How and when to prune astilbe in preparation for winter, is it necessary to cover

Preparing astilbe for winter is the most important part of the technology for growing this crop on a personal plot. The overwintering of the crop, its growth and development next year, the abundance and beauty of flowering depend on the correctness of its implementation. Neglecting even the most seemingly insignificant aspect of these preparatory measures can lead to both weakening and complete death of the plant.

How to prepare a flower for winter

Preparing a flower crop such as astilbe for winter includes pruning, mulching, and fertilizing..

Do I need to prune the plant for the winter?

In most cases, pruning of this crop for the winter must be done for several reasons:

1. Seeds ripening in boxes on dried paniculate inflorescences take away a large amount of nutrients, thereby weakening the plant.
2. Leaves damaged by the first frost will still die, creating conditions for the development of diseases and overwintering of pests.
3. On bushes older than 5 years, as well as in harsh climates, it is necessary to cut off the above-ground part in order to most effectively and reliably cover the plant from frost and cold using various covering materials, plastic film.

Also, pruning allows you to give the plant, which is gradually shedding its leaves, a more neat and well-groomed appearance.

Deadlines

Pruning includes removing flower stalks with faded paniculate inflorescences and frost-damaged foliage that has begun to dry out. Peduncles with panicles are removed after flowering, as soon as the petals begin to fall from the inflorescence and it becomes yellow-brown in color. Depending on the characteristics of the variety, this part of the pruning is performed in July-August. The foliage is cut off in the fall, when the first night frosts occur - October-November.

Pruning rules

The technology for pruning this flower crop includes the following steps:

1. Faded and browned inflorescences are completely removed along with the peduncles.
2. The foliage is cut off at the very surface of the ground. In this case, the remaining stumps should protrude no more than 15-20 millimeters above the soil surface.

Pruning is done with pruning shears or sharp scissors that have been previously disinfected in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. Autumn pruning of this crop is not carried out when it is planted at this time - in such cases, the annual astilbe bush is pruned only next fall.

Mulching

After pruning, the soil around the plant is carefully loosened to a depth of 10-12 centimeters and covered with a 5-6 centimeter layer of mulch. Well-rotted compost, humus, straw, dry grass, and lowland peat are used as mulching materials.

It is undesirable to use fresh oak sawdust, wet leaves that have begun to rot, or any air-tight polymer materials as mulch.

Fertilizer

Autumn fertilizing is necessary to strengthen the plant and ensure it survives the winter well. It is carried out with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in a dose of 20 grams of each active ingredient. In physical weight, this is about 40 grams of potassium sulfate and 50 grams of double superphosphate.

These fertilizers are applied in two ways:

1. In dry form - scattered, when loosening the soil before or after pruning the above-ground part of the plant, with mandatory embedding to a depth of 10-12 centimeters.
2. In the form of a solution - during moisture-recharging autumn watering.

When added as a solution, superphosphate is first dissolved in boiling water and then mixed with potassium sulfate diluted in cold water.

Astilbe shelter for wintering

Young bushes, after timely pruning and mulching in temperate climates, do not need shelter. Starting from the age of 5, when the overgrown rhizome already protrudes strongly above the soil surface, the plant requires obligatory shelter.

The simplest, but at the same time reliable, shelter for this crop is made as follows:

1. Having retreated about 10-15 centimeters from the rhizome, 4 wooden blocks are stuck next to the plant.
2. The bars are tied together with planks.
3. Dry leaves are poured inside the resulting frame.
4. The frame with foliage is covered with non-woven porous material - lutrasil.
5. A dense and thick plastic film is placed on top of the lutrasil, pressing its edges with bricks, stones or sprinkling with earth.

Such a shelter will protect the rhizome and buds from freezing during the winter and protect the plant from damage by rodents.

What are the features of preparing astilbe in different regions?

Depending on the conditions of the region in which the crop winters, there are some features in its preparation for the winter season.

In the Urals and Siberia

In the harsh Siberian winters, plants of this species at any age must be covered for the winter after pruning. To do this, they either build large frames over them or simply cover them with a large layer of spruce branches and straw. Also, in such conditions, astilbe is often grown in large pots, which, with the onset of the first frost, are brought into dry and cool rooms for the winter, where they can be guaranteed to be preserved in the winter.

In the middle zone and Moscow region

In the conditions of the Middle Zone, young plants must be pruned and mulched for the winter; for older bushes, a frame shelter is made.

In the Volga region

In the Volga region, preparing crops for winter has the following features:

1. The crop is not covered for the winter, limited to pruning and mulching.
2. In the southernmost regions of this region, characterized by mild winters, they limit themselves to trimming only flower stalks, leaving intact leaves.

Typical mistakes when preparing for winter

The main, most common mistakes made by gardeners when preparing astilbe for winter are the following:

1. Incomplete pruning - many gardeners do not cut off faded inflorescences, as a result of which the plant is greatly weakened, giving up a very large amount of nutrients to the formation of seeds.
2. Neglect of phosphorus-potassium fertilizing - in the absence of such measures as applying phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to the crop, astilbe goes into the winter not strong enough. This, in the case of extreme cold and insufficient insulation, can play a fatal role.
3. Poor mulching - a small layer of mulch can lead to the fact that in the event of even slight frosts, the soil around the plant will freeze more intensely, causing damage or complete death of the rhizome.

Also, in areas with harsh winters and when the plant is more than 5 years old, the most serious mistake is poor insulation of the bush, leading to its damage or complete death.