Many people know and love the summer-autumn flowers of asters, but not everyone knows the peculiarities of growing them from seeds and further care for them. Consider this process on the example of one of the most popular in the garden sections of the group - pomponous asters.
This group includes those varieties of asters, in which the double inflorescence has a flat-round shape with a diameter of up to 5-6 cm. It is somewhat reminiscent of a pompon cut from two threads. The bush is low (up to 60 cm), widths reaching 25-35 cm, but it does not disintegrate strongly. On each individual plant can form up to 40 inflorescences.
Growing and caring for pomponous asters
To plant such asters, a well-lit area with fertile non-acidic soil (sandy loam or loamy) should be prepared. For them, the site where tulips or gladioli grew earlier is not suitable.
Sowing in the open ground should be done during May or early June. You can not be afraid of the onset of frosts, since this kind of asters is frost-resistant (up to -4 ° C). Care for them will be in thinning after the emergence of sprouts, regular watering (with the drying of the upper layer), loosening the soil around them and carrying out fertilizing. Depending on the variety, the flowering of pomponous asters lasts up to 70 days.
Cultivation of seedlings of pomponous asters from seeds should be taken already in March. For this purpose, a box with a nutrient and air-permeable soil is used. After sowing it should be covered with a film and put in a warm place (+ 18-20 ° C). After the appearance of shoots remove the shelter and rearrange it in a cooler place. Before landing in the ground (in late May), they should be regularly watered.
This kind of flowers are great for decorating the site (for example: when edging paths) and for making bouquets. If you take a mixture of colors, you can get a bright flower bed from the pompon astras alone.