How to plant asters for seedlings. Growing an Aster: A Guide to Creating the Perfect Flower. Lighting and temperature, picking

Astra can safely be called one of the most popular garden crops among flower lovers. She decorates flower beds and summer cottages until the first cold weather, when all other perennials have already faded. In addition, aster is a rather unpretentious and easy-to-care plant, so growing it from seeds is a very interesting activity.

Difficult to find garden plant, which would differ greatly species diversity than aster. Today, about 4 thousand varieties of this crop are known: they are distinguished by flowering time (early, middle, late), bush height, inflorescence structure and other characteristics. The most common varieties in our gardens are perennial New Belgian and New England varieties, as well as annual callestiphus, which are also called Chinese asters.

The height of the bushes of the plant can reach from 25 to 160 cm, the stems are branched or simple, the root is fibrous, powerful and well branched. Basket-shaped inflorescences can be coronal, curly, semi-double, spherical or needle-shaped, and are distinguished by a huge variety of shades - breeders have not yet bred only green and orange flowers.

In general, among the huge assortment of aster varieties, a gardener can easily find something he likes, but to grow a crop it is very important to know its main features.

Asters love fertile, well-drained and breathable soils with low or neutral acidity.
It is preferable to choose open or slightly shaded areas, protected from drafts, with deep groundwater to avoid excess moisture. Arid places where straight lines constantly fall Sun rays, it is better to avoid, otherwise the flowers will be crushed and lose their decorative effect.
You should not plant the crop where tomatoes, potatoes, gladioli and tulips used to grow. Ideal predecessors for planting are marigolds, marigolds and perennial herbal plants. In addition, planting a plant in the same place can only be done for six years, after which a four-year break is required.
The site for planting asters should be prepared in the fall - dig up the soil well and add a sand-peat mixture, or a mixture of compost and peat (at the rate of 2-4 kg per square meter). If you apply fertilizer immediately before planting the plants, they can be affected by fungal diseases.
In the spring, the soil needs to be dug up again and fed with superphosphates (20-40 g per square meter), as well as potassium salt and ammonium sulfate (15-20 g each).
It is best to collect aster seeds yourself, since their ability to germinate is quickly lost - fresh (last year's) material is suitable for sowing.
It is very important to plant asters at a certain time: seedlings - in late March - early April, seeds - in late April - early May (sometimes in winter or late autumn). There is no need to be afraid of late frosts, since plants can withstand temperatures down to -4 o C. Late sowing of asters simply does not make sense - the plants will not have time to gain strength for flowering before their life cycle ends.

You can grow asters from seeds either by seedlings or without seedlings, that is, by sowing the material directly into the ground. The first method is more complex and painstaking, but it gives a much better chance of growing healthy, strong flowers.

Instructions for growing asters without seedlings

The seedless method is more suitable experienced gardeners, which can recognize high-quality seed material, since not all aster seeds have the ability to germinate in open ground. The procedure can be performed at the end of autumn (from November 10 to 20), in spring (April-May) or even in winter (December-January), directly on the snow. The algorithm of actions in this case is as follows.

Step 1. There is no need to germinate seeds before sowing, as young shoots may freeze or die. If the seed has been treated with preparations for germination, it must be thoroughly dried.

Growing aster in open ground - seeds

Step 2. On a previously prepared area, rows are made up to 2 cm deep at a distance of 10-15 cm.

Step 3. The seeds are sown so that the intervals between them are at least 1-2 cm, watered from a small watering can (if sowing is done in cold weather, there is no need to water the planting), and sprinkled with soil or mulch (layer thickness 2-2.5 cm).

Step 4. Spring crops must be additionally covered with film, which is removed after germination.

Step 5. As soon as the first true leaves appear on the shoots, it is better to thin out the planting so that there is a distance of 12 cm between the bushes.

If planting is carried out in winter time, the seeds are sown directly into grooves in the snow, and it is very important that the thickness of its layer is at least 10-15 cm. They are mulched on top with pre-aerated peat or compost so that during the thaw period the crops are not washed away by water. As soon as the snow begins to melt, the seeds will find themselves in the most favorable conditions - optimal temperature regime without the risk of overheating, and required amount moisture.

Many gardeners claim that asters that were planted without seedlings grow strong, healthy, and are also more resistant to diseases.

Instructions for growing asters in seedlings

The seedling method involves growing aster seedlings, which are subsequently transplanted to permanent place, and consists of several stages.

Stage one: prepare everything you need

To grow seedlings you will need:

containers or boxes with a depth of at least 5 cm;
glass or film;
nutritional mixture;
river sand, perlite and wood ash;
potassium permanganate, from which a weak solution is prepared.

Nutritious soil mixture It is prepared as follows: take equal parts of garden soil, sand and compost, mix and steam well. After this, add wood ash (a glass of ash is taken into a bucket of soil) and a handful of perlite. It is also recommended to separately heat a little river sand in the oven in order to subsequently cover the seeds with it - this will protect them from waterlogging and blackleg disease.

Nutrient soil mixture - preparation

Stage two: sowing the seeds

Sowing seeds for seedlings is the most important stage, so it is very important to follow the correct sequence of actions.

Step 1. Wash containers for growing well with soap and water, treat with a solution of potassium permanganate and dry well.

Step 2. Treat the seeds in any fungicide (for example, in the “Maxim” preparation, at the rate of 4 ml per 2 liters of water, soak the seed for 30 minutes) to protect them from diseases.

Step 3. Fill the containers with the nutrient mixture, lightly compact them and pour in a solution of potassium permanganate.

Step 4. Make small grooves in the soil (up to 2 cm deep, distance 2-5 cm) and place the seeds in them.

Step 5. Sprinkle seed thin layer soil or calcined sand.

Step 6. Cover the crops with glass or film and place them in a bright place ( optimal temperature– 20-22 o C).

Step 7 If everything was done correctly, the first shoots will appear after 5-10 days. After this, you need to remove the shelter and move the containers to a cool place (temperature up to 15 o C).

Caring for the crops at this stage involves regularly moistening the soil - this is best done with a spray bottle so as not to flood the sprouts.

Stage three: picking seedlings

Seedlings dive immediately after 2-3 leaves appear on them. Aster sprouts tolerate transplantation well, but the procedure should be performed in a timely manner so that they do not have time to stretch too much.

Step 1. Fill pots or other containers with the same mixture that was used to sow the seeds, but add a tablespoon of complex mineral fertilizer to it and mix well.

Step 2. Compact the soil and make a small depression in the center of each container.

Step 3. Transplant the shoots into pots, deepening them so that between lower leaves and about 1 cm remains on the soil surface, and compact the soil again.

Step 4. Sprouts are watered room temperature, starting from the edges of the containers and gradually moving towards the middle so that the leaves remain dry.

Step 5. The seedlings are placed in a lighted place where direct sunlight does not reach. Recommended temperature is 20 o C.

As the soil dries out, young asters water warm water, trying not to overdo it. As soon as 4 leaves appear on the stems, you should begin hardening the plants - take them to a shaded place on Fresh air, gradually increasing the residence time. Transplant shoots into open ground should be done immediately after the soil has warmed up well.

Stage four: transplanting plants to a permanent place

The transplantation is best tolerated by shoots 5-7 cm high, which have 5-6 well-developed leaves. The area should be well prepared in the fall, and before the procedure the soil should be fed with nitroammophos (40-50 g per square meter) and mix well so that the fertilizer is distributed in upper layers soil. It is better to choose the evening hours for replanting so that the sun does not scorch the young leaves.

Step 1. Dig small holes in the area at a distance of 15-30 cm from each other (depending on the type of aster).

Step 2. Replant the shoots together with a lump of earth, deepening them by 2-3 cm, and compact the soil a little.

Step 3. Water the seedlings at the root and mulch with peat, which will prevent the soil from petrifying.

In most cases, aster seedlings take root well, since the plant is distinguished by its ability to regenerate its root system after damage. The most important thing is to do it right managed care for landings.

Caring for asters

Asters do not like excessive dampness and waterlogging of the soil, but in dry summers they need to be watered regularly. Watering is especially important at the time when buds begin to form on the stems.
Another required condition– loosening and removal of weeds. It is better to carry them out after rains or waterings; the optimal loosening depth is 5 cm, and it is better not to touch the soil within a radius of three cm from the stem, so as not to damage the roots.
If the soil on the site has been properly prepared, planting can do without fertilizing, but applying fertilizer will benefit young flowers. Usually they are fed with mineral fertilizers two weeks after transplantation, and then during flowering, using any fertilizers without nitrogen components.
They don't like asters organic fertilizers, in particular, fresh manure, so they need to be applied only when the flowers are growing on poor soil.
To prevent various diseases (especially fusarium, to which asters are most susceptible), it is recommended to feed the plantings with potassium salt, regularly inspect the plantings for signs of disease and follow the rules of agricultural technology.

Asters that live in favorable conditions and receive appropriate care begin to bloom in July-August (depending on the variety), and delight their owner with bright, lush flowers right up to frost.

Asters - queens of autumn

Video - Asters. Growing seedlings

There are a huge number of species and varieties of asters that attract gardeners with their variety of shapes and special splendor, incredible beauty and pickiness in handling. It’s not for nothing that annual and perennial specimens are rightfully considered one of the most popular flowers in summer cottages.

Growing aster in seedlings through seeds at home is painstaking work and a future generous reward that will certainly follow if you do everything correctly and responsibly, so first you should familiarize yourself with the basic nuances of planting and caring for asters.

How to choose or independently prepare aster seeds for planting as seedlings

Today, on Internet sites and large, in a sense, garden stores, such as Auchan Garden, Leroy Merlin or OBI, aster seeds are presented in a huge variety of varieties and species, but you can also always collect them from your neighbors in the country or at flower beds in the city in autumn. The main advantage of self-collection planting material is its unconditional freshness and understandable quality.

Note! Aster seeds retain the ability to germinate for only 2 years.

How and when to collect aster seeds with your own hands?

The timing of collecting aster seeds depends on its varietal and species and usually falls somewhere on the 45-65th day after the start of active flowering. Due to the fact that in late-flowering varieties their flowering may be delayed until the first frost, it will be much easier to obtain seed material from the buds of early asters, in which little children have had time to form and mature well much earlier.

Therefore, in early varieties, dry baskets of formed inflorescences are used for seeds, collected only in sunny weather. You simply won't find them in the rain. The heads of late asters must be cut off in advance before the onset of the first ones. subzero temperatures and store at home until the buds wither. In the best way will be transplanting one of the bushes into a suitable container and bringing the flower to maturity in room conditions. Collected seeds wrap in newspaper and store in a dry and warm room.

Choosing a variety for planting

Asters are both perennial and annual.

Perennial asters come in three broad varieties: spring (early), summer (mid) and autumn (late).

The only aster is an early flowering species (blooms in May-June):

Medium flowering (bloom in July-August) are:

Late flowering (flowering occurs in September-November) are presented below:

Annuals can be classified into low-growing (up to 25 cm in height), medium- and tall-growing varieties (up to 80 cm).

So, low-growing ones are ideal for beautifying paths in country garden, flower gardens, also flower beds. Among them are: the royal dwarf aster, which belongs to the imbricated type. The needle type includes the following varieties: Malyshka border, Leto, Vologda lace, Autumn Olympics and many others.

Tall ones are usually planted for their sake further cutting (for example, for sale), so they are planted in groups in separate specially organized flower beds.

Medium- and tall-growing varieties include peony-shaped asters: White and Blue Tower, Apollonia heavenly, Rosanna, Gala, Violet turm. Of the needle-shaped ones, it is worth special mentioning: Naina, Assol, Carmona, Night Star, White Nika, Timiryazevka, Yubileinyaya White, Blue-Eyed, Blue Frost, Isadora. Pompons are represented by the following varieties: Beatrice yellow, Hai-no-Maru, Winter cherry, Harlequin, Foyertot.

How to sow asters for seedlings with seeds

By the way! There is no difference in growing and sowing seedlings of annual and perennial aster.

When to plant seedlings: timing and time

Growing aster through seedlings is explained by its long growing season. So, early varieties begin to bloom only 90 days after planting, A late can only begin the flowering process 120 days after sowing. Therefore, it is advisable to sow asters for seedlings starting in March, so that they will delight you with their flowering in June-July.

By the way! Annual asters start blossom approximately 3-4 months after planting, while perennial covered with colorful buds only for next season.

According to the lunar calendar

This can help you choose the optimal date for sowing aster seeds. Moon calendar.

So favorable days for sowing annual aster in 2019 according to the lunar calendar are:

in January - 17-19, 23-27;
in February – 6-8, 11-17, 21-25;
in March – 12-17, 19-20;
in April – 6-8, 11-13, 15-17; 29-30;
in May - 8-17, 21-23, 26-28;
in June - 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-13, 16-20;
in July - 8-10;
in November - 6-8, 13-18, 24-25.

Favorable days for sowing perennial aster in 2019 according to the Lunar calendar are:

in January - 14-19, 23-27;
in February - 11-13, 20-25;
in March - 12-17, 19, 20, 27-30;
in April - 6-8, 11-13, 15-17, 24-26, 29, 30;
in May - 6-8, 10-17, 21-23, 26-28, 31;
in June - 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-13, 16-20, 27-30;
in July - 8-12, 25-31;
in August - 2-6, 17, 18, 21-23, 26-28;
in September - 1-5, 7-10, 17-24;
in October - 4-7, 9-12, 19-21, 23-25, 27;
in November - 13-18.

Unfavorable days according to the lunar calendar for 2019 The dates for sowing annual and perennial asters are as follows:

in January - 5, 6, 21;
in February - 4, 5, 19;
in March - 6, 7, 21;
in April - 5, 19;
in May - 5, 19;
in June - 3, 4, 17;
in July - 2, 3, 17.
in August - 15, 16, 30, 31;
in September - 14, 15, 28, 29;
in October - 14, 28;
in November - 12, 13, 26, 27.

According to lunar calendar from the magazine “1000 tips for a summer resident.”

Preparing aster seeds for planting: processing

In appearance, the seeds of perennial, as well as annual aster, look quite massive, so you should not have any problems with sowing them.

However, before planting, aster seeds must be properly prepared and processed. You can, in particular, soak for a couple of hours in a weak solution potassium permanganate and then dry.

But more effective means To protect future aster seedlings from diseases, they will be treated in a special fungicide, for example, you can use things like , Fitolavin, Baktofit, Maxim or Klad.

By the way! Store-bought seeds, which are sold in the form of pills or capsules (they are also called pilled), do not need to be processed; the manufacturer has already done this for you.

Preparing the container and soil

Containers for planting and growing seedlings can be any pots, plastic or wooden boxes, plastic cups, homemade cut-out milk carton containers. The main thing is that their depth reaches 7-11 cm.

Advice! Before planting, disinfect the planting containers with one of the antiseptics, such as Biotex or Ecobio, then dry.

An airy and fertile substrate that easily allows both air and water to pass through is ideal for aster. You can prepare it yourself or buy it ready-made in the store.

Recipe for preparing a soil mixture for sowing aster seeds at home:

1 part of land from the garden;
1 part humus;
1 part sand.

It will be very good if you steam them or heat them in the oven, and then add a little perlite and wood ash based on 1 cup per 1 bucket of substrate. And immediately before sowing, generously saturate the soil with a solution of 1% potassium permanganate, or even better.

Direct planting of seeds

After the aster seeds have been treated before sowing, you can begin to plant them for seedlings in the following way:

Video: sowing aster seeds for seedlings

By the way! Another way to plant our beauty as seedlings is to sow seeds in snail.

How to care for asters after planting seeds

Shoots will appear in about a week or even earlier on the 5th day (less often later - on the 10th day). Now it’s time to remove the shelter and move the container with young seedlings to a cooler place where the temperature does not rise above 14-16 degrees.

Watering and fertilizing

It is necessary to moisten the soil regularly, as it dries, it is best to use a spray bottle.

Important!If you don’t want the aster seedlings to be picked up black leg, and she is very susceptible to this fatal disease, do not under any circumstances over-moisten the soil, take breaks and let it dry.

Young flower sprouts need to be watered carefully - they should not be washed away during watering.

Due to the fact that the aster seeds have already been planted in nutritious soil, fertilizing the young seedlings is not at all necessary. Perhaps 2 weeks after replanting (picking), you can lightly water it with an infusion of wood ash or a solution of ammonium nitrate at the rate of 2 g of fertilizer per 2 liters of water. Be careful with nitrogen fertilizers, which stimulate the growth of green mass, otherwise the aster will not bloom abundantly and not soon.

Picking

The time to pick aster seedlings comes when 3-4 true leaves appear. The seedlings must not be allowed to grow too long.

The picking containers are filled with the same substrate as before. A small depression is made in the center for seedlings.

Young seedlings need to be transplanted one flower into each container. In this case, the distance between the ground and the lower leaves should be approximately 8-12 mm.

Video: how to dive asters(please note that the author made a serious mistake by planting 2 seedlings at once in one small container, so in the second video he had to re-pick)

After replanting, it is necessary to carefully (without touching the leaves) water with warm room water. Then place the pots in a well-lit room with an air temperature of +19-21 degrees. It is important that the picked seedlings are not exposed to direct sunlight for some time.

That's all the care for aster seedlings before transplanting into open ground!

When and how to plant aster seedlings in open ground

The appearance of new true leaves on an aster is a clear signal that the plant needs to start hardening off. This can be done in 2 ways: take it outside or simply open a window and let fresh air into the room. Naturally, this needs to be done gradually, and not all at once.

Aster seedlings are planted in open ground when the plants reach 6-8 centimeters in height and have 5-7 vigorous leaves.

It's time to prepare the bed for planting. Asters grow well in non-acidic and light soils, the place should be well lit, the plant loves sunlight.

Advice! It is important to loosen the soil well in the area - this will greatly facilitate planting and improve their survival in a new place.

Best time and the weather for landing is a cloudy morning or evening when the sun has set.

Planting seedlings of young asters is carried out as follows: plants with lumps of earth are placed in pre-prepared holes, and the distance between plantings should be selected depending on the type and expected size of the future flower, that is, it can vary from 20 cm to half a meter. For better preservation moisture, mulch the ground around the seedlings. Both sawdust and peat will do.

Video: planting aster seedlings in open ground

After 1-2 weeks, you should fertilize the newly planted aster seedlings. As a rule, complex mineral fertilizers that do not contain nitrogen are used for this. Nitrogen fertilizers should be used only in the bud formation phase.

Important! No way it is forbidden use asters as fertilizer fresh manure- this is a direct path to the fact that the plant will become ill with fusarium and die.

All further care of the aster, as well as the essence of its cultivation in open ground, comes down to regular watering and loosening the soil around the plants. But care, namely watering, needs to be done correctly - water should not get on the leaves of the flowers.

If your region has snowless winters, be sure to cover the asters in the fall with spruce branches or some other covering material so that they do not freeze during the winter.

Video: asters - planting and care in open ground

Planting aster seeds in the ground in autumn (seedless method)

Some gardeners prefer sowing aster seeds directly into the ground in the fall due to the fact that the plants grow stronger, get sick less and begin to delight with their flowers earlier than when growing aster through seedlings.

Asters should be planted in autumn in slightly frozen soil. Thus, optimal timing Planting before winter will be in October - the first half of November.

What needs to be done before autumn sowing asters:

Dig up the soil in the garden bed, adding about 2-3 kilograms of peat (or humus), and also adding 1 tablespoon of superphosphate. Here the bed is formed!
Now you need to make 2 cm grooves at a distance of 15 cm from each other (parallel).
Then place the seeds one at a time every 2 centimeters, and sprinkle with soil on top.
Cover plastic film and forget until spring.

When the return frosts recede (this occurs in different regions in different regions, but usually occurs in the second half of April - early May), and the first shoots of asters appear, the film will need to be removed and further care will be carried out in the open ground.

Video: how to sow asters in the fall before winter

To grow an aster from seeds at home for seedlings, and then to care for flowers in the open ground, no extra effort or special training is required; it is enough for a novice gardener to familiarize himself with the recommendations and requirements for proper cultivation flower and actually get down to business. After all, a beautiful and blooming garden plot cannot but please the eye.

In contact with

Astra – annual flower, which blooms by mid-summer. Its main positive characteristics: unpretentiousness and cold resistance.

Despite this, in order to grow a beautiful plant in your garden or dacha, you will need certain knowledge.

Experienced gardeners grow them in seedlings, this helps protect young plants from death and promotes earlier and abundant flowering. In this article we will take a detailed look at the process of growing a flower: from preparing seeds and containers to planting in open ground.

Seed selection and preparation

The choice depends on the preferences of the gardener. As a rule, seed material is selected based on the color and height of the plant.

They also pay attention to the price segment: there are relatively cheap varieties, and there are more expensive varieties. If possible, we advise you to buy the most cold-resistant and disease-protected varieties.

The most popular varieties: Delight, Andersen, Alpine, Royal, Mongolian, New Belgian and Italian.

Seed preparation can be carried out in two ways: by germination and regular soaking.

In the first case, they need to be wrapped in gauze, previously soaked in a weak manganese solution. This procedure is done a week before sowing. After a week, the gauze is wrung out and placed in plastic bag to a warm place. When the seeds hatch (usually after a few days), they can be sown.
The second option is simpler - it does not require much time. Behind 10-12 hours before planting, the seeds are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. After this, they are washed and planted in the ground.

Attention! Before sowing, the seeds are treated with succinic acid or epin solution. This measure is a preventive measure against fusarium, which causes asters to curl and turn yellow leaves during or before flowering.

Preparing soil and containers

When the choice of seeds is made, they begin to prepare the soil. The flower can be planted in any soil, but it is best if it is medium-dense.

To do this, summer residents mix river sand, peat and soil taken from the garden. For those who do not have free time, we sell ready-made mixtures, for example, the nutritious soil “Flower” is good.

A separate point should be devoted to the choice of containers. Today, agricultural stores offer a huge number of boxes, peat pots, tablets. You can choose any option you like.

If you need to save money, then any plastic cups or bottles. The main thing is not to forget to make small holes in them on the sides. This is necessary so that the earth does not rot.

When to plant seedlings

Usually the flower is planted in the last ten days of March or early April. It all depends on the chosen variety.

For example, early varieties begin to bloom after 90 days, and mid-early varieties after 120. It turns out that the earlier the aster gains color, the later it is planted from seed.

Most early varieties can be planted in mid-April, and when working with late varieties, you can start growing sprouts from mid-March.

Rules for sowing and growing

Pre-prepared containers are filled with earth, approximately 2/3. Then the soil needs to be moistened and small grooves made in it (seeds are subsequently planted in them).

It is worth paying attention that the depth of the grooves should not exceed 2 centimeters. Otherwise, the seeds may not sprout. Ordinary sand is poured over the entire surface of the earth into pots (or any other devices).

This good way in the fight against “blackleg” (bacterial or fungal disease, affecting the stem). “Blackleg” is a rather dangerous disease; when it is highly infected, seedlings die.

After the aster seeds have been planted, the containers are covered with polyethylene or glass and placed on the windowsill. There is no need to water during this period. Usually seedlings can be seen within a week. If the seeds were germinated, then the first green leaves may appear within three days.

Lighting and temperature, picking

When growing sprouts at home, Special attention worth paying attention to lighting And temperature. Each period of development is characterized by its own care:

Before emergence, the temperature regime should be within 20-22 degrees, and the crops are covered with polyethylene or glass;
After the seeds germinate, the seedlings are placed in a well-lit place, usually on a windowsill. The air temperature should not be higher than 15 degrees. Otherwise, the plant may grow;
The last stage of growing begins when there are 2-3 true leaves. In particular, during this period, they perform diving (transplanting into large containers) and provide the seedlings with warmer conditions - 20-22 degrees.

Particular attention should be paid to watering. The water temperature must be at room temperature. The sprouts do not tolerate waterlogged soil, so it is watered rarely, but very abundantly.

Advice! You can feed the plant after complete rooting. Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers (potassium nitrate and superphosphate) is carried out together with watering.

When to plant in open ground

Planting in open ground occurs when the flower has 5-6 leaves and the height does not exceed 7 centimeters.

As a rule, this occurs 50-60 days after germination. For flowers, it is better to choose a sunny place, since shade can be destructive for them (the plant is a light-loving plant). The soil should be medium dense.

If the soil is heavy, peat, sand, and some ash are added to it. It is important to know that fresh manure cannot be added to the prepared flower bed.

The main care for seedlings after planting is timely watering, periodic loosening of the soil, and removal of weeds.

To summarize, we can say that the flower requires special care. Without knowing the basic rules for growing it, you can be left without beautiful flower beds.

Asters grown at home

Annual aster needs sufficient light and moisture. They drop her off on open areas. Light shading is allowed in the afternoon.

The soil for asters should be well-drained, as they cannot tolerate stagnant water. Most lush flowering observed when growing flowers on light sandy loams and loams with neutral acidity.

I grow aster through seedlings. So it blooms for me two weeks earlier and pleases me with lush caps until the fall. In the southern regions, aster can be sown directly into flower beds. Despite the dense shell, aster seeds are characterized by friendly and rapid germination.

For sowing, I take only fresh seeds. I prepare the soil mixture from two parts of garden soil and one part each of sand and humus. For containers I use wooden boxes or plastic bowls with a depth of at least 5 cm. I always spill the soil before sowing strong solution potassium permanganate for disinfection.

I start sowing asters for seedlings in the last days of March or the first ten days of April. I pre-soak the seed in Epin solution. You can use any other growth stimulator or soak the seeds in a solution of magnesium sulfate or zinc chloride (0.5 g per liter of water) for 15-17 hours.

I plant the seeds one centimeter deep. I moisten the grooves well, lay out the swollen seeds and sprinkle them on top leaf humus and sand. I cover the containers with film so that the soil does not dry out. Shoots appear within a week, after which I remove the cover and place the boxes with seedlings on sunny windowsills.

When the first true leaves appear, I pick out the seedlings. I use the same soil as when sowing seeds. Before picking, I water the seedlings well in the evening. I plant seedlings in large boxes at a distance of 5 cm from each other, and keep 10 cm between rows.

A week after the dive, I make sure to feed the aster seedlings with fertilizers that contain predominantly nitrogen. I use ammonium nitrate (one matchbox of fertilizer per bucket of water) or humates. Second feeding complete mineral fertilizer I add it after about two weeks, when new leaves appear.

In order for the seedlings to be strong, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for her. I regularly ventilate the room with the seedlings and maintain the temperature in it during the day at plus 20 degrees Celsius, and at night - up to plus 16.

With the coming warm weather I'm starting to harden off the seedlings. First, I take the boxes into the greenhouse for several hours. Gradually leave them in an outdoor shelter for the whole day, and then overnight.

I plant aster in flower beds in the first half of May. Low growing varieties(Crestella, Milady, Crimson) I place them compactly - at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. Tall varieties (Assol, Gala, White Tower, Rosanna) need more space for growth, so I plant them according to the 30x30 pattern.

Asters respond very well to fertilization. The first time I feed asters 10 days after planting with ammonium nitrate (10 g), liquid phosphate (5 g) and potassium salt (5 g), diluted in a bucket of water. For the second feeding during budding, I increase the amount of liquid phosphate to 10 g, and take the remaining components in 5 g each. After the first wave of flowering, I fertilize the asters again, but exclude saltpeter from the solution.

Further care for asters is not difficult. I water the flowers regularly, after which I make sure to loosen the soil. I immediately tear off the drooping inflorescences, without waiting for them to dry completely, in order to stimulate the flowering of new buds.

Growing aster seedlings is very easy if you follow the recommendations. The seedlings tolerate transplantation into open flower beds well and quickly begin to grow. At proper care aster blooms profusely until late autumn.

Aster is an autumn beauty that captivates everyone. It is not surprising that with the arrival of spring, many gardeners are wondering how to properly sow aster seeds for seedlings, when to plant them and at what time to replant them in the ground.

Scientifically a plant that grows on everyone personal plots and in gardens, called calistemma. According to legend, at the beginning of the 16th century, a French monk brought the seeds of this plant to Europe. beautiful plant from China. There are many varieties of asters, both annual and perennial, most of which can be grown in different climate zones.

How to choose the right seeds for seedlings

Due to the fact that there are a great many varieties of asters, before you start growing aster seedlings, you should select seeds.

This takes into account such parameters as appearance and the height of the bush, the structure and shape of the inflorescences (regular or double), what type of branching the plant has, color, shape of the petals (needle-shaped or regular), and so on. As a rule, manufacturers indicate all characteristics on the packaging.

In addition, you should pay attention to the date of seed collection. The longer the period, the worse the germination. So it is preferable to buy last year’s “harvest”.

Sowing seeds

Most often, asters are planted as seedlings in boxes, but you can directly plant them in the soil.

Sowing in open ground

Planting is carried out as soon as the soil warms up (usually the beginning of May) to a depth of 0.5-0.8 cm, having previously prepared the seeds (they need to be soaked in a germination accelerator). After 2 weeks, shoots appear.

When 2-3 leaves are formed on the stem, thin out the seedlings, keeping a distance of 10-15 cm between plants. Seeds can also be planted in late autumn in frozen ground (it is pre-prepared), then sprinkled with dry soil. You can also plant seeds in December-January, placing them in furrows and sprinkling them with a mixture of peat and dry soil, and on top with snow. Of course, they do this provided there are no severe frosts.

As they grow, young animals should be cared for by:

Loosening the soil to a depth of 4-6 cm after rain or watering.
Hilling 5-7 cm above the ground until branching begins.
Moderate watering (in hot weather it should be plentiful, about 3 buckets per 1 m2).
Control of water stagnation.
Feeding, as a rule, three times: 10-15 days after thinning, the appearance of buds and at the beginning of flowering.

Sowing for seedlings

The instructions always indicate the time for planting seeds in the ground. But gardeners do not recommend resorting to this method due to the onset of late flowering and advise sowing aster for seedlings (usually March-April), and later planting the young plants in the ground.

Just as in the case of planting in open ground, the seeds should be soaked in an accelerator. Asters are sown for seedlings in containers with a substrate when the end of March - beginning of April arrives to a depth of 0.5-0.8 cm, covered with soil and then covered with film.

You can use a purchased substrate or make it yourself by mixing humus, garden soil and sand. Do not forget to disinfect with phytosporin or potassium permanganate. You can bring acidity to a normal value using ash. Ideal temperature for germination 18-25°C. Shoots appear in a week, and after another 10 days leaves form. During this period, asters are picked into separate cups.

At the time of growth, seedlings should be provided with good lighting (preferably south and south-west windows), regular watering (in the morning) and a temperature of 16-25 ° C in daytime and 12-15°C at night.

1-2 weeks after diving, you can fertilize with special fertilizers for seedlings. You can use a mixture of superphosphate and nitrate in a ratio of 15:20 g for every 10 liters of water. By the time of planting, 2-3 fertilizing should be carried out, alternating spraying with fertilizers and root watering.

When 4-5 leaves appear, the seedlings periodically begin to be taken out glass balcony so that it hardens, and then into fresh air and sun, starting from 15 minutes with a gradual increase in time.

Planting seedlings in the ground

Previously sown asters are planted into the ground for seedlings after 50 days have passed. In this case, the height of the young growth should be 6 cm and there should be at least 5 leaves on each stem. Landing is carried out depending on the weather. As a rule, gardeners focus on folk sign, according to which the end of bird cherry flowering indicates the absence of frosts in the future.

Selecting a location

You should decide on the location of the flowerbed in the fall. For long flowering it is best to place it on sunny side. If suitable place no, you can plant a flower garden in partial shade.

Aster has no special requirements for soil, except that it must have a normal pH, be light and have good air permeability.

The only requirement is not to plant home-grown aster seedlings, as well as seeds, in the ground where gillyflowers, tomatoes, gladioli, carnations, and potatoes previously grew.

In the fall, 2 kg of sand and ½ bucket of humus per 1 m2 are first added to the soil and dug up. In the spring, scatter ammonium sulfate, superphosphate, and potassium salt, 1 tbsp each. l. each per 1 m2.

How to plant seedlings correctly

First of all, water the plants well and leave them for 30 minutes so that they can be easily removed from the cups. The transplant is done with the “native” lump of earth into pre-prepared soil or dug holes (not forgetting to water well) to a depth of no more than 20 cm, since root system Aster is located close to the surface of the earth.