Contents
Astilba is ideal for decorating shady corners of the garden. Plants look good in single and group plantings.
Astilba blooms profusely with regular watering and top dressing. The size of the bush and the color scheme depend on the variety. The flower is resistant to frost, well tolerates temperature fluctuations in summer. The plant is rarely more and less susceptible to attack by pests.
Botanical description
Astilba is a herbaceous perennial plant of the saxifrage family. It occurs naturally in North America, China and Japan. Prefers deciduous forests, banks of rivers and streams. In Europe, the flower has been grown since the XNUMXth century. The plant adorns shady areas of gardens and greenhouses.
The flower has a powerful rhizome, the aerial part dies off in late autumn. The stems of the plant are erect, reach 2 m. The leaves are green, sometimes with a reddish tint, petiolate, simple or pinnate.
Astilbe flowers are collected in apical inflorescences in the form of a panicle or pyramid. The color scheme includes white, pink, red, purple shades. Flowering, depending on the variety, begins in June – August.
Astilba Arendsa includes more than 40 varieties. The varietal group is characterized by powerful sprawling bushes up to 1 m high. Inflorescences are in the form of a ball or pyramid, white, red, pinkish. Flowering begins in July and continues for 40 days.
Chinese hybrids reach a height of 1,1 m. The leaves are large, inflorescences up to 40 cm long. The flowers are lilac, purple or white. Representatives of the group grow well in lit areas.
Photo of flowers of the Chinese variety Purpurlanze:
Japanese astilba has a height of up to 80 cm. Pink or white paniculate inflorescences bloom in June. All varieties are cold resistant.
Simple-leaved astilba is a compact plant up to 50 cm high. Drooping inflorescences look spectacular on the site. The color scheme is represented by white, pinkish and coral shades.
Astilba looks good in group and mixed plantings. Low-growing varieties are used to decorate borders and ponds. The plant is combined with geyhers, hostas, ferns.
On sale there are seeds of producers Gavrish, Center-Ogorodnik, Agronika, Aelita. Agricultural firms sell both individual varieties of plants and their mixtures.
Astilba cultivation
At home, astilba is grown from seeds. The emerging seedlings provide the necessary conditions. With the onset of warm weather, the plants are transferred to the garden.
Planting seeds
There are certain dates when planting astilbe for seedlings. Work is carried out in March-April. First prepare the substrate and process the seeds. For growing astilbe, take equal amounts of sand and peat.
The soil mixture is steamed in a water bath to destroy pathogens. Another disinfection option is to place the soil in the refrigerator. At sub-zero temperatures, the soil is kept for several months on the street or balcony.
For disinfection, planting material is placed in Fitosporin solution. The use of the drug allows you to grow healthy and strong seedlings. s
To grow astilba from seeds, containers 15 cm high are prepared. To avoid picking seedlings, cassettes with a cell size of 5 cm are used.
Seed planting order:
- The containers are washed with hot water and filled with soil.
- A layer of snow 1 cm thick is poured on top. In the absence of snow cover, ice from their freezer can be used.
- Astilba seeds are sprinkled on the snow.
- After the snow melts, the seeds will be in the ground. Then the container is wrapped in a plastic bag and left in the refrigerator for 20 days.
Temperature change stimulates seed germination. When shoots appear, the containers are transferred to a warm, lit place.
seedling conditions
Astilba seedlings provide a number of conditions that include temperature, soil moisture and lighting.
Microclimate for growing astilba from seeds at home:
- temperature 18-23 ° C;
- lighting for 12-14 hours;
- regular watering;
- room ventilation.
If the length of daylight hours is insufficient for seedlings, then the installation of fitolamps or fluorescent devices is required. Lighting is placed at a distance of 30 cm from the seedlings. The lamps are turned on in the morning or in the evening.
Plants are watered with warm settled water. Moisture is applied under the root until the topsoil dries. To avoid high humidity, the room is periodically ventilated. Landings are protected from drafts.
With the development of 2-3 leaves in astilba, it is seated in separate containers. To minimize stress for plants, they are transferred to new containers along with an earthen clod.
2-3 weeks before transfer to the ground, seedlings are hardened off. Plants are kept for several hours on a balcony or loggia. Gradually, this period is increased. Hardening will help astilbe to quickly adapt to the natural environment.
Landing in the ground
When growing astilba from seeds, it is transferred to the garden in May-June after the establishment of warm weather. For plants, northern areas located in the shade of buildings or fences are suitable.
The flower develops well next to trees and shrubs. When planted in a lighted area, astilba blooms profusely, but less for a long time.
The plant prefers loamy soils. The high location of groundwater provides soil moisture. In the spring, the site is dug up and fertilized with compost in the amount of 2 buckets per 1 sq. m.
When to plant astilba seedlings in open ground depends on the climatic conditions of the region. It is necessary to wait for warm weather and the last frosts.
The procedure for planting seedlings in the ground:
- Preparation of planting pits with a size of 20×20 cm and a depth of 30 cm. A gap of 30 cm is left between the plants.
- At the bottom of each hole pour 1 tbsp. l. diammofoska and 1 glass of wood ash.
- Planting holes are abundantly watered.
- Seedlings are also watered and removed from containers.
- Astilba is placed in a hole, the growth buds are deepened by 4 cm.
- The roots of plants are covered with earth, which is well tamped.
- The soil is mulched with peat, the layer thickness is 3 cm.
Astilbe Care
Astilba is an unpretentious plant that requires minimal care. In one place, the flower grows for 5-7 years, with regular care this period reaches 10 years. Plantings are watered and periodically fed. In late autumn, plants prepare for winter.
Watering
During the season, you need to monitor the moisture content of the soil. The intensity of astilbe watering depends on weather conditions. With heavy rainfall, watering is minimized. In drought, the plant is watered 2 times a day.
Photo of astilba flowers:
After watering loosen the soil and weed weeds. After loosening, the plants absorb moisture and useful components better. Bushes are recommended to spud.
Feeding
Astilba, grown from seeds, responds positively to top dressing. During the season, fertilizers are applied 3 times:
- in the spring after the snow melts;
- in mid-June;
- after the end of flowering.
For the first feeding prepare nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen stimulates the development of new shoots. When hilling, rotted compost is introduced into the soil. Of the mineral substances for plants, urea or ammonium nitrate is used. 20 g of the substance is dissolved in 10 liters of water, after which watering is performed.
The second treatment is carried out using potassium nitrate. On a bucket of water take 2 tbsp. l. fertilizers. After flowering, the plant is fed with superphosphate. 25 g of the substance is embedded in the soil or added to the water during irrigation.
Diseases and pests
Astilba rarely suffers from diseases. When growing astilbe from seeds, diseases can be avoided by processing planting material.
With an excess of moisture, the plant is affected by root rot and spotting. Brown or black spots appear on the affected bushes. Plants are sprayed with copper-based preparations and transplanted to a drier area.
Of the pests, astilba attracts penny and nematodes. Insects feed on plant sap, as a result, flowers lose their decorative properties, begin to deform and fade. From pests, drugs Karbofos or Aktara are used.
Autumn work
Astilba inflorescences retain decorative properties for a long time. Therefore, they are not cut off, but left on the bushes in a semi-dry form.
At the end of the season, plants need special care to prepare them for winter. The stems of the flower are cut at the root.
Plants are mulched with dry leaves and covered with spruce branches. If there is a lot of snow in a region with snow cover, then additional shelter is not required. The flower tolerates frosts down to -35 ° C.
Conclusion
Astilbe is an unpretentious plant that blooms profusely in the shade. The flower is grown from seeds that are planted at home. Seedlings are provided with a number of conditions, including temperature, watering and lighting. The grown flowers are transferred to a permanent place. When fertilizing and adding moisture, astilba pleases with abundant flowering.
