Garden asters are perennial. Perennial asters - cultivation and care

Perennial asters belong to the aster family. In other words, they are the next of kin annual aster Chinese. The perennial variety is sometimes called the real or true.

The leaves of this plant are lanceolate and dark green in color. Inflorescences - in the form of baskets, the diameter of which is about five centimeters. Flowers can be single, semi-double or double. There are approximately 500 species of perennial asters.

Planting and growing

You can grow these flowers in one place for five years. After that, the plant is transplanted. In general, growing asters is not difficult. It is preferable to purchase and plant seedlings in spring time. Then, by the onset of autumn, your garden will be decorated with these magnificent flowers. For planting, it is best to choose warm and sunny place, which has fertile, not heavy, loose and permeable soil. The addition of organic and mineral fertilizers to the soil is mandatory.

You can grow perennial aster from seeds. However, keep in mind that they bloom only after three years. Late-flowering varieties of plants are planted in the spring, and early-flowering varieties in the autumn season.

It is worth noting that these flowers have almost no pests. Powdery mildew is the most common disease. This disease affects those plants that are grown in the shade. For prevention, you can use "Gumi" and "Fitosporin" (at the same time).

Asters look good in any landing. However, when growing these flowers, you need to be prepared for blackening and drying of the leaves on the lower part of the stem. Because of this trouble, landings may look sloppy. Therefore, it is better to plant plants in front of the asters that could hide their lower part.

reproduction

Perennial asters are transplanted and propagated in the spring. This plant is propagated by green cuttings. In spring or summer, young shoots appear on the stems of these flowers, which are used for propagation. These shoots easily give roots, grow quite quickly. At the same time, strong bushes grow.

Please note that asters reproduce not only with the help of green cuttings, but also with the help of rhizome division.

In addition, this plant can also be propagated by seeds, but the result will not always be good. Often seedlings grow weak.

Care

Astra perennial is a rather unpretentious winter-hardy plant. It is not allowed to fertilize flowers fresh manure. In addition, you can not thicken the landing. Otherwise, it may lead to illness. Periodically loosen the soil around the stems (this should be done quite often). Weed regularly.

Flowers need to be watered infrequently, but plentifully during dry periods.

It is recommended to add to water for irrigation not a large number of potassium permanganate. Regularly remove fading flowers and be sure to tie up tall varieties. If you fulfill all these simple requirements, then the plants will grow well and bloom profusely.

top dressing

A week after the seedlings sprout, it is necessary to start feeding them. For these purposes, mineral fertilizers are used, which can be purchased at a specialized store.

In addition, it is recommended to fertilize the soil before you are going to plant seedlings or seeds. Please note that the application organic fertilizers unacceptable. To do this, it is better to use compost, humus or wood ash. On well-cultivated soil, you can do without top dressing.

Usage

perennial asters- this is an amazing starfall in your flower garden, these are original bright strokes in a beautiful palette autumn garden.

Growing perennial asters (video)

Description of shrub varieties

Alpine aster. This plant is widely distributed in America, Europe, as well as in Southern Urals. This is undersized plant, since its height reaches only 30 centimeters. The inflorescence reaches about 4 centimeters in diameter. This species begins its flowering about a year after planting. Inflorescences can be blue, pink, white, purple or red. The species begins its flowering around the beginning of summer. It is worth noting that this flowering is very plentiful, and it lasts about a month. The plant will look great in a group planting.
Italian aster or chamomile. It also applies to perennials. It begins to bloom in July or early autumn. Flowering lasts quite a long time, about two months. The flowers are lilac, pink or dark blue. The diameter of one inflorescence is about five centimeters.
New Belgian aster. The height of the bush can reach one and a half meters. Inflorescences can be white, pink, lilac or light purple in color. The flowers are not very large, in diameter they can reach 2.5 centimeters. Cut flowers can stand in water for about two weeks.
New England aster. In Russia, this plant is widespread. Bushes of this species can reach two meters. The diameter of the inflorescences is about four centimeters. The flowers themselves can be pink, red, white, dark purple or blue. Depending on their variety, New England asters differ in the beginning of flowering, as well as in its duration and color of inflorescences. Cut plants stand in water for about 12 days.
Shrub aster. This species has an increased resistance to frost. It starts blooming in early autumn. Flowering lasts about 40 days. Flowers can be pink, purple or reddish in color. Inflorescences can be up to three centimeters in diameter. In dry weather, this plant requires abundant watering.

Varieties of asters (video)

Asters in the garden (20 photos)

What flowers to plant is a question that is asked by almost all gardeners and site owners. The desire to get a chic and constantly blooming flower bed makes professionals and amateurs look for the most exotic flowers. But one flower will certainly be found in any garden or in any flower bed. This is a perennial autumn aster. This is a flower that blooms one of the very last and pleases with its bright colors during the prolonged autumn rains. In this article, we will consider the features of a flower that is familiar to us, talk about the main types of perennial asters and popular varieties, and also learn all the nuances of agricultural technology for growing autumn beauty.

Varieties of perennial asters

This type of plant includes a wide variety of subspecies and series of varieties.

Alpine aster. Blooms earlier than other varieties. Already at the end of May, you can see blossoming buds on it. Bushes of low growth - 20-25 cm. The leaves form beautiful bushes in the shape of a hemisphere. The color of the flowers of this variety of asters is replete with its diversity. There are both white and pink, dark purple with a bluish tinge, flowers with a bright orange eye. The most common varieties:

Gloria - blue flowers with a bright orange middle;
Wargrav - pink flowers with a yellow eye;
Albus - snow-white flowers;
Abenshine - Terry pale pink flowers with a yellow center.

Mongolian aster. It blooms in mid-July and belongs to the summer-flowering type of culture. It has its name due to its territorial origin: this series of varieties comes from Mongolia. Bushes reach 1 m in height, flowering is quite plentiful with large loose rosettes. It loves sunlight and tolerates frost well.

American (New England) aster. It blooms late - in the middle of autumn. AT southern regions may bloom in November. Huge bushes reach a height of 2 m. It has large bright flowers shades unusual for asters. Most popular:

September Ruby - red flowers with a light eye;
Violetta - flowers of a rich purple color;
Purple Cloud - high bushes with huge lilac flowers;
Kylie - frost-resistant aster (tolerates night temperature drops to -5 ° C), the bush is dotted with small pink flowers.

Chamomile (Italian aster). The flowering period begins in August, the flowers are small lavender shade collected in inflorescences in the form of umbrellas of several pieces.

Ultramarine - purple flowers with blue tips and a yellow center;
Violet Queen - the most common variety in this series, has beautiful purple blooms.

Rules for planting perennial asters in open ground

All perennial asters need an abundance of sunlight. It is necessary to take this fact into account when planning to plant a flower in open ground. Never plant this plant in a flooded area. It is also worth knowing that asters love phosphate fertilizers. Care in the form of soil enrichment is best started even before the seedling is planted in the ground. Be sure to carry out activities such as digging the earth (to a depth of 30 cm), removing weeds and thorough watering before planting. It is advisable to add lime to the soil when digging or dolomite flour.

Planting seeds of perennial asters in open ground

In the southern regions, the seeds of perennial asters are sown directly in open ground. late autumn or in the spring, sprinkling them with a centimeter layer of humus. Slightly strengthened seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place. It is important that the seeds are as fresh as possible. Colorful flowers, as in the provided photos, you can see only a year later. In regions with a more severe climate, a seedling method of growing perennial asters is practiced. Purchased soil is quite suitable for planting seeds. A container with sown seeds is covered with polyethylene and placed in a sunny place. When the leaves appear, the seedlings are carefully dived into separate pots.

Reproduction of an aster by dividing a bush

The division of the aster bush ( vegetative way) is simple and fast method propagation and planting new areas with flowers. It is necessary to separate part of the bush along with the rhizome in the spring after the start of rapid growth, remove weak stems and transplant to a new place. Astra can grow in one place up to 7 years, but to update the bush, save lush flowering, the culture is recommended to be transplanted every three years. Astra perennial quite well tolerates the division of the bush.

Aster care in the open field

Astra can be called an unpretentious plant in care. But in order for it to bloom in all its glory, you need to adhere to some rules of agricultural technology. First of all, it is necessary to ensure proper watering. Perennial refers to moisture-loving flowers. Moisten the soil with plenty of water. But part with this procedure is not worth it. Let the soil dry out before the next watering. During heavy rains, additional soil moisture is not carried out.

It is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil. The earth needs to be loosened regularly, weeding the beds from weeds. In advance, before flowering, high hilling of plants is carried out - this stimulates the strengthening of the root system of perennials. To prolong the flowering period, we must not forget to remove drying inflorescences from the bushes in a timely manner. They are left only on those specimens that are intended for collecting seeds. Astra is a frost-resistant plant. You can leave the perennial to winter in open field. preparatory activities is trimming the above-ground part and covering the flower bed with a layer of mulch.

Fertilizer and top dressing of perennial asters

Fertile lands with a high humus content are suitable for growing asters in open ground. If the earth is personal plot does not meet these requirements, fertilization will help correct the situation.

Diseases and pests of perennial asters

The perennial aster is ideal for creating landscape design, resistant to many diseases and pests, unpretentious in cultivation. However, in a wet summer, with improper watering or planting asters in damp, waterlogged soil, the likelihood of perennial infection with powdery mildew increases sharply. The disease is transmitted from plant to plant by air. The affected area depends on the density of growth of asters, the presence of moisture on the leaves. In order to prevent this disease, it is recommended to treat the flowers with Topaz twice before flowering. Topaz should be diluted at the rate of 2 ml of the drug per 10 liters. water.

In autumn, it is recommended to treat Alpine aster with copper sulfate (dilute 50 g of the drug in a standard 10-liter bucket of water), after which the plants need to be cut. Infected shoots should be cut and burned, as the powdery mildew fungus can be on the leaves and stems of the plant all winter, and in the spring throw out new spores and infect nearby flowers.

The perennial plant aster grows in nature in the Southern Urals, in Transcarpathia, in Asia and Europe, in the Caucasus. To date, these undemanding plants are grown in almost all gardens, regardless of the region. Flowers adorn areas until frost, can be herbaceous and bushy, have big variety flowers of various shapes and colors.

They can be used to create beautiful flower garden or decorate an ugly garden area. In care, perennial asters are unpretentious, but you need to know some features of their cultivation.

General description, varieties, photo

The plant belongs to Compositae and has about 600 species. Due to the fact that perennial asters are distinguished by late flowering, they are often called winter asters or octobers. Plants by species can grow as a separate flower or bush, and grow up to two meters. Their flowering begins in the first days of autumn and attracts the eye with its diverse color. Asters inflorescences can have shades from white to purple.

Perennials differ in bush height. Tall species of bush asters are often grown as a flowering fence or located in the center of an autumn flower garden. Low grades are used for framing flower beds and borders.

Perennial asters differ in terms of flowering and appearance. Alpine asters bloom in June, and in August they are replaced by lush perennials of Italian varieties. At the beginning of autumn, bush asters decorate the garden with flowers of various shades.

Types of perennial asters

Alpine aster - photo. A low-growing plant, whose homeland is the Alps, reaches a height of only 30 cm. Its flowers resemble chamomile in shape and have a diameter of 4-6 cm. They are located on one stem. The flowers are formed from a yellow double center and tubular petals in pink, purple or white. Astra alpine begins its flowering in early summer. Her bushes bloom profusely for a month. The plant looks very nice Alpine rollercoaster or in group plantings with undersized crops. The most popular varieties:

Aster shrub. The plant is native to North America. Varieties of this species distinguished by strongly leafy stems with a height of 20 to 60 cm. Of all the types of autumn perennials, the aster shrub blooms first. Its most popular varieties include:

The Blue Bird variety is dwarf plant 25 cm high. Reed-shaped flowers have a pale blue color with a lilac tint.
Variety Alba flor foam grows up to 40 cm in height and has petals of various shapes. Her tubular petals yellow color, and reeds have a snow-white color.

Astra New England. The plant reaches a height of two meters and blooms profusely in white, red, pink, blue or dark purple flowers. Inflorescences with a diameter of 4 cm bloom in early autumn. The view is suitable for making bouquets. Cut flowers in water can stand for two weeks.

Astra New Belgian. Perennial plant from 35 cm to one and a half meters high differs in not very large flowers of light purple, lilac, pink, burgundy or white. Depending on the variety, the New Belgian aster can be dwarf, medium-sized or tall.

Italian aster. The plant is a bush, the height of which can be up to 70 cm. Differs in corymbose inflorescences- baskets, which are collected from flowers of pink, lilac, yellow or dark blue. It starts blooming at the end of summer.

Features of growing perennial asters

Perennials love sunny areas and well-drained soils. They grow especially well after calendula and tagetis.

Landing

to plant perennials best on neutral fertile soils. If the soil on the site is depleted, then it must be fertilized. For this, for each square meter is entered:

from 2 to 4 kg of compost or humus;
15–20 g each of ammonium sulphate and potassium salt;
20-30 g of superphosphate.

The site before planting asters is dug up, leveled and loosened. Seedlings are planted from each other at a distance of 20 cm. The grooves for them should not be very deep.. From above, the seedlings are sprinkled with earth and watered. Then for 2-3 days they do not need to be watered. After two weeks, young plants are fed with nitrogen fertilizers.

Absolutely not suitable for planting crops damp areas. The plant grown on them is very often infected with powdery mildew, and eventually dies.

alpine aster

Features of care in the open field

An unpretentious perennial in care, it is necessary to provide infrequent, but plentiful watering, timely weeding and loosening of the soil. When the soil dries out, the bushes lose their decorative look and their baskets are drying up.

To strengthen and accelerate the growth of the root system, bushes are hilled to a height of 5–6 cm before flowering. During the flowering period, wilted and faded flowers must be removed in a timely manner.

When caring for perennial asters, do not forget to feed them. Otherwise, the plants will form few buds and not bloom very profusely. per season the culture is fed three times. Two weeks after planting, superphosphate, potassium sulfate and ammonium nitrate. When buds appear and at the very beginning of flowering, top dressing is done only with superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

Perennial asters in winter

Many types of asters are hardy, but there are some varieties that require shelter for the winter. For this, spruce branches, dry leaves or peat are used. Dried stems are cut off before covering.. After the onset of heat in the spring, the shelter will be removed, the soil is watered and loosened.

In one place, perennials grow for five years. After this period, in the fall, the bushes are dug up, divided and planted in a new place. In this case, it is desirable not to damage the root system so that the plants do not get sick after transplantation.

Possible difficulties in growing

Unpretentious care asters can be affected by some pests and diseases:

Jaundice asters - viral disease, in which the leaves first brighten, then the growth of the buds and the whole plant stops. The disease is carried by pests, so first of all you need to destroy them. For this, insecticides are used.
Asters rust is manifested by the appearance of swelling on the underside of the leaf. Leaves begin to wither and dry. Rust spores fall from coniferous plants, so crops should be grown away from them. If the disease has appeared, then the bushes are treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid every week.
Fusarium is the most common disease of asters. It appears already in an adult plant, which on the one hand begins to turn yellow and fade sharply. The disease is not cured, so you need to apply preventive measures. To do this, cultural circulation must be observed on the site.

Among pests, the threat to perennial asters is the scoop, bud aphid, spider mite, common earwig, meadow bug. So that insects do not overcome the plant, the soil in the garden should be carefully dug up in the fall, removing weeds. Dried plant stems are burned. There should be sufficient distance between planting crops. It is recommended to add compost, humus and lime to the soil. In this case, the plants will be healthy and able to resist various pests and diseases.

Asters are plants that proper fit and care will allow you to decorate garden plot autumn time. Against the backdrop of a general withering, they will bring into it bright colors and happy notes.

These flowers are called "shooting stars" or "octobers". Experienced flower growers already understood that we are talking about asters, so similar to multi-colored stars. They decorate gardens and flower beds with purple, white, bright red, blue or purple flowers from June to October. The timing of flowering depends on the type of plant. And what they are - more on that later. In the article we will talk about the cultivation of perennial asters, we will give recommendations on care, feeding, transplanting.

Perennial asters are decorative flowers that should be on every personal plot, they differ beautiful flowering and have their own nuances in cultivation.

Types of perennial asters and their characteristics

There are three types of perennial asters - early (those that bloom in spring), medium (bloom in summer) and late - autumn.

species name	Height	flowering time	Description of flowers	Common varieties
early flowering	Low growing plants. They grow from 15 to 30 cm.	They begin to bloom the next year after planting. Bloom in May. Flowering time is about a month.	Inflorescences solitary. Their diameter is up to five cm. The color is pink, white, blue, purple, or red.	Alpine, Anders and others.
Medium flowering	The height of spherical bushes is from 30 to 70 cm.	Blooms from June to late summer.	The color of the inflorescences is lilac, dark purple. The size of the inflorescences is from 2.5 to 5 cm.	Fricara, Italian, stonecrop.
Late flowering	Bushes from 80 to 160 cm high.	They bloom all the way to frost.	The flowers have small size(from 1 cm in diameter), but there are usually a lot of them.	Heather, New England, shrub and others

Where to plant perennial asters

Perennial asters love sunny areas, but they can also grow in partial shade, but they do not like shade: plants planted in shady places will lose the beauty of their appearance, will not bloom or bloom very weakly. They do not like asters of this species and places where moisture stagnates - this is why their roots affect various diseases, including fungi and rot.

This is how the flowers of perennial asters look like close-up, asters have different flowering variations, so everyone can choose the option to their taste.

Although perennial asters are undemanding to the soil, they are best planted on neutral, light, medium-heavy nutrient loamy soils. The main thing is that they pass moisture and air well. When planting tall varieties, you need to pay attention to the fact that they are not placed where drafts walk: from strong winds bushes will fall and stems will break.

It is advisable to prepare for planting flowers in advance:

Fertilize the soil with mineral (potassium, superphosphates) and organic (peat, compost, humus) fertilizers.
Dig up the soil.
If the drainage of the earth is poor, arrange moisture removal or add sand while digging.
Lime can be added to the soil to reduce high acidity. Suitable for this and dolomite flour. They need about 200 gr per 1 sq / m.

How to plant perennial asters

Features of planting asters depend on their type:

Low-growing varieties are planted at a distance of one bush from another at a distance of 20 cm. The distance between rows is at least 30 cm.
Plants of medium-sized varieties should be planted at a distance of 30 cm, and between rows leave about 50 cm free.
Leave 50-60 cm between tall plants in a row, and 0.8-1.0 cm between rows.

In addition, it is imperative to take into account the density of the bush - the above data are recommended for medium-branched bushes. Bushes with a large number of stems and dense foliage should be planted even less often.

Asters usually grow in one place for 5-6 years, and then they need to be transplanted to another place, while dividing the bush. If this is not done, the bush will be reborn - due to the strong thickening, smaller flowers will begin to appear on it, the stems will become thinner and weaker.

Also, perennial asters differ in the form of flowering, which makes it possible to decorate your garden in an original way, using, at the same time, only one plant variety.

Features of caring for perennial asters

Thanks to their use, not only will moisture not quickly disappear, but a crust will not appear. Its appearance is very undesirable - because of this, moisture evaporates much faster, and the soil warms up much more strongly. Due to the fact that air cannot penetrate under the crust, the roots heat up much more strongly. Usually this is manifested by the fact that the bush fades in extreme heat, but after watering it quickly recovers. If this is observed, then the plants must be protected from this phenomenon by mulching.

Another important point of care is the removal of weeds. They not only violate the beauty of the flower bed, but also take away moisture and nutrients from the flowers, so you need to weed the soil around the flowers regularly, preventing the weeds from oppressing the plants.

It looks like a bush of perennial asters in the garden - simple and tasteful, so you can decorate any flower bed, asters go well with many ornamental plants.

Some types of asters will need to be looked after more carefully. For example, for shrubs. Although no differences are observed in agricultural technology, it will be necessary to work hard on the appearance of the bushes - to do pruning: cut off the tops to form bushes. Thanks to this, side shoots will grow much thicker and faster, and the number of flowers will increase much.

Tall varieties, especially those growing in partial shade, must be tied up so that the long stems do not spread out. But this should be done in dry weather, when the stems are a little sluggish. If the stems fell during the rain, they should be tried to pick up as quickly as possible, while they have not yet been saturated with moisture - this makes the stems too fragile and can easily break off with any careless movement.

Tip #1 Experts recommend pinching the tops of abundantly flowering varieties, which will greatly increase the number of inflorescences. Faded inflorescences must be removed regularly to preserve the decorative effect of the bushes.

How to feed perennial asters?

There are a few important points fertilizers of these colors to be observed:

Starting from July, it is undesirable to use fertilizers with a large amount of nitrogen for top dressing - this will cause fattening of plants, and winter period they won't survive.
In order not to develop bacteriosis during autumn top dressing, it is necessary to add 5-6% sulfur in powder to fertilizers.
The amount of fertilizer used depends on the area of the flower bed and the age of the asters. So, for young flowers, you can apply about 50 g of fertilizer per 1 sq. / m, and for older bushes - 70-90 g.
Overdoses are unacceptable - rhizomes suffer from this, which can cause the death of the entire plant.
Fertilizers can be applied around the bush, but not under the root.

The close-up picture shows a perennial aster variety, bluish, unpretentious in care and takes root well in most cases.

Fertilizers for perennial asters

There are many types of preparations that can be used to feed asters. The table below shows the most popular products, but if completely different ones were purchased, this does not matter, the main thing is that they contain the substances necessary for asters.

Name	Release form	Description of the drug	purpose
"GUMI-OMI"	Soft concentrated fertilizer. Available in powder or granules.	The basis for the creation was used chicken manure. Contains a balanced amount of trace elements, humic, mineral and organic substances,	For plant nutrition, improvement of growth and decorative qualities, prolongation of flowering time.
Mortar	Highly concentrated preparation in the form of powder or granules	It is a universal chlorine-free product. Contains all necessary substances.	Provides complete nutrition for asters and other flower crops.
"Flower Waltz Effect"	highly concentrated liquid	Contains everything the flowers need substances in a balanced amount.	For full growth, development, splendor of flowers and high decorativeness of plants.
"HERA Floral Universal"	Powder with a classic set of minerals.	Contains all the necessary substances in a balanced amount	For the normal development and growth of asters. To stimulate lush and long flowering, improve decorative characteristics.
"Kemira Fertik"	Granular preparation .	Contains a composition specially developed for flowers	To increase the duration of flowering, saturation of flowers with bright colors

When growing asters, do not forget about their fertilizer and top dressing, then the number of peduncles will be much larger, and the total appearance plants are much more decorative.

Preparing for wintering perennial asters

Almost all, with a few exceptions of asters, are resistant to frost and cold. They do not need to be insulated for the winter. After flowering, the plants are pruned at the root. To protect the roots from frost, the soil around the bushes and the bush itself can be covered with compost. If it is not available, you can use dry leaves or simply remove the soil near the bush and use it.

Warming from leaves, spruce branches and other materials is usually used for young bushes that are not yet strong and may not survive the winter cold. Representatives of valuable varietal bushes are less stable, so they also need to be warmed. What material to use for this? The one that is most available or in stock.

Tip #2 When choosing perennial varieties, it is best to choose early and medium-blooming ones - late ones may not bloom during early frosts.

Features of planting perennial asters

Even those who are just embarking on such a difficult and exciting path as a grower can grow asters of this type, since caring for them is the easiest. You can plant perennial asters as hedge or border:

On an alpine hill.
On the flowerbed.
Near the tracks.
At the fences.
Around the garden.
Near the house.

When choosing an aster variety for planting in the garden, pay attention to unusual varieties, they are also easy to care for, but outwardly they will look more special.

Methods for breeding perennial asters

There are several ways to propagate this type of flower:

Reproduction method	Application	Peculiarities	Disadvantages and advantages
seeds	Used in breeding alpine aster, and other varieties breed so rarely	You can use both purchased and seeds taken from your flower bed. You need to sow in the spring, after the soil warms up.	Seedlings are weak. Not always young plants will inherit the qualities of the mother bush.
The division of the bush	Acceptable for plants 3-5 years of age.	It is possible to propagate early and medium flowering species both in autumn and spring, and late flowering species only in autumn.	The method makes it possible to obtain a strong bush that has retained all its qualities.
Using layering	Can be used for bushes not younger than 4 years.	Spend in the spring. You can separate young plants in the fall or next spring. You can receive a large number of layers at the same time.	Young bushes bloom in a year, and varietal - two after the start of the procedure.
cuttings	Can be used for bushes with a large number of shoots.	Gives you the opportunity to get a huge number of new plants.	For the winter, young plants, regardless of type and variety, need to be insulated. The following year, the grown cuttings are planted in a permanent place.

How to deal with pests and diseases

Although asters are excellent at resisting many diseases and are rarely attacked by pests, but if they are not properly cared for, this is still possible. Gray rot or powdery mildew are found on perennial asters if they are abundant and watered frequently. The same is possible during too frequent rains. To get rid of diseases, you can use any drug that contains copper. This is copper oxychloride, copper sulfate.

There are special preparations for this (Topaz, Fitosporin, Gummi), which must be used according to the instructions. Asters and fusarium can often get sick. To get rid of this disease, it is necessary to spray the plants with a solution of potassium permanganate, boric acid.

When choosing which variety of perennial asters to plant, pay attention to the colors, white and lilac asters are especially beautifully combined with each other.

Rust, jaundice, aphids, spider mites, slugs, scoops - these and many other diseases and pests can affect perennial asters, but this is extremely rare. Preventive examinations and, if necessary, the use of specialized drugs will help to avoid these troubles.

Common questions about growing perennial asters

Question number 1. Astra loves dampness or dryness more, how best to water it?

The first rule of caring for perennial asters is to avoid dampness, as excessive moisture and dampness given plant does not tolerate. However, in dry, hot weather, they need moderate watering. It is especially necessary to pay due attention to watering in the process of tying buds.

Question number 2. Do I need to feed the aster?

Preferably. Firstly, in this way you can prevent the appearance of pests and diseases of asters, and secondly, thanks to top dressing, perennial asters will delight with their flowering almost until the onset of cold weather. Top dressing can be taken both natural and purchased special mixtures in specialized stores.

Question number 3. If an aster is sick, can it be sprayed with poison?

Yes, only with the help of spraying can aster diseases be avoided, especially such frequent ones as fusarium. To do this, you can either purchase a ready-made mixture, or prepare it yourself by mixing potassium permanganate, magnesium salts, zinc, copper, cobalt, ammonium and boric acid.

Ecology of agriculture: Perennial asters are a set various kinds: alpine, new Belgian, shrubby, etc. Most often we have to grow them from seeds purchased

Pokrovki, september or oktyabrinka are flowers that successfully decorate the autumn garden, becoming a bright colored ball at a time when everything around is already glowing with autumn colors. At the same time, not everyone knows that these perennial plants are close relatives of annual asters familiar to all. In nature, there are about 500 species of perennial asters, but few are grown in horticultural crops, so we will consider only the most common ones.

Perennial asters, depending on the flowering period, are divided into early-flowering (spring), medium-flowering (summer) and autumn-flowering (autumn).

1. Asters perennial with spring term flowering.

Alpine aster, growing from seeds of which among domestic gardeners is practiced more often than other varieties. A low-growing plant 15-30 cm high, with single inflorescences, not exceeding 5 cm in diameter. Flowering begins in May a year after sowing and lasts about a month. At different varieties inflorescences can have white, blue, purple, pink and red colors of reed flowers and an orange or brownish shade of tubular flowers located in the middle.

Astra Anders is a low-growing plant with purple inflorescences.

2. Asters with an average flowering period, blooming from July to the end of August.

Italian aster with large corymbose lilac inflorescences (up to 5 cm) and spherical bushes reaching 30-70 cm in height.

Astra Frikara with dark purple inflorescences and bushes over 70 cm in height.

Astra stonecrop with small 2.5-3 cm in diameter, lilac flowers with a bluish tint and a bush height of up to 1 m.

3. Asters blooming in autumn.

Heather aster. herbaceous plant with a bush height of 80-105 cm, straight stems and linear leaves. The inflorescences are small (about 1 cm in diameter), but numerous, the flowers are white. Drought and frost resistant. The flowering period is from September to October.

Aster shrub. It has dense densely leafy bushes 25-60 cm high. Early varieties of this species bloom in early autumn, dotted with white and pale blue inflorescences. In addition, due to the abundant foliage, the perennial aster is often grown as an ornamental leafy plant along with boxwood.

Astra New England, also called North American. The height of the bush reaches an average of 160 cm. The bushes themselves are columnar and do not require additional supports. Inflorescences are small, 2.5-4 cm in diameter, numerous. Depending on the variety, they can have a white, pink, purple, red, blue color. They bloom in September-October, can retain a considerable number of inflorescences until frost.

Astra new Belgian or virgin. Along with New England, it is considered one of the most common varieties. Within this species, there are perennial undersized asters (up to 40 cm), the cultivation of which is especially popular when creating compositions, medium-sized (up to 75 cm) and tall varieties (up to 150 cm). Paniculate inflorescences with an abundance of flowers up to 2 cm in diameter tightly cover the bush. The colors of reed flowers are dominated by purple, blue, red, white, various shades Pink colour.

Reproduction of perennial asters

Unlike its one-year relative, the perennial aster reproduces effectively in several ways: by seeds, dividing the bush, cuttings and vertical layering.

1. Perennial asters: growing from seeds.

It is worth noting that this method most often used when grown from seeds of alpine aster, while for other species it is used extremely rarely, since the seedlings are rather weak and do not always inherit maternal qualities.

Sowing is carried out in the fall immediately after the collection of seeds. If the flower of your choice is the alpine aster, the cultivation from seeds of which is more common, then it is better to sow it in the spring, when the soil warms up. With the onset of heat, shoots appear, which are left at the planting site until autumn, when they are transplanted to a permanent place. Caring for young plants, from germination to transplantation, is simple and consists in timely watering, periodic feeding with complex mineral fertilizers, loosening the soil and weeding. For the most part, it is similar to growing one-year-old asters from seeds in the open field before flowering.

2. Perennial asters: reproduction by dividing the bush.

Perennial asters can be propagated by dividing the bush when the plant reaches 4-5 years of age. Simultaneously with the division of the bush, the plant is transplanted to a new site, since the period of keeping asters of this type in one place should not exceed 5-6 years.

Reproduction of asters in this way is carried out both in spring and autumn. bushes recommended early varieties, flowering in spring, divided in autumn, and for late varieties optimal time for the division of the bush will be spring. To do this, adult bushes dig and release the roots from the soil. And in the fall, this is done approximately four weeks before the onset of frost, and in the spring until the buds are completely swollen. When dividing a bush into parts, secateurs separate segments that have stems and roots. It is absolutely necessary to initially make sure that the separated part will have a young developed root system and 3-5 healthy shoots. It is better to remove old rhizomes altogether, and young ones can be slightly trimmed.

3. Perennial asters: propagation by layering.

Reproduction by vertical layering is possible for 4-year-old bushes of perennial asters. For this in early spring shoots are cut, leaving stumps of 1.5-2 cm. At the same time, to obtain more planting material it is necessary to provide the plant with proper care, namely timely watering and top dressing. When the shoots grow up to 10-15 cm from the base, they are spudded. The center of the bush must be tightly covered with earth in order to avoid the convergence of the stems. After 20-25 days, a secondary hilling is carried out. It is advisable to do it after rain or heavy watering.

Branch layering is carried out in the fall or early spring of the following year. When transplanting, the plants are pruned, leaving no more than 2-3 buds on them. Flowering of asters grown from layering should be expected no earlier than in a year or two.

4. Perennial asters: propagation by cuttings.

The greatest number of young plants is obtained during reproduction perennial species asters cuttings. In this case, the starting material will be apical shoots 10-15 cm long, which are planted in a shaded place under a film shelter. Rooting cuttings occurs within a month.

When harvesting cuttings, the lower cut is made obliquely, and the upper one should be straight, located half a centimeter above the kidney. To reduce evaporation, the upper leaves are shortened, and the lower ones are completely removed. Before planting, cuttings are best kept in water. Also, for better survival, they can be treated with a growth stimulator in accordance with the instructions. The lower part of the cutting is placed in the solution of the drug for 12-15 hours to a depth of no more than 2-3 cm. It is important to avoid getting the drug on the leaves.

Boxes, greenhouses or specially prepared ridges with a film cover stretched over a frame are suitable for rooting cuttings.

The soil mixture for planting should consist of soddy soil, sand and peat in a ratio of 1:2:2. The soil layer with the specified composition should be about 8-10 cm. Perlite, coarse-grained sand or mixtures of equal parts of vermiculite and sand, sand and peat are poured on top in the same amount. For the purpose of disinfection, it is desirable to treat the resulting substrate with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Planted cuttings to a depth of not more than 10 cm at an angle. The optimal landing pattern is 5 × 5 cm.

After planting, it is important to water and shade the cuttings abundantly.

For effective rooting of cuttings, it is necessary to create an optimal microclimate with scattered sunlight, air temperature 22-25 degrees and humidity about 100%. Avoid sudden changes in temperature. It is desirable that the soil temperature be higher than the air temperature by 1-3 degrees.

High humidity is maintained during the first two weeks. At the same time, in the heat, 5 sprays of cuttings with water are allowed throughout the day, and on cloudy days, 2-3 sprays will be enough. Leaves at this time should be constantly moistened.

The full rooting time is 3-4 weeks, and the first signs of the appearance of calus appear already 1-2 weeks after planting.

For rearing, the resulting plants can be transplanted to a semi-shady area. Also, at the place of rooting, they can be left until next spring, when they will already be fully developed plants with strong roots. The only thing is that for the winter it would be better to cover them with spruce branches, sawdust, straw, fallen leaves or peat. In May, they can be safely transplanted to a permanent place.

Perennial asters, growing from seeds that are less common than other propagation methods, are a real highlight of the autumn garden and look great in the cut. They are resistant to heat and cold. And with elementary care (No. 9), they will give an abundance of bright fluffy inflorescences-stars. Perennial asters are probably one of the most favorite autumn flowers for many gardeners. Moreover, numerous graceful inflorescences and often late flowering periods are combined with the unpretentiousness of these plants to growing conditions. But at the same time, the decorativeness of the bush and abundant flowering can only be obtained by initially selecting for aster appropriate place and providing her with basic care. So, perennial asters: planting and care.

Where to plant a perennial aster?

It is worth noting that perennial species of asters grow best on sunny areas or in partial shade. While an aster planted in a shady corner of the garden may gradually lose its attractive appearance, bloom weakly or not at all. In addition, such an arrangement, along with the likelihood of stagnation of water in the soil, usually contributes to the development of various kinds of diseases.

When choosing a place, it is also necessary to pay attention to the mechanical composition of the soil. Despite the undemandingness of plants to this factor, neutral light and medium-heavy nutrient loamy soils with good moisture and air permeability are more suitable for perennial asters.

Tall varieties, for example, New Belgian aster, when planted, they try to place them in areas protected from drafts and winds so that they do not ruin the bush.

It is recommended to prepare for planting perennial asters in advance by digging and fertilizing the soil with organic (humus, compost, peat) and mineral fertilizers (superphosphates, potash fertilizers), since they, like annual asters, grow much better and bloom precisely in properly seasoned areas. If the level of acidity in the soil is increased, then you can additionally add dolomite flour or lime (about 200 g per 1 sq. M.). If the soil is heavy and with poor drainage, then coarse sand is brought into it for digging.

Planting technology for perennial asters

When planting asters, it is important to consider the height and features of the bush. So, undersized asters are planted in the ground according to the scheme 20 × 30 cm, medium-sized ones - 30 × 50 cm, and tall ones 50 × 80 or 60 × 100 cm. For example, shrub aster, planting and caring for which is not much different from other perennial species , can have a bush height of 25 to 60 cm, depending on the characteristics of a particular variety, and the bushes themselves are strongly branched and abundantly covered with foliage, therefore it is better to plant it less often than the same alpine aster with single inflorescences and less voluminous bushes.

Seedlings of perennial asters obtained as a result of root division, or seedlings and cuttings grown in a separate area, are planted in a permanent place in well-dug loosened and already fertilized soil. Depending on the moisture content of the soil, both double watering (in pits and over compacted soil in dry weather) and single watering over slightly compacted soil when planting in sufficiently moist soil is possible. It is important to ensure that the roots are not damaged, and the soil is firmly laid down around them and there are no air pockets left.

When planting asters, it should be remembered that in one place they will grow for 4-6 years, after which the bushes will need to be divided and transplanted to another site.

Perennial asters: care

For the most part, perennial asters common in our gardens do not require special care. The main thing is not to forget about timely watering (especially during a drought, when it is watered abundantly, but not often, and during the period of active growth of the vegetative mass), periodic loosening of the soil to a shallow depth (up to 7 cm) and weed removal.

Mulching will make maintenance easier. A layer of mulch (such as weathered peat) is placed around the bush immediately after planting. Thus, a crust does not form on the soil around the plant, weeds grow less and moisture does not disappear so quickly, which is important in the heat.

If the soil is nutritious or well seasoned before planting, then it is not necessary to additionally feed the asters. At the same time, they will respond positively to top dressing with water-soluble complex or phosphorus-containing fertilizers during the budding period, as well as to liming at the growth stage.

Depending on the features specific type there may be some nuances in the care of these plants. So, shrub aster, planting and caring for which is generally identical to the agricultural technology of other species, may require more attention to the formation of a bush by trimming the tops, which will not only stimulate the growth of lateral shoots, but also get neat living fences that will be strewn with flowers by autumn . Pinching the tops of other profusely flowering varieties helps to increase the number of inflorescences.

Tall species such as New England aster, especially if they grow in partial shade or the bushes are overly thickened, sometimes require garters to additional supports. To do this, use specially driven pegs or initially plant plants along the hedge.

During flowering, in order to prolong it and preserve the decorativeness of the bush, you should definitely remove faded inflorescences.

Disease and pest control

By themselves, perennial asters are very resistant to various pests and diseases. But under adverse weather conditions or insufficient care, they can be affected by gray rot or powdery mildew. The best prevention diseases can be correct agricultural technology, in particular, a sufficient distance between plants, and sometimes it is recommended to spray asters with solutions containing copper (copper sulfate, copper oxychloride, approximately 10 g per 10 l) or with special preparations (Gumi, Fitosporin, Topaz) in accordance with instructions. Sometimes, as an alternative to chemicals, a soapy solution is used, consisting of 10 liters of water, 40-50 g of soap and 30-50 g of soda ash. Plants are treated with them 3-4 times per season with an interval of two weeks.

Sometimes gardeners are faced with the problem that the middle of the aster bush begins to dry out, and the young lateral stems seem weak and the flowers become smaller. This is a sure indicator that the plant needs rejuvenation, but simply put, the bush must be divided and the resulting plants transplanted to a new place.

Preparing for winter

Most types of perennial asters, especially heather aster, are resistant to frost and do not require additional warming for the winter. When flowering is over, it is recommended to cut off the asters at the root, and cover the soil above the bush with compost, dry leaves or a layer of garden soil, which can serve as mulch in spring. Also winter shelter from spruce branches, leaves, etc., young immature plants may need it.

Perennial asters, planting and caring for which even a novice gardener can do, are often planted as borders or hedges. They look great in gravel gardens and alpine slides. They are valued for their late flowering, which looks impressive both next to other flowering perennials and evergreen coniferous bushes. Planted in single curtains or single-varietal groups, during flowering, asters become like huge bouquets dotted with many elegant inflorescences.published

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