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In appearance, the Chinese aster is practically no different from the usual aster. A characteristic feature of the plant is the incredible beauty of flowering, which continues until the middle of winter.
Description and varieties
Chinese aster has a wide root system and a straight green-red stem. The height reaches 90 cm, the leaves are oval, have teeth. The basket-shaped bud has a yellow core, and the inflorescences amaze with a variety of shades. Asters bloom in mid-summer, and ends with the arrival of severe frosts.
The Chinese aster has over 40 varieties, but the most popular are the following:
- Dragon – has twisted petals, does not fade for a long time after cutting;
- Balun – differs in a ball-shaped bud, grows in bushes;
- Princess – has terry petals, the diameter of which exceeds 10 cm;
- Pompoms – small buds (up to 5 cm in diameter) located throughout the bush;
- Don Quixote – is distinguished by a blue color that is rare for flowers.
Video “Growing asters from seeds”
In this video, an expert will tell you how to properly grow an aster from seeds.
Where to plant
For growing flowers, you need to find a place that receives direct sunlight. Astra is not recommended to be planted in soil that accumulates moisture. This is fraught with the formation of a large amount of dew on the flower or its death. Please note that the aster does not like strong winds.
Growing rules
There are two ways to grow asters: seedless and seedling.
For a seedless method, choose a site that is well lit by the sun. Avoid lowlands as the roots of this plant do not like moisture. As a top dressing, use fertilizers with a high nitrogen content, such as ash and humus.
In order to avoid problems with the soil, treat it with boiled hot water with potassium permanganate before planting the seeds. Use sand to improve soil drainage, and excess acid can be quenched with ash. To prevent diseases, asters should not be planted in the soil where tomatoes grew.
As for the seedling method, it is necessary to start by sowing seeds in peat containers. Such a container is convenient in that the seedlings begin to sprout inside it. After planting in the ground, it will be easier for the roots of the plant to get used to the new conditions, especially if the quality of the soil leaves much to be desired.
After the first seedlings appear in the containers, they must be placed under the open sun. When the frost subsides, the plants can be planted. Don’t forget about supports for tall plant varieties.
Care
A perennial aster will delight gardeners with lush flowering, who will pay due attention to it. This flower is in dire need of watering during the summer heat, so the gardener needs to provide the right amount of water.
A few days after planting the seedlings, provide it with the necessary complex of minerals. The next fertilization procedure is carried out during flowering. Get special complexes that have a beneficial effect on the color and growth of asters.
If the bushes have grown too large, they must be tied up. The support must be high and stable to hold heavy bushes.
Pests and diseases
The main pests of Chinese asters are slugs and bud aphids. Slugs can be controlled with metaldehyde. As for aphids, this pest attacks the plant in the early stages of growth. It is recommended to spray the aster with Chlorophos until it starts to produce leaves.
Chinese asters often suffer from fungal infections. If the plant began to wither and turn yellow, it fell ill with fusarium. It is impossible to cope with this disease. To prevent infection of other flowers, the diseased plant is dug up and burned.
If rust appears on the back of the leaf, the aster must be treated with Bordeaux liquid. A fungicide helps with rotting and blackening of the plant. You can avoid flower jaundice with insecticides. Sick plants are dug up and burned. “Fundazol” will help rid the aster of rot or verticillium.