Asters, like chrysanthemums, perfectly decorate the garden in autumn, they are also romantically called "falling stars". They belong to perennial plants, depending on the variety, asters can grow from 30 cm to 2 m in height and make the flowers of many colors not only of simple shape, but also semi-double or double 2-8 cm in diameter. They also differ in terms of flowering period: early - in June, summer - in July - August and late in September - October. Using for planting a variety of all groups, you can achieve continuous flowering asters in your garden from early summer to mid-autumn.
Although the aster is a perennial and is considered an unpretentious plant, but knowing the characteristics of its cultivation, you can achieve more abundant flowering.
Perennial asters: planting and care
- Location . This is a very light-loving plant, so cultivation of a perennial asters is best carried out in well-ventilated, well-lit areas of the sun. It is not recommended to plant asters on the site after tulips, gladioli and cloves, but it is possible after calendula and tagetes.
- Soil . They grow well on loamy, acid-neutral soil, rich in humus, since they need the presence of nutrients and mineral elements.
- Landing . It depends on the variety and species that determines the distance to plant asters: low grades - 30-50 cm, medium - 50 - 80 cm, and tall and spreading - 70 - 90cm. The best period when you can plant early-flowering perennial asters is autumn, and late-flowering - spring.
- Transplantation . Rhizome perennial asters grow quickly enough, so they need a transplant in 4-5 years. Transplant asters are carried out in the same period as the landing.
- Care . These are unpretentious plants, so they are enough to water regularly during growth, loosen the top layer of the post, so that it does not condense and the crust form, and, of course, remove the weeds between the bushes.
- Watering . Asters have the greatest need for water in the period of drought and increased growth in the green mass of bushes, at other times watering bushes should be as the drying of the mail.
- Top dressing . Well respond to the application of fertilizers in different periods of growth: in spring - organic with obligatory mulching, in the formation of buds - phosphoric-potassium or stimulator "Energen", before flowering - fertilizers for flowering plants, and in autumn - potassium and calcium, or use ash .
Reproduction of perennial asters
Reproduction of asters can be carried out by seeds (can be done only by breeders), cuttings and bush division. But we must know that the characteristics of the variety (color, form of flowers) are preserved only when the rhizome is divided.
For propagation by cuttings, young shoots appear around the bush for spring and summer. The cut tops quickly take root and they can be planted in the open ground already in autumn or the whole grown up shoot in the beginning of summer, providing it with a sufficient amount of moisture.
It is very easy to multiply by the division of the rhizome of a large bush, which can be divided even by hands, the main thing is to leave at least one kidney and several roots. Very small pieces of rhizomes should first be grown, and only after a year planted on a permanent place. Varieties of long-term aster of early flowering, such as Alpine and Italian, are propagated in early spring or after flowering, in autumn, and varieties that blossom in autumn, only in early spring.
Perennial asters: problems and diseases
Plants that are planted in the penumbra or shade are very often exposed to such a disease as powdery mildew . For prevention
The most common problem of perennial asters is their yellowing during the bud formation, associated with the fungal disease fusariosis. In the fight against it, plant spraying with the solution of the Baikal EM-1 preparation helps.
Planting perennial asters in their front gardens, you will provide your garden for 5 years with beautiful multicolored flowers that do not require special care.