Classification and varieties of annual asters

Reproduction, planting and transplanting

It is necessary to plant, transplant and propagate perennials precisely in the spring, when there will be stable warm weather. Aster is planted and reproduced in several ways.

Seed method

Only alpine asters are grown by seeds; this method is not suitable for other varieties due to the poor survival rate of seedlings.

Only fresh seed is sown in autumn. But for an alpine variety, it is better to plant seeds in the spring, when the threat of frost has passed.

When the weather gets warmer, sprouts begin to appear, which will grow during the summer and in the fall they are transplanted to a permanent site.

During the growth of seedlings, they need abundant watering, loosening of the soil and fertilizers. In one place, this perennial grows for no more than six years, and then it must be transplanted to another place or dig up and fertilize the old place and replant the flowers.

Petioles

The most popular breeding and rearing method. For cuttings in the spring, a new shoot of about 17 cm is cut off, while the cut should be at an angle.

The lower foliage is removed, leaving only two apical leaves. For quick engraftment, the petiole is best immersed in a growth-stimulating solution. Then the cutting is planted in a nutritious soil at an angle to partial shade and covered with a film. The stalk takes 35 days to take root.

Sod soil, a little peat and river sand are suitable for cuttings. In the spring, the cuttings are transplanted to a sunny area.

Bush division

This is an ideal method, especially when transplanting flowers. It can be divided both in spring and autumn, but it is better to divide the early varieties in the fall, and the later ones in the spring.

To divide the bush, you need to dig it out, shake it off and rinse the ground from the roots, then divide the bush with a knife or pruner. When dividing into each part, there must be a new shoot.

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Description and characteristics of the variety

The variety was created by breeders of the Uralsky Dachnik company. They went on sale in 2016 and have not yet been included in the State Register. The originator declares about the convenience of growing in protected and open ground.

The bushes are semi-determinate, reaching a height of 1.2-1.4 m. The crop is tied in clusters of 6-8 neat lined fruits. They ripen on the 95-100th day from the moment the seedlings germinate.

The average weight of a tomato is 90-110 g, the shape is round, but can be slightly elongated. The color is red. The skin is dense, the pulp also has sufficient density and does not creep. The taste is sweet with sourness, sugary. Inside 5-6 seed chambers. The use of tomato is universal - it is suitable for juice, processing, harvesting, various dishes and for fresh consumption.

The fruits tolerate transportation and storage well, and the bushes give a high yield, so the hybrid is suitable for growing commercially.

My cultivation experience

‘Khibinskaya’. I love this variety very much, which is presented as very old. It has less antiquity than a cat's tears: it is entered in the register and admitted in the Russian Federation in 1962.

The variety is semi-cabbage, very early ripening, only 40 or up to 50 days before harvesting in garden beds, and even faster in a greenhouse - only 25 days. Try to find another one with the same characteristics! Head of cabbage is an elongated cylinder. But there is one peculiarity: an increased temperature is required for growth. For other varieties and hybrids, +15 ° C ... + 18 ° C is enough, but for ‘Khibinskaya’ this is not enough. And the day should be short, northern. This is not surprising, because the variety was bred at the Polar Experimental Station of the All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Industry in the Murmansk region, in the city of Apatity. This is the first light zone with white nights. So the cabbage in these conditions does not want to give a good head of cabbage. And after the end of these beautiful nights, when the day is really short, pleases with an excellent harvest.

Cabbage

I like this cabbage more than anyone else. She rarely succeeds in my garden, only in very cloudy gloomy weather, when bad weather shortens the day, when there are rare rains.

Peking cabbage 'Cha-cha'. It is believed that this hybrid sets a head of cabbage even with a long day, so it can be grown from early spring to autumn. Since Peking cabbage is early ripening, the ‘Cha-cha’ crop can be harvested every month and a half: that is, sown for seedlings, and after 2 weeks transferred to open ground. At the same time, heads of cabbage are weighty - up to 2.8 kg. I do not know…

Maybe the bag I bought was not ‘Cha-cha’, but a different sort? Because at different times, but absolutely all the plants decided to give offspring (threw away the peduncles), without waiting for the heads of cabbage to appear.

'Nika'. And I like this variety, because in our light zone it gives stable yields. The same 2 months from full sprouting to the first head of cabbage. It's closed! The vegetable can be stored in the cellars for quite a long time.

Popular varieties

Chinese aster comes in many varieties. Conventionally, they can be divided by height (in centimeters):

• dwarf - 20;
• undersized - 40;
• medium-sized - 65;
• giant - 90.

By the shape of the bush:

• spreading;
• pyramidal;
• columnar;
• wide dense;
• oval.

And also by flowering time, by the structure of the bush, by the size of the inflorescences. A popular variety is a mixture of cut varieties. The bush is columnar, up to 70 centimeters high. The flowers are large, double, of various shades.

Serenade

Japanese breeders have bred the Astra Serenada variety from the Matsumoto series. Grown as an annual. Each new season, a different planting site is chosen to avoid fusarium disease. The plant loves sunny areas.

Serenade grows as a shrub, with many inflorescences on each stem. Semi-double flowers, 3 centimeters in diameter, rise on high peduncles. The range of colors - from white to burgundy shades, there are blue specimens. In the cut, they do not lose their original appearance for 2 weeks.

The Dragon

The tall pyramidal bush is striking in its grandeur. On the stem there are large balls with curling ligulate petals. Outwardly, the Dragon variety is similar to garden chrysanthemums. Bright flowers with iridescent hues.

Balun

The Balun variety is formed by a pyramidal bush. The plant stretches up to 60 centimeters. Amazing large spherical inflorescences up to 15 centimeters in diameter. Terry flowers.The petals fit together so tightly that rain does not get inside. Up to 7 peduncles appear on each bush.

Princess

The Princess variety grows as an extensive bush. Height - 75 centimeters. The flowers range in diameter from 9 to 13 centimeters. The petals are tubular, collected in balls. Shades of pastel colors emphasize the delicate image of the plant.

old lock

A very small pyramidal bush, 70 centimeters high. It amazes with a variety of peduncles - up to 40 pieces. Inflorescences of delicate shades: blue, pink, lilac, milky. The diameter of the balls is 10 centimeters. The petals curl inward.

Pompons

The shape of the bush is columnar. Height - 60 centimeters. Variety Pompons with round, flattened inflorescences. Flowers - up to 8 centimeters in diameter, scattered over the bush in the amount of 30 pieces. The incredible color of the buds will decorate any flower bed, flower garden. Looks beautiful in the cut. Retain odor and appearance for 2 weeks.

Care

Needle asters are picky, but they still need some care. First of all, these plants need to be watered regularly. This should be done as the soil dries. In addition, loosening must be carried out. In the event that it is not possible to regularly weed your flower bed, it is best to use mulch.

Another important point is plant fertilization. Feeding is necessary 3 times per season. The first time fertilization is applied when 4 leaves appear on the sprout. For this, ammonium nitrate is suitable, 1 matchbox per 1 square meter is enough.

The second feeding falls on the budding time of the aster. Most often, nitrate or superphosphate is used with the same calculation as for the first time. The third feeding is done during the period of active flowering of the plant.

Landing

Asters are planted with seeds. They can be placed directly in open ground or sown on seedlings. Whichever option is chosen, the seeds must be prepared before planting. This can be done in two ways.

1. Germination. For this, the aster seeds must be wrapped in a soft cloth, and then moistened with a solution of potassium permanganate. Every day you need to moisten the fabric with a spray bottle. After 7 days, the seeds should be transferred to a plastic bag and placed in a warm place. After two days, you can sow them.
2. Soak. This option allows you to speed up the planting process. It is enough to soak the seeds for 8-10 hours in a solution of succinic acid or potassium, after which you can start sowing.

Seedling method

The soil should contain a large amount of peat, in addition, a little coarse sand and humus should be added to it. For disinfection, it is necessary to calcine the finished substrate in the oven for 1 hour or simply spill it with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.

The depth of the container for planting must be at least 7 centimeters. It is necessary to pour the prepared substrate into it, water it abundantly, and then, using an ordinary toothpick, make small indentations up to one and a half millimeters. It is necessary to place either germinated or soaked seeds in the holes, and sprinkle them on top with a thin layer of earth.

To speed up the germination process a little, cover the container with seeds with glass or film. After that, you need to put it in a warm place. It is necessary to regularly moisten and ventilate the container with seeds. It will be enough once a day.

The first shoots should appear in 9-10 days. After that, the glass will need to be removed, and the container should be transferred to a cooler place. It is necessary to water the seedlings as the earth dries up, but it is still not worth allowing waterlogging. When 3-4 leaves appear on the seedlings, it is necessary to dive. You can plant sprouts either in cups or in small special containers.

In open ground, seedlings should be planted only when there is no night frost. But at the same time, the plants should already have 6 leaves.It is best to start planting seedlings in the afternoon, when the sun is no longer shining too much.

It is necessary to make small holes in advance, and then pour them with water. When moisture enters the ground, you can place seedlings in the holes and sprinkle it with earth with peat or humus. The distance between low asters should be at least 20 centimeters, between medium - up to 25 centimeters, and between high - up to 40 centimeters.

In open ground

It is possible to sow seeds directly into the ground both in spring and late autumn. In both cases, germination will be high.

It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the features of the autumn planting. At the beginning of October, you need to prepare the place. To do this, you need to dig up the ground, remove all the roots, and then level the soil well with a rake and tamp it a little. Next, you need to make several furrows up to two centimeters deep. The distance between them must be at least 30 centimeters.

After that, they must be covered with agrofibre. As soon as the first frost comes, it must be opened and the seeds must be placed in the furrows. From above, they must be covered with dry earth and must be tamped. After that, everything must be covered with dry leaves. In April, all of them are carefully removed, and the area with sown asters is again covered with agrofibre, which will protect the seedlings from possible frost. It is removed only at the beginning of June.

Spring planting is divided into two phases. The first time the seeds are sown at the end of April, and the second time - at the beginning of May. This increases the chances of germination.

The earth, as in the first case, also needs to be dug up, and then furrows are made. Then they must be well filled with water and the cooked seeds should be spread out. The interval between them should be up to two centimeters. Next, everything must be covered with dry earth with the addition of peat or humus. To make the seedlings appear a little faster, they can be covered with foil on top.

Planting and caring for a flower

Chinese aster can be planted both in open ground and in pots for preparing seedlings. The second option is preferable, as it shortens the period of flower formation.

Terms and rules for planting seeds for seedlings

It is recommended to plant aster seedlings in early March. To do this, the seeds are first spread on cheesecloth dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Within a week, the first shoots should appear, which can be transferred to pots with prepared soil.

Aster seeds are also allowed to be sown directly into the soil. The plant is recommended to grow in a soil mixture consisting of three parts of sod land and one part of sand. Additionally, vermiculite is added to this composition, which will provide a sufficient flow of oxygen to the roots.

Seeds of asters must be sown, observing the following rules:

1. The seeds are buried 1 centimeter into the ground and covered with a layer of sand on top.
2. The soil with the planting material is watered abundantly, and the pots are covered with foil and kept indoors at a temperature of 23 degrees for a week.
3. After 7-10 days, when shoots appear, the film is removed, and the pots are transferred to a room with a temperature of 18 degrees.
4. Seedlings are watered abundantly and kept in a well-lit area for 12 hours.
5. After the appearance of two leaves, a pick is made.

After 10 days, the seedlings are fed with mineral fertilizers. The procedure must be repeated when 4 sheets appear. During this period, the plant must be taken outside for 30 minutes daily, gradually increasing the interval.

Site selection and transplanting into open ground

Aster is recommended to be planted in soil with neutral acidity and fertilized in spring with mineral dressing. Seedlings can be transferred to an open area in early summer. The plant is planted on the sunny side (some varieties do not impose such requirements) in a pre-prepared hole. After that, the seedlings are watered abundantly.

Watering and feeding

Abundant watering of the Chinese aster is required in dry and hot summers.Up to three buckets of water should be added per square meter. For the first time, the plant is fed immediately after planting, using mineral fertilizers, the second - during flowering, with the help of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Loosening the soil

The soil under the asters must be loosened after each watering, when the earth dries up. Due to the close location of the roots, it is not recommended to deepen below five centimeters.

Protection against insects and diseases

Chinese aster has a weak immunity to fusarium and blackleg. To avoid this, the plant should not be fed with manure, as well as ensure sufficient air flow to the root system and not planted in acidic soils. It is not recommended to grow aster where bulbous flowers used to grow.

In order to prevent the defeat of aphids and slugs, it is recommended to apply a solution of Chlorophos to the bushes.

Pruning and preparing for winter

Astra does not require winter preparation. However, if the plant is grown in regions where the temperature drops below -40 degrees, the bushes should be cut off and then covered with leaves, humus and peat.

Aster story

Chinese aster has many admirers all over the world. Translated from Greek, its name means "star", which is associated with many legends. For example, the ancient Greeks believed that these were the tears of the cosmic Virgin, turned into dust, from which beautiful flowers grew. Since they associated this constellation with the goddess of love Aphrodite, the flower also became her symbol.

They sincerely believed that if you stand among the asters at night, you can hear them quietly talking with the stars.

In China, since antiquity, the annual aster symbolized female beauty, elegance and modesty. For many European peoples, it became a symbol of sadness for the lost paradise, therefore it was considered a fragment of a distant and unattainable star.

Many believed that aster leaves, thrown into a fire, were able to drive away snakes, but most often this flower is called an autumn rose, since it is the brightest and most beautiful plant blooming during this period.

The best varieties of Chinese asters

Chinese aster is a herb for open ground. Thanks to selection, about 500 species of this culture were bred.

Among them:

1. Erfurt dwarf. A stunted species bred in Germany. It is characterized by a compact pyramidal bush, the height of which reaches 20-30 cm. It forms large inflorescences with a diameter of up to 10 cm. The color is in a classic color scheme. The first buds open after 3 months.
2. The gray-haired lady. Peony aster 70 cm high. A characteristic feature is the silvery-white tips of the petals. The main shade of this series can be pink or lilac-blue. The bush has a compressed pyramidal shape, forms about 10 peduncles per season. The "Gray Lady" has double or semi-double inflorescences, with a diameter of 9-12 cm. The first buds open in July.
3. Unique. A needle-like type of Chinese aster, distinguished by a rich selection of colors with a subtle aroma. Forms high bushes up to 70 cm, with numerous branches. Radiant inflorescences reach 13 cm in diameter.
4. Harz. A spectacular needle-like variety with huge inflorescences 16-18 cm in diameter. The height of the bushes is 70 cm. Forms strong shoots, therefore it is suitable for cutting. Long petal needles are densely planted and slightly curled in the center. A series of Chinese asters "Harz", as seen in the photo, is distinguished by a wide variety of shades.
5. Pampushka. A pom-pom plant variety that includes one- and two-color shades. Forms compact branchy bushes 50 cm high. The marginal flowers form a long wide skirt, and the central ones are dense, short.

Important! All types of Chinese asters are distinguished by a long flowering period and increased resistance to adverse weather conditions.

Decorative flowering annual varieties of asters

• Astra Pinocchio.This is a flower loved by many growers for its unpretentious care, high vitality. In addition, the Pinocchio aster is a compact, densely branched bush with abundant flowering. On one bush, up to fifty inflorescences can bloom at the same time.
• Chinese aster is an annual plant native to China and has many varieties. There are dwarf and low-growing species, as well as medium-sized, tall and giant varieties. A varied palette of flowers from a snow-white shade to a dark red color made this variety especially popular not only in home floriculture, but also in landscape design. Chinese aster, which is not at all difficult to grow, is used to decorate borders, flower beds, and create rabatki. It looks great in group plantings.
• Moonlight line. Multi-colored compact pom-poms have a light border, like a halo around the moon. One of the best cut varieties.
• Eurasia variety with spherical lemon-colored flowers. It grows up to 60 cm in height in the form of a column, on which up to 10 flowers bloom at the same time.
• Blue needle aster Autumn Olympiad - undersized, spreading bushes, behind the flowers of which you can hardly see the greenery. Very long flowering time.
• The variety of German selection Rother Edelstein is one of the few with bright red large flowers. Refers to the elite.
• Aster shrub Royal Ruby has leaves that look like boxwood. A lush bush can have 20 to 50 bright crimson flowers.

Problems in growing asters

Growing asters is very often accompanied by various difficulties. Both perennial and annual varieties can be affected by various diseases and pests.

Astra and Astrantia very often suffer from fusarium. This disease appears in mature plants. The reason is not competent care. The fungus massively infects flowers, as a result of which they weaken, turn yellow and then dry out. Affected specimens are immediately removed from the site. There is no cure for this disease yet. For preventive purposes, it is recommended to adhere to the rules of crop rotation on the site - the aster must be alternated with other plants.

Perennial asters, just like annuals, can get sick with rust, which leads to complete drying out of plants. To prevent the occurrence of this disease, it is recommended to plant flowers away from conifers. For preventive purposes, the flowers are sprayed with a one percent solution of Bordeaux liquid.

Fundazol is used in case of damage to asters by verticillosis or powdery mildew. In the process of growth and flowering, aster and astrantia affect harmful insects - spider mites, aphids, slobbering pennits, meadow bugs, plowed slugs. The fight against these pests is carried out with the help of chemicals, folk remedies are also used.

Competent care, optimal growing conditions are the key to full-fledged growth and abundant flowering of these amazing flowers.

Description

Perennial, which in our climate is grown as an annual. A low herbaceous plant. Stems are tender, solitary or branching, densely leafy. The leaves are small, bright green. Flowers are collected in inflorescences, but, as a rule, they sit alone. A cup of five petals. The color scheme is quite peculiar: white, blue or bright orange. The distribution area is also unusual, different species can be found in completely different climatic zones: one in the tropics (Africa, Madagascar), one species (field anagallis) grows wild in Russia, others are common in the Middle East, Europe and America.

The popular name is full-time color.

Diseases and pests

The most common ailments of callistephus is incurable fusarium. Its manifestation can be seen during the formation of buds, as well as during flowering. The disease is accompanied by the fact that the leaves on the culture curl and turn yellow.In order to prevent the spread of the disease, it is worth removing and destroying the affected parts of the culture.

As a preventive measure, the following recommendations can be followed:

• do not plant asters in the same area, the break must be at least 5 years;
• treat the seed with antifungal drugs;
• do not use manure, compost during the preparation of the hole for planting callistephus;
• it is better to add humus to the planting pit;
• do not plant representatives of this species too close, as this will interfere with ventilation;
• spray the plant with a substance, the constituent parts of which are boric acid, copper, ammonium molybdenum, colbate, magnesium.

When a culture is at the seedling stage and has about 4 leaves, it can suffer from a kidney aphid attack. This parasite eats the foliage, which then curls up. In order to eliminate the pest, it is worth spraying with chlorophos, karbofos, kolbat, magnesium. Sometimes the garden aster is attacked by slugs and tobacco thrips.

There are cases when Chinese callistephus suffers from brown rot. In this case, rusty spots appear on the foliage and the stem rots.

Garden aster, or Chinese callistefus, refers to highly decorative garden plants that have a lush, large inflorescence. The culture is often used in landscaping. The plant looks great on a flower bed, rock garden, border.

For information on how to grow Chinese aster from seeds, see the next video.