Aster flower: types, varieties, planting and care in the open ground

Astra (calistefus) - herbaceous plants representing the Astra family (Asteraceae), including more than two hundred species.

Homeland Asia, Far East. The Greek name of the flower means a star, international - a beautiful wreath.

Astra flower: photo and description, what it looks like

It happens annual and perennial. The roots are fibrous, single or branched stems. The leaves are oval and petiolate, sitting on a stalk.

Reed flowers along the edges and small-tubular in the middle, from snow-white to heavenly shades, inflorescences-baskets.

Perennial aster: alpine, shrubby and other species

Types of asters are high (New Belgian - 150 cm) and undersized (Alpine - no more than 40 cm):

Alpine Aster Hybrids

Low-growing varieties are widely used as a frame on alpine hills, flower beds, borders, as well as for decorating balconies.

Varieties of New Belgian aster

Tall varieties are used as hedges, as the main accents of flower beds and flower beds.

Heather aster varieties

Srednerosly varieties are distinguished by small abundant flowering and aroma.

Varieties of peony aster

Feature of the species in flowers resembling peonies.

Varieties of Italian aster

Varieties of medium height are distinguished by lush compact bushes with various shades of purple.

Varieties of annual asters

One-year asters in the structure of flowers are divided into three groups:

• reed;
• tubular;
• transitional.

Reed group

Tubular group

Transition group

How to grow annual asters

Growing asters is a great opportunity for a gardener to learn how to care for cultivated varieties of flowers. They are not demanding.

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They select species that correspond to their region and soil, and enjoy flowering.

Two ways to plant annual asters

Choose between seedling and seedling methods.

Seedling

Seedling method of growing asters from seeds allows you to get earlier flowering.

Asters are sown in mid spring. After a month they plant in the soil, and in July the plants bloom.

• Containers and soil are prepared for planting seeds. Boxes and pots are washed with a disinfectant solution.
• Drainage is placed at the bottom of the box, then it is covered with earth with the addition of sand and humus.
• Spill the soil with a hot pink solution of potassium permanganate, add fertilizer.
• Seeds are scattered on the soil and 1 cm of soil is poured on top. Watered with warm water.
• Containers with landings are covered with spanbond or plastic wrap so that the earth does not dry out.
• For less loss of plants during planting in the garden, it is better to plant them in separate pots.
• After the appearance of two true leaves, seedlings dive, replanting excess plants in another place.
• Sprouts are not watered very abundantly so that root rot does not appear.
• After the plants grow above 10 cm, they are transplanted observing a distance of 40 cm from each other.

Workers and borders are chosen from the sunny side, trying to land so that the asters are not covered with other colors.

They do not recommend planting asters where potatoes and tomatoes were grown in the previous year.

Reckless

Astra is an unpretentious plant that will gladly delight the owners and when planting immediately in the garden.

If this method is selected, there are 2 periods for it.

• The first - in the winter, when the first frosts passed. In this case, it is already impossible to dig up the ground, so the seeds are scattered on the ground, then sprinkled with a layer of humus, mulching the plantings from above. Watering is not necessary.
• The second way is in the spring. The soil prepared in advance is loosened, phosphorus and potassium are added, then the seeds are thrown into the wells, being buried by half a centimeter. After being watered.

Further care is exactly the same as for seedlings planted in boxes.

Seat selection

Different varieties of asters prefer bright places or slightly shaded. This information is received by the gardener with the purchase of seeds. It is indicated on the bag, which is carefully studied before boarding.

In autumn, the place where the flowers are supposed to be planted is dug up, humus, compost, and mineral fertilizers are added. Then cover with a black spanbond, which will protect the earth from the germination of excess weeds and insulate. In spring, shelter is removed, the soil is loosened and seeds are sown on it.

Care Rules

After transplanting and thinning out plantings, asters, like other flowers, require some care:

• The plant is cold-resistant and does not need shelter.
• Watering is mandatory if the summer is dry. The soil is not waterlogged, as root rot may appear.
• 1 time in 2 weeks add fertilizer, starting from the beginning of sap flow. Phosphorus and potassium are fed continuously, and nitrogen is added only at the very beginning, it delays flowering. With its excess, leaves grow, and buds do not form.

Perennial aster: planting and care

Perennial asters try not to propagate by seeds, because it is a laborious process. Use cuttings and rhizomes.

Cuttings are germinated in the greenhouse, in prepared boxes. Landing will feel best at an angle of 45 degrees. Containers in the greenhouse are not covered, but moisturized periodically.

Outdoor landing

Young plants with a good root system, with at least 3 pairs of true leaves, are planted in open ground.

The place is chosen sunny. High varieties are planted at a distance of 1 m, low up to 50 cm.

Care Rules

When caring for perennial asters, mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are used. As for annuals, nitrogen is used only at the very beginning of growth, so as not to disturb the flowering of bushes.

Many shrubby asters endure a small drought, for example, alpine, as their relatives live on stone soil in the mountains. But this is not abused, watering is carried out periodically and efficiently.

Tall asters at the beginning of summer put backups.

Perennial asters bloom the next summer after planting on flower beds.

Care after flowering for annual and perennial asters

After flowering, the seeds ripen, they are collected and sent for storage, carefully signing the bags. The remaining green mass is cut and thrown into a compost heap.

They dig up the land where this year’s annual plantings were located, fertilize them with humus and peat, add mineral top dressing.

Around perennial asters, the soil is loosened, removing the last weeds, then less frost-resistant varieties are covered with mulch or spruce branches.

Possible problems asters

Asters are often attacked by leaf nematodes. To avoid this, marigolds are planted between them, which scare away these pests.

Mr. Summer resident informs: interesting facts about the aster

Astra is a very ancient flower. An old legend says that it appeared from a speck of dust that fell from a star. There is a belief that at night these flowers barely perceptibly whisper with the sister stars.

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