Content
Astilbe is a beautiful perennial plant found in various regions of Russia. Thanks to its excellent hardiness and frost resistance, this shrub is increasingly used by gardeners to decorate their plots. In order for the plant to delight you with its beautiful flowering, you should follow some rules of care. It is necessary to prune astilbe for the winter in order to properly prepare it for the cold.
Feeding, mulching and autumn pruning will help the plant gain strength for effective growth and flowering in the spring.
Is it necessary to prune astilbe in the fall?
Depending on the variety, flowering of shrubs occurs in different periods, from June to August. After its completion, the plant should be pruned. The autumn procedure must be carried out annually for 3 main reasons:
- Dried flower stalks left until spring can ruin the appearance of the shrub.
- Left foliage will die with the arrival of frost, and this will create conditions for the development of diseases and wintering of pests.
- Carefully pruned bushes are easier to cover before the onset of cold weather.
The procedure should not be postponed. It is necessary to prune astilbe in the fall for the winter before the plant lays seeds. In this case, it will not waste extra effort and will direct all the nutrients to strengthen the root system.
Timing for pruning astilbe
In autumn, after flowering has ended, dried panicles give the garden area a colorful look. If you prune the bushes right away, they will lose their attractiveness, although they can please the eye with dried flowers before the onset of cold weather.
Experienced gardeners do not prune astilbe for the winter immediately in the fall, but gradually, as flowering stops and dry tassels appear. The removal of branches begins as soon as the inflorescences acquire a yellow-brown tint and the petals begin to fall from them.
Depending on the characteristics of the astilbe variety, this stage is carried out in July-August. Foliage and shoots are cut off in October-November after they darken, associated with the arrival of the first night frosts.
When is it better to prune astilbe: in spring or autumn?
Astilbe is resistant to frost. An adult plant does not require shelter; therefore, the procedure for removing shoots and branches, if necessary, can be postponed until spring. Young astilbe shrubs, especially in the first year of growth, should be pruned in autumn for winter without fail.
Otherwise, the root system will be underdeveloped. Ornamental shrubs may not tolerate winter frosts and die.
Blooming astilbe is an excellent decoration for any garden plot or park recreation area.
When to prune astilbe for the winter in the fall
Astilbe pruning is carried out in 2 stages:
- After flowering is completed, dried tassels of inflorescences are selectively trimmed.
- The aboveground part of the plants is completely cut off after the first frost.
The upper part of the bush dies off in the cold season. In order not to leave unnecessary vegetation on the site, astilbe should be cut off for the winter.
When to prune astilbe for the winter in the Moscow region and regions
In different regions of the country, the timing of autumn pruning of astilbe differs depending on natural and climatic features. In the south, in the Moscow region and in areas of central Russia, characterized by a mild, warm climate, autumn pruning is carried out in November.
In Siberia and the Urals, which are characterized by the early arrival of cold weather, astilbe is cut for the winter already in October.
How to prune astilbe for the winter
After flowering is completed, dry astilbe tassels are removed along with the shoots on which they grew. When pruning in autumn and preparing plants for cold weather, you should not leave too tall stems. Such shrubs look sloppy and are inconvenient to cover for the winter. The height of the remaining shoots should not exceed 1 cm.
Rules for pruning astilbe in the fall in open ground
In order to properly and safely prune astilbe in the fall, use garden pruners or scissors. Before use, instruments should be disinfected for 30 minutes in a 1% manganese solution.
This treatment will protect flowering shrubs from infection by various infectious viral diseases.To prevent the transfer of pathogens from diseased plants to healthy ones, instrument blades should be disinfected after each bush.
Every year, daughter buds are formed on the upper part of the rhizome, the lower one gradually dies. Vertical root growth is 3-5 cm. This leads to the fact that old bushes begin to protrude from the soil, and young roots located at the base of the buds are located on top of the ground and dry out, experiencing a lack of moisture.
To avoid this phenomenon, every year, when astilbe is cut for the winter, the shoots located just above the root are removed and young buds are left, making sure that they are not exposed. To do this, after pruning, loosen the soil and build a small embankment at the base of the bush 4-5 cm high.
If a young plant is planted in open ground in the fall, its first pruning is carried out only next year
Cut stems and dry leaves should be collected and removed from the site. Do not leave remote parts near bushes. They will impede the supply of oxygen to the root system and, as a result of natural decomposition, will create favorable conditions for the spread of fungal diseases.
Caring for astilbe after pruning
After pruning, the plants are hilled and mulched. This treatment will protect the root system of the bushes from freezing. The following components with good air permeability can be used as mulch:
- compost;
- rotted manure;
- chopped wood bark;
- dry sawdust;
- peat.
Mulching of tree trunk circles is carried out immediately after pruning the plants. The thickness of the protective layer should be 5-10 cm.
In the northern regions, the soil freezes to a depth of 1.5 m, so before the onset of cold weather, shrubs are not only mulched, but also covered with material stretched on wooden frames.
In the southern regions of the country with a warm climate and snowy, moderately frosty winters, astilbe does not need to cover the tree trunk circles with a mulch layer. To effectively prepare for winter, you just need to hill them up.
Conclusion
It is necessary to prune astilbe for the winter in the fall in order to create favorable conditions for the flowering plant to grow and bloom beautifully in the spring. Autumn pruning, fertilizing and mulching will help plants survive the winter and strengthen the root system.
