Recommendations for planting asters in the open field and caring for them. Growing asters or what efforts to make to grow flowers with large buds

Astra is a favorite flower of many summer residents, common almost all over the world.

Even a beginner can cope with its cultivation, you just need to get acquainted with the basic rules for growing this unpretentious, and at the same time beautiful flower.

The tips in this article will help you get beautiful large aster buds from seeds that will delight you until the frost.

Selection and preparation of seeds

To understand which seeds to choose, you need to decide in advance on the place of the aster in the flower bed and what flowers it will coexist with. Then you can understand what color, height and variety of asters will suit you.

Suitable for the foreground undersized varieties asters, and for the back (or the center of a round flower bed) - high. Then the beauty of some will not be overshadowed by the growth of others. Taking into account the overall picture of the future flower bed, choose the color of the aster: try to achieve a harmonious combination of all colors.

If you live in latitudes with unstable spring weather, then we advise you to opt for varieties that are cold-resistant, as well as disease-resistant. Then the "whims" of nature will certainly not ruin your efforts.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the quality of seeds: buy seeds only in those stores and those manufacturers that you are sure of. Seeds from the firms Aelita-agro, Sedek, Gavrish, Russian Garden are in demand. Here you can help personal experience and the advice of experienced gardeners-neighbors. Growing asters from seeds begins with their preparation.

Seed preparation

There are two main ways to prepare aster seeds for planting:

Germination. It's easy, but to germinate you need to be sure that in about a week you can plant them. To do this, take a small piece soft tissue(gauze), moisten it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) and wrap the seeds in it.

They should be in gauze for about a week so that the change does not dry out - periodically moisten the cloth. After the specified period, place a slightly damp cloth with seeds in a plastic bag. In a warm place, the seeds will hatch in a few days, after which they can be planted in the ground.

Soak. Here everything is even simpler and faster: soak the aster seeds in the same manganese solution, and after 10-13 hours they can be sown.

Please note that in both cases, potassium permanganate is used - this simple measure will protect seedlings and already “mature” flowering plants from many diseases.

To ensure that seed-derived aster seedlings are as disease resistant as possible, treat the seeds in a solution succinic acid or epin, prepared according to the instructions on the package.

Growing conditions for asters are similar to many other flowers, so they won't cause you much trouble. Given the vegetative characteristics of asters, it is necessary to start growing seedlings from the end of March or at the beginning of April, depending on the characteristics of spring.

Thus, by the end of June you will be able to get beautiful flowering inflorescences. It makes no sense to plant seeds for seedlings before. The maximum can be shifted to seed planting at the beginning of March, but only if you can provide seedlings with high-quality additional lighting.

It is most convenient to use the soil purchased, it is light and well "breathing" due to high content peat. The best option soil for asters - mix purchased soil with sand, in a ratio of 5: ½, respectively.

If you are an experienced gardener, you can prepare the soil for seedlings yourself. To do this, you will need three "ingredients": garden (or turf) soil, peat and sand, keep these proportions 1:2:0.5. Then add half a glass of clean wood ash to the resulting soil and mix well again.

If you plan to use soil that you prepared yourself, sift and “disinfect” it first. This is important to minimize the risk of infection of seedlings with fungal diseases. To do this, either pour the resulting soil with boiling water, or a cool solution of potassium permanganate, or heat it well in the oven for an hour.

Fill the containers prepared by you for planting with ready-made soil (note that their depth should vary between 5-7 cm), spill it with water. Using an object convenient for you, such as a toothpick, make small holes or beds evenly over the entire surface, half a centimeter deep, place the prepared aster seeds in them and sprinkle with a small layer of calcined sand. Watering is not necessary again, the sand will draw water from the ground.

A film or glass will help to speed up the germination of seeds and the rapid drying of the soil, just cover your containers with them. Optimum temperature for future seedlings - 20-22C. Monitor soil moisture, as the surface dries up, spray the soil with water through a spray bottle.

After 7-8-9 days you will be pleased with friendly shoots. Now the film or glass can be removed, and the temperature can be slightly lowered - up to 15-17 degrees. Correct temperature regime necessary to avoid over-stretching of plants. Water the sprouts that have appeared regularly, but do not overdo it: excessive moisture can cause disease.

Seedling dive

Astra seedlings should be dived when 3 true leaves appear on it. Now it is desirable to prepare a separate place for each plant, small ones will do. plastic cups or special containers for seedlings purchased at a specialized store.

At this stage, a special mineral fertilizer can be added to the containers filled with soil to flowering plants, or simply universal. Before using a teaspoon or dessert spoon to remove seedlings from the ground, moisten it well so as not to damage the delicate roots.

Make a recess for each plant in advance, then at the time of transferring the seedling you will not have to be distracted, which means that the risk of damaging the plant is almost zero. Place the seedling in the “hole” so that the distance from the ground level to the first leaves is at least 1 cm. Do everything carefully. At the end, the seedlings should be watered so that the earth “sits down” and “hugs” each root, but try not to soak the plant itself.

Find a warm (18 - 20C) and bright place for pickled seedlings. If your windows face south and receive a large number of intense rays, then take care of light shading to protect still fragile plants from sunburn.

Planting aster seedlings in open ground

It is difficult to name a specific day for planting aster seedlings in open ground, but you can easily navigate the timing with the following information:

most often, young aster plants are planted in a flower bed around May. But the landing can shift depending on the climatic latitudes (in the south - in April, and in cold areas - a little later) and the characteristics of the "flow" of spring (early / late);
the optimal "age" of seedlings for planting in a flower bed is the presence of 5-6 leaves and about 7 cm in height;
aster normally tolerates cold snaps, up to small frosts (down to -2C). This wonderful quality gives you the right to miscalculate the weather a little without losing your favorite flowers.

For an aster, look for a sunny place, and a little shaded in the morning or afternoon will do. Take care of the quality of the soil, if necessary, carry out "improving" work: apply sand or peat, mineral or complex fertilizers. Nitrophoska, fertilizers with potassium and even simple ash (100 g / sq. M.) Will do.

But "natural" fertilizers in the form of manure are best avoided so as not to infect the soil with fusarium. Have you noticed manifestations of fungal diseases at this place? Then, even before planting aster seedlings, the soil must be treated with fungicides.

Like any seedling, aster seedlings are best planted when the active sun has subsided, in the late afternoon. Adjust the distance between plants in accordance with the variety (its future height and spreading), but not less than 15-20 cm.

In the future, caring for your favorite asters comes down to timely watering, weed removal and regular fertilizing.

Sowing aster seeds in open ground

Growing asters in open ground- the simplest, but also requires some preparation. Before sowing aster seeds immediately into the ground, they should be treated in the same way as for growing seedlings. Dry seeds germinate well too, but soaking them in a solution of manganese or succinic acid will protect future seedlings from diseases.

Make beds, shallow, about 1 cm. Then pour the earth into them with water and let it soak. After that, you can start laying out the seeds, keep a distance of 1.5 cm between them. The beds can be covered with polyethylene, then the soil will dry out more slowly and warm up faster, due to which shoots will appear faster.

After the appearance of sprouts, the film should be removed. You will soon see if there is a need to thin out the seedlings. Those sprouts that are removed during the thinning process, use as seedlings.

Spring sowing of asters is best done in two stages: the first at the end of April, and the second in the first decade of May. So you insure against unpredictable weather, increasing the chances of getting lush flowering plants. If everything goes smoothly with the weather, then you will treat yourself to the pleasure of contemplating your favorite flowers from early July until late autumn.

Sowing asters before winter

Someone may be surprised at such a reception, and someone himself noticed that sometimes in spring an aster sprouts in the most unexpected places from those seeds that have been “lost” since autumn. It is really possible to plant an aster before winter.

However, the risk of losing early seedlings is always present, so we advise using surplus seeds for such a winter “experiment”, or those that will lose their germination capacity for next spring.

All gardeners, based on their experience, do winter sowing of asters in different ways. Here are two options, you can choose the more suitable one for you:

In November or even December, sow the seeds in the intended place. When sowing seeds in winter, it is better not to regret, with the expectation that not everyone will survive in harsh winter conditions. Watering is not necessary, during the winter-spring the seeds will receive enough moisture. Cover the bed with covering material or foliage, you can use any mulching material.
To sow seeds in this way, you will have to wait for the first more or less stable snow. And then, right on the snow, we scatter the aster seeds in the place that was looked after for her. Top the seeds with foliage. As soon as the heat comes and the snow melts, only then will the seeds touch the moist soil and will be ready to germinate. The foliage lying on top will cover the seedlings from bad weather.

In both cases, the success of winter sowing depends to some extent on your intuition. If you foresee the approach of a real spring, then the shelter from the crops must be removed in time, otherwise the fragile sprouts simply will not be able to pass through such a thickness of earth and leaves. Or maybe vice versa, you will need to cover the seedlings from frost-relapses.

Growing and caring for an aster comes down to sufficient watering, timely top dressing and loose soil. How to do it right?

Watering. It should not be frequent, but plentiful. Specifically, up to 20 liters of water per sq. m.;
loosening. After watering, when the water is clearly "assimilated" by the soil, the earth must be loosened. This important condition for healthy lush aster bushes;
top dressing. It takes place at least three times. The first time - at the stage of 4-5 pairs of leaves. This is the moment of laying future flowers. For 1 sq. m. use a matchbox of saltpeter without a slide. The second time - when the buds of asters became obvious and "came out" outside. Now you need to feed with superphosphate, saltpeter and potassium salt. Prepare a mixture of these three ingredients (1 each matchbox each "ingredient"), this amount is enough for 1 sq. m. And the third top dressing is phosphorus-potassium, which is carried out at the time of flowering of aster bushes. Fertilizer consumption - 30 g per sq. m.

If it is difficult for you to navigate in a variety of different fertilizers, and even more so to weigh them in grams, then use complex universal fertilizers or fertilizers for flowering plants. You can buy them in specialized stores, and use them according to the instructions.

Growing asters at home

You can grow an aster right in the house, in flower pots on the windowsill or balcony if you can provide it the necessary conditions. All stages from the selection of seeds to the cultivation of seedlings are done in the traditional way described above. To some extent, the task is even simplified, given that you do not have to adapt to the weather outside the window, including growing your favorite asters even in winter.

Successful cultivation of asters at home is possible if you follow the regime of regular feeding and sufficient lighting. For the normal "healthy" development of the plant, it takes at least 3-4 hours sunlight, high-quality non-depleted soil and sufficient additional lighting in the cold season.

To keep the aster bush in a pot even and evenly leafy, make one 180-degree turn during the day.

Perennial and annual - advantages and disadvantages

Usually, aster lovers have in their “arsenal” both annual and perennial varieties of it. Each of the species has its own "strengths" for which they are so loved.

perennial asters. The obvious advantages of perennial asters include minimal care: planted once and that's it, periodic watering and rare dressings are enough, and in spring - clean the bush from last year's shoots.

Besides perennial asters bloom until frost, enlivening gray autumn landscapes with colors.

Their “weak” side can be called a more modest flower of inconspicuous beauty, compared to annual “relatives”.

Chrysanthemum

Astra is a favorite flower of many summer residents, common almost all over the world. Even a beginner can cope with its cultivation, you just need to get acquainted with the basic rules for growing this unpretentious, and at the same time beautiful flower.

The tips in this article will help you get beautiful large aster buds from seeds that will delight you until the frost.

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Selection and preparation of seeds

For the foreground, low-growing varieties of asters are suitable, and for the back (or the center of a round flower bed) - high ones. Then the beauty of some will not be overshadowed by the growth of others. Taking into account the overall picture of the future flower bed, choose the color of the aster: try to achieve a harmonious combination of all colors.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the quality of seeds: buy seeds only in those stores and those manufacturers that you are sure of. Seeds from the firms Aelita-agro, Sedek, Gavrish, Russian Garden are in demand. Here, personal experience and advice from experienced gardeners-neighbors can help you. Growing asters from seeds begins with their preparation.

Seed preparation

There are two main ways to prepare aster seeds for planting:

Germination. It's easy, but to germinate you need to be sure that in about a week you can plant them. To do this, take a small piece of soft cloth (gauze), moisten it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) and wrap the seeds in it.

Soak. Here everything is even simpler and faster: soak the aster seeds in the same manganese solution, and after 10-13 hours they can be sown.

Please note that in both cases, potassium permanganate is used - this simple measure will protect seedlings and already “mature” flowering plants from many diseases.

To be sure that aster seedlings obtained from seeds will be as resistant to diseases as possible, treat the seeds in a solution of succinic acid or epin, prepared according to the instructions on the package.

It is most convenient to use the soil purchased, it is light and well "breathing" due to the high content of peat. The best soil option for asters is to mix purchased soil with sand, in a ratio of 5: ½, respectively.

If you plan to use soil that you prepared yourself, sift and “disinfect” it first. This is important to minimize the risk of infection of seedlings with fungal diseases. To do this, either pour the resulting soil with boiling water, or a cool solution of potassium permanganate, or heat it well in the oven for an hour.

A film or glass will help to speed up the germination of seeds and the rapid drying of the soil, just cover your containers with them. The optimum temperature for future seedlings is 20-22C. Monitor soil moisture, as the surface dries up, spray the soil with water through a spray bottle.

After 7-8-9 days you will be pleased with friendly shoots. Now the film or glass can be removed, and the temperature can be slightly lowered - up to 15-17 degrees. The correct temperature regime is necessary to avoid excessive stretching of plants. Water the sprouts that have appeared regularly, but do not overdo it: excessive moisture can cause disease.

Seedling dive

Astra seedlings should be dived when 3 true leaves appear on it. Now it is desirable to prepare a separate place for each plant, small plastic cups or special containers for seedlings purchased at a specialized store will do.

At this stage, you can add a special mineral fertilizer for flowering plants to the containers filled with soil, or just a universal one. Before using a teaspoon or dessert spoon to remove seedlings from the ground, moisten it well so as not to damage the delicate roots.

Find a warm (18 - 20C) and bright place for pickled seedlings. If your windows face south and receive a lot of intense rays, then take care of light shading to protect still fragile plants from sunburn.

Planting aster seedlings in open ground

It is difficult to name a specific day for planting aster seedlings in open ground, but you can easily navigate the timing with the following information:

most often, young aster plants are planted in a flower bed around May. But the landing can shift depending on the climatic latitudes (in the south - in April, and in cold areas - a little later) and the characteristics of the "flow" of spring (early / late);
the optimal "age" of seedlings for planting in a flower bed is the presence of 5-6 leaves and about 7 cm in height;
aster normally tolerates cold snaps, up to small frosts (down to -2C). This wonderful quality gives you the right to miscalculate the weather a little without losing your favorite flowers.

In the future, caring for your favorite asters comes down to timely watering, weed removal and regular fertilizing.

Sowing aster seeds in open ground

Growing asters outdoors is the easiest, but it also requires some preparation. Before sowing aster seeds immediately into the ground, they should be treated in the same way as for growing seedlings. Dry seeds germinate well too, but soaking them in a solution of manganese or succinic acid will protect future seedlings from diseases.

Spring sowing of asters is best done in two stages: the first at the end of April, and the second in the first decade of May. So you insure against unpredictable weather, increasing the chances of getting lush flowering plants. If everything goes smoothly with the weather, then you will treat yourself to the pleasure of contemplating your favorite flowers from early July until late autumn.

Sowing asters before winter

However, the risk of losing early seedlings is always present, so we advise using surplus seeds for such a winter “experiment”, or those that will lose their germination capacity for next spring.

All gardeners, based on their experience, do winter sowing of asters in different ways. Here are two options, you can choose the more suitable one for you:

In November or even December, sow the seeds in the intended place. When sowing seeds in winter, it is better not to regret, with the expectation that not everyone will survive in harsh winter conditions. Watering is not necessary, during the winter-spring the seeds will receive enough moisture. Cover the bed with covering material or foliage, you can use any mulching material.
To sow seeds in this way, you will have to wait for the first more or less stable snow. And then, right on the snow, we scatter the aster seeds in the place that was looked after for her. Top the seeds with foliage. As soon as the heat comes and the snow melts, only then will the seeds touch the moist soil and will be ready to germinate. The foliage lying on top will cover the seedlings from bad weather.

Growing and caring for an aster comes down to sufficient watering, timely top dressing and loose soil. How to do it right?

Watering. It should not be frequent, but plentiful. Specifically, up to 20 liters of water per sq. m.;
loosening. After watering, when the water is clearly "assimilated" by the soil, the earth must be loosened. This is an important condition for obtaining healthy lush aster bushes;
top dressing. It takes place at least three times. The first time - at the stage of 4-5 pairs of leaves. This is the moment of laying future flowers. For 1 sq. m. use a matchbox of saltpeter without a slide. The second time - when the buds of asters became obvious and "came out" outside. Now you need to feed with superphosphate, saltpeter and potassium salt. Prepare a mixture of these three components (1 matchbox of each "ingredient"), this amount is enough for 1 square. m. And the third top dressing is phosphorus-potassium, which is carried out at the time of flowering of aster bushes. Fertilizer consumption - 30 g per sq. m.

If it is difficult for you to navigate in a variety of different fertilizers, and even more so to weigh them in grams, then use complex universal fertilizers or fertilizers for flowering plants. You can buy them in specialized stores, and use them according to the instructions.

Growing asters at home

You can also grow an aster right in the house, in flower pots on a windowsill or balcony, if you can provide it with the necessary conditions. All stages from the selection of seeds to the cultivation of seedlings are done in the traditional way described above. To some extent, the task is even simplified, given that you do not have to adapt to the weather outside the window, including growing your favorite asters even in winter.

Successful cultivation of asters at home is possible if you follow the regime of regular feeding and sufficient lighting. For the normal "healthy" development of the plant, at least 3-4 hours of sunlight, high-quality non-depleted soil and sufficient supplementary lighting during the cold season are required.

To keep the aster bush in a pot even and evenly leafy, make one 180-degree turn during the day.

Perennial and annual - advantages and disadvantages

Usually, aster lovers have in their “arsenal” both annual and perennial varieties of it. Each of the species has its own "strengths" for which they are so loved.

In addition, perennial asters bloom until the very frosts, enlivening gray autumn landscapes with colors.
Their “weak” side can be called a more modest flower of inconspicuous beauty, compared to annual “relatives”.

annual asters. These representatives of the aster family require some trouble with the arrival of spring, especially at the stage of growing seedlings. But this does not affect the number of her fans in any way: chic flowers of various sizes, colors and “designs”, pleasing to the eye until the very frost, compensate for all labor costs.

Aster varieties

Astra is so diverse that it is difficult to list all the types and features of each variety. They are classified according to the structure of the inflorescences and the flower itself, according to the purpose and timing of cultivation.

The most popular types are:

peony,
Alpine,
anemone,
pompom,
Needle,
Chinese,
dwarf,
Chrysanthemum, etc.

Peony and Chrysanthemum aster are famous for their large flowers and great for cutting.

Pompom and Needle - are universal, and look great both in the flower bed and in the bouquet.

Dwarf and Liliput, due to their short stature, will be an excellent frame for a flower bed or flower arrangement.

Peony

Chrysanthemum

pompom

Needle

dwarf

Alpine

Anemone

Chinese

Lilliput

How to collect aster seeds yourself

Under ideal conditions, it would be quite simple to do this - wait for the flower to fully ripen and wither and collect seeds from it. But sometimes the situation is not so simple, because the aster blooms until frost, and the autumn wet and cold weather can interfere. How to proceed?

Was the autumn surprisingly sunny and relatively dry? Just wait for the aster flowers to ripen, then cut off the dry inflorescences and store them in a paper "package" until spring.

But what if the weather didn’t work out, and the asters didn’t bloom before the onset of cold weather? Do this: dig up the aster bush you like and transplant it into a pot or flowerpot of the appropriate size. Bring him into the house.

If you manage to provide the aster with lighting and heat (about 16-20C), then it will delight you with “offspring”. Just take lighting very seriously, it should be enough, while the aster must be rotated periodically in relation to the light source. The process of seed ripening can take up to two to three weeks.

If you love growing unique hybrid varieties asters, it is better to buy seeds in a specialized store. Seeds collected from such varieties on their own do not retain the beauty and characteristics of the mother plant.

We have outlined all the necessary conditions for obtaining luxurious, abundantly flowering aster bushes. We are sure that you will be able to grow your favorite flowers in the flower bed!

Multi-colored asters bloom for a long time in autumn, decorating the flower garden. The plant is not whimsical, so there are no difficulties in growing. Astra can be sown with seeds directly into the ground or planted, then flowering will come earlier. requires some knowledge about the care of young shoots. If agricultural practices are not followed, young plants can get sick and die, which often happens with inexperienced flower growers. Let us consider in detail the whole process of growing seedlings of asters on the windowsill of the house: from sowing seeds to planting on the street.

When to sow asters for seedlings?

It is necessary to sow aster seeds in a timely manner, since overgrown seedlings take root worse, and later sowing of seeds does not make sense. good healthy seedlings asters can be obtained from fresh, last year's seeds, which are sown from the end of March to the second decade of April. Later sowing is already carried out directly into the soil on permanent place growth.

Growing seedlings of asters from seeds

For seeding we need:

Drawers at least 5 cm high;
A piece of glass, the dimensions of which correspond to the box;
Soil from earth, humus and sand in equal proportions;
wood ash;
Perlite;
Weak solution of potassium permanganate;
A bag of aster seeds.

Many people ask: how to grow good seedlings asters? In order for the flowers to grow strong, it is necessary to initially sow the seeds in nutrient soil. Any grower can do it on their own: they mix humus, garden soil and sand in equal proportions, steam it in an oven or a double boiler, and add wood ash at the rate of a glass of ash per bucket of the mixture. It is useful to add perlite to the prepared soil, which improves soil aeration and allows seedling roots to develop better.

plastic or wooden box for seedlings, they are filled with prepared soil, slightly compacted and poured abundantly with potassium permanganate.

Seeds must be treated with any fungicide before planting. Exactly this effective remedy against fungal diseases that often affect aster seedlings on the windowsill of the house.

Shallow furrows (up to 2 cm) are made in the ground and aster seeds are laid out. Then they are sprinkled on top with soil, but not more than 2 mm. The distance between the grooves should be 2-5 cm.

Experienced flower growers are advised to sprinkle aster seeds with calcined sand 0.5 cm thick, which will avoid jamming during watering and the development of the "black leg" disease.

Crops are covered with a piece of glass, which will prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture.

Shoots appear on the 5-10th day, after which the glass is removed from the box. Seedlings are moved to the windowsill with good lighting but the temperature should not be higher than 15°C. This is an important condition when growing aster seedlings at home, otherwise it will stretch.

As the soil dries, moisten it with a spray bottle. warm water. It is important not to overdo it and not flood the plants, otherwise the seedlings may be struck by a black leg. As soon as the first signs of this disease are detected, diseased shoots are immediately removed with a small clod of earth. The hole is covered with earth and this place is spilled with a fungicide solution.

Picking seedlings of asters

This procedure should be carried out when aster seedlings have 2-3 true leaves. The composition of the soil during transplantation should not differ, but an additional spoonful of complex mineral fertilizer. To evenly distribute the fertilizer, the soil is thoroughly mixed.

The pots are either filled with soil and lightly compacted so that the soil does not settle too much after watering. With a stick, a recess is made in the center of the pot, in which the roots of the seedling will freely fit. A plant with a highly branched root system is pinched. When transplanting, the seedling is buried in the soil, but not more than 1 cm from the cotyledon leaves.

The soil around the sprout is compacted so that it is not washed out with water when watering.

Each pot is carefully spilled with warm water, and you need to water from the edge of the pot, gradually moving towards the center. It is important to ensure that water does not get on the leaves of plants. Picked aster seedlings are put in a bright place, preventing direct sun rays. The optimum temperature for asters is + 20 ° С.

Subsequent care of aster seedlings is not difficult. As the soil in the pot dries up, the seedlings are watered with warm water; it is not necessary to feed it if the soil was originally filled with mineral fertilizers.

Additional mineral dressing will be required for plants if its planting is delayed due to cold weather. When 4-5 leaves are formed on aster plants, the seedlings should be gradually hardened in the fresh air, for which the pots are taken outside to a slightly darkened place.

Video: asters care

Very beautiful flower quite popular in the world. True, they bloom a little late, but they are still very pleasing. Today, there are a very large number of varieties given flower, from Latin its name is translated as "star". Due to the fact that the flower blooms very late, but you still want it to start blooming as early as possible, many begin to plant seedlings on asters even with the beginning of spring. Today we will explain to you how to grow seedlings of asters at home.

When to sow asters - the timing of sowing seeds

Asters can be distinguished by the timing of flowering:

Early asters begin to bloom after 90 days after germination.
Medium asters bloom in 110 days.
All varieties of late flowering - after 130 days.

Since these are late flowers, they bloom right up to the very frost. These cold beautiful flowers not afraid at all. It is very desirable that until the time you plant them in open ground, the seedlings are one month old, rather small, about 6 cm, with good roots.

Therefore, you should determine the sowing time yourself. Very often, seedlings for asters are sown in early April. If you have a greenhouse, you can sow asters at the same time. And if your greenhouse has heating or you can sow asters on the windowsills back in March, but you shouldn’t do this earlier, because sunrises love light and will be drawn to it, and if you plant it very early, there will be quite a bit of light and sunrises will begin to fade .

Sowing seedlings at home

Seeds for sowing asters are quite large in comparison with others, so they should be spread out less often. First you need to sow in small containers, then you need to plant them in separate cups or small boxes. No need to be afraid to transplant, the aster loves it, and in a spacious pot it will build up the root system.

You can take the soil purchased or cook it yourself. You can take even the most ordinary land from the garden, add humus to it, it is worth adding purchased soil, ash, you can also use sand. All this is necessary so that you get a fluffy soil that will pass air and water well.

It is best to use the freshest seeds. If they are two years old, then they are unlikely to come down.

You need to sow the seeds to a depth of 1 cm. Pour and put the container in a bag and in a few days the first sunrises will appear. Put immediately closer to the window, so that it is light enough and a little cool.

When you see already real leaves, you can sit down. The seedlings of the aster are quite strong, but very fragile in the place where the stem passes into the root. Therefore, you first need to moisten the ground, and after a while (about half an hour) you need to carefully remove it with a toothpick, or you can use a match, small asters and plant it in pre-prepared cups or boxes.

How to care for seedlings at home

Asters need to be watered infrequently but plentifully. Seedling cups must have drainage so that excess water can drain. But never fill it with water, because it can get sick and die after a while.

It grows quickly and well, if you cooked very good soil, then it is not worth fertilizing. But if the earth is poor on useful material, then a week after the transplant, it is worth watering the seedlings with bio-fertilizers. You can pour tincture of ash.

You should not get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers, although they say that they are good, but still it’s not worth it otherwise there will be very large, dense, green bushes, and flowering will come a little later and will definitely be lower than desired in quality.

Planting seedlings and care

Seedlings can already be transplanted into the open ground on the street in the middle or towards the end of May. But in order for the plant to successfully transplant and all possible cold snaps, it is definitely worth hardening them. In early April, you can already take the seedlings out into the street, if it grows in your greenhouse, then you need to open the doors on warm days.

Tall asters should be planted at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. They branch very well and form a lot of shoots with flowers. When they grow, they will bloom in one continuous carpet.

She fills our gardens paints when summer is at its peak. The final hymn to the outgoing summer is full-soundingly performed by the queen of the coming autumn - the aster. amazing plant, which has no flaws and admires its merits, strikes with a variety of species and varieties.

Our gardens And summer cottages decorated with miniature plants and sprawling giants with star-heads
all colors of the rainbow. Grow all varieties annual plants seeds.

Flower Benefits

Astra love all gardeners for its wonderful qualities.

Frost resistance. The plant is not afraid of cooling down to -4 ° C. Some perennials do not die even at -7°C.
Excellent germination. Fresh seeds (1-2 years old) sprout quite amicably.
Ease of growing seedlings and the possibility of sowing seeds in the ground.
Ability to regenerate. Astra quickly restores the root system after transplants. This is one of the few plants that can be transplanted even during flowering.
Variety of varieties. Astra can be white and purple, blue and purple, yellow and pink. In the arsenal of flower growers there are varieties of perennial and annual, monophonic and two-color, high and low, terry and ciliated, early, medium and late flowering, in total - about four thousand items.

Asters breeding methods

perennial asters multiply green cuttings or dividing the bush. Growing perennials from seeds is a rather complicated and inefficient process.

Grow from seed annuals are beautiful flowers with large, hairy and fluffy heads on a graceful stem. Harvesting of seeds is carried out in the fall, after the flowering of asters. Withered heads are disassembled and dried at home.

Seed shelf life asters is limited to two years, subsequently they lose their germination.

Reproduction of asters

There are two known ways seed cultivation asters: seedlings and without it.

seedless way

With soil method growing asters, you can form a flower garden consisting of powerful and strong plants. It is created all summer by removing weakened and poorly developing flowers.

Remaining copies are resistant to drought and disease, as well as long and abundant flowering. This method is especially good for growing early varieties asters, which usually bloom 90 days after planting.

top scores gives a triple sowing of seeds: in early spring, late autumn and early winter.

Methods for sowing aster seeds

Aster seeds can be sown in spring, autumn and winter.

early spring

Sow the seeds as the soil is ready. In the regions of the Central Non-Black Earth Region, this period falls at the end of April or the beginning of May. In the prepared beds, shallow furrows are laid (up to 2 cm).

Sown seeds spill from a watering can with a fine strainer and mulch with a thin layer of garden soil or humus.

Usually seedlings are not watered before emergence. However, in the event of a windy or dry spring, the beds can be watered a little. After 10-12 days, the first shoots appear.

late autumn sowing

Such a crop in our latitudes, it is carried out with the onset of stable frosts and freezing of the upper soil layer. As a rule, this is the second decade of November. Seeds are sown in grooves prepared in early autumn and mulched 2-2.5 cm.

As mulch weathered peat or unfrozen humus is suitable. In the spring, when the soil thaws, it is recommended to loosen the crops.

winter sowing

This sowing carried out from December to the end of January. Seeds are sown on a layer of snow 10-15 cm in place of future beds and mulched with peat compost or humus.

During autumn and winter landings plants grow stronger and less likely to suffer from fusarium. After the emergence of seedlings in the spring, they are thinned out and fed regularly.

seedling method

The seeds are sown in the middle of March. For growing seedlings, you should stock up on boxes of soil in which sand, soddy soil and weathered peat are mixed in equal quantities.

fresh peat will lead to an acidic reaction of the soil, which is neutralized with lime.

soil treated with a fungicide solution, leveled and watered. Sowing is carried out in grooves, after which it is sprinkled with a layer of washed coarse-grained sand 0.5 cm thick.

When sowing in greenhouses, a layer of sand should be increased to 1.5 cm. Plantings are shed with extreme care with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. To do this, you can use a watering can with a small strainer.

Drawers cover film or glass. Keep the temperature at 20°C until germination.

seedlings appear within a week. After that, the boxes can be taken out to a sunny terrace or a glazed balcony, where the temperature does not fall below 15°C.

Through 2-2.5 weeks the seedlings have a pair of true leaves. At this time, it should be dived into pots or into larger boxes.

Distance between plants is maintained at 10-12 cm. The temperature is lowered by another 3-4 ° C.

Astra prefers moist, but not damp soil, so it should be watered infrequently, but plentifully. On hot days, seedlings ventilate.

From sowing seeds it takes about two months before the seedlings are planted in the ground. During this time, seedlings are recommended to be fed twice. complex fertilizers. You can also use potassium nitrate and superphosphate (respectively, 20 and 15 grams per bucket of water).

planted seedlings to summer cottages in mid-May. Best time day of the day for this - evening. Two weeks before this, seedlings are accustomed to natural conditions.

For this pots or boxes with seedlings are taken out to open air at first for 1-2 hours, gradually increasing this time. Before planting, you can leave the plants in the air for the whole day, and in the absence of frost - all night.