Shrub aster: the most popular varieties, their cultivation and care

Culture characteristics

We recommend that you familiarize yourself

This variety of the Asteraceae family is a lush, medium-sized shrub up to 90 cm high. Aster has a branched root system with thin roots. This culture is characterized by the presence of a voluminous branched structure, giving it a spherical shape, as well as oblong dentate at the edges of dense leaves, densely covering numerous branches. Their distinctive feature is a rich green hue, roughness on the outside and smoothness on the inside. From the buds of this culture, inflorescences up to 5-7 cm in size develop in the shape of a star in various colors: from the traditional white to deep purple hue.

Shrub asters are perennials with long flowering times. They are characterized by the appearance of the first inflorescences in late spring, which persist until the onset of frost.

How to plant?

After you have chosen the desired variety, it is worth learning how to plant aster seeds. Before planting, it is worth prophylactically pouring the seeds with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for a period of about half an hour, if the planting substrate was collected independently. Purchased seeds have already been processed.

In advance, you should purchase nutrient soil for asters in a special store, but you can simply fertilize the land on the site with river sand and wood ash, rotted compost or peat. Asters prefer to grow in loose, airy soil. For planting in containers, it is also recommended to think about drainage from rubble, brick or expanded clay, as well as holes in the bottom.

Immediately before planting (in early May - mid-July), be sure to moisten the ground. Then make furrows no deeper 1 cm in which the seeds are sown. After that, they are leveled with earth and again sprayed with a small amount of water from the sprayer. The containers are removed on a windowsill with access to sunlight at a temperature of 18-19 C.

Seeds germinate in no more than 11-12 days. When a pair of real leaves appear on the sprout, the seedlings should be picked up, seating future asters in separate pots or glasses. The seedlings will be ready for planting in the ground 25-30 days after germination.

A place for the further growth of asters in the open field should be sunny and not very windy. A shallow hole is dug to the size of the root system, moistened, drainage is poured to the bottom and fertilizers are added. Seedlings are planted, a hole is buried and watered. All this is done in May.

After planting, you should cover the area with asters with a film, and after germination, it is worth thinning them (as if to dive), so that there is 15 cm between the plants.

Reproduction

New Belgian aster can reproduce in different ways. Let's get acquainted with them.

Seeds

By seeds, this plant can be propagated by seedling or non-seedling methods.

• Seedling. First, you need to disinfect the soil (1 part of sand, 1 part of mullein and turf, 7 parts of peat) with potassium permanganate. The room must be well lit with a temperature value of at least 20 degrees. The material for subsequent planting will need to be periodically moistened. When the first shoots appear, the temperature should be reduced to 15 degrees. Seedling material can be replanted at the age of 65 days.
• Seedless. Seedlings are sown in the soil on the plot in November or December. Small furrows are created, the seed is placed there, well spilled with warm water and covered with 5 mm of soil.

By dividing the bush

To propagate an aster, it can be divided. This is the most common breeding method for the plant in question. It is necessary to take a bush of the New Belgian aster, with the help of a pointed shovel, cut off a part from it, which in the future will need to be divided into small plots containing at least 3 shoots.

By cuttings

This procedure can be used throughout the summer season. The upper cuttings are used, the length of which is at least 5-7 cm. The branches must be planted in fresh soil, prepared from 1 part of peat, 2 parts of sod land. Plantings should be covered with polyethylene for 25-30 days.

Flower reproduction methods

In addition to seed reproduction of perennial asters, there are simpler ways:

1. By dividing an adult bush.
2. By cuttings.

Dividing a bush is the easiest way to propagate a perennial plant. The best time for this is spring. Dividing an adult bush can be done once every 4 years, this time is enough for the divided bush to acquire a large number of roots and branches on the bush.

Therefore, in order to propagate a bush, you must:

1. Dig up an old bush.
2. With a shovel, divide it into parts, which will contain the roots and the vegetative mass of the plant.
3. They are planted in prepared holes and watered in order for them to take root better.

Remember to maintain the temperature - create a greenhouse environment with a simple glass jar

Cutting is as easy as dividing a bush. For this purpose, in June, the apical cuttings are cut and planted in the ground where there is no sun. For greenhouse conditions, it is well worth covering with a three liter glass jar.

Perennial Astra is an unpretentious plant that deserves its place in the garden in the flower beds. Because without it we cannot imagine an autumn garden. Adhering to the simple rules of caring for it, you can observe all its beauty when it blooms against the background of yellowed foliage.

Care rules

Planting and caring for this representative of the flora should combine a balance of conditions. For the harmonious development of this plant, it is necessary to avoid excessive moisture, excessive soil enrichment with acids or alkalis. The main need for flowers is an abundance of sunlight, under the influence of which they acquire a branched, branched structure and many buds. Its lack leads to wilting of the aster, weakening of the stems, which may require support to support the bush. Proper care of asters is accompanied by regular watering and fertilization.

It is necessary to monitor the condition of the bush, periodically inspect it for thinning of the stems, changes in the color of the leaves. These violations indicate the development of diseases or damage to the flower by a pest. So, a characteristic sign of its infection with the Fusarium fungus is yellowing and drying of the leaves, wilting of buds and stems. To combat this disease, it is recommended to treat the bush with Fundazole solution.

Another reason for yellowing of leaves is jaundice of asters. In this case, the main symptom is complemented by chlorosis, a suspension of the development of buds and the entire plant. This disease is caused by cicadas and aphids. The use of chemicals is useless for pest control. The main condition for the reliable protection of asters from jaundice is its prevention. At the first appearance of these symptoms, it is necessary to immediately remove the diseased plant so as not to infect the rest of the bushes.

The appearance of white-gray spots on aster leaves indicates a lesion with powdery mildew. For the treatment of the plant, it is necessary to process it with mullein infusion. It is necessary to dilute the drug with water in a ratio of 1: 3, and then spray the bush with it until the characteristic signs disappear.

In caring for shrub aster, a special issue is the advisability of pruning the bush before the onset of cold weather. This flower belongs to crops resistant to low temperatures and does not require special preparation for frost.To protect the plant during this period, it is enough to mulch the soil.

Summer flowering asters

Italian aster (chamomile, European)

Italian Astra (Aster amellus) was developed in Europe. There are records and sketches of this species made in 1596! The bush is hemispherical, from 30 to 60 cm high - depending on the variety. It blooms in July and lasts until September. The flowers are large, up to 5 cm in diameter. The color of the petals varies from pink to dark blue, the middle is yellow.
Prefers alkaline soils with good drainage and sunny location. Every 3 to 4 years, it is necessary to divide the bush in early spring (no later than April, this is the only way to guarantee good survival).
The following varieties can be found in nurseries: ‘Gnom’, ‘Herman Lens’, ‘Henrich Seibert’, ‘Rosea’, ‘Kobold’, ‘Coerulea’, ‘King George’, ‘Lady Hindlip’.

Aster sedum

Astra sedum (Aster sedifolius) in culture since 1686. Forms a round bush 60-80 cm high Flowers - baskets in the form of stars 2 - 2.5 cm in diameter in loose umbrellas, purple petals, yellow centers. It begins to bloom in early August. The stunted stone-leaved aster 'Nanum' looks like a nice cushion-shaped bush up to 30 cm high.
Prefers a light, warm location, does not tolerate dampness, as it comes from Central Asia, where it grows on dry hills. If the plant is fed with humus, then it will bloom profusely and for a long time. Propagated mainly by dividing the bush in early spring.

Aster bluish

The bluish aster (Aster tongolensis) is native to the slopes of the Western Himalayas. A tall plant that forms a powerful bush, the stems of which reach 120 cm. The petals are lavender-blue, the middle is yellow, with an orange tint. She, unlike other asters, has creeping underground rhizomes.
Prefers a sunny location and rich soils, on which it grows quickly, and can crowd out more modest plants. Blooms in June - July. Reliable - frost-resistant and unpretentious perennial. Propagated by dividing the bush.
Summer-flowering also includes Mongolian aster (a. Mongolicum), naked (a. Laevis), large-leaved (a. Macrophyllus) and several other species that are rarely found in our latitudes and are practically absent in nurseries.
The fact is that the period of their flowering coincides with the flowering time of a large number of other flowers, both annual and perennial. Therefore, perennial asters that bloom in summer and spring are not as much in demand in our area as those that bloom in autumn and decorate our gardens until frost. They are the most popular and widely represented in garden centers.
The next article will be devoted to the princesses of the autumn gardens - the asters blooming in the fall.
Do you have perennial asters blooming in spring and summer? In combination with which plants do you use them?

Correct feeding

To maintain shrub asters in a healthy state, it is necessary to periodically feed them. Both organic fertilizers and phosphates can be used to nourish flowers. To support the plant and prepare it for long flowering, liming of the soil should be carried out in the spring-autumn period.

The action of this procedure is aimed at reducing the acidity of the soil, which is a common cause of plant weakening. Primary liming is carried out before planting asters, secondarily - before and after the end of the flowering period. It is necessary to prepare a solution in the ratio of 100 g of powder to 3-4 buckets of water. The resulting mixture is introduced into the soil to the depth of the treated layer.

To maintain the health of asters, a 3-stage replenishment system is shown: in the first weeks after planting a flower in the soil, after the appearance of buds and before their opening. In subsequent periods, recharge should be carried out in the spring. For feeding asters, a standard recipe is used, according to which it is necessary to mix potassium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and superphosphate in a ratio of 1: 2: 3.For greater efficiency, it is recommended to add the additive dry, and then water the soil. In case of drought, only liquid fertilizing is carried out.

Shrub asters are ideal garden decorations. Due to their late flowering, they are often used to compose landscape compositions. They are distinguished by their beauty, brightness, aroma, unpretentiousness, which allows them to be bred in any climatic conditions.

Shrub aster

Aster dumosus)

Growing features

This type of aster prefers fertile alkaline soils. For abundant flowering, it needs fertilizing throughout the season, timely watering is also important, especially during the budding period. The plant is susceptible to powdery mildew disease, so prevention is required - the same as for New Belgian asters.
 
It is recommended to divide shrub asters every 2-3 years, in early spring. Old bushes thicken strongly (a plant that has not been divided for 5 years can have up to 80 shoots), which has a bad effect on decorativeness. In addition, with age, the bushes bulge out above the ground, so they often freeze out, while young strong bushes winter well without shelter, even in zone 3.
Here are some varieties that are especially good in the fall garden.Shrub aster 'Schneekissen'. Photo by the author, taken on October 10
 Shrub aster 'Starlight' and shrub aster 'Herbstgruss vom Bresserhof'. Photo by the authorShrub aster 'Herbstgruss vom Bresserhof'. Photo by the author
In this video, you can see the 'Starlight' aster dividing in mid-April. The plant is 3 years old.

Aster bokosvetnaya

Aster bokosvetnaya (Aster lateriflorus) is a wonderful autumn aster that blooms in September. It grows up to 120 cm. Flowers are arranged very effectively: at the ends of strongly leafy shoots - in the form of a bunch of grapes. The color of the petals is white or pale purple, the middle is yellow at the beginning of flowering, later purple.Aster bokosvetnaya. Photo from the site vivaipriola.it
It will adequately cope with the role of a tapeworm, but it will not get lost in a group planting, it will be in place in mixborders.

Aster heather

Aster heather (Aster ericoides) in culture since 1732, its homeland is the southern regions of North America. It grows into a branchy bush 80 to 105 cm high. It blooms from September to October, forming numerous small inflorescences with a diameter of 1 cm. The plant is light-loving, frost-resistant. It should be planted on fertile soils, not thickening. Looks great in group plantings with solidago, liatrix, stonecrops.Aster heather 'Schneetanne'
There are also such types of perennial asters of autumn flowering time, such as spread aster (Aster divaricatus), heart-leaved (Aster cordifolius), Tatar (Aster tataricus), but they are much less common in nurseries.
Given the variety of varieties and hybrids, as well as winter hardiness, unpretentiousness and ease of cultivation, perennial asters can take a worthy position in our gardens. Do you already have such asters in your garden?

Diseases and pests

Flowers of disease and pests are loved no less than vegetables. They destroy the leaves of the plant, pagons, the root system, they can ruin the buds, so you need to make sure that they are not in the flower bed. Perennial asters most often suffer from fusarium and powdery mildew. How to deal with them?

l>

Important!
Folk recipes for diseases and pests should be used only for prevention or in the early stages, when the problem has just appeared.

Of the pests, asters are most fond of spider mites and leaf nematodes. When a spider mite appears, a thin cobweb entwines the plant, black and white dots appear on the back of the leaf. In the case of a nematode, brown spots form on the leaves, they become thin, can twist, dry out or rot. To combat them, it is worth buying a good systemic or contact insecticide.