If you want the beautiful astilba to settle in your cottage, planting and care in the open ground will not be particularly difficult. She is quite unpretentious, but very decorative. This perennial blooms luxuriantly. Feels good even in a constant shadow. Astilba comfortably tolerates cold winters (up to -37 ° C), practically does not get sick, and garden pests are not particularly interested in it. Let's see what are the features of planting, care and reproduction of astilbe. Knowing the intricacies of agricultural cultivation techniques, you can get wonderful results.
Photo of a flowering astilbe:
For originality, magnificent beauty, everyone loves her, professional, novice gardeners, just lovers.
Astilba - description, appearance and features
What is astilba? This is a perennial plant from the Saxifragaceae family, with openwork foliage and beautiful fluffy panicle inflorescences.
When does astilbe bloom? It blooms from the first days of summer. How long does the astilbe bloom? The most active plant blooms for about a month. The flowering process continues until August. Not only flowers, but also long-dark-green leaves growing on erect stems differ in decorativeness. The color scheme of magnificent panicles is rich in a variety of shades: white, cream, pink, lilac, red. The delicate aroma of astilbe is somewhat reminiscent of the fragrance of bird cherry.
The birthplace of the flower is Japan and Asia. The number of varieties reaches 200 varieties. There are dwarf varieties, for example, Liliput. There are tall varietal species, for example, Arens hybrids. Compliance with simple agricultural rules, even a beginner gardener allows you to grow a magnificent, eye-catching plant - that is why this culture is so loved by many. For perfect growth and development, astilbe needs a shadow, but not too strong. The so-called "lace" shadow from the crown of trees is what you need.
Photo astilbe:
With the onset of cold weather, the aboveground part dies, and the overwintered root in spring gives new shoots. A remarkable feature of the astilbe is that its rhizomes grow from above. Thus, on the upper part of the root system, kidneys are tied, which are exposed, therefore, they require annual soil replenishment. Every year, their sizes increase, forming new roots, while the lower part gradually dies. Flowers-panicles reach from 10 to 50 cm in length, when the flowering period ends, in their place are boxes with seeds inside.
The height of the astilbe plant depends on the variety. There are tall varieties, there are dwarf ones. For comfortable cultivation, it is preferable to give your choice to tall varieties - those that grow up to 50-80 cm. They are more resilient, tolerate climatic changes, temperature changes.
As mentioned above, there are many different species of this plant, but most summer residents liked the Japanese astilba. This variety is also called Montgomery - a hybrid bred by German breeder Georg Arends in 1837.
Arends hybrids are the brightest, most beautiful, unpretentious, they grow well on any soil, are resistant to cold, bloom for a long time (about 40 days). In addition to Montgomery, Gloria, Deutschland, Europe, Rheinland are popular among gardeners.
Japanese Astilba grows up to 80 cm high, has ornamental leaves, its flowers bloom early. After the flowers bloom, they do not lose their decorative qualities, do not spoil the overall picture of the garden, and are often used to make dry bouquets.
Where to plant astilba, in the sun or in the shade
Where to plant astilba in the country, in the garden? The best place is in the northern part of the site. This is the most comfortable place for her. Where to plant astilba in the sun or in the shade? Choose shady places or territory near the pool, reservoir (if you have one). Only some varieties of astilbe prefer sunny areas. When planting, be sure to consider the proximity of plants, for example, hosts growing nearby will not only harmonize with the leaves or flowers of astilbe, but will protect it from overheating in the hot summer. Those varieties that bloom in the midst of summer, you need to select only shaded places.
The planting process is best started in the beginning of May / early June.
What soil does the astilbe like? It can grow on almost any soil. But he especially loves loam, fertile soil, soil saturated with potassium-phosphorus additives.
If the earth has high acidity, it is recommended to add a little wood ash before planting to lower the pH level, and dolomite flour can also be used for these purposes.
You also need to pay attention to the variety, the timing of its flowering. Early, late cultivars will feel equally comfortable in a sunny, shaded place. High groundwater spreading, as well as periodic stagnation of water in the area is extremely undesirable for astilbe. So that the root system does not get wet, you need to arrange drainage or plant plants on a hill.
Make sure that the planting material (roots) does not have rotten or dead fragments. The roots should not be too wet or too dry.
Please see the video compilation of the astilbe photo.
Astilba, care and landing, growing conditions
How to plant an astilbe? How to plant astilba? A place on the site should be prepared before planting: dig up, uproot the roots of the bushes (if any), remove weeds, fertilize the ground with manure or additionally add peat (about 2 buckets per 1 square meter). The pits for the bushes should be approximately 30 cm deep. It is recommended to add a little ash (a handful), mineral fertilizing into them, and then generously add water. Now you can start landing. Make sure that at least 5 cm of earth is poured over the roots of the plant, which should be carefully compacted, and then covered with a layer of mulch (also 5 cm). Peeling or humus is suitable for mulching.
Astilba - photo of flowers on a flowerbed:
How does astilba breed
Astilba can be propagated by seed or division of rhizomes. In the second case, fragments of rhizomes or kidneys are used.
Seed propagation
I want to note right away that astilba grown from seeds does not always live up to your expectations. And the color of the inflorescences may be different, and the brushes may be rare, not as fluffy as that of the plant from which you collected the seeds, and even it will not bloom as long as the mother plant.
But still, I will tell you how to propagate astilbe seeds. The excitement of the breeder is very clear to me.
After the plant fades, the seeds ripen in the boxes, they are sown in early March, but before that they “harden” with cold.
To do this, take a suitable container, pour a mixture of peat and sand (equal proportions), scatter the seeds on top, lay a 2 cm layer of snow on top of them. By the way, you can use snow from the freezer. The snow will melt naturally, deepening the seeds inside the soil. After the snow melts, cover the container with glass or plastic wrap, and then refrigerate for 3 weeks. The lower compartment, where vegetables are usually stored, is perfect for these purposes. During this period, already seasoned seedlings will sprout, which over time will turn into strong plants that are not afraid of cold and frost.
After the emergence of sprouts, move the container to a bright place where the air temperature is not lower than + 20 ° C. Watering the seedlings should be extremely careful, for this it is better to use a syringe to direct a stream of water on the spine. After the appearance of the first 3 full leaves, small seedlings can be planted in individual pots. It should be borne in mind that varietal crops do not propagate by seeds - hybrids do not retain their individual characteristics.
Reproduction of astilbe by dividing the bush
How to grow astilbe from rhizome? Rhizome division is the easiest, most effective way of reproduction.
To do this, a full-fledged plant should be dug up, taken out of the soil along with the roots, with an earthen lump. Then gently shake the ground, expose the root system, take a knife, divide the root into fragments, and each piece should have at least 4 kidneys. After this, you need to plant the roots at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other, water daily (not too abundantly).
Astilba - growing and care, photo:
Reproduction by the kidneys gives the fastest results. It is best to select seed in the spring when the growth of new shoots is activated. The kidneys are carefully cut with a piece of rhizome. The place of cut is sprinkled with ash or crushed mortar with a tablet of activated carbon. After that, take the tank, fill it with a mixture of peat with gravel. 3 parts of peat take 1 part of gravel. Then the kidneys are buried there, covered with glass or film. When the plant sprouts, grows stronger, it can be planted on the site using the method described above.
How to care for a young astilbe after a transplant
The main thing is to remember the unusual features of its root system, make sure that the roots are covered with earth. Provide regular watering (according to grade). Mulching is desirable. Both overheating and overmoistening are equally harmful to all plants, and the mulching layer will help keep the roots healthy. Remove weeds, water more often during the formation of flowers, apply top dressing according to the season: in the spring - nitrogen, in the middle of summer - potash, at the end of summer - phosphoric.
An astilba should be transplanted every 8-10 years. With a competent approach to business, this plant will transform your summer cottage, give positive emotions, bright colors of summer. Thus, aesthetic, undemanding astilbe. Outdoor planting and care are not difficult.
What year does the astilbe bloom after planting? Grown from seeds, blooms in the 3rd year. And those that you planted by dividing the rhizomes can bloom in the year of planting.
When to transplant astilba in spring or autumn? You can transplant both in spring and autumn. If you decide to transplant the plant in the fall, then wait until the flowering ends. But do not pull with a transplant: the plant should be replanted about a month before the onset of cold weather (at least + 5 ° C). In central Russia this is around the month of September, in the Kuban in October. If you plant or transplant an astilbe in the spring, then already this season you can see the flowering. Try to hold this event in April-May, if you live in central Russia, and in March-April, if you live in the Kuban. Astilba can not be transplanted for many years. But sooner or later, its flowering will become sparse. Fluffy panicles will become rare, lose their decorative effect. Experts believe that astilba should be transplanted about once every four years. But, if you see that your plant has not lost its fluffiness and splendor, then do not touch it for another year or two.