Content
Needle asters will decorate autumn flower beds in the garden and flower arrangements. The plants are annuals and require harvesting at the end of the season. For planting, choose a lighted place on a hill.
The flower is resistant to low temperatures and easily tolerates short-term drought. For abundant flowering, it is enough to water the plantings and periodically apply mineral fertilizers.
Description
Needle aster Unicum mix includes several varieties that differ in the shade of the inflorescences. The plants have a pyramidal shape and reach a height of 50-70 cm.
Inflorescences are solitary, flat, radial, densely double. The size of the flowers is up to 15 cm. Each bush produces about 10-12 shoots and 30 inflorescences during the growing season.
The color range of needle asters is extensive and includes the following shades:
- white;
- violet;
- red;
- pink;
- yellow;
- coral.
The needle aster stands out for its early flowering. The first buds appear 3-4 months after germination. Flowering is long, continuous for 50 days from July to September.
Asters are light-loving plants, resistant to short frosts down to -4 ° C.They are used to design multi-flowered and single flower beds, mixborders and borders. The plant will decorate country and city flower beds.
At home, aster is planted in pots that are kept on well-lit balconies or loggias.
Needle varieties are grown for cutting. Flowers stand in water for 14 days. They are used to create monochromatic or contrasting bouquets. Asters look spectacular in combination with greenery.
In the photo is the needle aster Unicum mix:
Seedling method
Needle aster is grown by seedlings. Seeds are planted in prepared substrate at home. The seedlings are provided with the necessary microclimate. Grown seedlings are transferred to open areas.
Preparing seeds and soil
When growing needle aster, seeds are planted from March to April. Light fertile soil is used for planting. The soil is taken from a summer cottage and fertilized with humus. It is allowed to use purchased land intended for seedlings.
The soil is pre-treated for disinfection. It is steamed in a water bath or left for several weeks in the cold. Before planting, water the soil with a warm solution of potassium permanganate.
To obtain seedlings, take boxes or cassettes with a cell size of 3-5 cm. By using cassettes or individual cups, picking seedlings can be avoided.
The soil is moistened and poured into containers. Aster seeds are buried 1 cm, and a thin layer of earth is poured on top. 2-3 seeds are placed in the cassettes. The plantings are covered with polyethylene to create a greenhouse effect.
Seed germination takes 10-14 days.The film is periodically turned over to ensure the supply of fresh air. The soil is moistened with warm water. Seeds collected a year earlier germinate faster.
Seedling care
When shoots appear, the polyethylene is removed and the containers are moved to a lighted place. The development of needle aster seedlings occurs when a number of conditions are met:
- temperature regime 16-18 °C;
- regular watering;
- absence of stagnation of moisture and drafts;
- lighting for 12-14 hours.
Seedlings of needle varieties are watered with warm water from a spray bottle. If necessary, install lighting. For it, phytolamps are used, which are placed at a distance of 30 cm from the plants.
The photo shows seedlings of the needle aster Unicum mix:
When the first and second leaves appear, the asters are planted in separate containers. When growing flowers in a cassette, choose the most developed plant.
3 weeks before transferring to the ground, the plants are hardened. Containers with seedlings are moved to a balcony or loggia for several hours. The period of asters' exposure to fresh air is gradually increased.
Landing in the ground
Asters are transferred to open ground at the age of 60-65 days. The area for the flower garden is prepared in the fall. It is dug up and fertilized with humus.
Asters prefer well-drained, light soils. When growing in heavy clay soil, coarse sand must be added. A flower garden should not be established in lowlands where moisture accumulates.
Planting holes are prepared in the garden bed where the plants are transferred. Leave 30 cm between them. The aster roots are covered with earth and watered abundantly.
Seedless method
In regions with warm climates, asters are planted directly in open ground.Under natural conditions, growing needle aster from seeds takes longer, so the flowering time also shifts. When planted in autumn, seeds undergo natural stratification. In spring, stronger shoots appear.
Spring planting
In May, when the soil warms up, needle aster seeds are planted in an open area. The seeds are first soaked for a day in warm water to stimulate their germination.
Furrows 2 cm deep are prepared in the garden bed, where the seeds are placed. At night, the plantings are covered with agrofibre. When the shoots appear, they are thinned out or planted.
To speed up the appearance of sprouts, the seeds are planted in a greenhouse. In warm conditions, aster germinates faster. When the seedlings grow up, they are transferred to a permanent place.
Photos of needle asters:
Winter landing
When planted in winter, flowers grow stronger, resistant to diseases and adverse conditions. The seeds remain in the soil over the winter and undergo natural stratification.
Needle asters are planted in October or November, when the soil begins to freeze. The seeds are placed at a depth of 2 cm, soil and humus are poured on top. When planting before winter, the consumption of planting material increases, since the most viable seeds germinate in the spring.
The plantings are covered with agrofibre; it must be removed in the spring, when the frosts have ended. After the snow melts, the first shoots appear and are thinned out or replanted.
Flower garden care
When grown from seeds, needle aster Unicum mix requires minimal care. It is enough to water and feed the plants. If necessary, plantings are treated against diseases and pests.Dried inflorescences are removed to stimulate the formation of new flowers.
Watering
Needle asters are watered as the soil dries. The water is first settled in barrels. It is best to water the plants in the morning or evening, when there is no direct sunlight.
The intensity of watering is increased in hot weather. For 1 sq. m of planting requires 3 buckets of water. With a lack of moisture, aster loses its decorative properties.
Excess moisture leads to rotting of the root system, the plant develops slowly and may die. Overmoistening provokes the development of fungal diseases.
Be sure to eliminate weeds. Before a large number of shoots appear, the stem is earthed up to strengthen the root system.
Photo of needle-shaped asters in a flowerbed:
Top dressing
When grown in poor soils, asters are fed with minerals. If the flower garden grows on fertile soil, then you can do without fertilizing.
Per season needle-shaped aster varieties fed according to the scheme:
- 15 days after planting the plants in the ground;
- during the formation of buds;
- before flowering.
Asters react negatively to the addition of fresh organic matter: mullein or bird droppings. To obtain a nutrient solution, take mineral fertilizers: 20 g of urea, 30 g of potassium sulfate and 25 g of double superphosphate. The substances are diluted in 10 liters of water and watered at the roots of the plants.
To feed asters, wood ash is used, which is embedded in the soil between the rows of plants.
For the second and third treatments, only potassium and phosphorus fertilizer is needed.Such fertilizing strengthens the plant’s immunity and accelerates the appearance of new buds.
Diseases and pests
When grown correctly from seeds, Unicum mix needle asters rarely suffer from diseases. Factors that provoke the spread of diseases are high humidity, poor-quality planting material, and growing aster in one place for several years in a row.
The greatest danger to the flower garden is fusarium. The disease is spread by a fungus that attacks the stems and leaves of the plant. As a result, the flower turns yellow and withers. Affected plants are removed, and the soil and garden tools are disinfected.
When grown near coniferous trees, asters develop rust in the form of swellings on the leaf blade. The flower garden is sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.
Asters are susceptible to attack by cutworms, meadow bugs, aphids, and spider mites. Insects feed on the above-ground parts of plants or their roots. As a result, the development of the flower slows down, which can lead to its death.
To get rid of pests, the drugs Karbofos, Metaldehyde, Phosfamide are used. They are diluted with water and used to spray plants. For prevention, the flower garden is dusted with tobacco dust or wood ash.
Autumn care
After flowering ends, annual asters are dug up by the roots. It is recommended to burn plants to eliminate pathogens and insects.
In autumn, aster seeds are collected. Then several inflorescences are left on the bushes. It is recommended to use the collected material for planting within 2 years. Seeds are stored in a dry place in a paper or fabric bag.
Conclusion
Needle asters are a frost-resistant and unpretentious variety of autumn flowers. Asters look great in garden beds and in bouquets. Flowers are grown from seeds. Planting is done at home or directly in an open area. The seedling method is considered more reliable and suitable for cool climates.
Flower garden care is minimal and consists of watering and weeding. For abundant flowering, plants are fed with minerals.
