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Astilba Fanal is a bright representative of shade-tolerant plants. The plant is valued for its unpretentiousness and decorative properties. The flower is grown from seeds through seedlings. With the right choice of landing site, astilba requires minimal care.
Botanical description
Astilbe is a herbaceous perennial belonging to the Saxifrage family. In nature, the plant is found in East Asia and North America, in deciduous forests, on the banks of rivers and reservoirs. Since the XNUMXth century, the flower has been grown in Europe.
Astilba Fanal is a hybrid obtained in 1930 by the German breeder Georg Arends. The name of the variety is translated as “beacon” or “beacon light”.
Description of Astilba Fanal:
- height 60 cm;
- rhizome powerful, woody, erect shoots;
- leaves are shiny, about 40 cm long, unpaired, pinnate and dissected;
- the edges of the leaf plates are serrated;
- when blooming, the leaves have a brown or reddish tint, in summer they acquire a rich green color;
- petioles and stems with a reddish tint;
- crimson flowers, collected in paniculate inflorescences 20 cm long;
- width of inflorescences – up to 8 cm.
Flowering of astilba Fanal begins in June-July and lasts 20 days. The flowering period depends on the planting site and weather conditions. At high humidity and temperature, astilba blooms earlier. In drought or cool weather, flowering begins in August. The flower is valued for its decorative properties. Inflorescences do not fade for a long time and remain on the bushes.
After the end of flowering in August-September, boxes with seeds are formed. They are collected to obtain planting material. Seed germination persists for several years.
Photo of astilba Fanal:
Variety Fanal unpretentious, prefers dark areas. The plant is grown in flower beds and in discounts. The flower looks good in single and group plantings. Shoots are used as a cut flower to create summer bouquets.
On sale there are seeds from the companies Avista, Garden, Flos, etc. Planting material is also supplied from Holland.
Astilba cultivation
The astilba variety Fanal is grown by planting seeds at home. Seedlings provide the necessary conditions, after which they transfer it to a permanent place. Plant seeds are also planted in open ground, however, the seedling method is more reliable and proven.
Landing order
Landing work begins in March-April. First, a substrate is prepared, consisting of an equal amount of peat and sand. It is allowed to use peat cups or purchased soil mixture.
Before planting, it is recommended to steam the soil in a water bath for the purpose of disinfection. Another option is to keep the soil for several months in the refrigerator or on the balcony at sub-zero temperatures.
Before planting, it is recommended to disinfect the seeds by placing them in a Fitosporin solution for 2-3 hours. Processing will avoid diseases of seedlings and adult plants.
How to plant astilbe seeds:
- Containers are filled with the prepared substrate.
- A layer of snow 1 cm thick is poured onto the soil. In the absence of snow cover, ice from the freezer is used.
- The seeds are on top. As the snow melts, the planting material will be in the soil.
- When the snow has completely melted, the containers are wrapped in a plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator for 20 days.
Due to stratification, when changing temperature regimes, the emergence of seedlings is accelerated. When the first shoots appear on the soil surface, the containers are transferred to the room. In the future, astilbe seedlings provide the necessary care.
seedling conditions
Astilbe Fanal seedlings develop successfully under a number of conditions:
- temperature regime: from 18 to 22 °С;
- regular watering;
- lighting for 10-12 hours.
Seedlings of the Fanal variety are watered with warm settled water. When the soil begins to dry out, it is moistened with a spray bottle. Moisture should not get on the leaves and stems of plants.
Additional lighting is installed for seedlings if the daylight hours are not long enough. For seedlings, fluorescent or fitolamps are purchased. They are installed at a distance of 25 cm from the plants and are turned on in the morning or evening.
When astilbe seedlings have 2-3 leaves, they are planted in separate containers. When growing in peat cups or cassettes, picking is not required. The most gentle for plants is the transshipment method, when they are transplanted into a new container along with a clod of earth.
A couple of weeks before planting in the ground, they begin to harden the plants. First, you can open the window for a couple of hours to ensure the supply of fresh air. Then the landings are transferred to a balcony or loggia. Hardening allows you to accelerate the adaptation of plants to natural conditions.
Landing in the ground
A place for landing astilba Arendsa Fanal is chosen in advance. In autumn, the soil is dug up, cleared of weeds and previous crops. The flower prefers loamy fertile soils. To improve the quality of the soil during digging, add 2 buckets of humus and 1 tbsp. l. complex fertilizer per 1 sq. m.
The flower is transplanted in late May or early June, when the spring frosts have passed. Astilba Fanal grows well in partial shade. In lighted areas, the plant blooms profusely, but not for long. A flower can be planted in a site with a high level of groundwater.
Ideal places for planting astilba are northern areas along buildings or fences. The plant is comfortable next to ponds and fountains, under the shade of trees and shrubs.
The sequence of actions for planting astilbe Arends Fanal:
- In the spring, deep loosening is carried out in the garden with a rake.
- Pits are prepared for planting with a size of 20 cm and a depth of 30 cm. 30 cm are left between plants.
- Pour ½ cup of wood ash into each hole.
- The plants are watered, carefully removed from the containers and transferred to the planting hole.
- The root neck is deepened by 4 cm. The soil is compacted and watered abundantly.
After transplanting astilba, the soil is kept moist. Mulching the soil with peat or humus will help reduce the regularity of watering.
Astilbe Care
Astilba Fanal develops with minimal care. Plants are watered abundantly, especially in drought, the soil is loosened and weeded from weeds. Abundant flowering of astilba will provide top dressing with mineral or organic substances. Autumn processing will prepare the plants for winter.
The life span of astilba in one place is 5-7 years. With good care, this period is extended to 10 years. Then the bushes are transplanted to a new place or new plants are prepared for planting.
Watering
Astilba Fanal is watered abundantly throughout the season. The soil in the beds should remain moist. For irrigation take warm settled water. The procedure is carried out in the morning or evening hours.
After watering, loosen the soil to speed up the absorption of moisture and beneficial components. The beds are weeded from weeds. You can mulch the soil not only after planting, but throughout the season.
Photo of astilba Fanal in landscape design:
The astilbe rhizome gradually grows upwards, so it is spudded 2-3 times over the summer. Without hilling, the root system will lose access to nutrients and die.
Feeding
During the season, astilba will be enough to feed several times. If the soil is quite fertile or was well fertilized in the fall, then top dressing is carried out according to the sulfur of necessity. If the plant has an oppressed appearance and development is slowed down, then minerals or organic matter are introduced into the soil.
The frequency of feeding Astilbe Fanal:
- in the spring after the snow has melted;
- before flowering;
- after completion of flowering.
To increase the green mass, a fertilizer containing nitrogen is prepared as the first top dressing. From organic substances, an infusion of mullein or bird droppings is used in a ratio of 1:15. Plants can be fed with a solution of ammonium nitrate. Then 10 g of the substance is added to 20 liters of water.
The second treatment of astilba Fanal is carried out using potassium. For a similar volume of water, 2 tbsp is enough. l. potassium sulfate. After flowering, the plants are treated with a solution of superphosphate, which is poured under the root. Take 20 g of phosphorus fertilizer per bush.
Autumn work
In autumn, when flowering ends, astilba is cut at the root. Above ground level, 20-25 cm is left. The plant is mulched and covered with spruce branches.
Astilba Fanal is described as a frost-resistant plant and tolerates winter frosts well under snow cover. In the absence of snow, astilba is additionally covered with agrofiber. In the spring, the shelter is removed.
Conclusion
Astilba Fanal is ideal for decorating shady areas of the garden. For abundant flowering plants provide regular watering and top dressing. It is recommended to grow a flower at home and transfer it to an open area at the beginning of summer.
