Growing aster in open ground. Asters: growing from seeds, planting and care, varieties

Many people associate needle-shaped, peony-shaped and spherical asters with September 1st. Precisely for the Day of Knowledge on garden beds many varieties of these unpretentious and beautiful flowers, from which bouquets are made for schoolchildren. The popularity of asters is explained not only by the unpretentiousness of the plants, but also by the wide variety of colors and structure of flowers, which can even be confused with peonies, chrysanthemums and dahlias. Depending on the variety, they can bloom from July to mid-September. How and when to sow aster seeds in 2019, growing seedlings, when to plant asters in open ground and we will talk about caring for flowers in the garden in this article.

When to plant asters for seedlings in 2019

Some gardeners advise sowing seeds directly into open ground. However, growing asters from seeds in this way is only suitable for warm regions, since from sowing to flowering of the plants must take from 90 to 130 or more days.

Lunar calendar for sowing asters for 2019:

Attention! It is impossible to sow and plant on the days of the New Moon and Full Moon. These days are March 6, 21, April 5, 19 and May 5, 19.

Aster planting dates by region

In outskirts of Moscow and others central regions Flower seedlings can be planted in open ground as early as early May, so it is recommended to sow annual seeds in March.

In the Urals seeds of early and medium varieties of aster are planted for seedlings in April, and late varieties - in the last days of March.

How to grow asters?

Growing asters from seeds using seedlings involves the following activities:

Seed processing and sowing.
Caring for crops and seedlings.
Hardening of seedlings and planting in a flower bed.
Caring for asters in open ground.

Sowing aster for seedlings

If you use personally collected seeds or purchased but not processed planting material, then a week before sowing you need to start processing it:

Wrap in a cloth or gauze and soak for 12 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate to disinfect.
Rinse off potassium permanganate and soak in warm water before pecking or place in a damp cloth in cellophane so that the seeds do not dry out. Until the seeds germinate, they are kept in a warm place.

How to plant asters?

Soil for growing seedlings can be purchased in specialized stores. It should be fertile and light. The seedling containers are covered with moist soil, in which grooves are made at a distance of about 2 cm from each other and aster seeds are planted in them. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the sprout.

The crops are sprinkled with a small layer of wet sand, sprayed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, covered with cling film or polyethylene and placed in a warm place. Boxes with crops can be placed near or under the battery. Every day you need to remove the film to ventilate the crops and check the soil moisture. As soon as the soil begins to dry out, spray it warm water.

Seedling care

If the seeds were fresh, seedlings will begin to appear in about 5 days. When the saplings sprout, they are transferred to a bright place where there are no direct sun rays, and the air temperature is within +16 degrees. Perfect for this glazed loggias. In a warm room with poor lighting, aster seedlings will begin to stretch.

The seedlings should be watered regularly to keep the soil moist but not wet. Overdrying the soil will lead to drying out of the seedlings, and frequent waterlogging of the soil will lead to the seedlings becoming infected with blackleg.

When 3-4 true leaves appear on young plants, they are picked. Picking asters should be done in separate small pots or in larger boxes according to a 4x4 cm pattern. You can use the same soil for picking as for sowing seeds, after adding a little ash to it. If the sprouts have long roots, then it is recommended to shorten them a little when transplanting.

After a week, the seedlings are fed with complex fertilizer for seedlings. Fertilizing should be done every week before planting asters in the ground.

When to plant asters?

In May or June, when the soil warms up to +15 degrees, the weather is warm outside and all frosts have passed, the seedlings can be planted in a previously prepared flowerbed. Asters are cold-resistant, so they are not afraid of low temperatures within +3...+4 degrees.

In order for seedlings to better adapt to open ground, 10-14 days before planting in a flowerbed, they should begin to be hardened. To do this, every day containers with plants are taken out on warm days. Fresh air. By the time of planting, the seedlings should already get used to the night temperatures outside.

Site preparation

The flower bed should be located in a well-lit area with fertile soil. If the soil is depleted, then per 1 sq. It is recommended to add a meter of bed:

compost or humus – 3-4 kg;
ammonium sulfate – 15-20 g;
potassium salt - 15-20 g;
superphosphate – 20-30 g.

Compost or humus is applied in the fall when digging, and the rest of the fertilizer in the spring while loosening the soil.

The scheme for planting asters in open ground depends on the type of flowers. Plants should be planted at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other.

Caring for asters in the open ground

A week after planting annuals in the flowerbed, they are fed with nitrogen fertilizers. Further care for asters will not take much time. The following events are held throughout the season:

In autumn, in place of unplucked flowers, seeds are formed, which can be collected and stored until spring or sown before winter. The seeds are collected after the center of the flower darkens and white fluff appears. The inflorescence is picked, dried a little and the seeds are placed in a cardboard box or paper bag. Aster seeds lose their viability after just two years, so it is recommended to use them for planting within a year.

Pests and diseases of asters

Among the pests that can settle on plants during the season and cause harm:

scoop;
bud aphid;
spider mite;
earwig;
slugs;
slobbering pennies;
meadow bug

Earwigs are destroyed with a solution of Fundazol, slugs can be collected manually, and if there are a lot of them, then treated with Metaldehyde. The rest harmful insects destroyed using insecticidal preparations.

Among the diseases of asters we can distinguish fusarium. This fungal disease manifests itself in adult plants, which, on the one hand, begin to turn yellow and wither, and then completely weaken. The disease cannot be treated, so the affected bushes must be dug up and burned, otherwise they will infect other plants. To prevent the appearance of fusarium, it is necessary to observe crop rotation on the site.

Good day everyone!

Today I want to talk about how to grow asters from seeds. The familiar annual asters are a species of the Asteraceae family. This flower is called Callistephus or Chinese Aster. Its stems are branched, green or red with a powerful fibrous root. Small alternate leaves, inflorescence - basket.

This flower occupies a special place in my front garden. My grandmother loved it very much and her asters always bloomed by September. She simply sowed them in the ground, and then planted them in the flowerbed. They bloomed late, but still made us happy. The flowers were the simplest - pink and purple daisies. Now there are many varieties of this flower. They are varied in petal shape, color, and plant height. They correspond to the name, because Astra is “star” in Latin. Now I no longer sow aster directly into the ground; I want it to bloom earlier. To do this, you need to grow asters at home with seedlings. Or in greenhouses.

How to grow asters from seeds at home

When to sow asters - timing of sowing seeds

Asters vary in flowering time:

Early ones bloom 90 days after germination,
Average – after 110 days,
Late flowering varieties - after 130 days.

They usually bloom until frost. These beauties are not afraid of the cold, so seedlings can be planted in the Urals in May. It is desirable that by the time of planting in open ground the seedlings should be one month old, small, about 6 cm, with good roots.

Taking into account all this knowledge, determine the sowing time. I always sow aster in early April at home. You can also sow seeds in the greenhouse at this time.

If you have space on the windows or a heated greenhouse, you can sow aster in March. But there is no need to do this even earlier. The seedlings will be drawn to the light, which is still not enough, they will become thinner, fall down and then wither. I had such an experience.

Sowing

Aster seeds are quite large and can be spread out sparser. I sow first in small containers, then plant them in separate cups or small boxes. Astra is not afraid of transplantation; it grows in a spacious pot root system.

You can buy the soil or prepare it yourself. I usually take garden soil, add humus, purchased soil, ash, or maybe sand. To create a light soil that allows air and water to pass through well.

Aster seeds quickly lose their viability; it is better to take them completely fresh. In the second year, half of the seeds may not sprout.

I sow the seeds to a depth of about 1 cm. I water it and put the container in a bag, and after a few days shoots appear. I put it immediately closer to the window so that it is light and cool.

As soon as a couple of true leaves appear, you can plant them. Aster seedlings are strong, but fragile at the junction of the stem and the root. Therefore, first we wet the soil well, and after half an hour you can carefully remove the small asters with a match or a toothpick and plant them in prepared large cups.

Caring for seedlings at home

Asters are watered infrequently, but abundantly. Containers for seedlings must have drainage so that excess water can drain. You cannot fill the aster with water, otherwise you may get sick with blackleg and die.

Seedlings usually grow well. If you have prepared good soil before sowing, there is no point in using fertilizers. But if the soil is poor, you can water your seedlings with biofertilizer a week after transplanting. You can pour infusion of ash.

There is no need to get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers. Otherwise they will be huge green bushes, and flowering will come later and will not please you at all with quality.

Planting seedlings and care

In a normal Ural spring, aster seedlings can be transplanted outside in mid-to-late May. But in order for young plants to withstand replanting and possible cold snaps well, they must be hardened off. In early April, begin to take the seedlings outside. If growing in a greenhouse, open the doors on warm days.

Usually in April, almost all of my seedlings move to the veranda. I only bring it home if frost is expected.

Such seedlings can be planted in a permanent place

She loves a sunny place, non-acidic, fertile soil. Asters are not planted with fresh manure!

I plant tall cutting asters at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. They branch well and form many shoots with flowers. I plant low, border ones closer, about 15-20 cm from each other. Then, growing, they bloom in a continuous carpet.

Groups of flowers of the same color look interesting. And low ones can be planted with different colors, there will be a variegated border or an island. For the beautiful lush flowering remove old flowers in a timely manner.

A week after planting the seedlings, I water it with ash infusion or biofertilizer. Spring and early summer are dry, and we don’t get much rain. In order not to constantly run around with a watering can, immediately after watering the flowers, mulch them with hay, grass, sawdust, and wood chips. This will reduce the work of both weeding and loosening. And for good flowering Asters need to be loosened frequently. Although in general it is a very unpretentious flower.

Possible difficulties with growing seedlings:

The asters have not sprouted at all or are growing poorly and are dying. Sow again, don't waste time. Check the expiration date of store-bought seeds to make sure they are fresh. Try soaking your seeds for a day in ash (a spoon in a glass of water) or aloe juice (diluted in half with water). And be sure to change the soil, disinfect it with pink potassium permanganate or a biofungicide (for example: Fitosporin-M).
Asters suffer from fusarium. To do this, do not fertilize them with manure! And do not plant after nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, physalis). You cannot plant asters after gladioli, carnations, tulips, gillyflowers and yourself!
The aster develops incomplete inflorescences - perhaps it suffers from spider mites or aphids. Or the plant does not have enough nutrition. If care is not taken care of, defective flowers may also appear.

Beautiful, healthy flowers will decorate your garden until frost.

Sowing aster in open ground

As I already said, I try to grow aster with seedlings. But if this is not possible, you can grow aster seedlings by sowing in early spring seeds into the ground. They do this early, in April. Small area loosen with humus, after sowing the seeds, water and cover with film. When the asters come up, we replace the film with a covering material so that the soil does not dry out.

You can sow aster seeds before winter. So they themselves will determine in the spring when it is better for them to ascend. When the asters grow up, plant them in flower beds. By the way, such plants do not suffer from fusarium.

Asters sprout well by self-sowing, and in a friendly, warm spring, they will bloom in August-September. They can be thinned out or transplanted. But in order to get beautiful lush plants that bloom from July, you have to grow seedlings, especially in the Urals and to the north.

Video about winter sowing of aster

Diseases of asters

Fusarium- This is a fungal disease. Mature plant suddenly weakens - turns yellow, turns brown and withers on one side. There is no cure for it yet. Therefore, it is important to prevent such an attack. Maintain crop rotation, do not constantly plant asters in the old place, it is better to take a break for up to 5 years. If you suddenly notice signs of the disease, the plants need to be dug up and burned so that the rest do not become infected.
Blackleg – frequent illness in seedlings, it is also fungal. It develops in acidic soil, the seedlings turn black and rot at the soil surface. Diseased seedlings should be removed immediately, the soil should be watered with fungicide and the rest of the plants should be sprinkled with sand.
Rust– on the leaves, with reverse side, swelling appears, then they dry out and wither. For prevention, you need to plant asters away from conifers. It is from them that rust spores get onto plants. You can spray with a solution of Bordeaux mixture (1%), and if there is already a disease, then spray every week.

Video about aster fusarium disease.

How to collect aster seeds

I usually leave the first, large flowers for seeds; they have time to ripen well. When the flower fades, darkens, and a small fluff appears in the center, I cut it off and put it in a paper bag. This should be done in dry weather, during the day. If it is damp, you need to disassemble the inflorescence and dry it well so that the seeds do not rot. The seeds usually ripen in a bag, then I store them at home until sowing. You need to sign the bag so you know what variety you are sowing.

Fresh seeds are best sown before winter. In late autumn, into frozen soil so that they do not thaw and do not germinate in the cold. You can even sow directly on the snow in December and cover it with soil, and in the spring cover this place with film for early shoots.

Asters are very good for cutting. And my schoolboy takes away five or six bouquets by the first of September: both to school and to music school. He often brings his flowers to school on Teacher’s Day (and this is already October). True, not every year is so successful. If severe frost hits, the asters turn yellow and wither.

Let growing aster from seeds on your site bring you joy.

Similar materials

Aster is a flower known to everyone since childhood. In autumn it becomes the main decoration of gardens and personal plots. Came to Europe and Russia from Asia. It is believed that a French monk brought seed samples from China at the beginning of the 16th century.

The scientific name of the garden aster is calistemma. There are many types. Both annual and biennial plants are common. Aster is considered an undemanding plant. Modern varieties are able to grow in different climatic zones.

The root system of the plant is fibrous, formed at a depth of 20 cm, and has good restorative properties. The length of the stems depends on the variety. Eat low growing plants, whose height does not exceed 20 centimeters, and there are also tall ones about a meter tall.

The stems are strong, straight, green. The lower part of the stem is covered with large dark green leaves. The leaves are smaller in the upper part. They have an oblong shape, jagged edges. The surface of the stem and leaf blades may have slight pubescence.

The inflorescence baskets consist of many petals, the shape of which is tubular or petal-shaped. The color is varied, all shades of red, blue, white. The central part is often yellow. The diameter of the baskets is from 3 to 20 cm.

A novice florist may be confused by the abundance of aster varieties. Before purchasing seeds, you need to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the flower. Flower plant parameters:

plant height;
bush shape;
flowering time;
branching pattern;
inflorescence size;
inflorescence structure;
inflorescence shape;
appointment;
color.

Good seed manufacturers indicate basic information in the product description. It's a good idea to check them out before you buy. Right choice varieties are the first step to a beautifully designed garden.

Planning to plant asters along garden paths pay attention to the seeds of low asters. They grow no higher than 25 cm. Dwarf asters are good for ridges, borders of flower beds, there are double and needle-shaped ones. The color scheme is represented by a wide range of shades, including lavender blue, hot pink and red.

For those who like to make bouquets and gardeners who grow flowers for sale, varieties of medium-sized and tall asters are suitable. Tall asters planted in groups look very impressive. Ideal for cutting.

Particularly impressive are the columnar-shaped bushes with peony-like, showy flowers. Varieties in demand:

White Tower;
blue tower;
apolonia heavenly;
roseana;
gala

Tall needle-shaped asters are no less beautiful. There are many varieties of this species, you can choose one to suit every taste:

Naina;
Night star;
Timiryazevka;
Jubilee white;
Blue-eyed;
Isadora;
blue frost.

Pompom asters are not inferior in beauty:

Winter cherry;
Harlequin;
Foyertot.

When buying seeds, remember that germination is better with fresh seeds collected last year. There is no need to purchase seeds collected more than two years ago. Germination rate will be low.

It is often written on seed packets that the seeds can be sown directly into the ground. You shouldn't follow this advice. The aster begins to bloom no earlier than 3 months from the date of planting, so experienced gardeners recommend using seedling method when growing asters.

Roughly speaking, sowing time ranges from March to April. To accurately calculate, you need to know the growing season of the plant. All varieties of asters are divided into groups according to flowering time:

early;
mid-early;
late.

When calculating the timing of seed sowing, we assume that early flowering will begin 90 days after sowing.

Mid-early ones will bloom in the very first days of August. At least 110 days will pass from sowing.

Late asters bloom from the last ten days of August until mid-September. When calculating the planting period, take 130 days. If the autumn is warm, the flowering of late asters lasts a long time until frost hits.

It is important to sow the seeds in correct timing. This is especially important for gardeners planning to get their seeds in the fall; they should not delay sowing. Seeds will not ripen when sown in late dates.

According to the lunar calendar in 2019

When sowing aster seeds for seedlings, not only climatic features region, but also the phase of the moon. Like others flowering plants, asters require planting on the waxing moon. You can sow seeds in open ground only in the southern regions. In average climatic zone and in the north of the country you will have to start growing seedlings at home. The lunar calendar for 2019 gives the following recommendations for planting asters in favorable days:

in March – 9-15, 17-19, 26;
in April – 7-13, 16-18, 25.

Seed treatment begins a week before the intended sowing. That's how long it will take planting material to germinate. The date of soaking will be considered the day of sowing, because growth processes begin from the moment the seeds fall into a moist environment.

Dates for planting aster seeds for the Moscow region

The weather conditions of the Moscow region already in early May make it possible to plant aster seedlings in open ground. Plan to plant asters from May 1 to May 20. Growing seedlings requires at least 1.5 months. The end of March is the time to sow the first seeds. You can continue sowing until mid-April.

Aster planting dates for the Urals

In the Urals, asters are planted in open ground from mid-May to mid-June. Late varieties of asters should be sown in late March. Early and medium varieties can be sown on favorable days in April.

Planting dates for Siberia

In Siberia, frosts may occur after May 20th. It is better to plant asters in the garden in the first half of June. There is no point in sowing seeds for seedlings in March. The seedlings will outgrow before the weather warms up. April is a more suitable month for sowing.

Aster seedlings can be grown on a windowsill. Room temperature from 23° to 25° is favorable for seed germination. Windows facing south and southwest are better suited. In addition to seeds, you will need containers for germination, not necessarily large ones, and PVC film to create mini-greenhouses. The soil.

Prepare the soil yourself or buy it. Choose a composition ready for use. They speak well of Terravita soil. When preparing the soil yourself, take equal parts of garden soil, humus, and sand. Normalize acidity using ash by adding it to the soil.

You can disinfect the soil the old fashioned way, using a weak solution of potassium permanganate. More modern way processing, use of phytosporin solution. The dosage is indicated in the instructions for use.

Pour the prepared soil into containers, spill with water, and let stand for a while. Start sowing. Place the seeds in rows on the surface. Sprinkle soil on top in a layer no more than 2.5 cm thick. Cover the boxes tightly with film and place them on the windowsill.

After a week, the sprouts will emerge. By the end of the second week, the first leaves form. This is a signal - it's time to dive. Plant seedlings in deeper boxes. Maintain a distance between plants of at least 5 centimeters. Very long roots can be shortened. The seedlings will be stronger if they are hardened off after rooting - by taking the boxes out onto the balcony in warm weather. Before planting in the ground, water the plants after the top layer of soil has dried.

Seedlings ready for transplanting after 50 days. The stem is longer than 6 centimeters. The number of leaves is at least 5 pieces. A plant with these parameters can be planted outside. Determine by the weather when to plant asters. Believe weather forecasters or folk signs. According to folk wisdom, if the bird cherry has bloomed, there should be no more frosts. It's time to plant asters.

Choosing a place for a flower bed

The location should be decided in the fall. Penumbra is acceptable. A sunny side more favorable for long flowering. Special requirements no to the soil. Soils with a light, breathable structure and normal acidity are more suitable for the root system of asters.

You need to remember the plants after which it is not recommended to plant asters. The soil after gladioli, gillyflowers, cloves, tomatoes, and potatoes may contain the causative agent of Fusarium disease. These are bad predecessors for asters.

In the fall, carry out measures to improve the soil structure. Under digging add to each square meter: humus - 0.5 buckets and 2 kg river sand. In the spring, it won’t hurt to add it to very depleted soil. mineral fertilizers: superphosphate - 1 tbsp. l., ammonium sulfate - 1 tbsp. l., potassium salt - 1 tbsp. l.

Landing

Dig up the soil again before planting. Calculate the distances between holes based on the size of the plants. Plant low, border varieties close to each other, leaving 15 centimeters between the holes; as they grow, they will merge into a continuous beautiful strip. Tall aster develops better if the bushes are spaced 30 centimeters apart.

Dig holes no deeper than 20 cm, since the root system is located in the top layer of soil. When replanting, do not damage the roots; this will help the plant take root faster. Asters transplanted in cloudy weather will hurt less. If the days are clear, replanting work should be done in the evening, when the sun is already setting. It is good to spill the soil around the plants with warm water. Do not wet the leaves.

Aster does not require much time to care for. Drought can harm it. Abundant watering is necessary on hot days. Many inflorescences form on plants growing in fertile, loose soil. Watering should be done in the morning. Make sure there is no over-watering. Stagnant water causes root rot and leads to the death of the flower. Watering carried out during the formation of buds has a particularly good effect on the beauty and size of the inflorescences.

Astra responds well to root feeding. Apply ash infusion or use mineral fertilizers. Feed for the first time after 14 days. By this time the plants will take root and send out new shoots. Before the buds appear, fertilizer can be added to the soil. Norm per square meter:

superphosphate – 2 tbsp. l;
potassium sulfate – 1 tsp;
ammonium nitrate - 1 tbsp. l.

During flowering, exclude ammonium nitrate from fertilizing. Application organic fertilizers permissible only on very poor soils.

Keep the soil in your flower beds clean all season long. Remove weeds before seeds appear on them. Upper layer loosen the earth. The depth of loosening is no more than 5 centimeters. Mulching can make soil care easier. A layer of mulch: sawdust, dry grass, chopped bark retains moisture and reduces the number of weeds.

During flowering and active growth, you can pinch the tops of the shoots of some varieties of asters. This promotes the formation of side shoots. Be sure to remove faded inflorescences. Monitor the condition of the plant

Improper care, bad weather conditions, and contaminated soil can lead to aster disease. The most common diseases of asters are:

fusarium;
jaundice;
rust;
powdery mildew.

Plants affected by fusarium wilt. Yellowing and blackening of leaves occurs. The stems wither. There are no drugs for the disease. Only compliance with crop rotation helps to avoid infection.

Carriers of jaundice are aphids and cicadas. The disease is viral. Symptoms: growth retardation, sheet plate It brightens and the buds stop forming. Recommended preparations for spraying:

pyrethrum;
actellik;
pirimor.

If infected a large number of plants should be destroyed by burning.

Rust affects asters growing near coniferous plants. The spores damage the leaves, causing the plant to wilt. Weekly treatment of plantings helps Bordeaux mixture (1%).

Powdery mildew can be identified by white plaque. Thickened plantings and excess moisture become infected with fungus. You can save plants with the help of drugs: topaz, foundationazole.

Aster seeds, especially late varieties rarely ripen outdoors. It will take at least 50 days from the start of flowering. The weather often prevents ripening. Rains, low temperatures cause rotting of the seed heads.

Experienced gardeners dig up aster bushes, place them in pots and ripen the seeds in room conditions. Requires at least 2 weeks. Light is required for seeds to ripen. Flower pots are rotated around an axis.

Withered flowers are cut off. Store in the dark, wrapped in paper. The optimal temperature of the storage room is not higher than + 5. In such conditions, the seeds are stored without losing their germination for about 2 years.

Asters. Growing seedlings: video

Exists great amount species and varieties of asters that attract gardeners with their variety of shapes and special splendor, incredible beauty and pickiness in handling. It’s not for nothing that annual and perennial specimens are rightfully considered one of the most popular flowers in summer cottages.

Growing aster in seedlings through seeds at home is painstaking work and a future generous reward that will certainly follow if you do everything correctly and responsibly, so first you should familiarize yourself with the basic nuances of planting and caring for asters.

How to choose or independently prepare aster seeds for planting as seedlings

Today, on Internet sites and large, in a sense, garden stores, such as Auchan Garden, Leroy Merlin or OBI, aster seeds are presented in a huge variety of varieties and species, but you can also always collect them from your neighbors in the country or in flower beds in the city in the fall . The main advantage of independently collecting planting material is its unconditional freshness and clear quality.

Note! Aster seeds retain the ability to germinate for only 2 years.

How and when to collect aster seeds with your own hands?

The timing of collecting aster seeds depends on its varietal and species and usually falls somewhere on the 45-65th day after the start of active flowering. Due to the fact that in late-flowering varieties their flowering may be delayed until the first frost, it will be much easier to obtain seed material from the buds of early asters, in which little children have had time to form and mature well much earlier.

Therefore, in early varieties, dry baskets of formed inflorescences are used for seeds, collected only in sunny weather. You simply won't find them in the rain. The heads of late asters must be cut off in advance before the onset of the first ones. subzero temperatures and store at home until the buds wither. In the best way One of the bushes will be transplanted into a suitable container and the flower will be brought to maturity indoors. Collected seeds wrap in newspaper and store in a dry and warm room.

Choosing a variety for planting

Asters are both perennial and annual.

Perennial asters come in three broad varieties: spring (early), summer (mid) and autumn (late).

The only aster is an early flowering species (blooms in May-June):

Medium flowering (bloom in July-August) are:

Late flowering (flowering occurs in September-November) are presented below:

Annuals can be classified into low-growing (up to 25 cm in height), medium- and tall-growing varieties (up to 80 cm).

So, low-growing ones are ideal for beautifying paths in country garden, flower gardens, also flower beds. Among them are: the royal dwarf aster, which belongs to the imbricated type. The needle type includes the following varieties: Malyshka border, Leto, Vologda lace, Autumn Olympics and many others.

Tall ones are usually planted for their sake further cutting (for example, for sale), so they are planted in groups in separate specially organized flower beds.

Medium- and tall-growing varieties include peony-shaped asters: White and Blue Tower, Apollonia heavenly, Rosanna, Gala, Violet turm. Of the needle-shaped ones, it is worth special mentioning: Naina, Assol, Carmona, Night Star, White Nika, Timiryazevka, Yubileinyaya White, Blue-Eyed, Blue Frost, Isadora. Pompons are represented by the following varieties: Beatrice yellow, Hai-no-Maru, Winter cherry, Harlequin, Foyertot.

How to sow asters for seedlings with seeds

By the way! There is no difference in growing and sowing seedlings of annual and perennial aster.

When to plant seedlings: timing and time

Growing aster through seedlings is explained by its long growing season. So, early varieties begin to bloom only 90 days after planting, A late can only begin the flowering process 120 days after sowing. Therefore, it is advisable to sow asters for seedlings starting in March, so that they will delight you with their flowering in June-July.

By the way! Annual asters start blossom approximately 3-4 months after planting, while perennial covered with colorful buds only for next season.

According to the lunar calendar

This can help you choose the optimal date for sowing aster seeds. Moon calendar.

So favorable days for sowing annual aster in 2019 according to the Lunar calendar are:

in January - 17-19, 23-27;
in February – 6-8, 11-17, 21-25;
in March – 12-17, 19-20;
in April – 6-8, 11-13, 15-17; 29-30;
in May - 8-17, 21-23, 26-28;
in June - 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-13, 16-20;
in July - 8-10;
in November - 6-8, 13-18, 24-25.

Favorable days for sowing perennial aster in 2019 according to the Lunar calendar are:

in January - 14-19, 23-27;
in February - 11-13, 20-25;
in March - 12-17, 19, 20, 27-30;
in April - 6-8, 11-13, 15-17, 24-26, 29, 30;
in May - 6-8, 10-17, 21-23, 26-28, 31;
in June - 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-13, 16-20, 27-30;
in July - 8-12, 25-31;
in August - 2-6, 17, 18, 21-23, 26-28;
in September - 1-5, 7-10, 17-24;
in October - 4-7, 9-12, 19-21, 23-25, 27;
in November - 13-18.

Unfavorable days according to the lunar calendar for 2019 The dates for sowing annual and perennial asters are as follows:

in January - 5, 6, 21;
in February - 4, 5, 19;
in March - 6, 7, 21;
in April - 5, 19;
in May - 5, 19;
in June - 3, 4, 17;
in July - 2, 3, 17.
in August - 15, 16, 30, 31;
in September - 14, 15, 28, 29;
in October - 14, 28;
in November - 12, 13, 26, 27.

According to lunar calendar from the magazine “1000 tips for a summer resident.”

Preparing aster seeds for planting: processing

In appearance, the seeds of perennial, as well as annual aster, look quite massive, so you should not have any problems with sowing them.

However, before planting, aster seeds must be properly prepared and processed. You can, in particular, soak for a couple of hours in a weak solution potassium permanganate and then dry.

But more effective means To protect future aster seedlings from diseases, they will be treated in a special fungicide, for example, you can use things like , Fitolavin, Baktofit, Maxim or Klad.

By the way! Store-bought seeds, which are sold in the form of pills or capsules (they are also called pilled), do not need to be processed; the manufacturer has already done this for you.

Preparing the container and soil

Containers for planting and growing seedlings can be any pots, plastic or wooden boxes, plastic cups, homemade cut-out containers from milk cartons. The main thing is that their depth reaches 7-11 cm.

Advice! Before planting, disinfect the planting containers with one of the antiseptics, such as Biotex or Ecobio, then dry.

An airy and fertile substrate that easily allows both air and water to pass through is ideal for aster. You can prepare it yourself or buy it ready-made in the store.

Recipe for preparing a soil mixture for sowing aster seeds at home:

1 part of land from the garden;
1 part humus;
1 part sand.

It will be very good if you steam them or heat them in the oven, and then add a little perlite and wood ash to the resulting mixture at the rate of 1 cup per 1 bucket of substrate. And immediately before sowing, generously saturate the soil with a solution of 1% potassium permanganate, or even better.

Direct planting of seeds

After the aster seeds have been treated before sowing, you can begin to plant them as seedlings. in the following way:

Video: sowing aster seeds for seedlings

By the way! Another way to plant our beauty as seedlings is to sow seeds in snail.

How to care for asters after planting seeds

Shoots will appear in about a week or even earlier on the 5th day (less often later - on the 10th day). Now it’s time to remove the shelter and move the container with young seedlings to a cooler place where the temperature does not rise above 14-16 degrees.

Watering and fertilizing

It is necessary to moisten the soil regularly, as it dries, it is best to use a spray bottle.

Important!If you don’t want the aster seedlings to be picked up black leg, and she is very susceptible to this fatal disease, do not under any circumstances over-moisten the soil, take breaks and let it dry.

Young flower sprouts need to be watered carefully - they should not be washed away during watering.

Due to the fact that the aster seeds have already been planted in nutritious soil, fertilizing the young seedlings is not at all necessary. Perhaps 2 weeks after replanting (picking), you can lightly water it with an infusion of wood ash or a solution of ammonium nitrate at the rate of 2 g of fertilizer per 2 liters of water. Be careful with nitrogen fertilizers that stimulate the growth of green mass, otherwise the aster will not bloom profusely and not soon.

Picking

The time to pick aster seedlings comes when 3-4 true leaves appear. The seedlings must not be allowed to grow too long.

The picking containers are filled with the same substrate as before. A small depression is made in the center for seedlings.

Young seedlings need to be transplanted one flower into each container. In this case, the distance between the ground and the lower leaves should be approximately 8-12 mm.

Video: how to dive asters(please note that the author made a serious mistake by planting 2 seedlings at once in one small container, so in the second video he had to re-pick)

After replanting, it is necessary to carefully (without touching the leaves) water with warm room water. Then place the pots in a well-lit room with an air temperature of +19-21 degrees. It is important that the picked seedlings are not exposed to direct sunlight for some time.

That's all the care for aster seedlings before transplanting into open ground!

When and how to plant aster seedlings in open ground

The appearance of new true leaves on an aster is a clear signal that the plant needs to start hardening off. This can be done in 2 ways: take it outside or simply open a window and let fresh air into the room. Naturally, this needs to be done gradually, and not all at once.

Aster seedlings are planted in open ground when the plants reach 6-8 centimeters in height and have 5-7 vigorous leaves.

It's time to prepare the bed for planting. Asters grow well in non-acidic and light soils, the place should be well lit, the plant loves sunlight.

Advice! It is important to loosen the soil well in the area - this will greatly facilitate planting and improve their survival in a new place.

Best time and the weather for landing is a cloudy morning or evening when the sun has set.

Planting seedlings of young asters is carried out as follows: plants with lumps of earth are placed in pre-prepared holes, and the distance between plantings should be selected depending on the type and expected size of the future flower, that is, it can vary from 20 cm to half a meter. To better retain moisture, mulch the ground around the seedlings. Both sawdust and peat will do.

Video: planting aster seedlings in open ground

After 1-2 weeks, you should fertilize the newly planted aster seedlings. As a rule, complex mineral fertilizers that do not contain nitrogen are used for this. Nitrogen fertilizers should be used only in the bud formation phase.

Important! No way it is forbidden use asters as fertilizer fresh manure- this is a direct path to the fact that the plant will become ill with fusarium and die.

All further care for aster, and the essence of growing it in open ground comes down to regular watering and loosening the soil around the plants. But care, namely watering, needs to be done correctly - water should not get on the leaves of the flowers.

If your region has snowless winters, be sure to cover the asters in the fall with spruce branches or some other covering material so that they do not freeze during the winter.

Video: asters - planting and care in open ground

Planting aster seeds in the ground in autumn (seedless method)

Some gardeners prefer sowing aster seeds directly into the ground in the fall due to the fact that the plants grow stronger, get sick less and begin to delight with their flowers earlier than when growing aster through seedlings.

Asters should be planted in autumn in slightly frozen soil. Thus, optimal timing Planting before winter will be in October - the first half of November.

What needs to be done before autumn sowing asters:

Dig up the soil in the garden bed, adding about 2-3 kilograms of peat (or humus), and also adding 1 tablespoon of superphosphate. Here the bed is formed!
Now you need to make 2 cm grooves at a distance of 15 cm from each other (parallel).
Then place the seeds one at a time every 2 centimeters, and sprinkle with soil on top.
Cover plastic film and forget until spring.

When the return frosts recede (in different regions this occurs at different times, but usually occurs in the second half of April - early May), and the first shoots of asters will appear, the film will need to be removed and further care will be carried out in the open ground.

Video: how to sow asters in the fall before winter

To grow an aster from seeds at home for seedlings, and then to care for flowers in the open ground, no extra effort or special training is required; it is enough for a novice gardener to familiarize himself with the recommendations and requirements for proper cultivation flower and actually get down to business. After all, beautiful and blooming personal plot cannot but please the eye.

In contact with

Astra is one of the most famous and popular garden flowers. These plants come in a variety of shapes and varieties, retain their decorative properties for a long time, and look great as part of bouquets.

Asters are quite unpretentious, but growing them can pose some difficulties. The article will tell you about the features of planting, care and propagation of these garden plants.

Description of the aster flower

Among asters there are both annual and perennials, growing either as individual flowers or as whole bushes. The flowers are located on a strong, erect stem and are inflorescences of many petals of various colors.

Picture 1. External features flower

They are characterized by long flowering, lasting from late spring until late autumn (Figure 1). Therefore, spring-flowering and summer-autumn flowering species are distinguished among them.

Types and varieties

The most popular among gardeners are the following types and varieties of asters (Figure 2):

New Belgian
Oktoberfest
Elephant
Weiser
Violet
Mount Everest
Beachwood Revel
Herbert Wunder
Ada Ballard
New England
Constgans
Rubishats
Bars Pink
Italian
Herman Lene
Heinrich Seibert
Thomson
Freecard

Figure 2. Popular varieties: 1 - Oktoberfest, 2 - Constance, 3 - Gnome

Perennial asters (types and characteristics)

Perennial varieties are represented by specimens blooming in different periods of time: at the end of June, from July to August and from September to October. All of them are very popular among flower lovers and bouquet arrangers because for a long time retain their decorative properties (Figure 3).

Most often in middle lane In Russia the following species and varieties of perennial asters are grown:

Early flowering- Alpine (varieties “Albus”, “Happy End”, “Glory”, “Helen Beauty”, “Dark Beauty”, “Galiath”), Anders aster and Tongolese. The flowering period of alpine species lasts from late June to early July. Plants reach a height of 10 to 30 cm. The flowers are daisy-shaped. The center is yellow, terry, the petals are pink, purple and white. Look great on alpine roller coaster or together with low-growing crops.
Medium flowering period- Italian, Fricara, sedum-leaved. Italian is a bush up to 70 cm high. The inflorescences are collected in baskets of pink, lilac, yellow and dark blue. Flowering begins in late summer.
Late flowering- Shrub aster (“Niobe”, “Spatrose”, “Venus”, “Blue Bird”, “Alba flor”), heather, New England and New Belgian (“Rudelsburg”, “Mary Ballard”, “Crimson Brocade”, “Flamingo” ).

Figure 3. Perennial varieties: 1 - Albus, 2 - Italian, 3 - Niobe

Of all listed types with a late flowering period, the shrubby one blooms first, which is distinguished by stems 20-60 cm high and a large amount of foliage. The stem height of New England varieties can be about two meters. The flowers bloom in early autumn and have a diameter of 4 cm. Cut specimens can stand in water for 2 weeks, maintaining their attractiveness. New Belgian can be either dwarf or medium-sized, as well as tall. The inflorescences are not very large, painted in different colors.

Annual asters (types and characteristics)

Garden (annual) varieties have only one flower on a peduncle (Figure 4). Unlike other annuals, they tolerate light frosts well, so they complete the flowering season in the garden. They are represented by a wide variety of varieties, both low and tall. Among them there are early-, mid- and late-flowering; according to the purpose of cultivation - casing, cut and universal, according to the structure of the flower - semi-double and non-double, coronal and curly, spherical and needle-shaped.

Planting asters in open ground

Planting seedlings begins with selecting and preparing a site. A sunny area with light, fertile, well-drained soil that has neutral acidity is best suited. The selected area must be pre-prepared: dig deep in the fall and apply fertilizer in the form of humus or compost at the rate of 2-4 kg per 1 sq.m. In the spring, superphosphate, potassium salt and ammonium sulfate are additionally added (30 g, 20 g, 15 g per 1 sq.m., respectively) simultaneously with loosening the soil. Immediately before planting, the soil must be moistened and cleared of weeds.

Figure 4. External features of annual varieties

Seedlings are planted in moist soil at a distance of approximately 20 cm from each other, depending on the variety. It is recommended to maintain an interval between rows of about 50 cm. The seedlings are sprinkled with dry soil and watered after 2-4 days. After 1-2 weeks, nitrogen fertilizing is applied.

The plant can be propagated by sowing seeds directly into open ground. This way the plants harden better, they are less susceptible to various diseases, although their flowering begins at a later date. Spring sowing in open ground is done after the soil has thawed and warmed up a little. The prepared seeds are placed in the shallow grooves made and sprinkled with a 1 cm thick layer of earth. Then the sown area is abundantly watered and mulched, or covered with plastic film, which is removed after the sprouts appear. After a pair of true leaves appear on the seedlings, the bed must be thinned, leaving the sprouts at a distance of 15 cm from each other.

When to plant

Experienced gardeners advise planting seedlings after they reach a month of age and have a well-developed root system. Based on this, sowing dates are determined. At home, this can be done in early April; in a heated greenhouse - in March.

Sowing seedlings

Since growing asters by sowing seeds directly into open ground is often problematic, it is recommended to propagate these flowers through seedlings (Figure 5).

Note: You should know that the crop seed quickly loses its viability, so it is recommended to take fresh seeds each time. They can be pre-soaked in a product that accelerates the germination process. Since the seeds are quite large in size, they can be sown in small containers and then planted in separate cups. Ordinary garden soil fertilized with humus, ash, and sand is suitable as a nutrient substrate.

The seeds are buried 1 cm into the soil. After germination, the containers are moved to a bright, cool place. After the first pair of first true leaves appear (approximately 10 days after sowing), the seedlings can be planted in separate cups. Seedlings should be watered carefully, preferably in the morning, so that excess moisture has time to dry out and cannot provoke the appearance of diseases. Seedlings need good lighting and hardening. Therefore, it is recommended to keep them in a warm room during the day (+16+25 degrees), and take them out to a cool room at night (+12+15).

In the video you can see the process of sowing seeds for seedlings in more detail.

Caring for a garden aster

After planting seedlings in open ground, further care involves mandatory loosening and watering, weeding and fertilizing. In this case, loosening and weeding procedures are carried out simultaneously after watering or rain. You should know that the depth of loosening should not exceed 6 cm. In addition, it is necessary to hill the stem to a height of 6-8 cm even before its branching begins. This procedure promotes accelerated root growth.

Figure 5. Stages of sowing seeds for growing seedlings

It is important to know that asters react equally painfully to both a lack of moisture and its excess. Therefore, in the summer, abundant watering is carried out (a bucket of water per bush) at large intervals. Feeding is also one of the most important care procedures garden varieties and is held at least 3 times per season. So, the first of them is carried out approximately a week after planting the seedlings in a permanent place.

In this case, use a nutrient mixture consisting of 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 10 g of potassium sulfate and 50 g of superphosphate per 1 m2. landing After the buds appear, it is time for the second feeding. This time you should add a mixture of potassium and superphosphate (50 g of each substance per 1 sq.m.). The same mixture is used for the next feeding, which is carried out with the beginning of mass flowering.

Possible growing difficulties

Although the aster is considered unpretentious garden plants, however, when growing it, gardeners may encounter some difficulties:

The seeds do not germinate after the allotted time: in this case, it would be reasonable to replant them, observing all the requirements, both for the planting material itself and for the soil, because sometimes the problem lies not in the quality of the seeds, but in the composition of the soil or its improper treatment.
Fusarium disease: you can avoid it by knowing about the predecessors of asters on this area. For example, potatoes, tomatoes, carnations, gladioli and tulips can leave behind fusarium pathogens in the soil. Therefore, it is not recommended to plant asters in an area where these plants previously grew.
Incomplete inflorescence: may be a signal that the flower is suffering from spider mites.

Diseases

Asters can be affected by diseases such as fusarium, gray mold, powdery mildew and verticellosis.

Fusarium is caused by fungal spores and appears on the plant during the budding and early flowering phases. The difficulty of fusarium is that there are no effective measures to combat it. Therefore, the main attention should be focused on the prevention of this disease. So, it is necessary to observe crop rotation and crop rotation, that is, alternate this plant with other crops in such a way that it returns to its original site only after 5-6 years.

It is also not recommended to apply fresh manure or compost to the area under these flowers. Pre-sowing treatment of seeds with special solutions will help prevent the disease, foliar feeding seedlings with micro- and macroelements. You should know that the row spacing of seedlings should be well ventilated, so young plants should not be planted densely. Already affected plants must be taken out of the site as soon as possible and burned.

Sometimes asters are affected by such viral diseases like jaundice and cucumber mosaic, which are carried by aphids. Therefore, it is so important to take timely measures to combat this harmful insects, and burn the affected plants. It is not recommended to bury them in the ground or throw them into compost.

Pests

Most often, garden asters are affected by insect pests such as aphids, spider mites, tobacco thrips, meadow bugs, and sunflower moths. Thus, aphids can infect a plant even at the stage of 3-4 true leaves, causing their deformation and wrinkling. Therefore, for preventive purposes, planting asters should be treated with karbofos, depis or intavir until four true leaves appear.

To combat other types of pests, special commercially available preparations are used.

Asters have bloomed - what to do

After the plants have flowered, it is necessary to collect the seeds from them, and dig up and burn the plants themselves so that all possible pathogens of fungal and viral diseases are destroyed and do not have the opportunity to infect other plants.

The collected seeds can be planted in the soil in another area immediately after the first frost and sprinkled with peat or humus. In December-January, winter sowing can be done in furrows directly in the snow. And in the spring, when the snow melts, the seeds must be covered with film.

Garden asters after flowering

Care after flowering depends on the species. So, you can collect seeds from annual plants, and destroy the dried remains of stems and flowers. Perennials are pruned after drying, dug up and divided if necessary, planted and covered with mulch for the winter.

How to preserve asters in winter

Because the perennial species very frost-resistant, they can be stored in winter. To do this, plants that have reached five years of age must be dug up, divided and replanted. Some varieties are recommended to be additionally covered with natural mulching material: spruce branches, peat or dry leaves. With the onset of spring, the shelter is removed.