Description of varieties and varieties of shrub asters, cultivation and care

Many owners of summer cottages and private houses are engaged in growing flowers. At the same time, flowers such as bush aster are often planted. However, before planting a plant, you need to become more familiar with its characteristics and growing rules.

Description and characteristics of bush aster

The bush aster is a common perennial plant that is often grown to decorate flower beds. Currently, there are several hundred varieties of such flowers.

Features include their root system with branching strong roots, which are reliably protected from temperature changes and pests. During cultivation, inflorescences 3-4 centimeters long appear on the bushes. Most often, their tubular part has a yellowish tint. In this case, the reed part can be:

• red;
• blue;
• lilac;
• white;
• pinkish.

The most common varieties and types

Before you start planting shrub flowers, you need to familiarize yourself with the most beautiful varieties of asters.

Alice Haslam

Popular varieties of shrub asters include Alice Haslam. The main difference between the flower and other varieties is its miniature and compact size. The bush grows up to twenty centimeters, after which it stops growing.

Blau Lagoon

A plant with very bright inflorescences, colored purple with a lilac tint. Blau Lagoon is considered an autumn flower, as flowering begins in early September and continues until the first frost of the night.

Lady in Blue

The most popular winter-hardy shrub variety is Lady in Blue. In the second half of summer, the bushes are covered with bright blue inflorescences that bloom until October.

Schneekissen

A low-growing variety with compact bushes thirty centimeters high. Abundant flowering begins in late September or early October and lasts 25-30 days. The inflorescences have a yellowish center and snow-white petals.

Jenny

Popular varieties of asters include jenny.Many summer residents decorate their flower beds with this particular variety. During the flowering period, inflorescences with petals painted in bright pink appear on Jenny bushes.

Anneke

The most unpretentious shrub variety that anyone can grow. Anneke begins to bloom in August and ends after 35-40 days. The flowers are crimson with a light red tint.

Starlight

The characteristic features of Starlight include the branching of its bushes, as well as long flowering, which lasts 45-55 days. The shrub is unpretentious in care and therefore, when growing it, you do not need to frequently moisten or feed the soil.

Flower propagation methods

The bush aster reproduces by various methods. There are four main methods of flower propagation, the features of which must be understood in advance.

Seeds

Many breeders and gardeners use the seed method of propagating flowers. At the same time, experts advise planting mature seeds immediately after harvesting so that the grown asters are healthier and not susceptible to disease.

By division

Another common method of propagating shrub flowers is division. When using this method, you will have to independently separate the cuttings from the mature bush. It is recommended to do this in autumn or spring, when temperatures do not drop below zero degrees.

By layering

The oldest method of propagating many plants is the use of layering. The essence of this method is that before dividing the bushes on the stems, the formation of young roots is stimulated. The cuttings are then separated from the mother plant and planted in the soil.

Cuttings

To propagate flowers by cuttings, you will have to cut shoots 15-17 centimeters long from young stems.Then they are transplanted into the soil and filled with warm water. The procedure is carried out in the first half of summer or spring.

Growing rules

The perennial bush aster must be planted correctly and therefore you need to familiarize yourself with the nuances of its planting in advance.

What time to grow?

First you need to decide on the most suitable period for growing aster. Experienced gardeners advise doing this at the end of March or in the first half of April, when there are no frosts at night. If it gets warmer outside earlier, you can start planting in early March.

Choosing a location on the site

Before planting, be sure to choose the most suitable place for planting asters. It is recommended to plant them in a semi-shaded area, since direct sunlight may cause burns on the leaves and inflorescences. Also, for planting, select places with clean soil without weeds.

How to sow seeds correctly?

Before planting, all seeds are pre-treated with fungicidal agents and stimulants to accelerate the growth of seedlings. Then soil is poured into the growing container, after which holes about 15 centimeters deep are made. Seeds are planted in each hole, covered with soil and watered.

How are seedlings grown?

To get strong seedlings, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic nuances of growing them. Experienced gardeners advise keeping all containers with seedlings in cool rooms where the temperature does not rise above fifteen degrees.

Seedlings should develop evenly. Therefore, in order for the stems to develop equally on all sides, it is necessary to periodically turn them towards the sunny side of the room.

Landing technology

When the seedlings grow to 8-10 centimeters, they are transplanted into open ground. To do this, shallow holes are made in the flowerbed at a distance of 20-30 centimeters. Then the asters are carefully taken out of the pots along with the soil and planted in the holes.

How to care for a plant?

To ensure that the bushes do not die and delight the owners of their summer cottage with their beauty, they will have to be properly cared for. Therefore, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the basic nuances of caring for planted asters.

Watering

Shrub varieties of aster are known to cope well with dry weather. However, this does not mean that you can not moisten the soil in the flowerbed. In order for the plant to grow normally, you will have to water all the flowers once a week. If the summer is rainy, watering can be reduced to 2-3 times a month.

Temperature

People who grow asters rarely pay attention to temperature. However, if the temperature conditions are observed, the planted plant will develop much better. It is recommended that when growing flowers, the temperature should not exceed 30 degrees.

Fertilizers

During the entire growing season, the plant is fertilized at least three times. Regular feeding of aster has a positive effect on the growth of bushes and makes flowering more lush. Gardeners advise fertilizing the bushes with mineral fertilizers with the addition of organic matter.

How to properly preserve asters in winter

Despite their winter hardiness, asters still need to be prepared for winter. To do this, in the fall, flower beds are covered with a dense layer of fallen leaves and tree branches. The shelter is removed in late March.

Common diseases and pests

The most common disease that affects asters is fusarium.It is impossible to cure this disease, and therefore all infected flowers must be dug up and burned so that the disease does not spread throughout the flowerbed.

Pests that periodically attack asters can also cause plant death. Most often plants are affected by:

• scoops;
• aphid;
• bedbugs;
• arable slugs;
• pennies;
• ticks.

To protect flowers from pests, you need to periodically feed the soil with lime, and also dig up the area after flowering.

Conclusion

Many summer residents who want to decorate their plots with flowers are engaged in growing shrub asters. Before planting such plants, you need to familiarize yourself with the common varieties and rules for their propagation.