pots, sprinkle with earth and water.

At first glance, with this method, there seem to be a lot of “troubles”, but then you don’t need to plant the seedlings (although the aster is not afraid of transplanting), and the percentage of survival from such a planting is higher.

Care of seedlings and planting in open ground...

Since the aster does not like excess water, it should be watered very rarely, and after watering the seedlings should be ventilated. In seedling containers, drainage is required so that excess water can drain.

If cooked good soil before sowing additional top dressing Not needed. With poor soil, a week after transplanting, water your seedlings with ash infusion or bio fertilizer. nitrogen fertilizers you don’t need to get carried away, otherwise green bushes will grow, and flowering will come later and will not please you in quality. In early May, seedlings can be fed (1 teaspoon of nitrophoska and Agricola-7 fertilizer per 2 liters of water).

Before planting in open ground, begin to harden the seedlings and gradually take them out to Fresh air. If growing in a greenhouse, open the doors on warm days. Seedlings are transplanted into open ground at the end of May and covered with covering material until the end of the first decade of June.

High cut asters are planted at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. They branch well and form many shoots with flowers. Low, border plants are planted closer to each other, about 15-20 cm. Asters are cross-pollinated plants, therefore, spatial isolation is necessary to maintain the grade, at least 5-10 meters.

Caring for garden asters in the summer-autumn period ...

Light-requiring and cold-resistant, undemanding to the soil, but grows better on non-acidic, black earth or sandy and loamy soils. A site for asters is prepared in advance, making a contribution to each square meter a bucket of humus with the addition of river sand. The place is chosen sunny, in partial shade it will bloom weakly. It tolerates small spring and autumn frosts (-4...-5°C). Hot and dry weather adversely affects the development of asters.

When caring for asters in the open field, they need to be properly watered, weeded regularly, loosen the soil, be sure to feed, fight pests and diseases. Do not fertilize them with manure! Asters must be watered directly under the root, bush, without raising the watering hose or watering can high.

The first feeding of asters is carried out before the start of budding using ready-made complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants(1 tablespoon of Agricola-7 and Flower fertilizers per 10 liters of water, 3-4 liters per square meter), since organic, humus, were introduced during soil preparation.

The next top dressing is done during the period of bud formation, when the first flowers begin to bloom (1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate and Agricola per 10 liters of water, 3-4 liters per square meter). The best fertilizer considered wood ash, due to a large number they contain trace elements, which is necessary for the development of flowers.

The flowering of most varieties of asters occurs 3.5-4 months after planting the seeds and continues until extreme cold. A separate inflorescence blooms for 30-40 days, and then the seeds ripen.

Having created right conditions for growing garden asters, remember that flowers cannot be cut immediately after watering: the petals quickly rot and lose their decorative effect.

How to collect the seeds of an annual aster?

The central large flowers are left on the seeds, they have time to ripen in time. Seed ripening occurs 35-40 days after the start of flowering. There are 300-500 of them in 1 gram. They remain viable for one year, then their quality decreases sharply. In the second year, seed germination drops to 55-60%, in the third year it does not exceed 30%. Fresh seeds are good to sow before winter.

Collect seeds after the aster flowers fade and the inflorescence dries. When the petals fade and darken, a small fluff will appear in the center. In dry weather (during the day), the flower is cut and dried without cutting the heads. After drying, shake out the seeds and put them in a paper bag for storage. If the inflorescence is damp, you should disassemble and dry them well so that the seeds do not rot.

In a bag, seeds usually ripen, stored for no more than two years. Don't forget to sign the packet so you know what variety you are planting.

Measures to control diseases and pests

In order to reduce the likelihood of damage to garden asters from fungal diseases, you can not constantly grow them in the same area. It is allowed to plant asters in their original place no earlier than after five years. Do not plant them after nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, physalis), gladioli, carnations, tulips, levkoy and themselves!

Asters are often affected by the black leg, especially seedlings, are prone to Fusarium wilt. Plants do not tolerate fresh organic fertilizers(manure), which can lead to Fusarium disease. It can be affected by brown rot of the roots and root collar, late blight of the base of the stem, rust and leaf spot.

Prevention will be a change in the planting site, pre-sowing disinfection of the soil, seed treatment, drainage of low areas, liming the soil to reduce acidity to normal, it is important to clean in the fall plant remains. Feeding with micronutrients helps to increase resistance to this disease.

Diseased aster plants are removed, healthy ones are watered with foundationazole, treated with fungicides, sprayed with broad-spectrum preparations Hom (50 grams per 10 liters of water), Topaz (4 ml per 10 liters of water), copper chlorine (0.05% solution )...

Perhaps every gardener will agree that today the aster is one of the brightest, most unpretentious and popular flowers growing in gardens and front gardens. With its bright buds and the ability to keep fresh look this culture attracts the attention of both gardeners and florists. In the article we will consider the features of growing asters from seeds. Helpful Tips will also be included in the review.

Origin

Astra comes from East Asia, and was brought to Europe in the 18th century by a camel caravan. Further, the flowers traveled quite a long way through the entire territory of Siberia, ended up in the European part of Russia, and then were brought to Moscow. And they ended up straight out of royal gardens France. There, flowers immediately gained particular popularity and thus became famous throughout the world.

In those days, the so-called language of flowers was popular in French homes. On the given 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 the aster is also popular, it is called the autumn rose. Also in Ancient Greece astras were credited with magical protective power. That is why most often these plants were planted in front of temples or in front of houses. noble people. Also in ancient times, asters were decorated with clothes and hairstyles. AT Ancient China asters were called "stars on earth." Wu symbolizes modesty, tenderness, grace. And in the popular teaching of Feng Shui, love and tender feelings.

The scientific name for the flower is calistefus, which means "beautiful crown" in Latin. This is not surprising, because it begins its flowering in the fall, when everything around has almost faded and lost its attractiveness. Today it is difficult to find a plant that would have so many various kinds and colors like aster. Currently, there are about 4 thousand species of this flower. Due to the variety of colors and the abundance of varieties, growing 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 amaze with their unusualness, variety of shapes and colors. Most varieties of asters (more than 500 species) grow wild in North America. On the territory of Russia there are only 26 varieties of asters.

All varieties of asters can be divided into three types:

• dwarf;
• American;
• Italian.

dwarf asters

To date, dwarf undersized asters (we will consider growing from seeds later) can rightly be considered the most popular and sought-after type of flower on the market. All types 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. They are most often used for landscaping balconies, as well as for growing in pots. This species is also especially popular among landscape designers (especially the perennial alpine aster, growing 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.
• Constance.
• Doctor Ekener.

Italian asters

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

The most popular varieties include:

• Heinrich Seibert.
• Rose.
• Herman Lene.

Among annual asters there are also a lot of popular varieties. On sites, Chinese asters are often grown from seed. Flowers differ in a variety of forms of petals, color, height of plants. Popular among summer residents is the cultivation of pion-shaped aster from seeds. The structure of the flowers is very similar to the peony. The shape of the buds is vaulted-spherical. The bush itself reaches a height of up to 40-50 cm.

The pompon aster looks very nice (growing from seeds and when to plant is described later in the article). Flowers are terry, flat rounded. The bush itself is low, in flower beds it looks decorative and beautiful.

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 immediately in the ground. To form a beautiful seed from seeds lush bush, the seeds must be prepared for planting in advance. All planting material must be treated with a fungicide solution or potassium permanganate. In a container with a solution, it is necessary to place several cotton pads. 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. Then they must be thoroughly washed. running water. The seeds are now ready for planting.

Landing

Do not immediately stand in open ground, not all plants take root in this way. In any flower shop can be purchased quality soil for planting flowers. It is not necessary to cultivate such soil or fertilize, all these procedures have already been done by manufacturers 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 seedling container must be covered with a clean film that will keep the soil moist.

The first sprouts begin to appear after 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 transplantation, 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 the aster is a frost-resistant plant, it is recommended to plant it in warm weather. Planting in the warm season (mid-May is best) will help keep as many shoots as possible.

American asters: cultivation and care

Growing from seed perennial asters produced in sunny areas, asters do not really like the shade. It is desirable that the soil is loose and rich in trace elements. Flowers of this species do not need frequent watering. A slight drying of the soil is tolerated normally. Watering flowers is best in moderation. American asters do not require frequent fertilization. Fertilize with potassium and phosphorus is necessary only in the spring. Otherwise, the flowers have enough of those microelements that are contained in the soil. If you periodically remove all dried leaves and flowers from the bush, 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 3 cm high stumps should remain from the bush. As already described earlier, this type of asters is not susceptible to pests. Flowers reproduce by division. From one bush, you can always dig out part of the roots with shoots and transplant them to another place. Aster division is tolerated very well.

Dwarf asters: cultivation and care

Most often, asters of this species are found in pink and red shades. Purple is the least common. Growing from seed asters of this species is unremarkable. This species is unpretentious in watering and top dressing. Flowering begins in mid-July and continues through September. Dwarf asters belong to biennial plants. This type of flowers is the most optimal for landscaping balconies. It is not necessary to fertilize plants with natural ingredients (manure, humus). Asters of this species need to change their landing sites or soil every year (if it grows in balcony boxes).

Italian asters: cultivation and care

Italian asters are the most beautiful view color data. The inflorescences are in the shape of a hemisphere. But this species blooms very little. Mid-July to September. The plant loves sunny places and calcareous soils. Growing asters from seed is easy. This species is unpretentious in its care. Flowers need to be periodically moderately watered, as well as loosened. It is necessary to fertilize the plant no more than those times during the entire flowering period. One of the obvious advantages of this type is the ability to keep a fresh look for a long time. Italian asters are able to stand in a vase for more than one day.

Seedless (winter) method of growing asters from seeds

Today, many gardeners actively use in their practice planting seeds in autumn soil. This method of planting 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 in the following way. For planting seeds, it is necessary to make a bed with well-dug soil. Frozen soil is also recommended to be fertilized with microelements. It is best to plant seeds in grooves, at a distance of 2 cm from each other. The bed until spring must be covered 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 sometimes they don't grow at all. This is not a reason to be upset. You should carefully check the expiration date of the seeds. Or soak the seeds for a day in ashes (1 teaspoon per glass of water). If there is no ash at hand, you can soak it in aloe juice (also a teaspoon in a glass of water). It is also recommended to change the soil.

An incomplete type of inflorescence in flowers occurs in 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, asters are not recommended to be planted in the same place all the time. If, nevertheless, the plant becomes infected, it is recommended to dig out 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, which absolutely all seedlings are subject to, is called the black leg. Begins to develop due to acidic soil. The stems of all seedlings begin to rot and blacken. Diseased plants should be removed immediately, and the affected areas should be watered with a fungicide.
• If there are coniferous plants on the site, it is advisable to plant asters away from them. The point is that on coniferous trees rust spores often form. Getting on the leaves of flowers, the spore begins to multiply actively, thereby killing garden plant. If the flowers are still infected with rust, it is recommended to process them every week. Bordeaux mixture (1 %).

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 off and put into a clean bag. Collecting seeds is most convenient in dry weather. If it rained outside, and the seeds need to be collected urgently, it is recommended to disassemble and dry the flowers. This method will save the seeds from rotting. harvested seeds usually ripen in a bag.

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

Of course, the main reasons for the popularity of the annual aster are beauty and variety. Not the last role is played by unpretentiousness.

An annual aster is grown in a seedling and seedless way.

At seedling method cultivation seeds are sown in late March - early April in boxes or directly into the soil of the greenhouse - in the grooves, sprinkling the seeds with earth (0.5 cm), watered with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate and covered with paper or film. So that the seedlings do not get sick with the "black leg", the seeds are dusted with a fungicide before sowing, and the soil is shed with its solution. After 3-5 days, when shoots appear, remove the paper from the boxes and put them in a bright place so that the seedlings do not stretch.

When the first true leaf appears, the seedlings dive at a distance of 5-7 cm from one another into pots, a box or into the soil of a greenhouse, since aster seedlings tolerate transplantation well even with an open root system. If the hypocotyl knee of the seedlings is very extended, then when picking, they can be deepened almost to the cotyledon leaves.

A week after the pick, they begin to feed the seedlings (once every seven days). It has been planted in open ground since mid-May, since this plant is cold-resistant - it can withstand frosts down to -3-4 ° C.

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.

Humus or compost is added to the soil (but not fresh manure, it contributes to the defeat of plants by fusarium), complex or phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (40-60 g of nitrophoska or 60-80 g of superphosphate and 30-40 g potash fertilizers) and wood ash(100-150 g) per square meter. But if the soils are well cultivated, rich nutrients, then you can do without fertilizers. 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 complex fertilizer and repeat top dressing after 3-4 weeks. In dry weather, the plants are moderately watered.

With a seedless method, seeds are sown in the ground in early spring, as soon as the soil is ready. Seeds are sown in shallow grooves, covered with a layer of soil 0.5-0.8 cm, well watered 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 at 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 under conditions middle lane 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 plucked, put in paper bags and dry 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.

MK for sowing seeds of asters for seedlings

I first soak the seeds on wet wipes. So you can see the germination of the seeds better.


Soaking aster seeds on a damp cloth after three days, most of the seeds hatch, you can plant them in the ground.


I plant the hatched aster seeds in a plastic box with a transparent lid. I pour loose soil, make grooves about 1 cm deep in it, water the grooves and lay out the soaked seeds. Some seeds have already released green leaves. I take them carefully with tweezers and lower them into the grooves so that the leaf remains on the surface.


Planting sprouted aster seeds. I sprinkle the seeds with dry soil and cover with a lid or bag.


Container with planted asters

Before germination, you need to keep the container with soil at a temperature of 20-22 degrees. After two and a half - three weeks, asters with two real leaves can dive. it is desirable to reduce the temperature a little, but the most important thing is to observe the difference between night and day temperatures of 3-4 degrees.

Before planting in open ground, seedlings should be accustomed to fresh wind and sunlight. I usually do it on the balcony and loggia. The loggia faces the south side, here you can take out seedlings early, but in mid-April the sun is already baking strongly. And on the northern balcony there is always a strong fresh wind from the Volga.

You can grow seedlings in a closed greenhouse. Seeds are planted in the soil prepared in advance in early April. Shoots of asters are thinned out and grown before planting in open ground.


Seedling of asters in a greenhouse

Asters are not afraid of short-term frosts down to -3 degrees; seedlings can be planted in flower beds as early as mid-May.


Transplanting seedlings of asters

Planted flowers should be well mulched. Mulching will keep weeds from growing in the flower bed and help retain moisture in the soil.

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.

Diseases of asters

Fusarium or Fusarium wilt is the most dangerous disease of asters, which is caused by the Fusarium fungus, which persists in the soil in the form of thick-walled resting spores for a very long time, more than one year. Infection of plants occurs through the soil. The fungus penetrates through the roots and spreads through the vascular system of the plant, clogging it. Withering is more often manifested in the phase of budding and flowering.

Young plants are extremely rarely affected by Fusarium, only under very favorable conditions for the development of diseases. In the first stage of the development of the disease, the leaves turn slightly yellow, then turn brown, curl and fade. Oblong spots appear on the stems Brown, at the root neck and above it - longitudinal dark stripes. Sometimes the tissues of the stem in these places are torn, forming cracks. Asters become depressed, stop growing and quickly wither. Often in diseased plants, mycelium raids or sporulation of the fungus appear in the form of pinkish pads in the lower part of the stem.

A characteristic feature of Fusarium is the asymmetry of the lesion: dark stripes on the stem and wilted leaves are observed on one side of the plant. This makes it easy to distinguish Fusarium from other diseases. On dying plants at the root neck, and with strong humidity and elevated temperature a pink coating forms on the whole plant - sporulation of the fungus. The causative agent of Fusarium in asters is characterized by a "narrow specialization": it affects only annual asters, without spreading to other plants. Therefore, in agricultural technology, asters are exclusively great importance has crop rotation. Fusarium is highly widespread in the case of high humidity air and soil at a temperature of 12 to 32 degrees. Optimum temperature for the development of the fungus 20-27 degrees. At temperatures below 12 and above 32 degrees, the development of Fusarium stops. External signs diseases may not be noticeable until they appear favorable conditions for its development.

Control measures: correct alternation crops in crop rotation; the return of the aster to its original place in 4-5 years; adding lime to the soil to neutralize acidity; dressing seeds before sowing with a solution of foundationazole, topsin; steaming the soil before sowing seeds or dressing with a solution of bazudine, ditan M-45; after landing in the ground, systematic spraying with a solution of copper oxychloride; removal of diseased plants from the site and subsequent sprinkling of soil with quicklime.

BLACK LEG is a fungal disease that often affects asters. First, seedlings and seedlings turn black, then the root neck and the base of the stem rot. As a result, the stem becomes thinner, the plants lie down and subsequently die. The causative agent hibernates in the soil, it develops especially strongly on acidic soils.

Control measures: early picking of seedlings; removal of diseased plants; soil disinfection with a 0.5-1% solution of potassium permanganate; sprinkling the soil around the plants with sand, and, if necessary, replacing it before planting or picking; disinfection with bleach solution or blue vitriol boxes, pots, greenhouses. To kill mushrooms, you can water the soil with onion infusion (20 g onion scales are poured with 1 liter of water, insisted for a day, filtered and sprayed 2-3 times after 6 days).

Growing asters from seeds, if desired, can be done at home, but most often it is planted in an open ridge, as it is the queen of autumn flowers. At the end of August, the most beautiful buds, different both in shape and shade, bloom.

This flower reproduces well with the help of seeds. But if you buy seeds in a specialized store, you should pay attention to the expiration date.

Since the seeds quickly lose their germination capacity and expired ones are unlikely to sprout. Already with a storage period of two years, only 50% of the seeds germinate.

How to collect seeds

Seeds are collected from the largest and most beautiful buds that bloomed among the first. Because the flower is autumn and the seed is still need to mature. To distinguish the buds, it must be marked by tying a colored thread to it. After a white fluff appears on the bud, it is cut off and disassembled for seeds.

If the weather is rainy, then the seeds should be dried well so that they do not rot. After that, the seeds are removed in paper bags and the Astra variety is signed.

Seed preparation

After the Asters varieties are selected, their seeds are purchased. They must be processed to be disinfected.. Therefore, a dark solution of potassium permanganate is brought in and the seeds are soaked in it for 3 hours. After the procedure, the seeds should be dried at home.

There are seeds sold in capsules, they are already processed, and they do not need to be further processed.

When to sow

Astra seeds begin to sow about mid March. And sown in prepared soil, which consists of:

1. Sand.
2. Turf land.
3. Peat.

This soil is sorted out, relieving it of large fractions, and poured into a container, leveled and slightly crushed.

Sowing

To sow Asters in even rows, you can use a ruler make rows lightly pressing it on the damp earth. They should be shallow just a couple of centimeters. The distance between rows should be 4 cm.

Spread the seeds in the prepared grooves, sprinkle them thin layer sand for more than 5 mm.
After sowing the seeds, they are shed with a pink solution of potassium permanganate and covered with glass or plastic bag to create greenhouse conditions for seeds.

So that the seeds do not wash out when watering, they should be watered with a tablespoon or from a syringe without a needle.

The entire tray with planted seeds is placed in a warm and bright place where the air temperature will be 21 degrees Celsius. If the entire planting was carried out correctly, the first shoots will be made in 10 days.

seedling care

For seedlings to grow healthy, it needs proper care. When watering, it is necessary to water so that small seedlings are not washed out with water. Abundant watering flowers can not stand and can get sick with the disease "black leg". Therefore, it is worth taking a break between waterings, allowing the soil to dry out a little.

Since the sprouts grow quite quickly and are planted in nutrient soil, it usually does not need supplements. But if the land is of low quality, then it is worth feeding it with any nitrogen fertilizer.

Top dressing needs to be carried out only a couple of times, otherwise there will be a lot of greenery and a couple of flowers.

The temperature in the room, at the beginning of growth for seed germination should be at the level 21 degrees heat, after picking the temperature is reduced up to 16 degrees. This is done so that the seedlings do not stretch.

planting

Asters transplant begins when there is no longer a threat return frosts. Before planting in open ground, seedlings should be hardened off. This hardening is carried out for 2 weeks, gradually accustoming the seedlings to open air. The boxes are taken out into the street, first for a couple of hours, and then at the end of the second week, she is completely left to spend the night on the street.

• planted in the evening so that the seedlings do not immediately burn the bright sun;
• On a selected and prepared site dig shallow holes at a distance of 20 cm from each other;
• Shoots are planted carefully, keeping a clod of earth. So the seedlings will better tolerate the transplant;
• Shoots deepen by 3 cm. this will give the plant stability in the future;
• After landing well spill the ground.

After all the procedures, it is good to mulch the soil, this will protect it from drying out.

Possible difficulties

There are some points that you should pay attention to:

1. If Asters do not sprout in due time, a new batch must be quickly planted. Since it is obvious that the first poor quality seeds.
2. Asters in the ground fall ill with Fusarium - do not fertilize them with manure.
3. If the flowers are not formed correctly, then most likely Astra infected spider mite or aphids.

Do not plant Asters after such flowers - Gladiolus, Carnation, Levkoy.

Diseases and pests

Fusarium- This fungal disease Asters, the main symptoms are when mature plant sudden dies, being amazed on one side.

Treatment not yet available, so the diseased plant is removed from the flower bed, wrapped in a plastic bag and thrown into the trash.

The soil is treated with a dark solution of potassium permanganate, and Asters are not planted in this place for 5 years.

Do not burn an infected flower on your site, as this can infect your land.

- a fungal disease, from which seedlings often die. It comes from excess moisture and high temperature air. The infected parts of the seedlings are removed; the rest must be treated with a fungicide.

When growing seedlings, let the soil dry out between waterings.

- on sheet plates with reverse side swelling occurs, after which they die. With the manifestation of this disease, it is worth spraying the flowers with Bordeaux liquid.

You can not plant Asters near coniferous plants after all, they will be the culprits of Astra's disease with rust.

Correct dive

The grown seedlings dive into separate containers seating them one by one. Picking begins when two true leaves appear on the seedling.

Astra pinocchio tolerates any transplant well, but it must be done in a timely manner, as with further growth root system seedlings increases and intertwines with each other and then it will be difficult to separate it, and in this case it is impossible to do without breaking off the roots. And this injures seedlings.

Important comply with the dive time seedlings.

The process of diving seedlings:

• Fill the containers with the same soil, adding mineral fertilizers to it;
• Press, leveling the soil and make a recess for the root system of the seedling. The recess can be done with a pencil or a teaspoon pen;
• Transplant seedlings, deepening it along the cotyledon sheet plates;
• Pour so that water does not fall on the leaf plates of seedlings during irrigation;
• Seedlings are placed in a bright place without direct sunlight.

FAQ

Sometimes those who grow these flowers for the first time have questions about their cultivation. Here are the answers to some of them.

Is there a difference between growing Asters from seeds at home and sowing in open ground

In open ground, seeds are sown in the same holes, but dry without soaking. This is done so that if there is a strong drop in temperature, the seeds were not germinated. If they are already green above the ground, then most likely they will die.

Seeds planted in open ground are covered with a film and do not open for two to three weeks.

Is it possible to sow before winter

In principle, such a method exists. But he fits only for areas with moderate winter temperatures. Seeds are sown in October-November so that the seeds do not start growing when the first frost grabs the surface of the earth. The grooves are made in advance.

Astra crops in this case are sprinkled with a small layer of sand or purchased nutrient soil and are not watered. If frosts begin without snow cover, then crops can be covered with burlap and roofing material.

Pros and cons of perennials and annuals

The advantages of annual flowers are that they have large flowers with rich colors , and the downside is that they need to be planted annually.

Pros is planting once every five years further they only need to be seated, as they grow strongly. The cons are not so many color options small flowers, but there are so many of them in the bush that one blooming ball is obtained.

The best drugs for work

So that there are no diseases on plants, seedlings and soil, people use various drugs:

• Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate);
• Biological preparation "Gliocladin";
• Phytosporin;
• Vitaros;
• Zircon;
• Novosil;
• Maxim.

These preparations help to grow seedlings and greens, but first of all, you need to buy healthy seeds.

What are the containers

Containers can be bought ready-made, or you can use improvised means that are formed in the process of human life. Purchased fit container for sowing seeds 50 cm long, 15 cm deep. There are a lot of purchased cassettes where seedlings of any color are planted after picking.

You can use handy tools such as containers from the packaging of the cake, for general planting of seeds and disposable cups 200 gr. for dive plants.

To grow healthy seedlings Asters are worth the time and effort, as the end result will be healthy, powerful seedlings, from which magnificent flower bushes will emerge, blooming their inflorescence caps in late August and early autumn.