Astra is not for nothing called the queen of autumn, because when only chrysanthemums remain in the garden, aster is just beginning to bloom. Growing asters is a very exciting activity, because from tiny seeds beautiful flowers grow during the summer, which delight in abundant and lush flowering throughout the fall. Without exception, gardeners love asters, as these decorative flowers adorn the garden and do not require troublesome and painstaking care.

Plant description

Refers to the plant to the genus of perennial herbaceous. The genus consists of more than 600 species. Distributed as an ornamental plant. Asters can reach heights of up to 1.6 meters. Asters have a fibrous root system, the roots are located very close to the surface of the earth - at a depth of only 20 cm. The stem of the plant is straight, durable, covered with hairs. The leaves are simple, dark green.

Aster inflorescences are baskets that can be gathered into panicles. The diameter of the inflorescences from 1 to 6 cm. The inflorescences can be of the most diverse colors. The shape of the petals is simple, semi-double, curly or terry. The seeds of the plant are small, dark in color or light yellow.

This flower came to us from China in the 17th century. Since then, the autumn aster has been growing in our front gardens, and it is pleasing to the eye with bright flowering. But for the first time these flowers appeared in Greece, and in translation from Greek aster means a star. Many decorative varieties have been developed, and, depending on the height of the plant, asters are used to decorate autumn flowerbeds, for borders, to decorate terraces, and they are planted in rockeries. The plant looks great in group plantings. How to plant asters and what these flowers love?

Site selection for planting

If you initially correctly select the site for planting asters, then in the future the entire care of these flowers will be reduced only to weeding, rare feeding and watering. Excellent aster feels in partial shade or in a sunny place. So if you live in a hot region, it is still better to plant asters in partial shade or to shade them from the sun.

Scorching sun rays have a negative effect on this plant, since tender leaves can get burned, and the flower itself can lose the brightness of its colors.

Also, when choosing a site, give preference to a place that is protected from drafts and cold wind currents. The northern side of the backyard plot and the space behind the aster buildings are not suitable. The fact is that because of hypothermia aster can get sick. Well, if the site selected for planting asters will be on a small hill, since then the groundwater will not harm the plant.

Planting by seedling

If you want to get very early flowering, then try to grow a flower seedling. Seedlings should be sown for seedlings at the beginning of April, although some gardeners practice sowing seeds in March in order to get aster blooming in summer.

  • It is necessary to sow aster seeds on seedlings in previously prepared containers. In the boxes fall asleep mixture composed of leafy earth, sod land and sand. Be sure to spill the ground in the boxes with a weak solution of potassium permanganate so that the seedlings do not get sick. After that, you can proceed to the preparation of seeds and their sowing in the ground.
  • Dissolve the fungicide powder in a small container and soak the seeds in it. Such a procedure will help increase germination. Soaked seeds for half an hour are sown in prepared boxes. Seeds should be spread over the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a thin layer of river sand.
  • After seed germination, seedlings need to dive. To do this, choose young plants on which there are two or three true leaves and transplant them into the ground in separate pots. The soil can be taken in the garden, but you should add a little complex mineral fertilizers. Fertilizer with nitrogen is very fond of this flower, and therefore seedlings that have not yet become stronger, before being transferred to open ground, should be fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers.
  • After picking, the seedlings should be watered properly and placed in a place lit by the sun. The air temperature in the room should not be below 22 degrees Celsius. Already in mid-May, this flower, which appeared from tiny seeds, can be planted in open ground at a dacha or garden plot. In May and June, you can plant seedlings at a permanent place in the garden.

See also: Guest from the tropics - ifeon

Features of planting seedlings

Many growers can not achieve lush flowering of their plants, because they can not accurately determine when to plant asters in the country or on a bed, and how to do it correctly. From the right landing directly depends on how your asters quickly take root and whether they will bloom well.
Landing asters begins with the preparation of the beds and the introduction of dressings in the wells. It is possible to feed the aster during planting with organic or mineral fertilizers. Pour some fertilizer into each well, mix it with the ground. Then seedlings are planted, deepening it by 2 cm more than it was in the boxes. Between plants should be left about 20 cm. After you plant the seedlings, you should make a shallow ditch between the rows, into which you need to pour water. After disembarking, the aster must be mined in order for the plants to grow faster and be stronger.

When to do sowing asters?

This flower is grown from seeds. Sowing tiny seeds in open ground can be done in three periods at once:

  1. You can sow seeds in early spring immediately in open ground. Growing asters begins as early as April, when the air and the earth warms up a little. If you have a light, fertile soil at the site, then you can begin sowing from the first half of April. If in the country or the plot of land is heavy loam, then sowing of seeds should be postponed until mid-May. Early sowing of seeds in open ground is recommended for varieties that are suitable for cutting.
  2. It is possible to sow aster seeds in open ground in autumn, before winter. Usually this period falls on the middle of November. Since the soil is already too cold, the seeds sown should be covered on top of a small layer of humus or peat. Seeds will germinate only in spring.
  3. Even aster can be sown in winter. Sowing can be done in January. Seeds just scatter right in the snow. When the snow starts to fall, the seeds themselves will fall to the ground, and spring will germinate. With such a seed, the seeds will undergo a natural stratification.

See also: Monstrator's swaddler, all the details of plant care

For a few minutes, the seeds before sowing should be soaked in a solution of absolutely any fungicide. Then the seeds are slightly dried and sown in open ground. Spread small seeds evenly over the soil surface. Top seeds sprinkled with river sand, and then cover with a film to create a greenhouse effect. The soil in which you will sow aster, must necessarily be wet. Every day, such greenhouses are ventilated and watered only as needed from the sprayer in order not to damage the gentle sprouts with a water jet.

Aster seeds germinate very quickly - already on day 5-6 you can see tiny sprouts, which literally over the summer will turn into magnificently blooming, very beautiful autumn flowers. Planting asters of perennial varieties of seeds at once into the ground for many gardeners easier and more preferable.

Sowing seeds immediately in the ground

How to grow asters from seeds immediately in open ground? You can immediately sow the seeds in the country in the open ground, but in this case, their germination will be much less. It is possible to grow an aster from seeds by sowing seeds immediately into the ground at the dacha in late April or early May. It is very important to prepare the bed correctly - the land on it should be loose, fertile and always drained. If you grow aster from seeds immediately in the open field at the dacha, then by the end of summer or early autumn you will see the result of your efforts. Most often, at his dacha or on the private plots, on flowerbeds in parks, aster seeds are sown directly in open ground. Although many prefer to plant aster seedlings.

Plant care

Caring for asters is very simple and consists in regular watering, weeding of the beds, making dressings and loosening the soil after rain and watering. It is very simple to care for these flowers, for which flower growers love these ornamental plants.

When watering, note that this plant is not too fond of excess moisture and does not tolerate swampy soil. If the summer is rainy, then you can not water the aster at all.

Top dressing

Astra must be fed several times a season. Fertilizers are applied for the first time when sprouts appear. After this feeding in the period of the formation of buds again need to make fertilizer. During the period of active growth of plants for them it is necessary to make a solution of 5 grams. nitrogen, 4 grams. phosphate, 4 grams. potassium to 4 liters of water. During the formation of buds make any fertilizer, including potassium and phosphorus.

See also: Why leaves at begonias start to dry around the edges

Preparation of asters for wintering

Perennial decorative autumn beauties I can spend the winter without shelter. This is a great advantage of these flowers in comparison with many other inhabitants of the garden. All that needs to be done before hibernation is to cut off the shoots and mulch the soil with peat or sawdust, humus. Garden aster is a very unpretentious plant.

Pests and diseases

  1. Garden asters are often affected by the black leg, which develops during the period of active plant growth. This disease may be due to too thick plantings. To rid asters of this disease, the shoots should be treated with ashes or drug Previkur.
  2. Due to the high humidity on the flowers, powdery mildew or rust can develop, and fusarium can appear. For the treatment of these diseases, flowers should be treated with Tattu or Ridomil Gold.
  3. Of the pests aster most afraid of aphids and spider mites. In the fight against such pests, plant treatments with Actofit and Actellic help. These drugs are harmless to bees and humans.
  4. Malicious pest Asters firebreak appears in August. Moth lays eggs on the buds of plants. Caterpillars hatching from eggs, eat inflorescences. To get rid of this pest, asters should be treated with Actophyte.

Aastra in landscape design

There are more than 4 thousand varieties of this beautiful flower. Autumn asters can be yellow, blue, red, purple, violet ... All the shades of these wonderful autumn colors are simply impossible to enumerate. Garden Astra purple or blue can become a soloist in a flower bed with yellow or blue flowers. Red autumn beauty will help to focus on the flowerbed in the autumn garden. Pink aster looks very gently against the background of white flowers and lush green lawn. Asters are able to decorate any garden!

  • The red and pink aster looks very beautiful against the background of green daylily and long sheets of bearded iris. The blooming asters look great against the background of chrysanthemums flourishing at the same time.
  • Astra can become a leader in the autumn flower bed. You can land on the same site different as the flowering time and color of aster buds, which will allow your flower garden to look elegant for a long time.
  • When constructing rockeries and alpine slides, asters are irreplaceable flowers. A wonderful addition to the landscape in the garden with stones is asters that are lush with flowers against the backdrop of autumn.
  • Very often, low-growing varieties of these flowers are planted as living borders along garden paths and flower beds with tall plants. If you plant these flowers in a dense row, you can achieve a very dense frame of any area.
  • From asters, you can easily create a bright blooming composition, if you plant different varieties of color buds. With properly selected aster flowers, you can achieve amazing combinations. Asters bloom for a very long time, for which landscape designers love them.

Be sure to plant on your site beautiful asters who will not require you to take care of them, but in the fall they will decorate your garden with multi-colored paints. The plant is perfect for drawing bouquets.

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

Annual asters

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

Landing asters
  Soil preparation for the future planting of asters should be addressed in the fall. Large flowers will be obtained if aster grows in soil that is well fertilized and moist. Digging up the site, be sure to introduce humus into the soil. One-year-old aster is usually grown with the help of seeds, seedling or seedless methods.

Seedling

For seedlings, seeds should be sown in the last decade of March.  - the first of April in the prepared boxes or directly into the ground of the greenhouse, in the grooves, then wrap the grooves, pour with a solution of light pink manganese and cover with paper or film. To prevent the disease of “black leg”, the seeds on the eve of sowing should be powdered with a fungicide and shed the soil with a solution. When shoots appear (3-5 days), paper is removed from the drawers and they are placed in a bright place.

As soon as the first true leaf appears, seedlings need to be sighted at a distance of no more than 5–7 cm from each other in small pots or a larger box, or you can go to the greenhouse ground, the asters seedling is not afraid of transplanting.

Aster seedlings can be planted in the open ground. in the middle of May, as the plant is cold-resistant - it is not afraid of frosts down to –3–4 ° С. Planting seedlings on a permanent place should be on a bright, level place to prevent water from stagnating when watering or when it rains.

The seedlings ready for planting should be well-developed roots and the height of the aerial parts should be at least 10 cm. To plant plants in open ground is best in the evening, in the grooves, flooded with water, at a distance of at least twenty to thirty centimeters from each other, taking into account the pomp and height of the variety. The distance between the grooves to leave up to half a meter.

After a week or two after planting asters, you can begin to feed complex fertilizer with a repetition of feeding in a month. If the weather is dry, moderate watering is required. Light sandy soils require constant watering. At the same time, aster seedlings must be treated against possible diseases.

Sowing in the ground

Seeds are sown in the soil in early spring, in small grooves, shallowly covered with soil, watered abundantly and covered with a film before germination. Seeds of asters can be sown for the winter (in frozen soil, in pre-dug grooves).

After the appearance of the third true leaflet, the grown seedlings thin out to a distance of ten to fifteen centimeters. Try not to tear extra bushes better, but carefully dig them up and move them to plant on another bed.

Care of asters
  Compared with other flowers in flowerbeds, care for asters is not difficult. If the soil was well fertilized, then during the growing season it will only be necessary to water and weed the beds in a timely manner.
  If you can feed asters at least once or twice, it will be more than enough, and asters will give you large flowers on powerful stems.

Perennial asters

Cultivation and care

Perennial asters are grown in places that are exposed to the sun's rays (can be grown in partial shade), well-moistened (but not raw). In wet areas, the plant is prone to disease. At one place can grow up to 6 years. Rhizomes grow fairly quickly. Care for perennial uncomplicated. Requires loosening of the soil layer, trying not to affect the root system, and treatment with drugs from diseases of gray mold and powdery mildew.

Breeding

Transplantation and reproduction of perennial asters should be practiced in the spring. The plant propagates by green cutting. In spring or summer, young shoots appear on the stems of the plant, which can be used for breeding. They easily take root, quickly take root and grow, the bushes are quite strong. In addition to green grafting, perennial aster (octo) growing by dividing rhizomes is possible. Of course, there is a way for seed propagation, but it is difficult and unproductive.

Perennial asters are good to use in gravel gardens, in rose gardens. They are perfectly combined with stonecrop prominent, violets, bergenia, geraniums and other flower crops.

Types of asters

All kinds annual asters  divided into three large classes, depending on the shape of the petals: reed, tubular and transient.
In turn, in all these classes there are varieties shears  - which are cut for bouquets, with long stems and lush flowers, casing  - long-flowering, with many inflorescences, universal, which can be cut into a bouquet, and for planting a garden, plant and pottedcompact.

Tubular asters

This species of asters has petals in the form of thin tubes. Shear varieties are pinnate and tubular, and the liliput casing can be grown in a pot and in the garden.

Transient asters

This class of inflorescences with tubular and reed flowers. Here are the types of asters: simple, semi-double and coronary.

Have simple asters  the middle of a flat basket consists of small yellow tubules and is framed by several rows of straight reed petals. Varieties: Sonnenschain and Margaret - cut, Edelweiss, Sonnenkugel, Waldersee, Apollo - casing.

Semi-double flowers  more voluminous, bristled with reed petals in the sides and upwards, but the heart is still clearly visible. 6 varieties: Anemonovidnaya and Madeleine - cut, Mignon, Anmouth, Rosette and Victoria Baum - casing.

Coronary asters  lush and like pompons, the heart is barely visible. Grades: for cutting - Princess, Fantasy, Laplat, Aurora, for casing - Pomponnaya, Ambria, universal Princess of the bouquet.

Reed asters

In reed asters, the hearts with small yellow tubules are not visible at all. Flower lush, furry, spherical.

Curly asters  - elegant ribbon, wide reed flowers, slightly curling at the ends. Queen of the market, Hohenzollern, California Giant and Ostrich feather - for cutting, Early Miracle, Chrysanthemum and Comet - universal.

Petals ray asters  narrow, in the form of a tongue, twisted along the length, but not fused. Radio, Art, Unicum and Coral - cut varieties.

Reeds have needle asters  similar to needles, thin and twisted in length. Riviera, Kralen, Valkyrie - universal varieties.

By reed asters also include tiled, hemispherical and globular  varieties.

Among species perennial asters  Astra alpine, Italian, shrub, New England, or American, and Novo Belgian, or Virginia are isolated.


Astra Novobelgiyskaya, or Virginskaya  - A bush with shoots from meter to one and a half height. The bush does not differ in strength, many varieties "fall apart", lose their appearance in flower beds. Astra Novobelgian begins to bloom in late August. Many of the varieties bloom before snow falls.


Astra New England, or American reaches a height of 160 cm. It grows slim, smooth, almost columnar bushes that do not require any supports. Large semi-double inflorescences, various colors: from white, pink, purple to violet, and the middle - yellow or reddish-brown. These asters begin flowering in the first decade of September. It blooms to frost.


One of the most common types of annual flowers in summer cottages and personal plots is planting and care in the open field for it do not present much difficulty.

Currently, there are over 800 varieties of this crop. By the form of inflorescences they can be divided into the following groups:

  • simple or not terry;
  • semi-double;
  • terry;
  • double-walled

Asters are classified and in the form of a bush:


  • pyramidal;
  • columnar;
  • oval;
  • sprawling.

Varietal variety of this flower is impressive. So how and when to sow asters?

Planting dates

  The dates of sowing of asters largely depend on the growing conditions and climatic features of the region. For more early flowering, it is recommended to grow them through seedlings. Plants sown immediately in the ground or in winter will bloom much later.

Aster seeds very quickly lose their germination. Therefore, when purchasing them, be sure to pay attention to the expiration date and choose only the freshest seed material.

Novice growers often ask: how many asters are sprouting? If the seeds are fresh and of high quality, and the conditions are favorable, then only a few days are required for the emergence of seedlings. In cases of a significant decrease in temperature when sown in the soil or insufficient moisture, the emergence of seedlings can be delayed up to 7-10 days. Wait for the emergence of germs after this time is no longer meaningful.

Growing seedlings

  Growing aster seedlings is not particularly difficult. With the seedling method, sowing is carried out in the middle of March in a light and sufficiently nutritious soil. For example, you can use peat ground for growing seedlings of flower and vegetable crops. The optimum temperature for germination of aster seeds is + 20 ° C.

  After germination, it is reduced to 15-18 °. This prevents the seedlings from being pulled. Aster seedlings are not particularly demanding. It is enough time to loosen and water young plants.

When thick sowing in the phase of 2-3 true leaves, you can pick them.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Inexperienced growers very often ask: when to plant asters in open ground and are they afraid of return frost? Landing start at the onset of warm, stable weather. In most regions, this time falls on the beginning of May. In colder and rainy weather, these periods can move a week, or even two. In general, aster seedlings painlessly tolerate frosts down to -3 °, so she does not need additional shelter after disembarking.

To improve the survival of plants in the open field, before planting them during the week must be hardened.

So we learned how and when to plant asters, now it remains to figure out with the subsequent care.


Open field maintenance

  Growing asters in the open field is not particularly difficult. For its planting, open, well-lit areas with well-drained soils are best suited. Also this culture grows best of all and develops in the presence of protection from cold northern winds.

Of the main activities for the care of the annual aster, it is worth noting the timely weeding, loosening the soil and. It is also worth knowing that when growing this crop it is not possible to thicken the plantings strongly. This will lead to the emergence of various fungal diseases.

Planting and care of asters in the open field is impossible without the introduction of dressings. Especially if the plants are grown for subsequent cutting into bouquets. The first time the plants are fed two weeks after transplanting. To do this, use the complex. The second dressing is carried out in the phase of budding. For her, it is best to choose fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and potassium. The third time asters are fed up after the start of flowering.

In no case should fresh manure or other organic matter be used to feed asters. Their use may contribute to the appearance of fungal diseases.

Abundant and prolonged aster blooms also contribute to the regular removal of flowering inflorescences. With their systematic pruning, the plants retain their decorative qualities until the deepest autumn.

Planting one-year asters and the subsequent care for her in the open field does not require any special skills and are available to anyone. The main thing is to give plants proper attention and provide appropriate care. And then they will thank you with an abundance of large and bright inflorescences and a long flowering period.

Video about planting and growing asters


Many gardeners want their homestead to be attractive at any time of the year. In the autumn, when the first signs of wilting are visible, it is difficult to do. But summer residents with the experience know that elegant aster will be able to decorate the site in this dreary period. Planting asters in the ground seeds under the force of any novice gardener.

Color description

No wonder the Greeks called Astra a star. Flowers, like shaggy colored stars, light up on the plots and delight gardeners for a long time with their charming appearance.

Astra has the following advantages:

  1. It is unpretentious, does not require excessive effort from people during planting and with further care.
  2. Both large and small flowers of aster are visually attractive, retain their beauty until frost.
  3. There are many varieties and varieties of asters.

Important! The reproduction of asters is possible only by seeds.

Proper sowing of seed material - a guarantee of the emergence of strong seedlings on the site and the subsequent lush flowering.

Many gardeners prefer to grow asters in a seedless way for several reasons:

  1. This technique is less time consuming.
  2. Seeds and germs that appear appear to be hardened in natural conditions, and the plants subsequently suffer less.

A warning! If you plant aster seeds directly in open ground, the flowering will have to wait a long time. Plants planted with seedlings delight people with lush flowers much earlier than asters obtained in a seedless way.

Dates of flowering varieties of asters are different:

Tip! Astra - perennial buds only the next year after disembarkation. Therefore, it is preferable for planting seedlings into the ground.

When to sow asters in open ground

Aster seeds are planted in open ground in spring. And flower growers were divided into 3 groups, deciding on the best timing of sowing.

Some believe that it is necessary to plant in a slightly thawed soil. Then cover the ground with foil or covering material.

The second group of summer residents claims that it is better to plant when establishing a stable temperature of +10 degrees Celsius.

Still others support the opinion that early varieties of asters should be sown in mid-March - early April, and later ones - in early May.

Seat preparation

Asters prefer a light fertile soil with acidity close to neutral. To grow healthy plants, and quickly began their flowering, it is required first to prepare the landing site.

Experienced gardeners on this occasion make such recommendations:

  1. Sandy soil is composted.
  2. The clay place is facilitated by adding mixed in equal parts peat and perlite.
  3. Lime is added to the soil with an elevated pH.

Attention! Do not plant asters on the same flower bed more than five years. Planting after marigolds or calendula flowers will have the best effect on the state of health.

Seed preparation

Seeds of garden asters lose their germination for 2–3 years. Therefore, you should not open the bags purchased a few years ago. It is better to purchase fresh seeds from time-tested firms. This material is of high quality and does not require additional manipulations, it is ready for planting. You need to know and choose varieties that are resistant to diseases and adverse weather conditions.

Seeds collected by their own hands may contain malicious spores on the surface. The seed is pickled with chemicals.

For seed of some varieties will require pre-sowing preparation, including the following steps:

  1. Culling will occur if the seeds are soaked in water. Go up empty specimens.
  2. To reduce the content of essential oils and soften the dense outer shell will help ordinary vodka. The seeds are put into it in the sac for 5 - 7 minutes. They are then transferred to a strainer and rinsed under running water.
  3. For disinfection and increase the ability of the seed to germinate, it is kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or a growth stimulator for about a day.
  4. If the package indicates that the seeds need scarification, then their outer shell is broken mechanically with sandpaper.
  5. Only after all the manipulations seeds can be put to germinate.

How to plant asters with seeds in open ground

Sowing seeds of asters in open ground occurs in the following order:

  1. In the ground make the grooves about 2 - 3 cm.
  2. Produce their moderate watering.
  3. Seeds spread in the grooves away from each other.
  4. The grooves are covered with fertile soil or humus.
  5. The flower bed is covered with a film and secured around the perimeter.

Landing rules

The experienced gardeners try to observe simple rules when planting.

The soil is well moistened, but at the same time it is monitored so as not to overdo it. Otherwise, the remaining actions will be difficult to perform with an overly damp earth.

Seeds of garden asters are small, it is better to mix them with dry river sand. When the mixture is poured into the grooves, the seeds fall at a distance from each other. In this case, there are more guarantees that the seedlings will not appear crowded.

Grooves with seeds do not fall asleep soil from the flower bed, but only mulch.

The film is removed from the flower bed when sprouts appear. If all the rules are followed, they will appear on the 8th - 12th day.

Departure after landing

After planting asters with seeds, the plants that have appeared require regular maintenance. Otherwise, their development will slow down.

Attention! Asters are considered unpretentious, care about them is minimal, from gardeners need regular weeding. We must not allow the growth of weeds in flowerbeds and furrows from the first day of planting.

When autumn comes with prolonged rains, asters are covered with plastic wrap fixed on light frames. This will preserve the beauty of flowering plants.

Watering

After planting, the soil is watered as it dries. Asters do not tolerate excess moisture, but drought harms them. Better occasionally produce abundant watering.

Top dressing

For the season required to conduct such feeding.

Tip! Dry fertilizers are applied to wet soil, then loosened. Dry soil is poured over water with fertilizers diluted in it.

Some gardeners prefer to use cow dung. For the 1st feeding you need to insist about 3 hours. For subsequent procedures, the time is increased to 2 - 3 days.

Hilling

Astram necessarily need loosening after the ground around them will be moistened. That is, after rain, watering or fertilizing with liquid fertilizer, the summer resident must plow through the ground. Additional loosening is worth while during the branching of the stems. This procedure will help the roots to grow faster.

The depth at which the loosening is carried out between the rows of plants is 5–7 cm. And near asters they are loosened by 2–3 cm. This is because the root system is located in the surface layer of the earth.

Thinning

Asters should not grow close to each other. Therefore, it is necessary to thin out several times. The distance left between plants depends on their height and the number of stems. But it should not be less than specified in the table.

Disease and pest treatment

Failure to follow the rules of care leads to inhibition of the development of colors. In this case, there is a great possibility of the appearance of viral and fungal diseases.

Disease name

Causes of

How manifest

Removal measures

Fusarium

The appearance of darkish stripes. Then the yellowing of the leaves, the abscission of the buds, the death of the plant.

Reduction of soil acidity, spraying with chlorine dioxide of copper.

Blackleg

Acidified and over-wetted primer.

Darkening of the stem, the death of the plant.

Disinfection of garden tools and flower beds with a solution of manganese, removal of weakened asters, moisture control.

Brown spot

The leaves are covered with brown spots. Drying and leaf fall.

Destruction of affected asters Spray every 2 weeks with chlorine dioxide copper or Bordeaux liquid.

Jaundice or mosaic disease

Malicious insects.

The appearance on the leaf blades of light streaks, slowing plant growth.

Removal of pests and diseased asters.

Bacterial spotting

Infection of seeds, the presence of plant residues on the flowerbed.

The appearance of brown spots on all parts of the plant. Drying and leaf fall.

Spraying Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride.

Tip! Watering the soil with infusion of celandine or nettle will help prevent diseases.

Asters attract not only beneficial insects, but also pests.

Pest name

What happens to the plant

Control measures

European earwig

Eats all the upper parts, which leads to the death of asters.

Regular removal of weeds and loosening the soil. Insecticide spraying.

Meadow bug

Sucks the juice from the upper parts of the plant.

Treatment with soapy water and insecticide spraying.

Spider mite

Sucks the juice from the leaf plates, covers them with cobwebs. Leaves dry out and fall off.

Treatment with ground sulfur and karbofos.

On the upper parts appear yellowish or whitish spots, increasing in size. Stems bend, foliage dries, buds fall.

Insecticide spraying.

Caterpillars of butterflies under the name Sovka-gamma

Eat the plant.

Washing with soapy water and spraying with insecticides.

Passed Slug

Eats asters.

Removal of slugs, spraying with metaldehyde solution.

Why do not aster seeds germinate and what to do

There are several reasons explaining why aster seeds did not grow:

  1. Few seeds are planted in the ground. Experienced gardeners recommend planting seeds in large quantities, because the excess asters can always be removed.
  2. Insects or increased soil moisture destroyed developing plants.
  3. The norms of sowing depth are not observed, that is, the seeds are deep in the soil or, conversely, close to the surface.
  4. After planting, the ground was not covered, which resulted in damage to the seedlings.

Tip! If there are rare shoots or they are not at all, then you need to plant another portion of asters.

Conclusion

Planting asters in the ground with seeds is a simple matter. With him cope anyone who carefully perform all the steps, not losing attention to the little things.

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Many people love and respect. This flower densely settled on our plots and gardens, and the September bouquets of asters have long become the usual attributes of first-graders. The flowers of asters are so rich in their colors that their eyes diverge, and we generally keep silent about the diversity of forms.

Asters, as well as all other flowers, have their own peculiarities in cultivation, with which we suggest you to get acquainted now so that your asters can be planted in open ground as successfully as possible.


Growing asters

Asters reproduce only with seeds, so they can be grown in two ways: seedlings or immediately sow asters in open ground.

We grow up asters seedlings

Must begin in late March - early April. Asters are very unpretentious to the land in which they will grow, but preference is given to fresh, previously unused, humus-poor, but at the same time well-drained soil. The best option for growing aster seedlings will be such a mixture:

  • 3 pieces of sod land;
  • 1 part of river sand;
  • on 1 bucket of this mixture, you must add 2 tablespoons of wood ash.

Pour the mixed soil into the tank, and spill it on top with a thickness of 1 cm with calcined river sand. After a little moisturize and you can start planting seeds, which are then covered with 5 mm layer of the same calcined sand. Approximately in 5-7 days after planting the first shoots will appear, up to this point the temperature in the room should be maintained around 18-20 ° C. After you notice the first green shoots, the temperature will need to be lowered to 13-15 ° C.

Water aster seedlings should be rare, only when the soil dries. Do not forget that after water procedures, young shoots must be aired. In early May, it will be possible to feed the aster with any fertilizer suitable for it. Landing asters in open ground can begin in late May. In this case, the first time you need to take care of the night heat, which can be achieved by ordinary covering.

Spring sowing of asters in the ground

If you are not going to grow seedlings, then get ready for planting in the fall. So, we sow asters in an open ground. To do this, it will be necessary to prepare in advance for the flower beds or beds. In the spring, seeds can be sown in late April - early May. But, of course, it is necessary to use a double layer of covering material, which can be removed only on warm, windless days.

Autumn sowing of asters

One of the popular methods of growing asters in the open field remains the method of sowing before winter. For this in October:

  • we make a bed, we fertilize it with humus and peat;
  • we level the ground and we tamp;
  • across the entire space we draw a groove no more than 2 cm deep;
  • cover with one layer of covering material and leave until November.

When in November the soil is sufficiently frozen, we start planting seeds at a prepared place:

  • in the frozen grooves we sow dry seeds of asters;
  • sprinkle the top with a dry ground layer of 2 cm;
  • tightly, pressing on the sides, we cover the bed with polyethylene and leave it until spring.

In late April, when the snow no longer smells, you can remove the film and replace it with a standard covering material that can be will be removed after the last night frosts.

The described autumn method allows you to get flowers much earlier, and at the same time they will be stronger and more stable.

Top dressing of an aster in an open ground

To get beautiful flowers, it is necessary to conduct the feeding of asters without fail. The first time it needs to be done before the first buds appear. Means for feeding choose from the range presented in your store. The second feeding will be required at the time of the appearance of the very first flowers. The solution can be used the same.