Growing asters in open ground. The subtleties of growing annual aster When to plant aster flowers with seeds

The rich and at the same time simple charm of asters will not leave anyone indifferent. But they will not be able to be grown correctly if the sowing dates are not observed. When to plant asters for seedlings?

Aster is a whole genus of herbaceous plants, uniting a huge number of species. According to botanists, there are about 200 of them. These plants belong to the Asteraceae or Compositae family. Moreover, the name of the genus comes from the Greek word meaning “star”.

Note! Garden aster, which is most often grown on personal plots, isolated in 1825 into a separate genus Callistephus and called Chinese callistephus. Chinese aster, garden aster and annual aster, as well as callistephus are the same plant.

IN wildlife Callistephus or garden aster lives in China, Korea, and Mongolia. This is an annual plant with a herbaceous erect green (less often reddish) stem that produces a lot of shoots and bushes well. Its height can reach 90 cm. The root system is very powerful and branches widely. The leaves are oval, fairly wide, serrated.

Callistephus has become widespread in gardening thanks to its fluffy basket-shaped inflorescences, which have different colors and sometimes reach 10 cm in diameter. Aster blooms for a short time, usually in summer and towards autumn. The inflorescences can be painted white, lilac, purple, red and other colors, and the petals (or rather, tubular or reed small flowers) can be curly, reminiscent of bird feathers, or straight.

On a note! Callistephus aster growing in the wild is not as beautiful as those that were bred as a result of the work of breeders. Now there are a large number of varieties and hybrids that differ from each other in the shape, size and color of the inflorescences.

Aster thrives growing in regions with different climatic conditions. But in cold areas, it will most likely be possible to wait for its flowering only by growing its seedlings in the winter.

Sowing time

When to sow asters for seedlings? The answer to this question will depend on many factors, including climatic conditions specific region. For example, in warm regions, aster is planted only in early May. Deadlines sowing - June 10-15. IN northern regions These flowers are sown no later than April, and better yet, in March. Growing season Asters from the moment of germination to the first flowers lasts from 80 to 130 days.

Also, the time for sowing asters depends on when you need to get flowers - in the middle of summer or by September 1, and so on. The wishes and growing conditions of individual varieties are taken into account ( early varieties– 80-90 days, mid-early – 110 days, late – at least 120-130 days, and this is the end of summer and the beginning of autumn). Simple calculations will be helped by the information that will be given on the package of seeds. And to get plants that will bloom in different time, you need to plant seedlings at different time intervals. Thus, the duration of flowering can be significantly increased.

Note! From the day the seeds are planted until the moment when the aster seedlings move to open ground, it will take about 2 months.

Seed preparation

Preparation for sowing asters begins long before the procedure itself. First, you should imagine what the flowerbed should look like, and, based on this, choose callistephus varieties that are suitable in color and height. If there is a desire to create a flowerbed consisting of several tiers, then those species that have low stems are selected to the foreground. For the distant or central rows (in a round flower garden), the choice is made in favor of tall varieties.

When choosing seeds, their shelf life is also assessed. These dates must be indicated on the packages. You should not take old seeds - they may lose their viability.

Attention! You can also use your own collected seeds, which are easily obtained from the fruits that appear after flowering. The seed matures approximately 30-40 days after the first flowers appear.

Aster seeds are very light and quite small - 1 gram contains about 500 pieces! Therefore, the procedures for pre-sowing preparation It is convenient to carry out by wrapping the seeds in a piece of natural fabric. Pickling is done as follows: potassium permanganate is diluted in a glass of water until pink shade, a bag of seeds is dipped into this solution for 2-3 hours. After this procedure, they are washed and dried.

Note! Those seeds that are sold in capsules (coated) have already been processed initially, so they cannot be soaked. But it is best to disinfect seeds collected with your own hands, just in case.

Aster seeds can also be pre-germinated before sowing. This is not necessary, but it will make them sprout faster. In order for aster seeds to germinate, they are also wrapped in a piece of cloth and dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 10 hours, then squeezed out, wrapped in a plastic bag and kept warm. Sprouts will appear quickly, after which the seeds can be planted in the ground. Also to accelerate growth planting material dipped in a solution of any growth stimulant, which is purchased in the store.

An alternative option is to germinate seeds on toilet paper.

Preparing the soil and container

Proper soil suitable for asters - too important condition success in germinating seeds and growing seedlings. You can also use a mixture from the store, but most gardeners prepare the substrate themselves. It's not as difficult as it seems - it's enough to keep all the proportions correctly.

To prepare soil for asters, mix peat, turf soil, clean river sand in a ratio of 1:2:0.5. Also, for about every 5 liters of soil, add a glass of ash. The latter can be replaced dolomite flour– a couple of tablespoons is enough.

On a note! To use soil from the store, add a little coarse sand to it - approximately 5:0.5. The sand must be washed.

Some gardeners prefer to use vermicompost, which is added as a leavening agent (1:2).

By the way, before use, it is recommended to calcine the soil in the oven, pour boiling water or potassium permanganate on it, you can use a fungicide solution - in general, disinfect it in any way. This is especially important for soil mixtures made independently. Yes, and purchased soil may also contain something harmful and dangerous, so prevention will not hurt.

You should also prepare separately sand, which will be needed for sprinkling the crops. It should also be subjected to preventive treatment to avoid unpleasant situations.

The container for seedlings can be anything, but most often long wooden or plastic boxes are used. Special ones are also often used, in which the seeds are sown in portions. Containers should be rinsed thoroughly before filling with soil. It is necessary to make holes at the bottom for water drainage, and a small layer is poured in front of the soil drainage material, for example, expanded clay.

Sowing seedlings

How to properly sow aster seeds for seedlings? The instructions are quite simple and are presented in the table below.

Table. Sowing aster seeds.

Video - Sowing aster seeds in boiling water

Seedling care

Now, so that all the work does not go to waste, the seedlings should be properly cared for. Small asters, like other plants, need warmth, light and moisture in sufficient, but not excessive quantities. Containers with seedlings are placed on a bright window or. The air temperature is maintained at about +18-25 degrees until the sprouts appear, and then decreases slightly.

It is important to comply correct mode glaze. It should be sufficient, but moderate. Determining when it’s time to water the seedlings is quite simple - the sand on the surface of the soil becomes dry. The main thing is to remember that under the sand there is soil that retains moisture better, and therefore you should not pour too much water.

Approximately 10 days after removing the cover protecting the seedlings from exposure environment, the sprouts begin to develop their first true leaves. And this is a signal to carry out such a procedure as picking.

You can use exactly the same soil that was used for sowing the seeds, but this time it is poured into individual cups. A small depression is made in the center of the soil so that the roots of the asters fit well into it. small plant planted in a hole so that about 10 mm remains to the cotyledons, and root system sprinkled with soil. The soil around the stem should be slightly compacted with your fingers. After this, the seedling can be watered, with the stream of water directed along the edge of the pot and not onto the plant.

Note! Remove seedlings from total capacity conveniently using a small wooden spatula.

Immediately after picking the plant in a straight line sunlight They don’t exhibit it – it’s dangerous for them. But also in dark place there is no need to remove them. The air temperature in the room is maintained at about +20 degrees. Daily temperature changes are gradually introduced: during the day +16 -18 degrees, and at night only +12-15 is enough.

The first feeding of aster seedlings is carried out 10-14 days after picking: they are watered with a solution of mineral fertilizers. Can be used ready mixture or dilute 20 g of saltpeter and 15 g of superphosphate in a large bucket of water and water with this solution. On average, before seedlings move into open ground, they manage to feed them at least 2 times. The optimal interval between feedings is 14 days. You can also fertilize asters by spraying them - it all depends on the specific preparation that is used.

Caring for aster seedlings

Unfortunately, young asters often suffer from “black leg”. If the first signs of this scourge are noticed, then the diseased seedlings are removed, and all the rest are spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Properly planted lobelia can radically change appearance Total garden plot. It is great for decorating flower beds, ridges, and flowerpots, and is used to create alpine slides. At the same time, growing this plant yourself from seeds is not at all difficult. For everything to work out, you need to know how and.

Landing in the ground

Very soon the aster seedlings will have to move into open ground. However, first you need to harden it. This procedure begins approximately when the sprouts have 4-5 true leaves. Plants are placed on a balcony or loggia, which must be glazed. At first, it is not worth keeping young asters in such conditions for long - no more than 15 minutes. But in the future they can be left longer and longer, adding 10-20 minutes daily.

Most powerful plants ast r and other annuals and biennials develop when they are sown directly into the ground followed by thinning. They not only bloom more abundantly and develop powerful plants, but also easier to tolerate drought, suffer less from diseases, are less suppressed by autumn temperature drops.Ground crops of asters, like other annuals and biennials, is carried out in three terms.

Early spring sowing in the central regions of the Non-Chernozem Zone, it is carried out when the soil is ripe. On southern slopes and on light soils, sowing begins in the second half of April, and in areas with heavy loamy soils - in the first ten days of May. You should not be late in sowing asters, especially varieties intended for early cutting and tall, late-flowering groups. Seeds are sown in pre-cut grooves 1.5 - 2 cm deep on the ridge. After sowing, the ridges are watered using finely sprayed sprinkler nozzles or watering cans with a fine strainer. The crops are mulched with humus or fertile garden soil in a layer of 0.5 cm, without filling the furrows. If sowing is carried out late and when dry weather sets in, the mulch layer is increased to 1 - 1.5 cm. With early ground sowing, seedlings appear on the 10th - 12th day; before this, the seed beds are not watered. In windy, dry weather, the seed beds should not be watered 1-2 times. big amount water.

Late autumn sowing in the central regions of the Non-Chernozem zone, they are carried out in the second ten days of November in previously prepared ridges with grooves 2 cm deep. At this time upper layer The soil freezes and seeds cannot germinate even during short periods of warming until the onset of stable frosts. Up to 80 seeds are sown per 1 m of row. At this time, the furrows cannot be filled with soil, as it is frozen. Mulch the crops with humus, weathered peat, and peat compost, stored in a frost-free room. The depth of the mulching layer is increased to 2 - 2.5 cm, the width of the mulching tape should be at least 5.5 - 6 cm. This will allow you to loosen the row spacing of the seed beds in the spring, immediately after the soil has thawed and dried, without waiting for seedlings to emerge.

Winter crops in the central regions of the Non-Black Earth zone, they do it in December - January on previously prepared ridges. Seeds are sown in the snow when its cover reaches 10 - 15 cm. With less snow cover (and more early dates) in the event of a thaw, the snow may melt and partially wash away the seeds. Sowing is mulched with pre-prepared humus and peat compost. As a rule, when the snow melts slowly in the spring, no washing away of seeds is observed. Due to the mulching layer, the area is cleared of snow early. When advancing warm weather ground crops fall into the most favorable conditions, when the soil is sufficiently supplied with moisture and does not overheat.

When the first true leaf develops, the seedlings are thinned out. Thinning is repeated after 7 - 10 days, leaving a certain number of plants per unit area, provided for by agrotechnical rules. Ground crops are fed at the same phenophases as when growing seedlings, but the doses of fertilizers can be slightly increased. On poor light soils, fertilizing with cow manure infusion can be used more widely. At the first feeding they insist cow dung no more than 3 hours. Then the infusion exposure is increased to 2 - 3 days. Before fertilizing in dry weather, the area is watered abundantly. They try to monitor the constant and uniform moisture of the area, taking into account that deep drying of the soil leads to inhibited development of plants, which are more easily affected by fusarium.

After watering and rain, when the soil dries out, loosen it. The depth of loosening between rows should not exceed 5 - 7 cm, and near plants - 2 - 3 cm, since the root system of asters is located in surface layer soil. Weeds are removed in a timely manner, preventing their growth and on the sides of the site, and disease and pest control is carried out. In individual plots, when autumn rainy weather sets in, plantings of asters that lose their decorative properties are covered plastic film, stretched on light frames.

Ecology of agriculture. If you don’t have time to plant flower seedlings, and availability beautiful flower beds I still want to go to the dacha, pay attention to the seedless method of growing asters from seeds

Simple, colorful and varied, asters bloom in flower beds as autumn approaches. It is these unpretentious and spectacular flowers that are grown annually in many gardens in our country. Since the plant does not require special conditions For germination, it can be sown directly in open ground. So, asters: growing from seeds directly in the flower garden.

Site selection and soil preparation

An area well lit by the sun with nutritious, well-drained soil is suitable for planting asters. The best predecessors of asters are marigolds and marigolds, but in places where gladioli or nightshades grew last year, it is undesirable to sow these plants, since they are affected by the same diseases.

It is better to prepare the soil for future sowing of asters in the fall. At this time, it needs to be dug up, first adding 2-4 kg of manure or compost per 1 square meter. m. In the spring, a secondary digging of the site is carried out, simultaneously for each square meter area adding superphosphate (20-40 g) and 15-20 g each of potassium salt and ammonium sulfate. Immediately before planting, the area is weeded, the soil is loosened to a depth of at least 4-6 cm and moistened. But such preparation for planting aster in open ground is relevant specifically for spring sowing, while these flowers can be sown in the fall and even in the snow.

How to plant asters with seeds at different times of the year

To figure out how to grow asters from seeds without seedling method, you also need to decide when is the best time to plant them in the ground.

1. Planting asters before winter
In the central regions of Russia, autumn sowing of asters is carried out from November 10 to 20. In this case, grooves with a depth of 2 cm are prepared in advance. The seeds are sown in furrows, the top layer of soil in which by this time has already frozen, so that the seed does not germinate even when warm days arrive. It is advisable to distribute about 80 seeds per meter of row (place at a distance of 1-2 cm). Since the ground is already frozen, it will not be possible to seal the furrows, so the crops are mulched. To do this, use well-weathered peat, peat compost or humus, which were previously stored indoors to avoid freezing. The thickness of the mulch layer is 2-2.5 cm, the width of the strip is 5.5-6 cm. Laying mulch with a tape, rather than a continuous carpet over the area, will allow, with the onset of spring, to loosen the row spacing even before the emergence of shoots.

2. How to plant asters with seeds in winter
It is better to sow asters in winter in the central latitudes of the country in December-January in areas prepared in advance. When the snow layer reaches 10-15 cm, aster seeds are sown directly on its surface. If the snow cover is thinner, the seeds may be washed away with water during a thaw. The top of the crops is mulched with prepared peat compost or humus.
In the spring, when the snow begins to actively melt, the seeds in such an area are not washed off with water. In addition, the area thaws earlier, thanks to a layer of mulch. With the onset of warm weather, winter crops find themselves in the most favorable conditions, since there is enough moisture in the soil and the likelihood of overheating is reduced.

3. Planting asters in open ground in spring
Dates for planting asters seeds in spring time vary depending on climatic features region. IN southern regions With light soils, sowing can be done after April 15. And in the central part of the country, where the soils are often loamy and heavier, early May is more suitable for this procedure.
As soon as the soil is ripe for sowing plants, you can begin this simple but responsible procedure. Moreover, the site for it had already been prepared in the fall.

If you are going to grow Chinese asters using the seedless method, you should know a couple of nuances:

Firstly, aster seeds are sown in the ground only in dry form. Of course, they can be treated in advance with potassium permanganate or a fungicide, as for aster seedlings, but this must be done in advance so that they have time to dry immediately before sowing. You should not germinate the seed before planting, since with the onset of temporary cold weather it may die, while the dry grain will simply begin to germinate later.

Secondly, despite the fact that plants that initially grow in conditions open air, bloom later than those sown in advance as seedlings, they are more powerful, and also more resistant to cold, drought and diseases, in particular fusarium.

Technology for planting asters in open ground

When planning how to grow asters from seeds, you need to pay attention to how to plant the seeds of these plants in the ground. In the prepared soil, grooves are made, 0.5-2 cm deep. It is advisable to keep the distance between the grooves at least 10-15 cm, which is necessary for ease of caring for plants. Seeds are sown at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other. Then the grooves are watered from a watering can through a fine nozzle and sprinkled with garden soil or mulch (for example, humus) in a layer of about 0.5-0.8 cm.

When favorable weather conditions Shoots appear in 10-12 days. If there is sufficient moisture, additional watering is not required during this period, but during drought, crops can be watered 1-2 times using a small amount of water. To better retain moisture in this case, increase the mulch layer to 1-1.5 cm or use a covering material. By the way, sometimes gardeners initially cover the ridges with film after planting, which is removed immediately after germination and used at first to protect small asters from the cold.

Caring for asters crops

Annual aster, grown from seeds in open ground, does not require special care. The main agricultural techniques aimed at providing it with decent conditions for growth are thinning, loosening and weeding, watering and fertilizing.

1. Thinning. This procedure is often carried out in 2-3 stages with an interval of 3-4 weeks. For the first time, excess seedlings are removed from the row at the stage of two true leaves, thinning them through one. As a result of the last thinning, the distance between plants should be at least 10-15 cm, taking into account the loss of seedlings. At the same time, the final planting scheme for different varieties asters may vary. For example, the Pinocchio aster is a low-growing variety with compact bushes, therefore the distance between them can reach no more than 20 cm (especially in border planting). But pompon and peony-shaped asters are medium and tall, so they are grown according to an approximate size of 20x30 cm. Often information about optimal scheme plantings for a specific variety can be found on the seed package. It is better not to pull out seedlings removed during thinning, but to carefully dig them up and transplant them to another place.

2. Loosening and weeding are necessary to provide young plants with sufficient space and air access to the roots. They must be done regularly after watering and rain. The depth of loosening the soil between the rows is no more than 5-7 cm, and within a radius of 2-3 cm around the plants, do not touch the soil so as not to damage the roots.

3. Beautiful lush inflorescences and long flowering will be ensured only with timely watering. During the growth stage, seedlings need to be watered as the soil dries out, avoiding prolonged drying out and excessive moisture.

4. Feeding. If the soil is sufficiently nutritious or well-filled before sowing, asters can do without fertilizing. But additional application of mineral fertilizers during growth will have a positive effect. Often, feeding seedlings grown in soil is carried out at the same developmental stages as for seedlings. At a “young” age, it is enough to feed asters once two weeks after thinning. To do this, use a composition of ammonium nitrate (20-25 g), superphosphate (50-60 g) and potassium sulfate (10-15 g) per 1 square meter. m. The use of organic matter, in particular fresh manure, is undesirable, since it increases the risk of plant disease from fungal diseases. In dry weather, asters need to be watered before and after fertilizing.

In addition, before the bush begins to branch, it is recommended to hill the plant to a height of 5-7 cm, which will facilitate the development of the root system.

With basic care, asters, growing from seeds is not challenging task, already in the summer they will give you a round dance of lush and enchanting flowers. published

Before growing these amazing flowers, you need to prepare planting material. Seeds collected on your site must be treated with any fungicide or potassium permanganate solution. Place several crystals (1 g) of potassium permanganate in 100 ml of water and stir thoroughly. The resulting solution is diluted with another 100 ml of water. This way we will get a 0.5% solution of potassium permanganate for seed treatment.

The resulting solution is poured into a cup, a cloth is placed and seeds are poured onto it. They should be immersed in the solution. After 25 minutes, remove the napkin and wash the seeds in clean water.

It is worth noting that seeds collected from one’s own plot do not retain the properties of the variety of the mother plant. It is better to buy planting material from well-known companies in specialized stores. This way there is a greater chance of getting high-quality planting material that no longer needs processing.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

Callistephus are grown by sowing seeds directly permanent place, and through seedlings. Let's first consider sowing seeds in seedling boxes.

In March–April, soil is poured into prepared boxes (garden soil is mixed with humus) and rows are made 0.5 cm deep every 2 cm. The soil is moistened and seeds are laid out. They are covered with earth from above and covered transparent film or glass.

The optimal germination temperature is +20-25 0 C. After about a week, the first shoots appear. The growing temperature is reduced to +16-18 0 C. When the first pair of leaves appears, they are dumped into boxes with fresh soil according to a 5x6 pattern. Already at this stage, it is recommended to treat the seedlings with a pink solution of potassium permanganate to prevent the development of blackleg and fusarium.

In May, you can plant seedlings in a permanent place in the flower garden. Healthy seedlings should be strong with a thick stem and have 5-7 well-developed bright green leaves. Low growing varieties(10-30 cm) are planted according to the scheme 20x20 cm, medium-sized (30-60 cm) - 25x25 cm, tall (60-90) - 30x30 cm. The color looks good along garden paths and paths, especially dwarf varieties.

Planting aster seeds in open ground

Callistephus are successful in any garden, well-fertilized, sandy loam, light and medium loamy soils. To avoid Fusarium disease, fresh manure should not be applied. The best predecessors are marigolds and calendula; avoid sowing after carnations, tulips and gladioli.

Seeds are sown in open ground in spring and autumn. Winter crops They produce early, friendly shoots that develop well and withstand cold weather and drought more easily, bloom 2 weeks earlier and are more resistant to disease.

Spring sowing can be carried out in 2 terms: in April, as weather permits, and in May. This makes it possible to admire the beautiful lush inflorescences from mid-July until late autumn.

Seeds are sown in pre-watered rows 1 cm deep, spreading them every 1.5 cm. You can mix the seeds with a handful of dry sand to make sowing easier.

The seeds can be soaked in advance by spreading them on a damp cloth, but dry ones also germinate quite quickly. The seeds are covered with humus and covered with film, securing it around the perimeter with planks or bricks.

When shoots appear, the film is removed. It is advisable to thin out overly thickened crops. Seedlings removed during thinning can be used as seedlings.

Growing and care

The plant loves to be watered and loose soil. It is necessary to water rarely, but abundantly, followed by loosening. Approximately 2 buckets of water are poured per m2.

Feeding:

• With the development of 4-5 pairs of true leaves, buds are laid. During this period, you need to feed the plants ammonium nitrate(matchbox per 1 m2).
• With the appearance of buds, a second feeding is carried out. They charge matchbox superphosphate, potassium salt and nitrate per 1 m2.
• The third phosphorus-potassium (30 g per 1 m2) fertilizing is carried out at the beginning of flowering.

In dry summers, fertilizing is applied in liquid form. If the summer is rainy, then fertilizing is done in dry form, followed by incorporation during loosening.

Many gardeners prefer to weigh out fertilizers almost by gram. For them, it is recommended to use ready-made liquid mineral fertilizers for flowers, for example Florist for growth And Florist for buds.