Planting and caring for astrantia in open ground, description of 20 varieties and species

Currently, a huge number of flower crops have been bred, so when choosing, it can be very difficult to settle on just one. For example, you can focus your attention on astrantia. Planting and caring for astrantia is quite simple; the culture is unpretentious.

Description and features

Astrantia, or as this crop is also called - star, is a rhizomatous plant. The height of the bushes ranges from 15 cm to 1 m. The inflorescences come in various shades: from white to rich burgundy and wine, pink. The inflorescences are simple, umbrella-shaped. Collected from a large number of small flowers.

The peculiarity of the star is the presence of a wrapper on flowers of a more saturated color. The tips of the wrapper are usually green. The flowering period is long. The bushes begin to bloom in early summer. Flowering continues until autumn. It easily tolerates even harsh winters.

Growing methods

There are two ways to propagate astrantia. Seeds before winter and seedling method. Both methods are quite effective.

Planting freshly harvested seeds before winter

The soil is dug up and grooves are made in any location. Then the seeds are sown. Lightly sprinkle with soil and water generously. For the winter, the seeds can be covered with spruce branches. In the spring, after the snow melts, the shelter is removed. In a few weeks, shoots should appear. After the bushes grow, they can be planted or left to grow in one place.

Through seedlings

The second method of propagation is seedlings. The seeds are first planted at home in boxes, and then transplanted into open ground when they grow up.

Deadlines

Planting of planting material is carried out at the end of February - beginning of March. Planting dates largely depend on the region of residence and climatic conditions.

Preparation of planting material

Before planting, the planting material is prepared so that it germinates faster. To do this, the seeds are germinated. Planting material is placed in damp gauze and covered on top. The gauze is placed in a warm and dark place. Before sprouts appear, the gauze must be constantly moistened. After 2-3 days, sprouts should appear. After this, the seeds are planted in the ground.

How to plant

Plant the seeds in a loose fertile substrate.

Seed planting process:

• Fine drainage is poured into the bottom of the container, then soil.
• Make shallow furrows in the soil and sow the seeds.
• Lightly dig in with soil.

At the end of planting, water with warm water and cover the boxes with a plastic bag. Thanks to this measure, seedlings will begin to appear faster.

Temperature and light conditions

Boxes with seedlings are placed on sunny windows. Seedlings grow better if they are in the sun all day. The room temperature must be at least +18 degrees. Seedlings do not tolerate sudden changes in temperature.

Picking

Picking is carried out after the seedlings have grown and a pair of full leaves appears on each seedling. The bushes are transplanted into peat pots. Then they are planted together in open ground.

Picking can be omitted if the seedlings do not grow close to each other and the astrantia has enough space in one container.

Hardening

A few weeks before transplanting into open ground, seedlings begin to harden off. Boxes with seedlings are taken outside for 15 minutes at first. Each time the residence time should increase until it reaches an hour. You cannot take seedlings outside if the weather is very cold.

Planting in open ground

Planting in open ground is the second stage of growing a crop. Before this, you should definitely allocate a bed for seedlings in advance and prepare it.

Deadlines

Seedlings are planted in open ground after the weather becomes warm outside. Planting seedlings in cold soil leads to the development of diseases. Astrantia is usually replanted in late May - early June.

Selecting a location

Astrantia prefers to grow in open sunny areas. You can also plant seedlings in partial shade or under the canopy of trees and shrubs. When choosing a location, you need to ensure that the bushes receive sunlight for part of the day.

Soil requirements

For planting, light, loose soil rich in nutrients is best suited. The composition can be any; the plant is undemanding to this point.

Planting scheme

Seedlings are planted at a distance of 8-12 cm from each other. Bushes need space to grow properly. If it is a low-growing variety, the distance can be reduced. The higher the bush, the greater the distance should be.

Care

Maintenance of the crop is minimal. Astrantia is an unpretentious plant. You can practically not care for the bushes, just regularly water and weed.

Watering

Water the bushes with heated water after sunset. You can water early in the morning, when the sun's rays are not yet so aggressive. In the spring after planting, water 3-4 times a week. Every day in the summer, especially if the heat lasts for a long time. If it rains often, then you need to be guided by the conditions of the plants. If they are green and bloom profusely, you don’t need to water them additionally.

To reduce the amount of irrigation, you can mulch the soil in the flowerbed. The mulch layer should not be less than 15 cm. In addition to retaining moisture in the soil, this layer prevents the appearance of weeds and protects the root system from frost in winter.

Loosening and weeding

Once a week, before watering, the soil is loosened and weeds are removed. It is better to prevent weeds from appearing at all and pull them out immediately. The soil is weeded to a depth of 5-7 cm.

Trimming

Cutting is necessary for faded inflorescences. They need to be trimmed immediately so that the bush does not appear “naked.” Dry leaves and stems are also removed regularly. Closer to autumn, when the flowering period ends, the stems are cut so that at least 15 cm from the ground remain.

Top dressing

Astrantia is one of those few plants that do not need to be fertilized. Without fertilizing, the bush can grow and bloom quite successfully. As a preventative measure, the flower bed can be watered several times a month with complex mineral fertilizers or manure diluted in water.

Transfer

Replanting a crop is often not necessary. Transplantation can be carried out every 3-4 years.

Diseases and pests

Astrantia rarely gets sick and is practically not attacked by insects. For prevention, you need to regularly destroy weeds from the flowerbed. In principle, this measure will be enough to keep the bush healthy and blooming profusely all the time.

Reproduction

Astrantia reproduces in two ways - by seed and by dividing the rhizome.

Seeds

Propagation by seeds is carried out in spring or autumn. In the first case, planting material is planted into seedlings in the spring at home. When the seedlings grow up and it becomes warm outside, they are planted in open ground.

Dividing the bush

The second way is by dividing the bush. This method is suitable if the bush has already grown greatly and needs to be replanted. Instead of replanting, you can cut the plant into several parts and plant it. Reproduction is carried out in this way in the fall. In spring, new bushes will begin to actively grow.

The advantage of this propagation method is that you do not have to worry about growing seedlings, and the bushes will begin to bloom faster after transplanting to a new location.

After flowering

After the inflorescences fade, you need to begin preparing the plants for winter. Unlike many flower crops, astrantia is unpretentious even in this regard.

Collection and storage of seeds

Seeds can be collected throughout the summer, as soon as the inflorescences fade. Faded flowers are cut off and laid out in a dark room to dry completely. After this, it is easy to collect the seeds. Store collected planting material in the refrigerator for no more than two years.

Preparing for winter

Astrantia is a frost-resistant plant, so it is not necessary to cover the bushes for the winter.

Kinds

Astrantia varieties are divided into several types depending on the height of the bush.

Large

In these varieties, the main stem can grow up to 1 m. The bushes are large and spreading.

Greatest

The bushes are large, growing up to 70-85 cm in height. This species grows in the Caucasus. The inflorescence is large, about 7 cm in diameter. The flowers are pink.

Small

Plants are small in size, up to 60 cm high. Branching is average. It blooms later than everyone else, in August-September. Inflorescences are dusty pink.

Carniolian

The height of this variety of bushes is 40-55 cm. The plant is not branched, has weak foliage. Fuchsia inflorescences.

Popular varieties

Breeders have developed a large number of varieties of astrantia, differing in the shade of inflorescences and a number of other characteristics.

Moulin rouge

The height of the Moulin Rouge variety reaches 50 cm. The color of the inflorescences is rich burgundy.

Ruby Wedding

The variety is tall, 70 cm high. The inflorescences are pale pink.It begins to bloom in June and ends in August.

Claret

The approximate height of the variety is 50-56 cm. The flowers are large, of a rich wine color. The foliage is bright green.

Diva

Plants are up to 55 cm high. The bushes are 30-40 cm in diameter. The color of the flowers is lavender with white tints.

Venice

Mature plants reach a height of 50 cm. The flowers are purple. Grows well in both sun and shade.

Lars

Tall variety, stems about 70 cm long. The color of the flowers is pale pink. It has long flowering that lasts all summer.

Sunningdale

The variety is tall, grows up to 70 cm. The inflorescences are light pink, the bract is large.

Rosen Symphony

The variety is distinguished by its rich wine-colored flower petals. An adult plant grows about 75 cm.

Rosea

Pink inflorescences. The height of the bushes is up to 80 cm. The flowering period is from June to September. It prefers to grow in sunny areas and in partial shade.

Snowstar

The flowers are white, the inflorescences are large, 5-6 cm in diameter. The bushes are tall, growing up to 1 m.

Abbey Road

Purple flowers, rich burgundy wrapper. The bush is medium-sized, up to 60 cm high.

Venice

The flowers are deep purple. The height of the plant reaches 50 cm. The bushes are spreading.

Major

The inflorescences are ruby ​​in color, the plants are tall, about 70 cm. Unpretentious in cultivation.

Roma

The Roma variety is characterized by white-pink inflorescences and tall bushes. Duration of flowering from June to the end of September.

Symphony

The height of an adult plant is up to 75 cm. The flowers are pink. The variety is suitable for cutting.

Moulin Rouge

Inflorescences of rich wine color. A characteristic feature of the variety is its black wrapper.It has long flowering that lasts all summer.

Use in landscape design

Astrantia is universal in landscape design. The plant combines with most flower crops. Looks great both in group plantings and in single ones. It is best to plant together with perennials.