Alpine aster: planting and care, blue, pink perennial varieties Goliath, Violetta, description of the best species + photo

Features of the variety

Astra is a ground cover plant. The root system of the plant grows in a horizontal direction, which causes the shape of a shrub that resembles a carpet. Alpine aster shoots are erect, with single inflorescences at the top. The shape of the flowers and the diameter, reaching 6 cm, make them look like a camomile. The flowering period of the plant is quite long: it begins at the end of May and lasts until autumn. The aster blooms especially actively for 4 weeks. The color range of inflorescences is impressive – from white to bright purple.

Video “How to sow an alpine aster”

In this video, an expert will tell you how to sow alpine aster in the garden.

Varieties

The variety of varieties makes the autumn shrub very popular with gardeners. The owner of an alpine beauty has a lot of options for decorating a summer cottage or front garden. The color variety allows you to form whole compositions from garden plants. The most famous varieties of asters are:

1. Albus. Low shoots are densely dotted with rich green leaves, and at the top – delicate white flowers.
2. Gloria. Inflorescences of sky-blue shades, small in diameter – up to 3 cm.
3. Goliath. Quite large lilac flowers, the diameter of which reaches 6 cm.
4. Rosea. The flowers are pinkish, small.
5. Aster alpine pink. Early flowering variety, buds appear in mid-May. The inflorescences are pink and 4 cm in diameter.
6. Alpine blue aster. Large flowers have an unusually beautiful combination of blue and purple hues.
7. Violet. The flowers are small, pale blue.

Cultivation

The shrub is unpretentious, but there are moments that are of fundamental importance when growing. For example, landing. It must be performed correctly, taking into account all the nuances inherent in the chosen method.

In the cultivation of seeds, the decisive factor is their quality. It is on this that the germination indicators depend. In temperate regions, aster seeds are sown in open ground in early April. To form a greenhouse effect, which will prevent the soil from freezing, the planting is covered with plastic wrap. The first sprouts can be observed in a couple of weeks. With their appearance, the plant is planted in a flower bed. By the end of summer, inflorescences form on the tops of the shoots. The first buds of perennial asters are not cut off, as this injures the plant before wintering.

Caring flower growers prefer growing seedlings. This method is more delicate, the risk of planting freezing is excluded, because the containers with seeds hibernate in a heated room. To obtain high-quality seedlings, you need to observe several important points:

1. Priming. The soil for the future asters should be nutritious, most often it is a mixture of garden soil with rotted mullein or a special flower substrate.
2. Presence of drainage holes.
3. Sufficient illumination. It is preferable to place the seed container on the southern windowsills.

Aster seeds are deepened by 1 cm into moist soil. With the advent of sprouts, the container is moved to a place where the air temperature does not exceed 20 ° C. The grown sprouts dive. The procedure is not necessary for seedlings growing in separate containers. In early summer, the sprouts are transplanted into open ground.

Cuttings are a method accessible even to a beginner grower. The success of this procedure is ensured by the observance of some rules:

• the use of high-quality cuttings;
• each cutting should have several leaves;
• processing sections with a stimulant to form the root system;
• preparation of nutrient soil;
• moderate soil moisture;
• covering the cuttings with a film;
• daily ventilation.

Dividing the bush is another effective way to grow alpine aster. A part of it is separated from the shrub along with the root and transplanted to a new place. The soil is pre-fed with organic fertilizers and dug up.

Care

The shrub does not need special care. To create favorable conditions for the plant, it is necessary to carry out the following procedures:

1. Timely soil moisture. For irrigation, it is better to use settled water.
2. Weed control.
3. Hilling and feeding.

Protection against diseases and pests

Some varieties of Alpine beauty, such as Violetta, blue and pink asters, are quite resistant to pests and diseases. But uncomfortable growing conditions can provoke the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease. In this case, it is necessary to remove the affected areas, and treat the shrub with an antifungal agent. Bordeaux liquid, soap or ash solution are considered effective in the fight against insects.

landscape application

Alpine aster is actively used in landscape design. The plant is planted along the borders, in flowerbeds and rocky hills, off the coast of artificial reservoirs. The shrub is harmoniously combined with decorative stones. Compositions from several varieties of asters look great. The shrub looks advantageous against the background of irises, alpine milkweed, loosestrife, chrysanthemums.

Growing a perennial shrub is within the power of even a novice gardener. The plant is unpretentious, resistant to cold.

The variety of shades of alpine aster allows you to create unsurpassed flower beds that will become a real decoration of the garden.