Alpine aster: varieties, planting and care

Alpine aster is a wonderful perennial plant, a real decoration for any garden. Gardeners love it very much for its bright flowering, attractive appearance and ease of growing and care. This is one of the most common ornamental plants.

Alpine aster (aka false or Korzhinsky's aster) refers to herbaceous perennial ground cover plants. Has simple straight stems. The pubescence of the stems depends on the specific type of alpine aster. Leaves are ovoid or spatulate. The inflorescence itself is single, can reach from 3 to 8 centimeters in diameter (also depends on the specific species).

Has all shades: from red and blue to purple. Each variety is more prone to any one color. This plant grows very interestingly: the aster seems to be spreading along the horizontal plane, taking up more and more space in the flowerbed every year. One flower blooms on each free-standing stem. Very similar to chamomile, especially the white-colored variety, which is why they are often confused.

Alpine aster has many varieties (more than two hundred), but the most common are only a few, the description of which differs only in colors and sizes.

• "White Alps" differs in small size and large white flowers. It can reach a height of only 20-30 centimeters. One of the types that look harmonious with any plants.

• Variety "Albus" looks like a daisy, they are often confused. One of the subspecies of the Alpine white aster. It reaches a height of 15-20 centimeters. Inflorescences are white, with a bright yellow core. Flowering continues from the very first warm days until mid-summer. The smallest variety among those presented.

• "Blue" - from the name it is clear that this subspecies blooms with blue buds. The core is yellow. Often these two colors intersect on the petals of the inflorescence, forming a smooth transition from yellow to blue. One of the largest varieties. Blooming flowers can be up to 6-8 centimeters in diameter. They can reach a height of half a meter. This variety has a long flowering.

• Pink Alpine Aster (or simply "Rose") loves the sun, but can bloom in partial shade without any problems. It blooms in small pink buds, reaching only 4-5 centimeters in diameter. But in width it spreads up to half a meter and grows very quickly. It grows in small bushes - it very rarely reaches a height of 35 centimeters. Refers to those varieties that bloom early - the formation of buds begins by May.

• A characteristic feature of the blue alpine aster - medium-sized flowers. They are slightly larger than usual, but not as large as, for example, in the Blue aster. On average, the flowers reach a size of about 6 centimeters. The color is deep blue, in some places it can turn into purple. Stunted, grows up to 18-20 centimeters.

• Variety "Happy End" suitable for decorating borders. Differs in early flowering - in favorable conditions, it can begin to bloom with the onset of May. Finishes blooming by June.It blooms with buds of a delicate pink color. It can reach a height of 20-30 centimeters.

• Variety "Goliath" requires more careful maintenance, as it grows very quickly and requires frequent pruning. It can reach a height of 20-25 centimeters. The diameter of the inflorescence can reach 6 centimeters. It differs in buds of a light or dark lilac shade, sometimes you can find bright pink specimens. Due to the richness of the color, this variety is often considered bright blue or light blue. It begins to bloom in June.

• Alpine aster "Violetta" blooms with beautiful flowers of dark blue, lilac and purple hues. High, can grow up to 30-40 centimeters. It has an early flowering - the formation of buds begins in May. Finishes blooming by late June - early July.

Astra is quite unpretentious and can grow in any conditions. However, thanks to selection, varieties have been bred that have different sizes - from large to undersized. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account in advance such a factor as the size of the inflorescence.

First you need to decide where you plan to grow the perennial. - in the open field or in pots on the windowsill.

If you want to create a real floral carpet that will bloom all summer, then you need to choose varieties based on their flowering time. If you choose only one variety, then its flowering will last one and a half to two months, after which only green bushes will remain. It is better to select those varieties, the flowering of which follows each other. For example, after one variety finishes blooming, the second will bloom, and after it - the third. This will ensure your site is decorated throughout the summer months.

It happens, that it is simply impossible to pick up only asters with different flowering periods... Then you can combine them with other colors. Here it is worth paying attention not only to external compatibility, colors and other design subtleties, but also to whether other plants are suitable in terms of coexistence. They observe all these points and get along well with asters chrysanthemums, violets, marigolds and geraniums.

There are several breeding methods suitable for asters. This is growing asters from seeds, dividing one bush into several and propagating by cuttings.

Seed propagation has one rather serious disadvantage - a plant grown in this way will begin to bloom only in the second year after planting in open ground. Nevertheless, this method is convenient for most gardeners, as it is considered the most familiar. The main thing here is the initial competent seed care. For this, seeds begin to germinate at the end of winter.

First you need to purchase special containers for growing. The appropriate size of containers can be determined by knowing the variety of asters, their estimated height and the number of future seedlings. The containers must be filled with a special growing mix that consists of hardwood, turf, peat and sand. Before planting, seeds are necessarily treated with a light, weak solution of potassium permanganate - this is done in order to kill possible infections. Then they can be sown. To do this, the seeds are simply spread on the soil mixture, lightly sprinkled with plain sand and watered with water at room temperature.

After 10 days, you can wait for the first shoots. You do not need to transplant them right away - this can damage the fragile root system. It is best to wait until the first leaves appear on the seedlings, at least two or three things. Only then can they be seated in separate containers. After transplanting, the seedlings must be watered and placed where there is enough sunlight.You can transplant plants into open ground after the onset of warm days.

The next method is dividing the bush, and it is suitable for those cases when the aster has been growing for many years. This method can also be applied when the time comes for transplanting an aster, and the plant needs to be transplanted every 5-7 years to a new place, since the old soil is depleted, and the plant can start growing worse and worse due to a lack of nutrients.

The division of the bush is carried out only in the warm season, including May and September. To do this, carefully, trying not to injure the roots, they dig up a plant that is at least three years old. Using a sharpened knife, the common root is divided into several parts. Each part should have several root branches and a pair of stems. Separate parts are seated at a distance of at least 15 centimeters from each other. After the plant adapts and gets stronger, it can be transferred to a new, permanent place.

Propagation by cuttings assumes an exact copy of the mother plant and will have the same properties, so this procedure is best done on a completely healthy plant. With the onset of May, a small process at least 5 centimeters in size is cut off from the upper part of an adult bush. The lower part of this process is carefully cleaned of all leaves and petals, and the upper part is slightly pinched. In order for the lower part to easily take root in a new place, it is treated with special compounds that can be replaced with succinic acid.

After that, a soil mixture is prepared, consisting of turf, peat and sand in equal proportions. A stalk is planted there, watered and covered. This dome must be removed every day for 10-15 minutes. Before the roots appear, the cutting is watered once a week. The roots will appear in about a month, and only after that it will be possible to transfer the plant to a permanent place.

Before planting an aster, you need to make sure that you have chosen the right place. When choosing, you need to take into account the illumination and openness to direct sunlight. Despite the fact that aster is photophilous, direct sun exposure harms her. It is best to place the plant in partial shade. Astra needs protection from the wind, so it is better to position it in such a way that at least one side is closed from the wind by a fence, a wall of a house or other structures.

Despite the fact that this plant is very fond of water, the constant presence of moisture at the roots has a detrimental effect on the plant. Make sure that the water does not stagnate and create a swamp - this leads to root rot and flower diseases. It is necessary to ensure good drainage of the soil - sand poured under the flower bed can help in this. Plant holes should be 20 centimeters apart. The depth of the aster hole should be 2 centimeters lower than in the container. It is necessary to make special grooves in the flowerbed for water circulation and soil moistening.

Alpine aster does not require special care and attention. In order for it to please the eye with its healthy flowering, you need to remember just a few rules that will be useful in caring for other plants.

Watering should be abundant. Aster is a very moisture-loving plant, but the soil must have time to dry out between watering procedures. Otherwise, moisture will accumulate at the roots, provoking their decay. If the rainy period has begun, then watering asters can be canceled altogether.

Top dressing is carried out in early spring. If the plant has been growing for more than a year, then top dressing will help wake up from sleep and make up for the lack of nutrients for the whole winter.At the first cultivation, it is necessary to wait for the first shoots and feed the flower with mineral fertilizer, consisting of 6 grams of nitrogen, 4 grams of phosphorus and 4 grams of potassium per square meter.

Another important point is the condition of the soil. It needs to be loosened, hilled and removed from weeds. In addition, additional hilling will help fight moisture stagnation at the roots.

In autumn, when the flowering period is over, you need to cut off all the dried branches. Buds that appeared late and began to bloom in the fall should also be cut (if this variety does not imply late flowering). With the onset of cold weather, the aster needs to be covered with something, and the lower part of the plant should be covered with sand and dry leaves.

The most common threat is a fungal infection, which manifests itself when there is too much moisture in the soil and near the roots of the plant. The most common infections: fusarium, blackleg, powdery mildew. These diseases progress very quickly, so if you looked at them and did not take any action at the initial stage of the disease, then the best option would be to get rid of the diseased plant. In the early stages of the disease, "Topaz" and "Fitosporin" can help, which must be used strictly according to the instructions.

Among insects, slugs, caterpillars, spider mites and aphids pose a threat. If you spot insects, don't panic. A solution of ordinary laundry soap, which needs to be treated with inflorescences and leaves, helps well against them.

In landscape design, alpine aster is good not only for its spectacular appearance, but also for the fact that it is a perennial plant, which allows you to create new compositions with its participation every year. Most often, aster is used to decorate ponds, curbs, alpine slides, garden beds and as an addition to compositions consisting of ornamental shrubs.

You will learn how to grow alpine aster from seeds in the video below.