By the way

Asters can be planted in such a greenhouse to harden them in April. The film begins to gradually open. The duration of such procedures should start from 15-20 minutes, reaching the whole day.

With short daylight hours and late arrival of heat, sowing is carried out closer to April. But early spring or the opportunity to provide seedlings with artificial light contributes to working with seeds as early as early March. If sowing occurs in the ground, earlier than the start There is no point in producing it. But, again, each group of varieties has its own schedule.

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How to grow aster seedlings at home?

Tip: aster looks most impressive in single-varietal plantings of 15-30 plants in a group.

Carefully compact the soil around the aster seedling so that when watering it is not knocked out by water.

Sowing annual aster for seedlings

she needs to be fed

another place. Flowering of asters sown directly into the ground will be 19-25 days later than home seedlings, but longer.

The planted seedlings are sprinkled (mulched) with dry soil. In hot weather, it is advisable to cover the plants with a light non-woven fabric for several days for better survival.

complex mineral fertilizer (30 g per 10 liters of water).

seedlings. Seeds are sown in a window in the second half of March, in a greenhouse - in April. For sowing, mix turf soil with peat and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1.

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When to plant asters? Aster seedlings: cultivation, planting dates and care | L.S.

water, so the soil must be permeable with deep groundwater.

When to plant asters?

In general, the existing aster varieties that are suitable for the middle zone can easily be divided into 4 broad groups. They are united according to the timing of their flowering. In each of the categories there are particularly interesting specimens.

In particular, autumn ones are sown in the last ten days of March or early April. Those that should please you with flowering at the beginning of summer are sent to a warm box at the very end of February. In addition, flower growers often consult lunar calendar, compiled anew for each year. Gardeners focus on the waxing moon. The closer the period is to the full moon, the higher the chance that the plant will stretch weakly.

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Carefully water the picked seedlings. Try to start watering from the edge of the pot to the middle, avoiding the leaves if possible. Place the seedlings in a bright place, making sure that at first they are not exposed to direct sunlight. The temperature should not exceed +20°C.

Aster seedlings: cultivation

Aster seeds quickly lose their viability, so only fresh seeds should be used for sowing. The time for sowing aster for seedlings is early April. For sowing, you can use ready-made soil by adding washed sand (0.5 parts sand to 5 parts soil). Experienced flower growers prepare the soil mixture for the aster yourself. To do this, you need to thoroughly mix peat, turf or garden soil, washed sand (2: 1: 0.5), adding 0.5 cup wood ash or 1-2 tablespoons dolomite flour for every 5 liters of soil mixture.

You can sow asters late autumn. They are sown in pre-prepared

Our advice:

When the 4th leaf appears, the seedlings begin to harden, lowering the temperature,

How and where to plant asters grown from seeds by seedlings?

It is advisable to sift the resulting soil mixture through a sieve with holes

Light sandy loam and loamy soils with neutral or slightly alkaline

Alpine aster is included in the first group, delighting summer residents with its small chamomile-like flowers earlier than all other flowers. The main range of inflorescences is blue-lilac. The variety is not afraid of frost even in the form of seedlings, so it can be immediately planted in a greenhouse. Aster requires loamy soil, a sunny place. The flowering period is from the end of May. Considering that this is a perennial, there will not be a large number of flowers in the first year.

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If you have properly added mineral fertilizers to the soil mixture, then at first you don’t have to worry about feeding the aster seedlings. If planting seedlings is delayed for some reason, then feed it with any mineral fertilizer for seedlings (

The most attractive varieties of asters: photos and care

After this, the mixture must be sifted and steamed for an hour in a double boiler. After sifting, it is advisable to add 0.5 cups of perlite to the mixture. It allows the soil to “breathe” after watering, absorbs excess moisture, and then slowly releases it to the plant roots. If soil mixture for aster is not steamed, then be sure to place it in a container and pour it until it is completely wetted with a fungicide solution or a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate. These measures cannot be neglected, because aster seedlings very often suffer from lodging, or black leg, caused by various types fungal infections.

Usually give
The soil is placed in the furrows and sprinkled with prepared dry soil. The soil must be frozen when sowing, otherwise the seeds may germinate and die. Winter sowing in December-January is also possible for asters.

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when to plant asters in open ground

Svetlana

So that asters form strong bushes with lush inflorescences,

Sofia Prutnikova

so that it is 10-12°C during the day, and 8-10°C at night. The total duration of hardening should be 15-20 days.

Olenka

1-1.5 cm. Good garden soil straight from the site will also do. Sprinkle the soil on top with a layer of clean sand 2-2.5 cm thick.

Elena Akentyeva

reaction (pH 6.5-8) are quite suitable for them, but they must first be cultivated.

Evgenia Taratutina

New Belgian asters are the beauties of September, allowing you to admire them until the very end of autumn. The baskets of inflorescences are not too large, but their density on the bush is higher. In addition, the degree of terry varies. For example, Porcellan has stunning lavender flowers, lush and large, and the bush is slightly lower than 90 cm. Patricia Ballard, which has a rich pink tint, is similar to it.

Selecting soil, sowing aster for seedlings, care

Why is planting through seedlings a priority? Growing in a greenhouse or on a windowsill makes it possible to shift the flowering time to earlier dates. Preparations for working with asters are made at the very end of February, and begin with soaking the seeds. To do this, use any solution that accelerates the development of the root system. From special store supplies to simple potassium permanganate.

Asters, the cultivation of which is described in the article, are one of the most beautiful, bright and lush annual flowers. They will decorate any flower garden and are suitable as a holiday gift; you can admire these beautiful plants for hours. Not every amateur gardener will deny himself the opportunity to have such bright and beautiful flowers. Therefore, for many, the topical issue is how to grow aster seedlings so that they turn out healthy and strong.

Fertika, Agricola, Mortar

Prepare aster seeds for sowing. To do this, before sowing, aster seeds must be treated with a solution of any fungicide or mixed with a small amount of dry

If not severe frosts, from areas prepared for asters, raked

on the eve of sowing, soak the seeds for 7 hours in a solution of zinc chloride or molybdenum (0.5-08 g per 1 liter of water).

Hardened seedlings take root better and grow faster after transplantation. She

Seedling boxes or pots are thoroughly spilled with a thick solution

-: it has been planted in open ground since mid-May. Seedlings are planted in open ground when they are 40-60 days old. By the time of planting in open ground, the plants should have a strong stem 6-10 cm high and 5-7 large bright green leaves. Root system Asters develop better at low temperatures and sufficient soil moisture, so they should be planted as early as possible so that they have time to take root well before the onset of heat. It is better to plant on cloudy days or in the evening; this should not be done on sunny and windy days. You can already plant it, because this is a cold-resistant plant - it can tolerate short frosts down to -3–5°C. Asters bloom from the second half of summer until late autumn; frosts down to -6° do not damage the plants, and only at a temperature of -8° do they die.

Seedlings will need about 4-5 weeks to prepare for transfer to open ground.

Growing involves both seedling and non-seedling methods, but it is still better to use the first one, as it gives more guarantees of really getting strong plants. Growing involves planting, watering, further picking, fertilizing and transplanting into open ground.

etc.). With the appearance of 4-5 leaves, begin hardening the aster seedlings in the fresh air.

Fundazola

feeding.

snow, dry seeds are sown in furrows and sprinkled with just dry soil or mixed with peat, and a layer of snow is poured on top. With pre-winter or winter sowing, seedlings appear in late April - early May.

withstands cold temperatures down to minus 4°C.potassium permanganate (2 g per 10 liters of water) and filled with soil. 1-2 days before sowing, it is spilled with a thick solution of potassium permanganate, or, in extreme cases, just boiling water. During sowing, the soil should not be wet, but only moist.

Preparing the ground.

It’s better to plant it in the rain or before it.

The first 7 days are especially important. First, containers filled with soil are selected. You can use a universal substrate for seedlings that has already been prepared in advance by the manufacturer, or you can make it yourself. Mix turf, peat and sand, maintaining a 3:1:1 ratio between them. It is important that the soil is loose and has a sufficient amount of nutrients.

The seeds must be fresh, preferably last year's. They should be sown at the end of March or beginning of April in pre-prepared boxes. The containers should not be too high; a height of up to 10 cm is suitable. You can put drainage at the bottom to prevent stagnation of water, then fill the container with a nutritious light substrate. The day before sowing, the soil should be watered with a solution containing a fungicide; the seeds should also be treated with it.

Planting aster in the ground

, observing all safety measures.

Feed for the first time 10-15 days after planting in the ground or

- We are taking care.

Sow into the ground.

The seeds are sown scattered, not sprinkled with soil, but covered with paper. Her

Cultivation of the soil for asters begins in the fall. The soil must be dug up to a depth of 22-30 cm and fertilizer added for digging: 2-4 kg of humus or compost (astra does not tolerate fresh manure, since it contributes to the infestation of plants by fusarium) and 6-9 g of superphosphate and potassium salt per 1 m2.

It depends on the area and the weather. In Siberia and the Urals, for example, in early June, when the threat of frost has passed))))))

Small seeds must be mixed with a small amount of sand and scattered onto the ground. They should be covered from above with earth, the layer thickness of which will not exceed 5 mm. The soil is moistened, the container is removed to any place where the temperature range is maintained at 14-16°C. Experts recommend first walking over the substrate with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then the container is covered with glass or covered with a thin film. The condensation that forms under them will have to be shaken off daily.

You need to sow in furrows half a centimeter deep, and then sprinkle with soil and water it with a manganese solution from a spray bottle. Before growing aster seedlings, it is necessary to prepare a bright place for the boxes, because if there is insufficient lighting, the plants will stretch out and turn pale. To make seedlings appear faster, you can cover the soil with film or paper.

It is advisable that when planting the aster stem does not exceed 5-7 cm. The seedlings should have 5-6 well-developed leaves and undergo hardening. Overgrown plants will not bloom well. Aster plants hardened in the fresh air can withstand short-term frosts down to -2°C. Aster develops well in sunny places, while withstanding slight shading. The place for planting it needs to be changed every year, especially if the plants suffered from fusarium in the previous summer. The spores of this fungus remain in the soil for up to 5-6 years. The place where gladioli used to grow is also not suitable, because they are susceptible to the same diseases as asters.

Spread the prepared seeds evenly over the surface of the moist soil, using a small sheet of paper folded in half. Immediately put labels with the names of the varieties.

thinning using 20-25 g of ammonium nitrate, 50-60 g of superphosphate and 10-15 g of potassium sulfate per 1 m2.

Caring for asters includes mandatory loosening of the soil.

Asters are usually grown through seedlings for more

May. By the time of planting in the ground, asters should have a strong stem 6-10 cm high and 5-7 large bright green leaves.

remove after 3-5 days, when shoots appear. Then the box is placed on a bright windowsill and the seedlings are carefully watered with water at room temperature.

If the soil is acidic, liming should be done in late autumn with

Yes, it is already possible for the conditions of the Moscow region; Asters seedlings are usually planted from mid-May. Seedlings, seedlings and even inflorescences tolerate frosts down to -3 degrees. In extreme cases, you can cover it with non-fabric. It should be planted in cloudy weather (like all seedlings) or in the rain, as Sophia correctly advised. But now it's hot and dry...

Seedlings require constant watering. It is produced by abundant spraying. Pouring water with a jet is prohibited. It will erode the soil, ultimately displacing crops or eliminating them from the soil. Flower growers advise spraying the seedlings with a fungicide at least once during these 7 days: it prevents the formation of fungus and targets still fragile seedlings.

After the first two to three true leaves appear, the seedlings can be picked and transplanted, removing diseased and weak plants. The distance between flowers should be a couple of centimeters. Transplantation is done using a picking fork, which must be used to carefully pry the seedlings. The plant has one long root, if you want to get a luxurious and lush bush, then you need to pinch it by one third.

If the soil on your site has increased acidity, and you haven’t added lime since the fall, then before spring digging, add 120-200 g of dolomite flour or one and a half cups of wood ash per 1 square meter. m area. On very heavy clay soils add additional peat and sand. It is also necessary to apply 40-50 g of complete mineral fertilizer before planting (

Sprinkle the aster seeds on top with a well-washed sand (preferably calcined) layer of 0.5-0.8 cm. This will protect the root collar of the seedlings from getting wet when watering and being damaged by the black leg. There is no need to water from above, because moisture from the soil will gradually penetrate into the sand and it will become moist.

When the buds appear, give a second feeding, this time using

It is advisable to do this after each watering or rain. Loosen the soil to a depth of 4-6 cm, taking into account that the bulk of the roots are in the surface layer (20 cm). early flowering (especially late varieties) or obtaining seeds. If all this is not so necessary, then asters can be grown by sowing in open ground. Such plants are less likely to suffer from fusarium and bloom longer, although they hardly produce seeds.

2-3 days before transplanting and before planting, the seedlings are watered abundantly,

In the future, watering should be infrequent, but plentiful. Temperature at taking into account the fact that adding 350-400 g of lime carbonate per 1 m2 increases the pH by 1.When the threat of frost has passed. Everyone writes that asters tolerate frosts down to -5. But here they freeze even at -1.

Initially, the seeds are placed in small plastic yogurt containers or in one large plastic container. After 1-2 weeks, you usually have to pick the seedlings. This requires larger containers. For example, disposable cups volume 500 g. What is important to do is to create several holes at the bottom. This will allow you to establish air exchange and eliminate excess water, if any. Even though asters are quite moisture-loving, they will not tolerate excess.

How to grow aster seedlings? Important point- this is the preparation of a lit place without direct sun rays. A greenhouse is ideal in this regard, since there is light for the plants, there is the necessary space, and the conditions are close to open ground. Picking is done on average three to four times, then you can be sure that the asters will really please you during flowering. Nitroammofoska

Cover the crops from drying out and place them in a warm (+15…+20°C) bright place. Make sure the sand is slightly damp at all times. If necessary, moisten it with a spray bottle.

50-60 g/m2 superphosphate and potassium sulfate. The same fertilizers are given during the third feeding, which is carried out at the beginning of aster flowering.

Before the plants begin to branch, you can carry out light hilling to a height

Asters can be sown in spring

especially if it was grown without pots. This will help better preserve the roots and soil ball. It is preferable to plant in the evening.

When growing seedlings, maintain a temperature of 16-18°C during the day and 12-15°C at night. This temperature can be achieved by ventilating the room or greenhouse.

Astra translated from the ancient Greek word άστήρ means “star”. Indeed, these beautiful plants resemble small stars with their sharp-angled limbs. They add a stunning appearance to the landscape and require little maintenance.

What are asters?

Asters are beautiful velvety plants of the Asteraceae family.. It is curious that everyone is accustomed to thinking of asters as a flower; in fact, they are an inflorescence. One spikelet contains several sterile (incapable of reproduction) flowers, wrapped in so-called reeds, which are mistaken for petals. In the center of the inflorescence are located small flowers in the form of tubes, usually yellow.

The genus Asteraceae includes about 200 species. Here are the most popular ones:

Do not confuse the aster with callistephus (which is popularly called the “garden aster”). Callistephus has rounded edges on sterile flowers, while aster has a sharper and elongated inflorescence shape. Previously these two different kinds plants were combined into one genus due to a number of similar characters, which is not surprising, since they are close relatives of each other. It is interesting that among the genus Callistephus there is only one representative - Callistephus sinensis.

When to plant asters?

There are three types of sowing in open ground:

early spring;
late autumn;
winter.

Each of them has its own characteristics and rules for planting in the ground.

Early spring planting of seeds

Boarding is in progress either mid or late April or early May. The choice of month largely depends on the climate, temperature environment and soil type. For light soil on southern slopes, planting is suitable in April, and for heavy loamy soil - in May. It is very important not to be late in sowing early-ripening varieties. Optimal temperature germination +20–25 degrees Celsius (after ascending best temperature+16–18 degrees, so before the asters germinate, it is better to cover them with film to raise the temperature).

Before sowing in open ground, flowers must be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate (a 0.5% solution is suitable, for this you need to mix 200 ml of water and 1 g of potassium permanganate), or better yet, with any fungicide. Processing must be done in a cup with a previously prepared solution. A cloth with seeds is immersed in it, left for 25 minutes, removed and washed with running water. Such seeds will be more viable and have less risk of disease.

Before planting asters, the ground is cleared of weeds and debris, compost or fertilizer is added. You should not add fresh manure, as this increases the risk of fusarium disease. The planting depth should be 0.5 cm, and the distance between flowers should be at least 3 centimeters. Medium-sized and tall varieties are best planted farther apart, otherwise they will begin to compete.

Late spring planting of seedlings in the ground

Early and mid May You can replant seeds previously grown in containers. The seedlings should be strong and have 5–7 leaves. Flowers are planted according to the scheme 20x20, 30x30 and 40x40 centimeters, the choice depends on the plant variety. Do not plant tall asters close to each other. If the bed has not been fertilized with anything for the last 2 years, then compost or manure should be added, and additional mineral fertilizers (3–5 g) should be added to the holes. It is worth considering that different varieties have different cold resistance. Hardened seedlings tolerate frosts down to -4 degrees and can be planted a little earlier.

After May 20, annual asters can be planted. Cloudy weather is best for them. If it stays stable on the street sunny weather, then it is best to replant them either early in the morning or after five in the evening. Before planting, seedlings should be watered. It is important not to damage the roots when removing the plant from the container. It is best to replant asters together with a lump of earth.

So that seedlings better adapt to new conditions , it should be hardened. To do this, the pots with future flowers are taken out to the balcony and left there for 1–2 hours, and the rest of the time the seedlings are placed in the shade on the windowsill. You should gradually increase the number of hours of hardening, and eventually keep the seedlings on the balcony for a whole day.

When seeds are planted directly into open ground, they adapt better than transplanted seedlings. They tolerate coolness and drought more easily and begin to bloom faster, since from the very beginning of germination they adapt to environmental conditions.

Late autumn planting of seeds

It is produced on the twentieth of November. It is necessary to prepare the beds in advance (dig up the soil, remove debris and weeds with roots, make furrows about 2 cm deep). Seeds are sown at a rate of 70–80 seeds per meter (not all of them will sprout by the beginning of the season). At this time of year it is difficult to make furrows with soil, so compost, peat or humus is laid on top. The mulch layer should be approximately 2 centimeters in height and at least 5 centimeters in width. The seeds will begin to germinate in the spring. There is no need to worry about short warm spells at the end of autumn; as a rule, temperatures in November do not rise to the point at which the seeds begin to swell and sprout.

Winter sowing of seeds

Optimal month for winter sowing – December and January. To do this, you need to prepare the beds with furrows in advance. The seeds are scattered on the snow, the height of which should reach from ten to fifteen centimeters (if the thickness of the snowdrift is below ten centimeters, then the snow can melt, washing away the seeds). The seeds planted on top are mulched with humus or peat, harvested in the fall. If there are no sudden changes in temperature in the spring, and the snow melts slowly and gradually, then no threat to the seeds is expected. With very sharp warming, the seeds can be washed away by melted snow.

Mulch and freshly melted snow create optimal conditions for the germination of asters, since the seeds are sufficiently supplied with moisture and do not overheat. If by the end of spring too many asters have sprouted, then the bed is thinned out, the extra asters are either thrown out or transplanted to another place (according to the scheme, one plant is at least 20 by 20 centimeters). As a rule, it is worth repeating this procedure after seven or ten days. Do not allow the soil to dry out too much, as this can lead to Fusarium infection. At the beginning of spring, the soil is loosened (the depth should not exceed five centimeters, and 2 centimeters near the plant; the roots of asters are located in the surface layer of the earth). When weeding, it is important to remove all weeds along with the roots.

When the flowers grow, they will delight not only the owners of the site, but also all the visiting guests!

Astra - loved by many garden flower, belonging to the Aster Family. There are about five hundred species in the family. IN wildlife Asters grow all over the world - from China to North America. From China the flower came to Europe. It was taken out secretly (the Chinese did not want to share their floristic “treasure”) from the imperial gardens in the 17th century. In China, the aster is given great importance and deep sacred meaning.

The name of the flower is translated from Latin as “star”. According to legend, two Chinese monks, having decided to reach the stars, set off on a journey, and there was no end to this journey, and the stars shone in the sky, still far away and inaccessible. Then one of the monks stopped looking at the sky and turned his gaze to the earth and saw a flower of amazing beauty, like a star. The monks brought flowers to the monastery and began to grow them under the “star” name. Is it true, no, but in Chinese culture asters are still a symbol of unattainable charm and unearthly beauty, given to a person as a gift from God.

Asters are rhizomatous herbaceous decorative plants flowering plants With simple leaves, basket-shaped inflorescences, which consist of central yellow tubular flowers and marginal reed flowers - in a variety of shades.

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

Astra and her “relatives”

There are perennial and annual asters. And here there is one nuance that is little understood by amateur flower growers. There is a genus of asters, which includes both annuals and perennials, grown in cultivation as annuals due to the characteristics of certain climatic zones. There are asters that are exclusively annual; they are “relatives” of all asters, but they are called differently - callistephus (callistema chinensis). This is the only representative of its kind, identified as a personal type by Carl Linnaeus.

The callistema is characterized by alternate petiolate leaves, dark green or burgundy-red stems, and basket-shaped inflorescences. Today there are about four thousand breeding varieties of callistema, distributed among forty species groups. These are usually grown by gardeners on their plots as annual asters.

Perennial asters

Perennial asters can belong to two large varieties:

Early flowering.
Late flowering.

Group	Name	Characteristics
Early flowering		Flowering - in May. Height – 15-25 cm. Low-growing, small flowers (4 cm in diameter), similar to daisies. Color blue, pink. Use – rockeries, arabesques
Early flowering		Flowering - June. Height – up to 70 cm. Tall, with large flowers from 5 cm in diameter. Color red-brown, purple. Use – alpine slides, rock gardens
Early flowering		Flowering - June. Height – from 75 cm. Very tall bush with lilac flowers. Used for flower beds and borders
Late bloomers		Tall variety - up to 125 cm. Small dwarf - no higher than 40 cm. Blooms in the first autumn month. Flowers blue, snow-white, burgundy, purple and pink, burgundy
Late bloomers		Early autumn - blooms at the end of August and throughout September. Grows 60 cm in height. Flowers are white and blue
Late bloomers		Blooms in late September - October. Grows up to one and a half meters. The largest species, but the flowers are small, no more than 4 cm, similar to chrysanthemums. Colors – purple, brown, red-pink

Annual asters

If with perennial asters everything is quite simple, then annual Chinese classifications are numerous. They are divided by:

growth,
color,
flowering time,
inflorescence structure;
cultivation purposes.

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

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

Summer asters come in a wide variety of colors: blue, yellow, red, white, pink, blue, purple, burgundy, brown. There are even two colors. The only asters that have not yet been bred are black, orange and green.

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

According to the structure of the inflorescences there are:

terry, semi-double and non-double;
curly and straight-flowered;
coronoids;
spherical;
hemispherical;
needle-shaped;
imbricated.

Growing asters

They are grown by seeds for seedlings and by seedless method. Moreover, with equal success. You can sow seeds in early April, and admire the flowers in the flowerbed in July. But more often, gardeners grow asters from seedlings in an apartment or greenhouse. Seedlings bloom earlier.

Asters from seeds in a flowerbed

Early varieties can be sown in early April. For late date sowing - in early May. It is advisable that the temperature does not fall below +10°C. In case of short-term drops, crops and young shoots are covered with film.

Sow the seeds in furrows four centimeters deep.
Cover with soil, water, and mulch to retain moisture.
You can cover the crops with spunbond until germination.
In the development phase of three leaves, flower crops need to be thinned out, leaving a distance of at least 10 cm between them for low-growing varieties and at least 25 for tall people.

Determination of sowing time

Asters have a long growing season. Early varieties will bloom three months after sowing. Later ones may need up to 120 days. This is why asters prefer to be grown as seedlings.

Late varieties are not afraid of the first autumn frosts, so they can bloom throughout October and even part of November. They can be sown in May. The early ones bloom starting in June. It is advisable to propagate them by seedlings, sowing seeds in March.

Sowing before winter

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

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

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

Video - How to sow asters before winter

What happens to aster seeds sown in winter? They cool down (they don’t freeze because they are covered and mulched), thus undergoing the cold stratification procedure. And in the spring, as already noted, they are the first to take for themselves all the spring “benefits” in the form of warmth, the first sun and moisture from melted snow. The main thing is that the seeds sown in the cold season are dry and in no case sprouted.

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

If in the spring the seeds are sown in furrows up to 4 cm deep, then before winter the sowing depth is halved. The sowing scheme is used as for spring. The seeds are placed in the furrows dry and in dry weather, and then mulched with peat in a layer of at least 3 cm (this is necessary not only for “warming”, but also to prevent the formation of a crust on the soil after the melt water has melted).

Typically, seedlings of asters sown in November appear as soon as the snow melts. But sometimes they grow right out of the snow. These are especially hardened specimens. You don’t have to worry about them - they won’t die in the spring, because they have undergone excellent hardening and can even withstand frost down to -7°C. And very soon these seedlings will produce abundant flower stalks, and during the development process they will be less susceptible to diseases, in particular fusarium, than their spring “neighbors”.

Sowing aster for seedlings

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

Seven days before sowing, the seeds need to be germinated. Soak in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours. Then rinse and, without drying, place on a damp cloth in a warm place.
Prepare containers. You can use boxes or pots that need to be disinfected. Place drainage at the bottom.
Prepare the soil. Mix part fertile soil with part peat and part sand. The soil should be light and moderately loose, not sticky.
Disinfect the soil. A solution of fungicides or the same potassium permanganate is suitable. The solution should be hot and thoroughly wet all the soil.
Make grooves two centimeters deep in the soil, place the hatched seeds carefully, and sprinkle with sand.
Water the soil through a fine sieve or spray with a spray bottle.
Cover the crops with a film or glass cover.
Place the boxes in a moderately warm place, up to +22°C.

The seedlings usually do not take long to appear; they hatch already on the fourth or fifth day. But then the aster develops slowly and various problems begin.

Seedling care

The main problem of aster seedlings is black leg. It occurs from rotting of the base of the stem due to waterlogging of the soil. For prevention, seedlings should be disinfected after one watering with potassium permanganate and try not to over-moisten the soil.

Seedling disease - black leg

The temperature after germination should be reduced by 5 degrees, but not sharply, but gradually, over three days. Optimal for growing aster seedlings is +16°C.

Seedlings need light at all stages to prevent stretching. If there is not enough light, additional illumination is carried out.

Picking is carried out necessarily, on three to four real sheets, according to the 40x40 mm pattern. When picking, the central root is pinched by a third.

The composition of the soil for picked seedlings is the same as for seeds, but you need to add ash to it, one tablespoon per liter of soil.

Water the transplanted seedlings moderately, just to prevent them from drying out - the danger of blackleg remains until the seedlings are planted in the ground, where it gives way to a more formidable scourge - fusarium.

A week after the dive - first feeding mineral complex with a high nitrogen content. Then fertilize every week until planting in the flowerbed.

Planting asters

Before planting, seedlings need to be hardened off. Gradually take her out into the open air, leaving her for a longer period of time every day. By planting, seedlings should have many leaves, at least eight. Optimal height of planted seedlings - 10 cm. The stem is durable. The bush is squat and lush. It should be planted in April, depending on the variety. Temperature at night outdoors should be at least +4°C.

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

Before planting, the flowerbed is weeded to remove weeds.
The earth is loosened to a depth of 6 cm.
Next, the seedlings are moistened in pots.
Holes are made in the flower bed according to the size of the seedling containers.
The soil is watered.
The distance between seedlings can be 15, 25, or 35 cm, depending on the variety.
Seedlings moved into the soil no longer need to be watered; they should be covered with dry soil.
After ten days, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are added to the holes.

IN further care Asters are unpretentious; caring for them does not require much effort. They definitely need soil loosening after each moistening (watering, rain, application liquid fertilizer). Weeds near them need to be removed. Before branching the stem, it is good to hill it up with soil by 5-7 cm - this way the roots will grow faster and develop better.

Excess moisture is harmful to asters, but too little is not beneficial. It is better to water them rarely and abundantly in hot weather.

Flowers need to be fed at least three times during the season. The second feeding after planting is when setting buds. The third is when flowers appear. The composition of the fertilizer is that the first one is dominated by superphosphate, to which ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate are added in a ratio of 3:2:1. The second and third do not include nitrate, only superphosphate with an equal amount of potassium sulfate (1:1).

Asters will decorate any flowerbed with magnificent multi-colored inflorescences. Summer residents love them for their endurance and unpretentiousness, but even such unpretentious plants require proper care. You can simply throw the seeds into the ground and forget about them, shoots will appear, buds will develop, only stunted, inconspicuous flowers will hatch from them, unsuitable either for bouquets or for decorating lawns. To make your flower garden the envy of all your neighbors in the second half of summer and autumn, you need to grow or purchase it in the spring good seedlings and plant it correctly in open ground.

Place for a flower garden

Asters love the sun, but during the flowering period the hot rays burn the petals, the flowers lose their brightness and attractiveness. It is advisable to plant plants so that on the south side there is a sparse tree crown or tall bush created penumbra. It’s a good idea to set up a flower garden north of the canopy with blinds: you can regulate the lighting yourself. The site must be protected from drafts: asters do not like an area open to all winds, and air currents can bring spores of pathogens. Groundwater should not be high. If the site is located in a damp area, make an elevation; the design of the area will only benefit from this.

Young aster seedlings can become infected with fusarium. To avoid infection, plant flowers in a new place every year; you also do not need to plant them after carnations and gladioli. If you are going to plant a flower garden with your ex vegetable beds, avoid areas where nightshade crops grew. Prepare the soil well and...
Asters love fertile soil, when planting a flower bed on poor soils, you need to add black soil or peat. Flowers do not like acidic soil, so take a closer look at the plants at the site of the future flower bed. If sorrel and rhubarb grow well there, add lime or chalk to the soil when digging. You can do everything scientifically: first determine the pH of the soil. A result from 6 to 8 means that the reaction is normal and landing is acceptable. To add one to the indicator, on light and medium soils you need to add 350 g of lime per 1 m2, on heavy soils increase the amount to 400 g.
In the fall, dig up the flowerbed deeply, remove the roots of weeds and larvae of pests. On clay soil, add sand for drainage. But fresh manure is contraindicated for asters; the plants can get fusarium. Apply it in rotted form or as part of compost when digging.

When to plant in open ground?
In central Russia, aster seedlings can be planted in open ground in the spring in the second half of May. You can look at the weather forecast to find out when warm days will come. You can also believe folk signs and plant when the bird cherry blossoms and the cold snap associated with this phenomenon ends. You will do everything in required deadlines– you’ll have flowers in July.
Two weeks before planting, begin preparing the seedlings for new conditions. The seedlings were warm and comfortable at home, now start taking them outside. First, let them “walk” for several hours during the day, then, if frosts are not expected at night, leave the boxes on a glazed loggia or unheated closed veranda around the clock. The plants will be hardened, and it will be easier for them to survive the difficult time of rooting. Even if you do not cover the asters before a sudden frost, the seedlings, accustomed to life outside, will survive temperatures not lower than -5⁰.
A week before planting, dig up the flowerbed, adding for each m2:
phosphorus fertilizers – 20-40 g;
– 15-20 g;
ammonium sulfate – 15-20 g.

Mark the holes. If you are going to grow asters with tall stems for bouquets, the distance between them should be at least 25 cm so that the branches with flowers develop freely and do not interfere with each other. Border varieties can be planted 15cm apart from each other and will create a continuous line of colorful stitching or a colorful carpet. When growing very large varieties with a stem height of more than 60 cm, the gap should be over 30 cm.

Planting seedlings in open ground
Seedlings become ready for transplantation at the age of 1.5-2 months, in early spring When sowing seeds, be guided by these dates. Developed seedlings should have 5-7 good leaves and a strong stem 6-10 cm long. Be sure to water the plants an hour before planting to make it easier to remove them from the cups. It is advisable to hold underground part plants in a growth stimulator, this procedure will speed up the establishment. The less the roots are damaged, the better the asters will take root. You need to plant in cloudy weather; on sunny days, plan this work for the evening.
When the places for the plants have already been marked, planting begins.
Dig holes 20 cm deep, put compost at the bottom and cover with a layer of soil.
Fill the holes with water and wait until it is absorbed into the soil.
Immerse the seedling in the soil, burying the above-ground stem 2 cm into the soil; after planting, it should be no longer than 7 cm.
Spread the roots so that they point downwards, cover with soil and tamp lightly.
Water the plantings at the roots and sprinkle the surface of the soil with sand or mulch.

When the seedlings have outgrown, plant them so that the stem goes 3-5 cm deep into the ground.

No matter how carefully you remove the seedlings, the roots will still be injured. Solve this problem in advance by sowing seeds in. All you have to do is plant the seedlings along with the container in the ground and bury them to such a depth that the stem is the required length. Soon the pots will decompose into additional fertilizer and the roots will grow freely into the surrounding soil.

Caring for young asters
Asters do not tolerate drought. The main root mass is located no deeper than 15 cm, and plants cannot obtain moisture from great depth. Water them abundantly: the soil should be saturated with moisture, but not turn into a swamp. You can add a little potassium permanganate to make the liquid pale pink. Water better in the morning: if you accidentally overdo it and turn a flowerbed into a rice field, the sun will dry out the excess moisture during the day and the roots will not rot.
To avoid having to tie tall plants to stakes, hill up the asters as they grow. The mound will slightly shorten the stem and provide additional support for it. Additional roots will begin to develop in the ground, feeding aboveground part. The buds and leaves will receive more moisture, minerals and trace elements, the plant will develop well and give you beautiful flowers.

The first feeding should be done approximately 10 days after planting, when the bulk of the plants have taken root in the new place and began to produce new shoots. Use an infusion of ash, it will not only fertilize the soil, but also protect against certain diseases, drive away pests and reduce the acidity of the soil. You can also apply complex fertilizer. During periods of drought, fertilizers need to be applied in liquid form; in wet weather, fertilizers are incorporated into the soil in solid form.
Asters bloom magnificently only in loose soil. If you took care of and mulched the flower bed in advance, there is no need for additional work, otherwise you will have to break the crust on the soil surface after each watering. A layer of mulch will also prevent the soil from drying out and prevent weeds from growing. The aster's roots are located close to the surface, so as not to damage them, loosen them to a depth of no more than 5 cm. Make sure that the plantings are not attacked by pests. When you notice suspicious insects, immediately treat the flowerbed with an insecticide.

Conclusion
In order for asters to quickly take root in the spring and begin to develop well, strong seedlings are needed. It's better to grow it in peat pots and plant the flowers in the garden bed together with the container, then the roots will not be damaged at all. It is better to buy seedlings from familiar sellers, so as not to purchase infected seedlings. To be on the safe side, treat your purchase with a fungicide.
It is better to plant in open ground immediately after the end of frost. A slight cold snap will not harm hardened seedlings, but asters will bloom in mid-summer. Do not thicken the plantings; the distance between the bushes depends on the height of the plants. In heavy soils, add sand for drainage: the roots do not tolerate waterlogged soil.
Mulching makes caring for seedlings easier: the number of waterings is reduced, the soil does not need to be loosened and weeded. 5 cm of sawdust, pine needles or straw will allow you to save time all summer. Hilling up the plants will rid the flower bed of unsightly garter pegs. Growing asters does not require hard work, but throughout the second half of summer and autumn you will be cutting lush, colorful bouquets.

Aster from the Asteraceae family came to Europe from China back in the 17th century. Since that time, flowers have become an integral attribute of the autumn landscape of garden and park compositions. And simple planting and care of asters in open ground contributed to the rapidly increasing popularity and universal love.

Between 200 and 500 species of the Aster genus grow in the wild, primarily in North and Central America (according to different sources the numbers vary significantly).

All varieties are divided into two large groups:

Annual asters - the group is represented by single-stemmed herbaceous plants with large inflorescences, which are often grown for cutting.
Perennials are bushy plants with highly branching shoots.

Perennial asters

The classification of perennial varieties is based on such a parameter as the flowering period, which unites asters into two subgroups: early flowering and autumn flowering.

Early flowering

A large subgroup, including such prominent representatives as:

Alpine aster – perennial aster with a height of 15 to 30 cm, flowering is observed in late spring. Popular varieties: Wargrave, Glory.
Italian aster is a chamomile aster with large corymbose inflorescences, which are observed in the first half of summer. Plant height can reach 70 cm. Among the varieties, Rosea and Rudolf Goeth stand out.
Aster Bessarabian is a branched, medium-sized bush up to 75 cm in height, the shoots of which are crowned with purple-colored inflorescences.

Autumn-flowering

A subgroup characterized by a diversity of species composition:

The bush aster is the earliest of the subgroup of flowers, the height of the leafy stems does not exceed 60 cm. The most famous varieties: “Niobe”, “Blue Bird”.
Aster novobelgica is a widespread variety in gardens. Represented by both tall and dwarf varieties, among which the dwarf Snowsprite, Jenny, medium-sized Royal Velvet, Winston S. Churchill, tall Dusty Rose, Desert Blue deserve special attention.
New England aster - another popular variety is represented by tall plants, up to 160 cm high with a large number of small inflorescences. Common varieties: Browmann, Constance.

Annual asters

Garden aster, or also known as Callistephus (a Chinese monotypic genus), has more than 4,000 different varieties, which are often mistaken for dahlias, chrysanthemums and even peonies.

There are several classifications based on various parameters:

by flowering time (early, middle, late);
by height (dwarf, short, medium-sized, tall, giant);
according to the purpose of cultivation (cutting, casing, universal);
by the structure of the inflorescences (tubular, transitional, reed).

Among the huge variety of varieties, the spherical large-flowered aster “American Beauty”, the needle-shaped “Record” with medium inflorescences, the curly variety “Ostrich Feather” and the semi-double “Rosette” stand out.

Growing asters from seeds

Aster is grown from seeds in two ways: seedlings and non-seedlings.

Non-seedling planting of asters

Sowing early varieties carried out in early or mid-March, and later - in the second half of spring, when consistently warm weather above 10°C sets in.

Wherein:

Grooves 4 cm deep are prepared.
Seeds are placed in the grooves and filled with water.
With the arrival of dry weather, the crops are mulched.
After the seedlings have formed two pairs of true leaves, the rows are thinned out so that there is an interval of 15 cm between the seedlings.

In addition to spring, asters are planted in the fall before winter:

Grooves are made along the frozen soil into which seed is placed, which is practically not damaged by fusarium.
After the snow melts in the spring and seedlings appear, thinning is carried out.

Sowing aster for seedlings

The seedling method is more reliable, and the grower will be able to admire asters grown through seedlings much earlier.

Sowing is carried out in the first half of spring as follows:

7 days before sowing, the seed, wrapped in cloth, is soaked in a manganese solution for 10 hours.
After the allotted time, the fabric is wrung out and, along with the seeds, placed in cellophane for germination.
The seedling boxes are filled with a light substrate, which is watered with a fungicidal solution for disinfection.
Seeds are planted to a depth of 5 mm.
The container is covered with glass and then moved to a warm place.
When shoots appear, the seedlings are taken into a room with a temperature of 16°C.
After the seedlings have two pairs of true leaves, they are picked and the roots are shortened.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Before planting, the seedlings are hardened off. Optimal time The second half of spring is considered when the seedlings reach a height of 10 cm and have 4 pairs of true leaves.

Site selection and soil preparation

Asters thrive in sunny areas with well-drained, light, neutral soil.

The soil for flowers is prepared in advance:

In the fall, humus is introduced under deep digging at an application rate of 2-4 kg per 1 m2.
In the spring, the area is loosened again with the simultaneous application of complex mineral fertilizers at the rate of 50 g of nitroammophoska per 1 m2.

Landing technology

The disembarkation procedure is carried out as follows:

Shallow holes are dug at a distance of 20 cm from each other and a row spacing of 50 cm.
Planting holes are filled with water.
After drying, the seedlings are lowered into the depressions and sprinkled with soil.

Caring for a garden aster

Asters are unpretentious, so care will not take much effort and time from the gardener.

Watering and loosening

It is necessary to water the plants abundantly, but not too often. In dry summers, the water consumption rate per 1 m2 is 3 buckets. After each moistening, the soil will be loosened to a depth of 4-6 cm.

Weeding and hilling

To speed up the growth of the root mass before the aster stems begin to branch, it is recommended to hill up to a height of up to 8 cm. An important maintenance measure is clearing the soil of weeds.

Feeding

For lush flowering, plants need additional nutrition, which is provided at least three times per season:

10 days after planting the seedlings in open ground, fertilizing is carried out using complex mineral fertilizers, which include nitrogen.
During the budding phase, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied to the plants.
At the beginning of flowering, asters are fed a third time with fertilizers high in potassium and phosphorus.

Asters have faded - what to do?

If there were growing on the site annual varieties, then all plant residues should be removed and burned, after collecting seeds from the varieties you like. Seed material can be sown before winter, but in a different area that is not infected with specialized harmful organisms. Perennial representatives of the crop are winter-hardy and can grow in one place for up to 5 years. When reaching the age limit after flowering, it is worth digging up the bushes and dividing them. Plant the cuttings in other areas.

Diseases, pests and care during this period

A delicate and graceful flower can be affected by both diseases and pests if cultivation practices are violated. Among the diseases, the greatest danger is fusarium, which cannot be treated, as well as rust, powdery mildew And blackleg, developing in the seedling phase. Among the pests on asters, the meadow bug, slobbering pennies, arable slug, common earwig, spider mite, bud aphid and cutworm are noted, which should be combated with systemic insecticides.

The choice of art object for the design of which asters will be used depends on the size of the variety. For example, heather aster ground cover is perfect for decoration alpine slide, and medium-sized varieties of Italian aster will harmoniously combine with decorative yarrows in a mixborder. Flowers will fit into any floral arrangement if you choose the right plant shape.

Thus, the aster represents beautiful flower with high decorative qualities, which, despite all its elegance, remains undemanding in maintenance.

When to sow asters outdoors. Growing, planting and caring for asters in open ground

By the way

How to grow aster seedlings at home?

When to plant asters? Aster seedlings: cultivation, planting dates and care | L.S.

When to plant asters?

Aster seedlings: cultivation

How and where to plant asters grown from seeds by seedlings?

The most attractive varieties of asters: photos and care

when to plant asters in open ground

Svetlana

Sofia Prutnikova

Olenka

Elena Akentyeva

Evgenia Taratutina

Selecting soil, sowing aster for seedlings, care

What are asters?

When to plant asters?

Early spring planting of seeds

Late spring planting of seedlings in the ground

Late autumn planting of seeds

Winter sowing of seeds

Astra and her “relatives”

Perennial asters

Annual asters

Growing asters

Asters from seeds in a flowerbed

Determination of sowing time

Sowing before winter

Video - How to sow asters before winter

Sowing aster for seedlings

Seedling care

Planting asters

Place for a flower garden

When to plant in open ground?

Planting seedlings in open ground

Caring for young asters

Conclusion

All varieties are divided into two large groups:

Perennial asters

Early flowering

A large subgroup, including such prominent representatives as:

Autumn-flowering

A subgroup characterized by a diversity of species composition:

Annual asters

There are several classifications based on various parameters:

Growing asters from seeds

Non-seedling planting of asters

Wherein:

In addition to spring, asters are planted in the fall before winter:

Sowing aster for seedlings

Sowing is carried out in the first half of spring as follows:

Planting seedlings in open ground

Site selection and soil preparation

The soil for flowers is prepared in advance:

Landing technology

The disembarkation procedure is carried out as follows:

Caring for a garden aster

Watering and loosening

Weeding and hilling

Feeding

For lush flowering, plants need additional nutrition, which is provided at least three times per season:

Asters have faded - what to do?

Diseases, pests and care during this period