The herbaceous perennial astilbe belongs to the family Saxifragidae. Its name, derived from a combination of the Latin words “a,” meaning without, and “stilba,” translated as gloss, is due to the Scottish florist Lord Hamilton. The original habitat is North America and eastern Eurasia. It grows in forests of deciduous trees, by streams and in areas with high summer humidity.
Astilba - outdoor planting and care
An impressive variety of Saxifragidae, for the most part, includes hardy and undemanding plants. Astilba needs to follow a few simple rules when planting and leaving. The guarantee of healthy growth and splendor of inflorescences is the right time and place of planting.
Gentle panicles of astilbe make the garden more elegant
How to plant a purchased astilba in the garden
The best time to buy planting material is the first days of its availability. Due to the belonging of this flower to rhizome plants, there is a risk of elongation of shoots during storage in the store. Also, shoots can dry out, rot in moist soil and be damaged during transportation, which often serves as the reason why astilbe does not bloom.
The main nuance is the safety of the rhizome. The plant that let out the shoots will also take root, however, it will be weakened and may have an unhealthy appearance in the first year. The purchase should be stored in the refrigerator until planting; the flower can tolerate frosts down to -37 ° C.
Important! If the bush has already begun to wake up, when it returns to cool conditions, it may die. Landing is recommended when the frost is gone. This is the best time for when to transplant astilba.
What you may need when landing
When planting, you will need mulch and fertilizers on an organic basis. This is the best way to feed astilba. In the natural habitat of this flower, there are both wooded and marshy soils, while he loves places near water bodies most of all. The best option would be loose humus-rich land.
Important! If the soil has a high sand content, it can retain moisture worse, so in this case, care for astilbe will require the use of a hydrogel.
Where is it better to plant astilba
This bush does not tolerate direct sunlight, so the shady areas of the garden are preferred. A combination of shade with a high passing underground current would be ideal.
Astilba generously rewards creativity
The soil must be moist or often moist, most types of astilbe will not withstand drought. pH 5.5-6.5 is a good level of acidity. Drying of the soil is one of the common reasons why astilbe leaves curl and dry. A positive factor will be the proximity of a fountain or pool. It is recommended to clear the weeds and dig a plot before planting a flower.
Note! A separately planted astilbe bush does not have such magnificence as a collection of its seedlings. This plant has long been used in landscape design, multi-colored multi-level compositions are created from its various varieties.
Landing process steps
First, a recess is made to the length of the rhizome of such a width that it fits freely there. If the seedling is in a pot, it must be pre-watered, and it should also be planted to a depth identical to its position.
Sprouts are planted no less than 30 cm from each other, with a high grade, the recommended distance reaches 50 cm. Organic fertilizers and hydrogel are introduced into the hole if necessary, after which it is covered with soil compacted at the roots, forming a circular lowland.
The flower is watered abundantly; no roots should appear from the settled soil. The environs of the apex with sprouts are generously sprinkled with mulch. Good options are compost, sawdust or bark. In a dry climate, during plant adaptation, watering is done every other day.
Additional Information. When planting and necessary care, Astilba can grow without transplantation and rejuvenation by the method of dividing the bush for about 5 years.
A high agricultural background combined with a sufficient level of moisture and nutrients in the soil will provide the bush with decades of existence. To stimulate leaf renewal in early spring, moderate nitrogen top dressing is recommended.
Planting can also be accomplished in soil pre-fertilized with organic matter (2 buckets / m2), in this case the hole is fertilized with a large spoon of mineral fertilizing and half a glass of ash.
How a flower propagates
The propagation of astilbe is carried out by means of seeds, cuttings and division of bushes.
The division of the outlet is the most popular way of propagating astilbe
Cuttings
During the spring growing season, buds that have released new shoots are cut off with a sharp blade. Ash is applied to the cut points. New shoots are planted in moist soil with a high content of crushed gravel or coarse sand, where a greenhouse effect is created. Greenhouse conditions are also suitable.
Note! This method helps to increase the adaptive ability of cuttings, but they will need about a year to turn into a full-fledged flower.
Seed germination
Opinions on the benefits of seed cultivation differ. His supporters argue that the only way to get new varieties. Opponents say that only high-quality selection seeds are suitable for maintaining varietal qualities, otherwise the culture may be distorted.
As arguments, they cite the risks of such deviations:
- color changes;
- intermittent inflorescences and non-standard forms of brooms;
- reduced decorativeness;
- change in flowering period.
The seed is placed on moist soil, where it is provided with greenhouse conditions. High humidity accelerates growth, the main threat to young plants is the lack of water. They need good lighting, but they must be protected from direct rays of the landing.
Additional Information. Stratified seeds develop faster, seedlings can be placed in the garden after a couple of months. Seeds for about three weeks contain at temperatures from -4 ° C to 4 ° C, then they are sown in a greenhouse with a temperature of 20 ° C. By the time they get into the open ground, these seedlings adapt better.
Division of the astilbe bush
This method of propagating a bush is popular for its high degree of reliability. The main plant is carefully dug out in early spring, its tender rhizome is cut into sections with 3-2 buds. Slices are processed with ash, then the usual planting is performed.
Fertilizers are recommended to be supplemented with root growth stimulants. Plantings are regularly loosened and watered, new astilbe can bloom in September.
Astilba Care
In addition to timely watering, top dressing and loosening of the soil, it is necessary to take into account the gradual death of the lower rhizome and the growth of the upper, which requires observation and hilling. The answer to the question of why astilbe grows poorly is often influenced by the environment on the exposed naked rhizome that is vulnerable to it.
With proper care, astilba is able to please the eye for a long time.
How to water a flower
Astilba, the care of which in the first place implies sufficient watering, gains from 15 to 200 cm in height. She adorns the shaded areas of the cottage and garden with her scrubs growing from 10 to 60 cm.
The abundance of watering depends on the variety, mainly this is an average and high amount of water. It should be sufficient to preserve soil moisture; drying of the soil should not be allowed. Usually it is 2-3 times a week. In the heat, the bush is watered at least once a day, watering in the morning and evening is a good option.
Note! Proper mulching will help reduce the amount of water used per plant. It also prevents the formation of weeds and keeps the roots from overheating.
Fertilizer application
The time for feeding is several times a year:
- Nitrogen fertilizers in early spring. They can be mixed with earth for earthing up.
- Potassium nitrate in an amount of half a liter per bush from 1 tbsp. l 5 liters of water before the summer flowering.
- 1 tbsp. l dry superphosphate on the bush at its end.
- In the fall, phosphorus and potassium are added at 1-2 tbsp. l fertilizers diluted with water on the bush, they will completely dissolve only in the spring.
Pre-watering is required, although it can be replaced by rain. The soil should subsequently be loosened and covered with mulch.
Features of care during the flowering period
Astilbe flowers are colored in red, purple, white and pink. In the motley genus of this saxifrage, there are varieties that differ in the pyramidal, drooping and rhombic form of inflorescences. From the massive dark green leaves planted on long stalks, an elegant bush is formed that blooms from the beginning to the end of summer.
This season, the demand for flowering astilbe in water increases. Faded flower stems are cut at will, they retain the effect of ennobling the garden and being semi-dry. Spreading as it grows, the shrub itself displaces weeds, but the soil still needs to be loosened and mulch.
It is not recommended to allow flowering plants less than a year old, pruning their flower stalks is better to do before the formation of panicles. So the roots of young seedlings will be strengthened, and it will be easier for them to survive the winter.
Features of care at rest
In addition to top dressing in early autumn, another important step is the pruning of the ground section of the bush. It is performed by a secateurs, which are disinfected in a pink solution of sour manganese potassium for half an hour after each flower in order to prevent possible infection. It can be introduced during flowering or caused by a fungus that appears as a result of stagnation of water in the ground. This is also one of the causes of poor growth, drying, deformation and yellowing of leaves.
No less beautiful and in autumn the plant needs preparation for snow
If there is no need for seeds, it is better to cut the flower stalks before they form, since this will take the strength of the plant. The time for removal of the rest depends on the region; the deadline is late November. This plant is a rhizome type, at the onset of autumn frosts, the ground part of the flower dies, growing in the spring. When the first frosts come, the bush will begin to dry out and darken. This indicates the time of cutting dry stems and shoots.
Note! It is recommended to get rid of severely sick flowers, the soil and plant should be treated with foundationazole at the first symptoms of infection.
Winter preparations
Pruning is done for a more reliable mulching for the winter, the layer thickness of which should be from 5 to 10 cm. In the winter, it is not necessary to care for the flower. If the ground part is fully or partially preserved, the plant will be less protected.
Despite its resistance to frost, shrubs can freeze during cold weather with a small amount of snow. Rhizomes older than 5 years old will already slightly bulge out of the ground, for their shelter for the winter it is necessary to build a small fence made of boards or stones in the garden, cover the inside with dry leaves, and pull on top non-woven fabric, fixed by stones along the edges for fidelity.
Astilba: landing and care in the open ground in the Urals
Due to the Ural climate, planting, transplanting and spring sowing of astilbe is best done in late May. In autumn, some gardeners in the Urals, in addition to simply pruning and mulching rhizomes, prefer to equip a fence with dry leaves and a non-woven coating fixed at the edges, regardless of the age of the plant. This serves as a more reliable protection against the Ural weather. Otherwise, planting and caring for astilba do not differ from the botanical recommendations for both the Moscow Region and the regions located to the south.
Cold is not an obstacle to the spread of the flower
Astilba: planting and care in the open ground in Siberia
An outstanding feature of this perennial shrub is that the vegetation process will not be stable at temperatures below 10 ° C. Due to the harsh weather conditions of Siberia compared to the western climate, astilba can only wake up in late spring or early summer. At this time, transplantation, planting and sowing are performed here.
Note! Qualified flower growers also practice autumn or August planting. The plant must be planted with the expectation that it has time to adapt and form a stable root system for a month before the onset of frost.
In Siberia, mulching is already starting in the fall, as a material for which sawdust and ground wood bark are used. The flower propagates mainly by the method of dividing the bush. Watering, top dressing, pruning and sheltering are carried out identically to other regions.
Astilba, a natural saxifrage that adorns nature, when taken care of in the garden, gives it a luxurious and impressive look. The plant does not like a lot of sunlight and requires a plentiful amount of water, however it is unassuming to care for, and the compositions created from it can compete with architectural ensembles. Thanks to the features of its life, astilbe grows in the East, in Asia, Europe, North America and even in the Far North.
