Asters resembling stars are found in almost every garden. They pleases the eye mostly closer to the fall, when the bulk of the flowers already wither. Asters also decorate and flower beds, and home vases until the coldest. Care of them does not involve special complexity. Every gardener should know when and how to plant asters on seedlings.
When to plant asters on seedlings?
The time chosen by the growers for sowing aster depends on a whole list of factors. Among them, the flowering period, and the overall climate, and growing conditions. Annual varieties, which are usually preferred in the middle band, can be grown both in the greenhouse and in the apartment on the windowsill. The main thing is not to plant the seeds immediately in the open ground. Perennials are more frost-resistant. Among them there are even those that are able to blossom again after frosts.
With a short light day and late arrival of heat, the crop is carried out closer to April. But the early spring or the opportunity to give seedlings artificial light contribute to the work with seeds in early March. If there is still a sowing in the ground, before the beginning of May it makes no sense. But, again, each group of varieties has its own schedule.
In particular, autumn plants are sown in the last decade of March or early April. Those that should please the blossom in early summer, at the very end of February, go to a warm box. In addition, the flower growers are often compared with the lunar calendar, compiled anew for each year. Gardeners are guided by the growing moon. The closer the period is to the full moon, the higher the chance that the plant will stretch weakly.
Seedlings of asters: growing of
Why is planting seedlings a priority? Growing in a greenhouse or it on the windowsill makes it possible to shift the flowering period to earlier dates. Preparation for work with asters is made at the very end of February, and begins with soaking seeds. For this, any solution that accelerates the development of the root system is used. From special shops to simple manganese.
Seedlings will take about 4-5 weeks to prepare for transfer to the open ground.
The first 7 days are especially important. First, the tanks filled with soil are selected. You can use the manufacturer's universal substrate for seedlings already prepared in advance, but you can do it yourself. Mix turf, peat and sand, observing a ratio of 3: 1: 1 between them. It is important that the soil is loose and has sufficient nutrients.
Small seeds are necessarily combined with a small amount of sand and poured out on the ground in a different way. From above, they should be covered with earth, the thickness of the layer of which does not exceed 5 mm. The soil is moistened, the container is removed to any place where the temperature corridor is kept at 14-16 ° C.Experts recommend that you go through the substrate with a weak solution of potassium permanganate before that. Then the container is covered with glass or tightened with a thin film. The condensate formed under them will have to be shaken off daily.
Seedlings require constant watering. It is produced by abundant spraying. It is forbidden to pour water with a jet. It will erode the soil, eventually displacing the crops or eliminating them from the soil. Flower growers are advised at least once in these 7 days to go through the seedling fungicide: it prevents the formation of fungus and is focused on still fragile seedlings.
How and where to plant asters grown from seed seedlings?
Initially, the seeds are laid out in small plastic packaging from under yogurt, or in one large plastic container. After 1-2 weeks usually have to deal with the picking of seedlings. This requires more capacity. For example, disposable cups with a volume of 500 grams. What's important is to create several holes at the bottom. This will allow both to establish air exchange, and to remove excess water, if it will. Let asters also be sufficiently hygrophilous, they will not tolerate excess.
The seedlings disassembled in capacities will spend weeks of them in them. If there are several specimens in one pot, they need to keep a distance of 5-7 cm between them. Covering them with glass or a film already makes no sense. The seedling itself moves closer to the light.
After picking, regardless of the location of the seedlings, they will have to be watered as well every day. And, asters like that this procedure was carried out in the morning. In the open ground they can be transferred not earlier than May. Before this date, there are 2 options. Or send to the greenhouse, if it is possible to maintain a certain temperature. Or create a special small greenhouse.
Once the average temperature is set to 8-10 ° C, a seat is selected for it. The bed with the sizes 1 on 3 m. Is optimum. Soil is not necessary to prepare in a special way. To create a design, you need conventional aluminum arcs, the number of which is calculated as N + 1.N is the length of the bed in meters. That is, 3 m are taken by 4 arcs, and by 2 m - 3 pcs. Their location is mandatory in the extreme points of the hotbed and on every new meter.
The top of the structure is tightened with a film. The width is calculated from the length of the arc itself + 20 cm on both sides. Length - from the indicator of the length of the bed, to which add 1.5 m. The film is pressed everywhere with bricks.
In such a hotbed you can land asters for the purpose of hardening them in April. The film starts to open gradually. The duration of such procedures should start from 15-20 minutes, reaching a full day.
The most attractive varieties of aster: photos and care
In general, the existing and suitable middle band of the variety aster is easily divided into 4 large groups. They are united in terms of their flowering time. In each of the categories there are especially interesting specimens.
- Astra alpine is included in the first group, before all other colors, pleasing the summer residents with their small flowers like chamomile. The main gamut of inflorescences is blue-lilac. Frost is not afraid of a variety, even in the form of seedlings, so it can immediately land in a greenhouse. Soil aster is required loamy, place - sunny. Flowering period - from the end of May. Given the fact that it is perennial, in the first year a large number of flowers will not be.
- The New Belgian asters are beauties of September, allowing them to admire them until the very end of autumn. Inflorescences of inflorescences are not too large, but their density on the bush is higher. In addition, the degree of terryness varies. For example, in Porcellan stunning lavender flowers, lush and large, and the bush is just below 90 cm. PatriciaBallard looks like it, having a rich pink hue.
- The most unpretentious flowers for the flower bed
- What flowers are planted for the winter?
- How to grow a lefkut?
- How to grow asters from seeds?
Remember that the vegetative period for seedlings asters is about 3 months. Therefore, probably, with some early grades it is necessary to hurry. Knowing this, working with seeds asters will not cause you any questions. It is possible that next summer some new beautiful bushes will appear in the garden.