Gardeners appreciate astilba for long flowering, unusual appearance, shade tolerance and the ability to tolerate waterlogging of the soil. The plant is beautiful not only during flowering. Its openwork leaves on reddish petioles are decorative from spring to late autumn.
The culture is suitable for cutting and forcing. Lush astilbe panicles are an unsurpassed decoration of bouquets and flower baskets.
What does astilba look like when it blooms
Astilbe is a representative of the saxifrage family, the closest relative of other common garden flowers: saxifrage, geyher, bergenia. More than 400 varieties have been developed with a variety of sizes, flower colors and leaf shapes.
Varietal astilbes have a height of 15 to 200 cm. The color of the flowers is white, red, pink and purple. Flowers are collected in inflorescences-panicles, up to 60 centimeters long. The leaves are large, complex-pinnate, dark green to bronze in color.
Astilba blooms in June-August, and in September you can collect boxes with small seeds from it. Flowering takes 3-5 weeks. In sparse shade, flowers will live longer than in the sun. In the sun, flowering is shorter, but twice as magnificent. Panicles do not last long when cut, but they can be dried and used in winter bouquets.
Astilba does not have a root, but a rhizome that goes vertically or obliquely into the ground. It is covered with adventitious roots and daughter buds. The lower roots are old and gradually die off. The upper roots are young, growing rapidly. Thus, the bush gradually grows up and rises above the ground.
Table: types of astilba
| View | Description |
| David | Height up to 150 cm. The flowers are lilac-pink, panicles are located horizontally or look down. Flowering in July-August |
| naked | Height up to 20 cm. Leaves of bronze color. Flowering in June and July |
| Chinese | Height up to 100 cm. The leaves are covered with reddish fluff. The flowers are lilac, pink and white. Inflorescence length up to 30 cm. Flowering from June to August. |
| Japanese | Height 70 cm. The plant grows rapidly, forming a circle of a meter diameter. Flowers white or pink, fragrant. Inflorescences are diamond-shaped, up to 30 cm long. Blooms in the middle of summer |
| Thunberg | Height up to 80 cm, leaves serrated along the edges. The flowers are white, the width of the panicles is 10 cm, the length is 25 cm. The inflorescences are rare, directed downwards. Blooms in July-August |
Preparing for landing
In order for astilbe to quickly take root, you need to choose a place and time of planting. The plant prefers organically fertilized loamy soils.
High varieties are planted at a distance of 0.5 m from each other, low ones after 20-30 cm. White and light pink varieties look better in the sun, dark ones in the shade.
Before planting, they dig up the earth, remove the rhizomes of weeds, and add organic matter.
If an astilba rhizome is purchased in a store, it is better to soak it for an hour in warm water before planting. A little potassium permanganate can be added to the water to make a pale pink solution.
When propagating astilba by seeds, stratification will be required:
- Place the seeds in a cold place with a temperature of -4 to +4 degrees, mixed with wet peat.
- Soak in the cold for 20 days, making sure that the peat does not dry out.
- After 20 days, transfer the seeds to heat - 20-22 degrees and sow.
For planting, dark areas are chosen, preferably with a close fit. ground water. You can plant astilba on the shore of a garden pond. Sandy soils that do not retain moisture well are mulched with a layer of peat on top.
Landing algorithm:
- Dig a planting hole about 30 cm deep.
- Pour organic matter into the bottom.
- You can add a tablespoon of any complex fertilizer to the hole; containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, or two handfuls.
- Mix fertilizer with soil.
- Fill the hole with water.
Astilba is planted in the mud, deepening the root collar by 5-6 cm. When the water in the hole is absorbed, pour a 3-4 cm layer of dry earth on top - it “bans” moisture in the rhizome area and will not allow it to evaporate quickly.
Astilba grows slowly, so it is better to plant it more densely - 20 by 20 cm. Such plantings become dense already at next year. After 2-3 years they can be thinned out.
Astilba does not blend well with other colors. It is easier to plant it in mono-plantings, using one variety. Can be planted in groups of several varieties with flowers of the same color, but different bush heights.
Care and cultivation of astilba
Flower care consists of loosening, weeding, watering, soil mulching. Faded panicles are best cut so that they do not set seeds - this will keep the plant strong in preparation for wintering.
Astilbe is often associated with the rhizomatous weed, which strongly inhibits cultivated plants. During care, it is important to choose gout rhizomes from the soil, trying not to damage the underground part of the astilba.
In autumn, several buds form at the base of the shoot formed this year, from which rosettes of leaves will develop. Flower stalks will appear from the rosettes next year. From small buds located on the stem below, rosette leaves will develop only the next year. So astilbe annually rises 3-5 cm above the ground. Therefore, the plant must be sprinkled with fertile soil every year.
Transfer
Astilba bush can not be transplanted for an average of 5 years. Then it needs to be dug up and divided or thinned out:
- Separate the part of the bush with the rhizome with a shovel.
- Sprinkle the cuts with wood ash.
- Fill the hole in the ground with fresh soil.
Watering
Astilbe loves watering. The topsoil must be constantly moist, as young roots can only develop in moist soil. The flower is watered at least once a week, in hot weather - 2 times a week. Astilba is not afraid of fungal diseases, so it can be watered both under the root and by sprinkling.
Even after a short drying of the soil, the leaves wither, the inflorescences become smaller and the astilbe takes on a sloppy look. To prevent this from happening, astilba is mulched with any crushed organic material: sawdust, bark, dry leaves. The best mulch compost is not only a covering material, but also a concentrated organic top dressing that astilba loves.
Fertilizers and top dressing
The main fertilizers are applied even when astilba is planted. The flower loves organic. Up to a liter of humus should be added to the planting pit and mixed well with the ground.
Potassium and phosphorus mineral compounds are used for top dressing - they increase the frost resistance of the plant. For each bush, 20-25 g of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer is applied. In the spring, to accelerate the growth of leaves, the plants are fed once with a solution of urea at a dosage of a teaspoon of granules per 5 liters of water.
How to propagate astilba
The flower is propagated by dividing the rhizome, cuttings, seeds, renewal buds. The division of the bush allows even the old lower parts of the rhizomes to be used for propagation, since after dividing into them, dormant buds wake up.
Astilbe can be divided no more than 1 time in 3 years. Plants are dug up in the spring or at the end of August. The rhizome is cut into 4-5 parts and immediately planted in a new place at a distance of 35-40 cm from each other.
Kidney renewal
- In early spring, before the young shoots have grown, cut off the buds from the stem with a small piece of rhizome.
- Plant the buds in a box filled with peat and coarse sand 3:1.
- Water.
- Wait for rooting - it will happen in 3 weeks.
- Plant young plants with leaves in a permanent place.
cuttings
- When the shoots reach a height of 10-15 cm, cut them off and divide into cuttings.
- Plant in a box filled with a mixture of peat and sand 1: 1, pour, cover with foil.
- Spray with a spray bottle 2 times a day.
- Keep the air temperature during rooting in the range of 20-22 degrees.
- If a peduncle forms at the cutting, break it out.
Astilba seeds do not germinate well, so this method of propagation is used for breeding purposes. Seeds are sown in autumn or spring on a garden bed and are not covered with soil. The bed should be located in the shade. Seedlings will appear in 10-15 days, and in the autumn sowing - in the spring.
As soon as the first true leaf grows, seedlings are seated at a distance of 15 cm from each other. Fortified plants can be transplanted to a permanent place. Young plantings for the winter are covered with foliage.
What is Astilba afraid of?
The plant has few diseases and pests. Occasionally she is affected:
- drooling pennitsy;
- gall nematode;
- strawberry nematode.
Young leaves sometimes suffer from late spring frosts, but this does not prevent the plant from throwing out new leaves and blooming at the right time. Astilba withstands harsh winters, but suffers greatly from spring temperature drops and wetting.
The most decoratively valuable varieties with large inflorescences can freeze slightly. Such plants in snowy winters need to be additionally covered:
- Prune the bush in autumn.
- Install a light frame over it.
- From the inside, fill the frame with leaves.
- Tighten with spunbond or lutrasil from above.
- To protect against moisture, cover the entire structure with polyethylene and press the edges with bricks.
Astilba is quite unpretentious and can grow on any type of soil, but it develops best on slightly acidic loose soils seasoned with organic fertilizers. Peat is best used to mulch the soil around the plant.
If astilbes are planted from the very beginning in a properly filled hole, then they can be practically not fertilized, since the bush needs to be divided once every 3-5 years, transplanted to a new place. However, under favorable conditions, astilbe bushes can grow in one place for 15-20 years.
Humus and 25-30 g of complex fertilizer are added under each bush. After planting and watering, the soil surface is mulched with peat.
The scheme of fertilizing astilbe bushes largely depends on the degree of soil moisture. So, if the soil is dry, then it is undesirable to apply mineral fertilizers; it is better to provide the plant with the nutrition it needs by adding compost and peat.
With sufficiently moist soil, every spring, after the growth of shoots, a solution of a mixture of nitrogen fertilizers (20 g of complex fertilizer and 10 g of urea per 10 l of water) should be applied.
The second top dressing is carried out with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer (20-25 g of the substance per plant) immediately after flowering. In early autumn, the soil around the bush is abundantly mulched with peat and rotted compost. This measure will allow less frequent rejuvenation of plantings by dividing the bush.
Astilba planting and care in open ground which will be described in this article, is especially appreciated by gardeners for its unusual appearance, long flowering period, ability to easily tolerate waterlogging of the soil and shade tolerance. This plant looks beautiful not only when it blooms. From spring to late autumn, astilba decorates the flower bed with openwork leaves on reddish petioles.
Our article presents detailed description And a photo plants. You can learn more about planting methods and features of growing astilba by looking at video at the end of the article.
The plant is suitable for forcing and cutting. Astilba bushes are covered with lush foliage, which will be a wonderful decoration for flower baskets and bouquets.
What does astilba look like when it blooms
The herbaceous plant Astilba is a member of the saxifrage family. The first representatives of this culture grew in Japan, East Asia and North America. There are about 40 species of this plant and more than 400 varieties.
- The height of the bush can vary from 1 to 2 m.
- Flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences 10-60 cm long. The color of flowers can be the most diverse: white, red, pink and purple.
- The color of the foliage can be dark green, burgundy, bronze.
- In the form of a fruit - a box with small seeds.
- The flowering period is from June to August.
Astilba varieties
More than 400 varieties of astilba, differing from each other in size, color of flowers and shape of leaves, have been bred by scientists. The most famous and popular types include:
David. The bush can reach a height of 150 cm. The inflorescences are located horizontally, looking down, the flowers are lilac-pink in color. Flowering period from July to August.
Naked. Plant height up to 20 cm. Flowering - in June, July. The foliage has a bronze tint.
Chinese. The bush can reach a height of up to 100 cm. The flowers of the plant are pink, lilac or white, and the leaves are covered with reddish fluff. The inflorescences are up to 30 cm long. The flowering period lasts from June to August.
Japanese. It reaches a height of about 70 cm. The bush grows well, forming a circle of wide diameter. Inflorescences up to 30 cm long, diamond-shaped, pink, red, white flowers.
The flowering period is mid-summer. This variety is resistant to cold, as well as the fact that it takes root well.
Thunberg. The height of the bush is up to 80 cm, the flowers are white, the edges of the leaves are jagged. Inflorescences are rare, look down, panicle width 10 cm, length - 25 cm. Flowering period: July-August. This variety belongs to the pyramidal species, it is distinguished by sprawling shoots, which are covered with dense foliage. The species does not respond well to low humidity and heat.
Preparing for landing
It is advisable to choose a site for planting astilba with a close fit of groundwater. The plant can also be planted on the shore of a pond located in the garden. Since sandy soil does not retain moisture well, the top area must be mulched with peat.
If astilbe was purchased in a store, then before planting, the rhizome should be soaked in warm water for 1 hour. It is recommended to add potassium permanganate to the water so that the solution turns pale pink.
Watch the video! How to plant astilba
Astilbe planting
Landing technology:
- The first step is to dig a hole 30 cm deep.
- At the bottom of the pit, organic fertilizer (compost) should be poured, which is used in the proportion of 2 buckets per 1 sq.m.
- It is recommended to add 1 tbsp to the hole. complex fertilizer of any kind containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (nitroammophoska) or 2 handfuls of ash.
- Then the fertilizer is mixed with the soil.
- Then water is poured into the hole.
- Astilba should be planted in the ground deepening the root neck by 5-6 cm. After the water in the hole is absorbed, 3-4 cm of dry soil should be poured on top, which will help retain moisture in the rhizome area for as long as possible.
- For a long time to keep moisture in the hole, as well as facilitate the adaptation of the plant will help the mulching procedure. As mulch, you can use sawdust, humus, needles, chopped bark.
Astilbe grows very slowly, so it is recommended to plant it tightly: 20 * 20 cm. Planting will become dense next year. It will be possible to thin out the plants in 2-3 years.
Perfectly combined astilba flower with other types of plants. The easiest way to grow is in monoplants using one variety. You can also plant a plant in groups, using several varieties with flowers of the same tone, but of different heights.
Leave cultivation
The main methods of caring for flowers include:
- weeding;
- loosening;
- watering;
- mulching.
Watering
Astilba needs constant watering. It is recommended to keep the top layer of soil constantly moist, as the root system can only develop well in moist soil. It is necessary to water the flower at least 1 time per week; in hot weather, this procedure must be carried out at least 2 times a week. Astilba can be watered both under the root and using the sprinkling method, since this plant is resistant to the appearance and spread of fungal diseases.
Even a short drying of the soil on the site can lead to the fact that the leaves of the astilba will wilt, the inflorescences will become smaller, and the bush itself will look sloppy. In order to prevent these undesirable consequences, you should mulch the plant with any organic material:
- dry leaves;
- sawdust;
- bark.
Advice! For mulching, compost is best because it is an organic concentrated top dressing and maintains a sufficient level of moisture in the area.
Fertilizer
The main part of the fertilizer must be applied to the site when planting astilba. The plant is very fond of organic top dressing. It is recommended to add up to 1 liter of humus to the planting pit, after which the composition should be mixed well with the soil.
After flowering is completed, in the autumn period, several buds form at the base of the shoot formed in the current year. They will subsequently develop rosettes of leaves. The following year, flower stalks will appear from the rosettes. Small buds located below will begin to develop only next year.
Advice! The plant annually rises above the site at a distance of 3-5 cm. Therefore, every year it is necessary to bring fertile land to the site.
reproduction
Astilba can be propagated:
- division of roots;
- cuttings;
- kidney renewal;
- seeds.
The division of the bush
Even old bushes can be used for reproduction, because after the procedure, dormant buds wake up on them.
The division procedure should be carried out more often than 1 time in 3 years. Dig up the plant should be in early spring - in March, or at the end of August.
When propagating a bush with the help of division, it is necessary to ensure that each division has 3-4 buds. The rhizomes are divided into 4-5 parts and planted in a new area, keeping a gap of 35-40 cm between the bushes. Places of cuts on the roots are treated with crushed charcoal.
Kidney renewal
- At the beginning of spring, when the young shoots have not yet had time to grow, it is necessary to cut the buds with a sharp garden knife from the beginning of the rhizome, and then process the cuts with wood ash.
- Planting material obtained in this way is planted in a mixture consisting of 3 parts of peat and 1 part of gravel, and then covered with a film to create a greenhouse effect.
- Then you should wait for the rooting of the shoot, which occurs within 3 weeks.
- Young and strong bushes are transplanted to a permanent place in early autumn, or next spring.
cuttings
seeds
The method of propagation by seeds is most often used for selective work, since they do not germinate well.
- Seeds should be sown in the garden spring or in the fall, without filling them with soil. The location for the plant is best chosen in the shade.
- The first shoots appear after 10-15 days, and if sowing was carried out in the fall, then in the spring.
- After the first true leaf appears on the plant, seedlings should be planted at a distance of 15 cm from each other.
- Fortified bushes can be planted in a permanent place.
- Young plantings for the winter are covered with foliage.
When propagating from seedlings, pre-stratified seeds should be sown in early or mid-March.
- The seed is placed in a container for planting with a depth of 15-17 cm with a sand-peat mixture, covered with a layer of snow.
- Melting snow will gradually moisten the soil and allow the seeds to sink to the depth necessary for cultivation.
- Crops for 3 weeks should be placed in a cool place, previously covered with a film.
- After the first true leaves appear on the sprouts, a picking procedure should be carried out.
- Caring for the plant in the future consists in watering and observing temperature regime 20-22 degrees.
Watch the video! Astilba planting and care. Astilba sowing seeds
Diseases and pests
The plant very rarely becomes a victim of diseases and pests, in rare cases it can be affected by:
- drooling pennitsa;
- gall nematode;
- strawberry nematode.
Pennitsa is usually located in the leaf axils of the plant. After some time, salivary-like secretions appear inside them in the form of foam, inside of which leafhopper larvae are located. Affected leaves shrivel and become covered with yellow spots. The bush at the same time completely or partially withers.
In order to get rid of this pest, you should use:
- Rogor;
- Confidor;
- Aktar (2-3 g per 10 liters of water);
- Karbofos.
The buds, flowers, leaves of the plant are prone to the resettlement of the strawberry nematode. The affected areas of the bush are deformed and covered with brown or yellow necrotic spots. The growth of astilba is deteriorating.
The gall nematode most often affects the roots of the plant and manifests itself in the form of small galls (growths) on their surface, inside which the nematodes are located. The galls are well distinguished already in the second period of vegetation. The flowering and growth of the affected bushes noticeably worsens, in some cases the plant dies. Therefore, shoots that have obvious signs of the disease must be dug up and destroyed.
Important! In the first growing season, it is very important to carry out the first weeding on time. In the second growing season, the overgrown root system of the plant will independently drown out the weeds.
The young foliage of the plant sometimes suffers from frosts that occur in late spring, but this cannot be an obstacle to the emergence of new leaves and flowers. Astilbe perennial tolerates harsh winters well, but suffers from spring frosts and wetting. The plant is suitable for growing in regions with adverse climatic conditions, including in the Urals, in Siberia.
Important! Varieties that have the greatest decorative value, with large inflorescences, may freeze slightly.
Preparing for winter
On bushes that have already faded, panicles must be removed so that they do not set seeds. This procedure will preserve the strength of the plant for wintering.
In winters with little snow, astilba must be additionally covered:
- In autumn, the bush should be cut.
- Then install a light frame over it.
- Inside the frame fill with leaves.
- Lutrasil or spunbond is tightened from above.
- Then cover with plastic to protect from moisture. The edges are pressed with bricks.
astilba flower: combination with other plants
It is quite justified to grow astilba in group plantings with other plants. Decorative bushes look great next to coniferous trees. In addition, conifers provide astilbe with protection from the sun.
Astilbe bushes are in perfect harmony with:
- late tulips;
- hosts;
- periwinkle;
- irises.
Single plantings of astilba on a green lawn look decorative.
Astilba bushes will fit perfectly into landscape design when planting in the shade. Also, the plant is used for single or group plantings, creating difficult decisions in shade or partial shade.
Plant care is simple, it consists in timely, moderate watering and will not cause any particular difficulties.
Watch the video! Astilba: cultivation, care, reproduction
This perennial culture grows beautifully and decorates a shady garden with its unusual flowers. In this article, we will figure out how to plant and care for astilba in open field. By following the simple rules of agricultural technology, you can achieve an excellent result in growing this plant.
Astilba is a rhizomatous perennial of the saxifrage family. In summer, curly bushes with lovely inflorescences are very decorative; in winter, the herbaceous aerial part of the plant dies off. Different varieties of plants have different heights - from 8 cm to 2 m. Astilbe leaves are pinnate, complexly dissected, green or brownish in color. There are varieties with white, pink and lilac flowers.
Astilba has many shades Astilba flowering begins in early summer and lasts for about a month. During this period, the plant is most decorative. Astilbes with curly inflorescences - panicles - serve as a wonderful decoration for park areas, gardens, squares and are often used to decorate territories in landscape design.
The culture is highly resistant to winter period: rhizomes withstand wintering at temperatures up to -37 ° C without the threat of freezing.
Important! When grown outdoors, astilba prefers moist, nutritious soil and uniform periodic watering. Subject to this condition, caring for a flower crop does not present any particular difficulties.
Distribution areas of natural astilba species
In nature, the plant is found in Japan, America and East Asia. In Russia, the range of the plant is the Far East, where 2 types of astilbe of natural varieties are found.
All modern cultivated varieties of flower culture belong to the species - Astilba Arends. Medium-sized and tall forms of the plant bloom with bright inflorescences of pink or white flowers with numerous transitions and shades.
Astilbe in landscape design In landscape design, astilbe hybrid cultivars are widely used. During flowering, the bushes form air curtains of pink or purple hues. Plants are characterized compact size and profuse flowering. Planting astilbe hybrid in groups with other species allows you to perfectly shade lawns and coniferous crops during flowering. The combination of plants with different color tones enlivens the areas of park plantings.
An interesting view of Astilbe Thunberg, which has drooping brushes of yellowish or pink flowers that are not characteristic of the species.
Early-flowering astilbes of a wide range of colors of white and pink tones belong to the species "Japanese Astilba". This type of astilba is highly decorative.
Astilba: planting and care
When planting plants, the quality of the planting material is of great importance. In order for the survival rate of plants to be one hundred percent, it is worth considering some requirements for rhizomes intended for planting.
Astilbe planting Important! Astilbe rhizomes should not have dead, rotten parts. Overdrying or excessive wetting of planting material during storage is not allowed. Young shoots should not be elongated, bent and crumpled.
Of course, specimens with elongated sprouts can also take root, but then the plant can lose its decorative effect and get sick for a long time.
Choosing a comfortable place for a flower
It should be remembered that astilbe is a plant for partial shade, bright sunlight is detrimental to it. It is undesirable to plant a flower culture in open spaces unprotected from sunlight.
In addition, flowers do not respond well to areas with high groundwater levels and stagnant water. This leads to wetting and decay of the rhizomes. Growing a crop in such areas will not do without a reliable drainage device. And if it is not possible to equip it, you need to choose a higher place for planting.
Planting astilba in open ground: determine the size of the pits
The depth of the planting pit is required to be provided individually for each plant, taking into account the size of the rhizome. root system astilba should be freely placed in the planting pit, while it is not allowed to deepen the bush or cover the growing point with soil. Hydrogel can be added to the bottom of the pits, it will help maintain soil moisture; as well as bone meal, ash and mineral fertilizers - 1 each matchbox.
Astilba should be planted in well-moistened soil. The surface of the earth can be mulched with bark or peat chips, which will keep the soil evenly moist, and in the future - will protect the roots of the plant from drying out.
plant care
Astilbe bushes grow about 3-5 cm in height per year. Plant care measures are reduced to adding soil under the exposed parts of the rhizome. Fertile soil is added with a layer of 2-3 cm.
Planting care requires maintaining soil moisture. To do this, add a mulch layer (peat, bark, expanded clay or landscape gravel) on top of the planting soil. In winter, mulch on the ground surface helps protect tender rhizomes from freezing.
The combination of uniform watering and keeping the soil moist is the key to plant health and lush flowering.
Astilbe care is very simple. The decorativeness of the plant is maintained by periodic pruning of dead stems. It is necessary to regularly remove faded inflorescences from the bushes, this is especially true when using astilbe in landscape design when decorating territories.
Fertilizer and top dressing
The application of fertilizers under astilba bushes during planting has already been mentioned above.
For the full development of the plant, regular fertilizing with complex fertilizers is required. Considering that astilbe can grow in one place without transplanting and dividing rhizomes for more than 5 years, plants should be fed with nitrogen fertilizers from the beginning of spring. This helps the rapid growth of new foliage on overwintered bushes.
Don't forget to feed the astilba mineral fertilizers During flowering, the crop needs to be fertilized with phosphorus, and by the end of flowering - with potash fertilizers. This will help increase the timing and splendor of flowering, and also stimulates the formation of full-fledged seeds.
Plant propagation
Reproduction by seeds
To preserve the decorative and varietal characteristics of the plant, perennial propagation by seeds is not accepted. Crops grown from seeds often do not correspond to the declared varietal characteristics:
- have a changed color;
- sparse flower brushes;
- low decorative effect;
- short flowering periods.
For seed propagation only high-quality seeds of varietal selection can be used.
astilbe seed sprouts The seeds of the plant are sown on the surface of moistened soil, without covering. For accelerated germination, high humidity is maintained (you can cover the crops with glass or keep them in a greenhouse). Growing astilbe seedlings comes down to timely watering of seedlings. At this time, it is especially dangerous to overdry young plants. They need to be protected from direct sunlight, providing a bright place without access to scorching rays.
Excellent results in increasing germination are achieved by performing preliminary seed stratification. This cultural practice consists of placing the seeds in a cold place (from +4°C to -4°C) for 3 weeks. Hardened seeds are sown in greenhouses and kept at a temperature of + 20°C. Young plants in 2-3 months after sowing can be planted in a permanent place in the open field. Seedlings obtained from stratified seeds are distinguished by excellent survival and rapid growth.
Reproduction of astilba by dividing the bush
The vegetative method of propagation of astilba (dividing a bush) is the most reliable and familiar to flower growers. The mother plant is dug out with care, trying not to damage the tender rhizome. With a sharp knife, the rhizome is divided into parts with 2-3 buds. Slices are sprinkled with crushed coal.
The division of the astilba bush Planting material is laid out in the prepared furrow and the soil is moistened. Excellent results when planting delenok are achieved with the use of root stimulants. Care for young plants includes regular watering and loosening the soil.
Planting of astilba divisions can be carried out in early spring already in March. With this method of reproduction, the first flowering of young plants will begin in early autumn.
Division by the kidneys
Perennial reproduction is carried out in another way, which is considered the fastest - by bud division. In the spring, with the beginning of the vegetation of the plant, sharp knife separate the kidneys of renewal. The cuttings are planted in a greenhouse with moist soil mixed with coarse sand or gravel, after dusting the cut points with ash. With this method of reproduction, a very high survival rate of young plants is noted. The only drawback is that getting a full-fledged plant stretches for almost a year.
Diseases and pests
Keep your plants healthy. If pests appear, immediately start fighting them. Astilba attracts not only with its decorative effect, the plant is practically not damaged by pests and diseases. The rhizomes of some crops can occasionally be affected by root-knot nematodes. The pest does not respond to the use of drugs, so the fight against the nematode is reduced to the destruction of diseased bushes. In this case, it is also necessary to remove part of the soil that was in contact with the roots of the diseased plant. It is advisable not to plant a crop at this place for several years.
Another pest that can threaten the plant in the open field is the slobber penny. The affected plant feels oppressed, the development of the leaf mass slows down. Prevention measures - collecting the pest from the leaves of the plant by hand.
Astilba: combination with other plants
Growing astilba in group plantings with other plants is quite justified. Decorative panicles plants look great near coniferous plants with their monotonous greenery. Such a neighborhood is very preferable for astilba: the conifers provide protection from the sun to the bushes.
Astilba combination different colors in landscape design Astilbe bushes are in perfect harmony with late tulips, irises, hostas, periwinkle. Single plantings of astilba on a green lawn in the shade are very decorative.
In landscape design, when planting in the shade, astilba bushes fit perfectly. The plant is used for single and group plantings, creating complex landscape solutions for shady and semi-shady places. Caring for ornamental plants is absolutely no difficulty and consists in timely watering.
How to plant astilba: video
Astilba is the most winter-hardy and luxuriant shade-tolerant perennial crop. This airy and openwork queen of shadows with lush airy panicles of inflorescences does not impose any special requirements on either the place of cultivation or the composition of the soil and pleases with amazing flowering even with minimal care, which actually comes down to maintaining soil moisture that is so necessary for Astilba.
Watering
Watering is the only labor-intensive part of growing these plants. Astilbes are extremely moisture-loving crops, which in nature prefer the monsoon climate and can grow even on marshy soils. But they categorically do not tolerate drought, if we are talking about long periods. Drought is especially dangerous for astilbe, combined with poor soil and very bright lighting.
If astilbes do not grow on shaded, but on sunny sites, they need to provide abundant watering twice a day in the absence of natural precipitation.
In the shade, astilbes critically need watering only during long dry periods, but if you have such an opportunity, then it is better for plants to provide weekly maintenance soil moisture at least during the release of peduncles and flowering.
pruning
Astilbe pruning is carried out in several stages. Immediately after flowering, it is necessary to remove all wilted flower stalks, preventing them from weakening the plants. Full pruning of above-ground parts is carried out later, in the fall, before mulching for the winter, although some gardeners recommend leaving dry foliage and stems for additional retention of snow cover, which is the best protection for the rhizomes of the plant.
If the aerial parts of the astilba are not cut in the fall, then a full pruning is carried out in the spring, before the young shoots start to grow.
top dressing
The unique decorativeness of astilbe is achievable only by maintaining stable soil fertility, which can be ensured by regular fertilization. Astilba is fed three times a season - immediately after regrowth, at the end of flowering and in the fall, while for the first feeding it is better to use nitrogen fertilizers, and for the last two - potassium-phosphorus.
For astilbes that grow in high-quality fertile soil rich in humus, the number of top dressings after flowering can be reduced to one.
Immediately after fertilizing with watering, the soil around the plants must be loosened, trying not to touch the rhizome and renew the mulch layer.
Diseases and pests
Astilba is one of those hardy garden perennials that, for all their decorativeness, are resistant to diseases and pests.
Very rarely, with inattentive care or improper selection of soils, astilbes can be affected by gall and strawberry nematodes, slobbering pennitsa. You need to deal with them manually, removing damaged leaves and stems or destroying diseased roots and plants.
Soil mulching
An obligatory component of astilbe care is soil mulching, which not only helps to reduce moisture evaporation and, accordingly, reduce watering, but also protects the upper part of the rhizome from overheating, which is not very fond of astilbes. Thanks to the mulch, soil looseness is also preserved, weeds are suppressed and optimal conditions are created for subsequent wintering, because a layer of protective materials keeps the regeneration buds located high enough from freezing.
Plants should be mulched immediately after planting, covering with an equally even layer (about 5 cm thick) the area on which astilbes are planted. For mulching, you can use peat, mature compost, or any other available plant material.
The mulch layer needs to be renewed during the weeding of the plants, at least several times during the season. Completely replace with a new one in late autumn and early spring.
Separation of bushes
Astilbes can grow in one place for about 15-20 years, but the decorative effect of the bushes is gradually decreasing, so every four or five years the astilbe bushes are rejuvenated by division. If on fertile soil bushes grow too fast, separation must be carried out after three, in last resort after four years. Specific dates can be determined by reducing the duration and decorativeness of flowering, shrinking inflorescences and the location of young roots near the surface of the soil.
In the spring, old astilbes are dug up and divided into two or three parts, leaving at least one bud in each.
