How to diversify a flower bed with a Chinese aster
Content
Description and varieties
Chinese aster has a wide root system and a straight green-red stem. The height reaches 90 cm, the leaves are oval, have denticles. The basket-shaped bud has a yellow core, and the inflorescences are striking in a variety of shades. Aster blooms in mid-summer, and ends with the arrival of severe frosts.
The Chinese aster has over 40 varieties, but the following are the most popular:
- Dragon - has twisted petals, does not fade for a long time after cutting;
- Balun - it has a bud in the shape of a ball, grows in bushes;
- Princess - has terry petals, the diameter of which exceeds 10 cm;
- Pompons - small buds (up to 5 cm in diameter) located throughout the bush;
- Don Quixote - is distinguished by a blue color, which is rare for flowers.
Video "Growing asters from seeds"
In this video, an expert will tell you how to properly grow aster from seeds.
Where to plant
To grow flowers, you need to find a place that is exposed to direct sunlight. It is not recommended to plant aster in soil that accumulates moisture. This is fraught with the formation of a large amount of dew on the flower or its death. Please note that aster does not like strong winds.
Growing rules
There are two ways to grow asters: seedling and seedling.
For a seedless method, choose an area that is well lit by the sun. Avoid low-lying areas as the roots of this plant do not like moisture. Use high nitrogen fertilizers such as ash and humus as a top dressing.
In order to avoid problems with the soil, treat it before planting the seeds with boiled hot water with potassium permanganate. Use sand to increase soil drainage, and excess acid can be quenched with ash. To prevent diseases, asters should not be planted in the ground where tomatoes grew.
As for the seedling method, it is necessary to start by sowing seeds in peat containers. Such a container is convenient because the seedlings begin to sprout inside it. After planting in the soil, it will be easier for the roots of the plant to get used to the new conditions, especially if the quality of the soil is poor.
After the first seedlings appear in the containers, they must be placed in the open sun. When the frost subsides, the plants can be planted. Do not forget about supports for tall varieties of plants.
Care
Perennial aster will delight gardeners with lush flowering, who will pay due attention to it. This flower is in dire need of watering during the summer heat, so the gardener needs to provide the right amount of water.
A few days after planting the seedlings, provide it with the necessary complex of minerals. The next fertilization procedure is carried out during flowering. Purchase special complexes that have a beneficial effect on the color and growth of asters.
If the bushes are too overgrown, they need to be tied up. The support must be high and stable to support heavy bushes.
Pests and diseases
The main pests of Chinese asters are slugs and kidney aphids. Slugs can be fought with metaldehyde.As for aphids, this pest attacks the plant even in the early stages of growth. It is recommended to spray the aster with Chlorophos until it starts to release the leaves.
Chinese asters often suffer from fungal infections. If the plant began to wither and turn yellow, it got sick with fusarium. It is impossible to cope with this disease. To prevent contamination of other flowers, the diseased plant is dug up and burned.
If rust appears on the back of the leaf, the aster must be treated with Bordeaux liquid. A fungicide helps against decay and blackening of the plant. You can avoid flower jaundice with the help of insecticides. Diseased plants are dug up and burned. "Fundazol" will help to rid the aster from rot or verticillosis.