Astilbe what leaves. Unpretentious perennial astilbe grows well in open ground

Ease of care is probably one of the main criteria that can make a plant a favorite of gardeners. For example, astilbes grow well in a shady garden, decorating them with unusual inflorescences different shades. They don't demand increased attention and if you follow the basic rules of agricultural technology, you can get lush and spreading bushes.

Basics of proper planting of astilbe

In order for the plant to quickly take root and grow well, you should choose right place for landing, otherwise how quickly it grows depends on sufficient moisture and warmth.

Choosing a suitable landing site

Despite the need large quantities heat, Open sunny areas with maximum sun should be avoided. Growing astilbe in open ground You should practice in areas with sparse shade, because only in this case will it bloom profusely and for a long time.

The exception is light varieties, which feel great in the open sun, but are a little less pleasing with flowers. Under the sun's rays, early and late varieties, and those species whose flowering period occurs in July should be planted in the shade.

Did you know? Astilbe is a decorative perennial that belongs to the saxifrage family. Depending on the variety, the height of the plant ranges from 15 to 200 cm. The leaves are collected in an openwork bush, which can have a bronze, burgundy or dark green color. The flowers also come in a variety of colors, from white to purple. They are paniculate inflorescences that grow up to 60 cm in length. They bloom all summer and have a powerful branched rhizome.

Astilbe can be planted in any soil, but for best results it is worth choosing areas where groundwater flows closer to the soil surface.

How to properly prepare the site

Before planting astilbe in a selected area, it must be dug up, removing the rhizomes of other plants. Then the soil should be fertilized with rotted manure or peat at the rate of 2 buckets of fertilizer per square meter . Make sure that soil is sufficiently saturated with potassium and phosphorus. Bone meal (2 handfuls per meter) or complex fertilizers (30 grams per meter) are also added to the beds. Try not to plant the plant near trees with a shallow root system. They may have competition for moisture, in which the flower will probably lose.

Landing technology

Plants are planted in the fall, during a period when the average daily temperature remains at least 5°C for 2–3 weeks. When choosing the distance between bushes, focus on the plant variety. So, low varieties are planted at a distance of 30 cm from each other, and high ones - 50 cm.

Holes up to 30 cm deep are prepared for planting. Fertilizers are placed at the bottom and filled with water. Delenki (part of a bush with a rhizome) are placed in a hole and covered with mulch to about three centimeters.

Important! It is not recommended to keep the plant without replanting for more than five years. Replanting astilbe is necessary, even if you plan to leave it same place. The fact is that the plant’s rhizome grows upward, so the buds are located on the surface of the earth. In winter, this feature can destroy the flower.

Basics of proper plant care

Proper care of the plant is not so difficult, but in order to grow gorgeous astilbe, you must adhere to the following rules.

Watering: what should it be?

When caring for astilbe, it is important to provide it with a sufficient amount of moisture, with regular watering. Even a slight delay and short-term drying out of the soil lead to the leaves withering, the inflorescences becoming smaller, the flowers losing their richness of color, and the plant itself taking on a somewhat sloppy appearance.

Weeding and loosening the soil

Astilbe perfectly suppresses weeds, as it has very powerful branched rhizomes. But while the plant is young, it simply needs weeding, since it is difficult for immature flowers to fight weeds.

After rain and watering, it is advisable to loosen the soil around the astilbe so that a crust does not form. However, if it is mulched, then these manipulations will not be required.

By the way, thanks to mulching with peat and annual hilling, you can slow down the aging of the bush, because the buds will always be underground.

When and with what to fertilize To preserve the decorative appearance of the plant, feeding astilbe is also necessary. It is carried out every year, but the choice of feeding agent depends on the soil in which the plant was planted. So, if it was planted in, wet soil must be used complex supplements If the plant was planted in dry soil, then use peat or compost.

Individual fertilizers are used for a specific result. For example, to keep the leaves and petals juicy, use diluted manure or other organic fertilizers. It is added during the period when sap flow begins, that is, in the spring. In order for the plant to develop well, add mineral fertilizers. It is important to maintain the correct concentration: 25–35 g per liter of water. This fertilizer is applied in the fall before wintering. Potassium sulfate or urea with superphosphate will help to increase the flowering period and add lushness to the plant. These mixtures should be added to the beds in the summer.

Collecting seeds

It is necessary to collect flower seeds in the fall, when the plant has finished blooming (usually in September). Even though they are quite small, they are not difficult to assemble. Faded and dried inflorescences should be cut off, wrapped in paper and put in a warm place. After two weeks, just shake the inflorescences and the seeds will fall out on their own. Astilbe seeds are stored in a paper bag.

Did you know? Astilbe is ready to flower already in the first year after planting, however, it is advisable not to allowthis, cutting off the flower stalks in advance. The fact is that a fragile plant can die, putting all its energy into the first flowering. If young flowers are removed, all the juices are used for the formation of healthy buds, rooting and growth of the rhizome. At the end of the season, the entire bush is cut off under the rhizome and mulched with peat or soil. This manipulation is carried out every year.

Preparing astilbe for winter

Astilbe winters without problems. She has adapted well to severe frosts, but temperature changes in the spring can be dangerous for her. That's why It is better to mulch it, covering it with two layers of natural materials. This could be sawdust, small pebbles, rotten last year's leaves, straw, bark, spruce branches or other materials. It is worth mulching the soil between the bushes, for which spruce branches are perfect.

In addition to heating the plant in winter, mulching helps maintain soil looseness, its moisture, and also reduce overheating in summer.

Basics of proper transplantation

You can replant a plant as follows: in early spring, and in the fall. This is done in the following way. A hole is dug in advance, then the bush is carefully taken out and placed in it. The hole should be large enough so that the roots of the bush can be freely spread in it. The plant must be covered with soil, watered and mulched. The last manipulation helps to retain precious moisture and prevent the appearance of crusts, which is very undesirable for a young plant.

Important! Astilbe plantations are not rejuvenated immediately, but in parts, but this is done regularly. The older the plant, the more difficult it is to divide its rhizomes, but it easily tolerates replanting and is ready to bloom the very next year after planting. Replanting can be replaced by adding soil above the buds after autumn pruning.

Combination of astilbe with other plants

In terms of “friendship” with other plants, astilbe is undemanding - it coexists well with the other “residents” of the garden. That's why It is worth choosing neighbors for purely aesthetic reasons. Thus, openwork leaves of astilbe look great in combination with whole leaves of hellebore, podophyllum or bergenia. Of the flowers, the plant can be combined with kupena, irises, late tulips, bitter weed, and lilies of the valley.

As a rule, it is planted on rocky hills, in ridges along lawns, near the banks of reservoirs and in semi-shaded mixborders.

Methods for propagating astilbe at home

Astilbe is propagated in one of three ways: seeds, buds or dividing the bush.

Seeds

The plant is propagated using seeds exclusively for selection. Collect seeds from your garden hybrid varieties there is no point, since they quickly degenerate. However, you can purchase high-quality varietal seeds for planting on your site.

To improve seedlings, seed material must be properly prepared for planting. To do this, the seeds are placed for 20 days in a place where the temperature is kept at +/- 4°C. Then transfer to a well-lit area warm room with a temperature of 18-22°C. The seeds are sown on moist soil, and after the procedure the soil is not covered. After a couple of weeks, small seedlings should appear that can be planted in shaded beds. It is important to constantly follow the watering regime.

Cuttings

By cutting astilbe we mean its propagation by buds, which allows the plant to reproduce much faster than with seeds. When the shoots grow back in the spring, they are carefully cut off along with part of the rhizome and the cuts are treated with ash. The resulting cuttings are planted in a mixture of gravel and peat (1:3) and covered transparent material, For example, plastic film. The planting depth should correspond to the size of the root, but so that the bud is covered with soil by half a centimeter. The cutting takes about a year to take root. That is, it will be possible to plant it in open ground next spring.

Its gorgeous blooms always attract the attention of others. A big advantage is its ease of maintenance.

In order for the plant to be strong and blooming, first of all you should take care of planting in open ground and replanting. This is what will be discussed in this article.

Varieties

To properly care for a plant, you need to become familiar with its characteristics. In gardens you can most often see flowers that stand out for their decorative qualities and are resistant to various diseases. There really aren't that many of them:

• Arends. The plant reaches a height of up to one meter. Color palette varied. Flowering period is the last 2 months of summer.
• Chinese. It is also a fairly tall species, up to one meter. The color palette is rich.
• Japanese. It grows in the form of a bush that reaches up to 80 centimeters. The color palette is varied.
• Thunberg. The plant is a tall plant, reaching a height of over a meter. The color palette is rich.

Landing

To grow lush and beautiful flowers, you need to know when to plant. Where exactly you plant also plays a very important role. Flower growers are convinced that optimal time- spring or autumn.

In the spring, when frosts are no longer predicted, astilbe can be planted directly in open ground. After 30-40 days you will be able to enjoy flowering.

Planting time also depends on the climate zone.

If you want to get flowering next year, it is better to plant in the fall. They do this after the sultry and hot days are over.

Prepare a deep hole for planting astilbe. It should be several times larger than the root system of the plant. The depth is made at least 15 centimeters. The roots of the flower are very delicate, and they should be deepened very carefully. The soil should be loose and fertile.

After planting, the hole is filled up. They do it by compacting it, then that's it air gaps will be deleted.

In order for astilbe to take root well and endure the winter painlessly, flowering should not be allowed. Peduncles are cut off when they appear, then the plant does not waste energy on flowering, and they go into the formation of the root system and buds.

After planting, regular weeding should be carried out, not giving the weeds a chance to hatch and take away nutrients from the soil. Over time, astilbe grows and there will be no need for weeding.

Mulching plays a very important role. It is mulch that prevents moisture from quickly evaporating during hot periods and maintains it. It is also necessary when overwintering the plant. If the climate in your area is warm enough, then mulching is not necessary.

Bushes that are more than 4 years old are tolerated winter frosts much more difficult than “youth”. The reason for this is the roots; every year they appear more and more on the surface. Build a frame for these flowers for the winter. Fill it completely with dry leaves. Stretch spunbond over the top. To ensure that moisture does not accumulate inside, cover the structure with film, and so that it does not blow away with the first gust of wind, press it on the sides with bricks.

All the subtleties of transplantation

As you know, the roots of astilbe grow upward, and after a while they will appear on the surface. Various weather conditions will damage them (heat, frost). Because of this, flowering may be completely absent. In order not to create an earthen mound under the plant, it is replanted.

Astilbe can not be replanted for many years, but it will suffer from this appearance, flowering will be sparse, and the bushes will generally lose their lushness. It is recommended to replant flowers every 3-4 years. It is at this time that the root system begins to age, which negatively affects flowering. The bushes lose their attractiveness, the buds die off. Also, replanting will be required when the soil is depleted.

You probably need to start with when to replant the flowers. Astilbe constantly needs a moist environment, especially in hot weather. Therefore, the most optimal time for replanting is autumn or spring. During this period there is no such hot weather. Gardeners recommend replanting in early September or late August.

Astilbe can be replanted even when the first buds have formed on it. The procedure is carried out very carefully, leaving an earthen lump on the roots. Next, careful watering will be required.

We can conclude that transplantation, even during the growing season, will be successful if everything is done correctly.

During transplantation, the roots of the flower need to be trimmed with a sharp object and applied minimal harm. If you are dividing a bush, then each part should have at least 3 buds near the root. After you have divided the bush, place its parts in a container of water. Thus, the development and further survival of the flower will improve.

When planting astilbe bushes, maintain a distance of up to 40 centimeters between them. If planted tightly, the flower will bloom sparingly and the leaves will not be able to grow.

Let's summarize the results of the transplant:

After transplantation, in two days, the plant will begin to grow.

On a note! If you divide the bush in the fall, there should be about 6 buds on each part. In this case, wintering will be painless. The foliage is cut off, it is better to leave the cuttings.

Correct care

After successfully planting a plant, you should provide it with proper care so that flowering can be enjoyed for many years.

When choosing a place to plant, consider when the plant begins to bloom. The dates may vary, from the end of June to September. Early and late varieties are not picky about the conditions; they will bloom beautifully both in the shade and in the sun. But mid-bloomers prefer a shady area; the scorching sun will significantly shorten the flowering time.

Thanks to different varieties, you can create a composition in your flowerbed that will bloom throughout the warm season.

Astilbe will not tolerate prolonged drought, but it grows magnificently in moist soil. Able to tolerate stagnant waters. Will destroy flowers:

• It's sunny.
• Lack of constant watering and rain.
• Infertile soil.

Mulching plays a very important role in the life of flowers:

• Protects the root system from overheating.
• Retains moisture.
• Allows the soil to remain loose.
• Prevents weed germination.
• Creates the necessary conditions for the winter period.

Mulching is carried out immediately after planting flowers; the layer should be about 5 centimeters.

Astilbe will not do without fertilizers. It needs phosphorus and potassium for full flowering and development. The first feeding is carried out in the spring, the second - during the period of bud setting, the third - in the autumn, when the plant has flowered. The soil is carefully loosened and mulched.

If the planting conditions were favorable and the care was appropriate, the flowers develop very quickly and grow better. Old roots will crowd out young ones, the plant will begin to wither, flowering will decrease, and the inflorescences themselves will be very small. Therefore, a transplant is necessary every 3-5 years. The period depends on the variety and speed of growth.

Sometimes, astilbe may not be replanted for a long period, about 20 years. In this case, care should be more attentive.

Interesting fact! If you plant different varieties of astilbe in the garden, you will get a riot of colors. When only one color is present, the effect of incredible splendor and volume will be created. You can create other compositions on your site, which one is decided by each gardener individually.

This perennial crop grows beautifully and decorates with its unusual flowers. shady garden. In this article, we will figure out how to plant and care for astilbe in open ground. By following simple rules of agricultural technology, you can achieve excellent results in growing this plant.

Description of the plant - varieties and varieties

Astilbe is a rhizomatous perennial of the Saxifraga family. In summer, curly bushes with lovely inflorescences are very decorative; in winter, the herbaceous above-ground part of the plant dies off. Different varieties 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.

Astilbe has many shades

Flowering of astilbe begins in early summer and continues for about a month. During this period, the plant is most decorative. Astilbes with curly inflorescences - panicles - serve wonderful decoration park areas, gardens, squares and are often used to decorate territories in landscape design.

Culture is characterized high resistance V winter period: rhizomes can withstand wintering at temperatures down to – 37°C without the threat of freezing.

Important! When grown in open ground, astilbe prefers moist, nutritious soil and even, periodic watering. If this condition is met, caring for flower crops does not present any particular difficulties.

Distribution areas of natural astilbe species

In nature, the plant is found in Japan, America and East Asia. In Russia the range of the plant is Far East, where 2 types of natural varieties of astilbe are found.

All modern cultivated varieties flower culture belong to the species - Arends' astilbe. Medium-sized and tall forms of the plant bloom bright inflorescences pink or white flowers with numerous transitions and shades.

Astilbe in landscape design

Hybrid astilbe cultivars are widely used in landscape design. During flowering, the bushes form airy clumps of pink or purple shades. Plants are characterized by compact size and abundant flowering. Planting hybrid astilbe in groups with other species allows you to perfectly shade lawns and coniferous crops. The combination of plants with different tones of color enlivens the areas of park plantings.

An interesting species of astilbe Thunberg, which has drooping clusters of yellowish or pink flowers that are not typical for the species.

Early flowering astilbes in a wide range of colors in white and pink tones belong to the species “Japanese astilbe”. This type of astilbe is highly decorative.

Astilbe: planting and care

When planting plants great importance has the quality of planting material. In order for the survival rate of plants to be 100%, it is worth taking into account some requirements for rhizomes intended for planting.

Planting astilbe

Important! Astilbe rhizomes should not have dead, rotten parts. Drying or excessive moisture of planting material during storage is not allowed. Young shoots should not be elongated, bent or wrinkled.

Of course, specimens with elongated sprouts can also take root, but then the plant may lose its decorative effect and become sick for a long time.

Choosing a comfortable place for the flower

It should be remembered that astilbe is a plant for partial shade; bright sunlight is destructive for it. It is undesirable to plant flower crops in open, unprotected areas. sunlight spaces.

In addition, flowers react poorly to areas with high level groundwater and stagnation of water. This leads to soaking and damping of the rhizomes. Growing crops in such areas will not be possible without reliable drainage. And if it is not possible to arrange it, you need to choose a higher place for planting.

Planting astilbe in open ground: determining the size of the holes

The depth of the planting hole must be determined individually for each plant, taking into account the size of the rhizome. Root system astilbe should be freely placed in landing pit, in this case, it is not allowed to deepen the bush or cover the growing point with soil. You can add hydrogel to the bottom of the holes; it will help maintain soil moisture; as well as bone meal, ash and mineral fertilizers - 1 matchbox each.

Astilbe should be planted in well-moistened soil.

The surface of the ground can be mulched with bark or peat chips, which will keep the soil evenly moist and, in the future, protect the roots of the plant from drying out.

Plant care

Astilbe bushes grow by about 3-5 cm in height per year. Measures to care for plants come down to adding soil under the exposed parts of the rhizome. Fertile soil is added in a layer of 2-3 cm.

Caring for plantings requires maintaining soil moisture. To do this, add a mulch layer (peat, bark, expanded clay or landscape crushed stone) on top of the planting soil. In winter, mulch on the soil surface helps protect tender rhizomes from freezing.

Combining and keeping the soil moist is the key to plant health and lush flowering.

Caring for astilbe is very simple

The decorative appearance of the plant is maintained by periodic pruning of dead stems. It is necessary to regularly remove faded inflorescences from bushes, this is especially true when using astilbe in landscape design when decorating territories.

Fertilizer and feeding

The application of fertilizers to astilbe bushes during planting has already been mentioned above.

For the full development of the plant it is necessary to carry out regular feeding complex fertilizers. Considering that astilbe can grow in one place without transplanting or dividing rhizomes for more than 5 years, you should feed the plants with nitrogen fertilizers from the beginning of spring. This helps the rapid growth of new foliage on overwintered bushes.

Do not forget to feed astilbe with mineral fertilizers

During flowering, the crop needs to be fertilized with phosphorus fertilizers, and towards the end of flowering - with potassium fertilizers. This will help increase the timing and splendor of flowering, and also stimulate the formation of full-fledged seeds.

Plant propagation

Propagation by seeds

To preserve the decorative and varietal characteristics of the plant, propagation of the perennial 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 decorativeness;
• short flowering periods.

For seed propagation, only high-quality seeds of varietal selection can be used.

Sprouts from astilbe seeds

The seeds of the plant are sown on the surface of the moistened soil, without covering. For accelerated germination support high humidity(you can cover the crops with glass or keep them in a greenhouse). Growing astilbe seedlings comes down to timely watering of the seedlings. At this time, it is especially dangerous to dry out young plants. They need to be protected from direct sunlight, providing a bright place without access to scorching rays.

Excellent results to increase germination are achieved by performing preliminary stratification of seeds. This agricultural technique 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 can be planted already 2-3 months after sowing. permanent place in open ground. Seedlings obtained from stratified seeds are characterized by excellent survival rate and rapid growth.

Reproduction of astilbe by dividing the bush

The vegetative method of propagating astilbe (dividing the bush) is the most reliable and familiar for gardeners. Mother plant dig up with care, trying not to damage the delicate rhizome. Using a sharp knife, divide the rhizome into parts with 2-3 buds. The sections are sprinkled with crushed coal.

Dividing an astilbe bush

Place in the prepared furrow planting material and moisten the soil. Excellent results when planting cuttings are achieved with the use of root formation stimulants. Caring for young plants includes regular watering and loosening the soil.

Planting of astilbe cuttings can be done in early spring, as early as March. With this method of propagation, the first flowering of young plants will begin in early autumn.

Division by buds

Perennial propagation is carried out in another way, which is considered the fastest - division by buds. In the spring, with the beginning of the plant's growing season, renewal buds are separated with a sharp knife. The cuttings are planted in a greenhouse with moist soil mixed with coarse sand or gravel, having previously dusted the cut areas with ash. With this method of propagation, a very high survival rate of young plants is observed. The only drawback is that obtaining a full-fledged plant takes almost a year.

Diseases and pests

Keep your plants healthy. If pests appear, start fighting them immediately

Astilbe is attractive not only for its decorative properties; the plant is practically not damaged by pests and diseases. The rhizomes of some crops may occasionally be affected by root-knot nematodes. The pest does not respond to the use of drugs, so the fight against the nematode comes down 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 in this place for several years.

Another pest that can threaten a plant in open ground is the slobbering frog. The affected plant feels depressed, and the development of leaf mass slows down. Prevention measures include collecting the pest from the leaves of the plant by hand.

Astilbe: combination with other plants

Growing astilbe in group plantings with other plants is quite justified. Decorative panicles of the plant look great next to coniferous plants with their monotonous greenery. Such a neighborhood is very preferable for astilbe: conifers provide the bushes with protection from the sun.

Astilbe combination different colors in landscape design

Astilbe bushes harmonize perfectly with late irises, hostas, and periwinkle. Single plantings of astilbe on a green lawn in the shade are very decorative.

Astilbe bushes fit perfectly into landscape design, when planting in the shade. The plant is used for single and group plantings, creating complex landscape solutions for shady and semi-shady places. Care ornamental plants There is absolutely no difficulty and consists of timely watering.

How to plant astilbe correctly: video

Astilbe: photo

Candidate of Biological Sciences, senior Researcher GBS named after N.V. Tsitsin RAS, member of the Moscow Union of Journalists

The great advantage of astilbe is its ability to grow and develop well in partial shade, in areas protected from direct sunlight. If the shading is too strong, the astilbe will bloom poorly. The excellent quality of astilbe is its high winter hardiness. In addition, this crop is practically not affected by diseases and pests; only occasionally do slobbering pennies and nematodes appear.

Planting and care

When choosing a place to plant astilbe, preference should be given to areas with diffused lighting. Loamy and peat soils, sufficiently moist throughout the growing season. In places with stagnant waterlogging, damping off of plants may occur. Places near bodies of water, near fountains and pools are especially favorable for planting.

In flower beds, astilbe is planted at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other. When planting, the rhizome is placed to a depth of 20-25 cm, so that there is a layer of soil 3-5 cm thick above the renewal buds. After planting, the soil around the plants is mulched with a layer of peat or humus, which retains moisture in the soil and limits the development of weeds. Plants are watered regularly for 2 weeks until completely rooted. Watering is necessary in dry and sunny weather. Astilbe responds well to fertilizing in spring and summer with organic and complex mineral fertilizers.

In many varieties of astilbe, it becomes bare over time. top part rhizomes, rising above the ground in the form of a hummock. This change occurs when a plant is grown in one place without replanting for 3-4 years. It is useful to mulch with peat around plants in spring or autumn. The thickness of the mulch layer depends on how much the astilbe rhizome has risen above the ground. If you do not cover the plants, the renewal buds will find themselves in unfavorable conditions, while flowering will weaken and the inflorescences will become smaller. In this regard, it is recommended to grow astilbe in one place without replanting for no more than 5 years.

In the spring, the growing season of astilbe begins relatively late, when the daytime air temperature remains stable at least +10 0 C. Therefore, if the spring is late and cold, then astilbe begins to grow only in late May-early June. Flowering duration is 1-3 weeks. After flowering has ended, it is recommended to trim off all faded inflorescences to preserve the decorative appearance of the plantings. Pruning of the entire above-ground part is carried out late in the fall.

Since astilbe is a winter-hardy plant, shelter is not required in winter.

Vegetative propagation

Most often, astilbe is propagated by dividing the bush, since this is the simplest and most reliable way reproduction. Adult large specimens are dug out of the ground after 3-4 years, and their hard woody rhizome is divided into several parts with a sharp knife or shovel, leaving 2-3 buds on each part. When dividing the bush, it is recommended to remove the lower parts of the rhizome, since they will die off, and the growth will come from the upper part of the rhizome. Immediately after dividing, smaller parts of the bush are planted or dug in so that the roots do not dry out.

The best time for propagation of astilbe is early spring, before flowering. If propagation occurs in the fall, at the end of August - beginning of September, then time is needed for the plants to take root before the onset of cold weather. Transplanted plants take root well and do not die. They will bloom normally the next year.

Seed propagation

Most often, astilbe is propagated by seeds in order to develop new varieties. Due to the fact that its seeds are very small, they are visible only through a magnifying glass, and are difficult to detect. 1 g contains 20 thousand seeds. They take a little time to set, and when ripe they quickly spill out of the boxes. To collect the seeds, cut off the inflorescences in September and place them on paper in a warm, dry place. After 15-20 days, the panicles are shaken to extract ripe seeds, and the fallen seeds are collected in a bag.

Sowing is best done at the end of February and in March in a box or flower pot 15 cm high, in room conditions or in the greenhouse. The box is filled with loose fertile earthen mixture. After the earth is compacted and completely saturated with water, the seeds are scattered over the surface, without embedding. The soil is covered with glass or plastic film to maintain moisture. The crops should be watered regularly using a spray bottle. Shoots appear 2-3 weeks after sowing. Cold stratification for 1 month at a temperature close to 0 0 C accelerates seed germination and increases their germination rate (up to 70-90%). When the first true leaves appear, the seedlings carefully dive. Young plants are regularly hardened off and planted in open ground in early summer or autumn.

For planting, choose places protected from direct sunlight, preferably under a canopy of trees. Young plants do not tolerate drought well and need constant moisture. They are winter-hardy, but it is better to cover them in the first winter. At favorable conditions astilbe can bloom 2-3 years after sowing.

Reproduction of astilbe is a topical topic for many gardeners. Having planted one variety of herbaceous perennial on a plot, you will definitely want to get several more different bushes.

There are few options to achieve the goal:

• buy the root in the store;
• ask a neighbor for a share;
• experiment with perennial seeds.

This is an exhaustive list of methods for propagating astilbe. Let's look at them in more detail.

Propagation by seeds

This option is the most controversial and problematic. Firstly, not all descendant hybrids take on the maternal characteristics of the plant. Secondly, the germination rate of the plant’s seeds is incredibly low (±70%), as manufacturers directly indicate on the packaging.

However, individual gardeners possible difficulties Not only do they not stop, but they also provoke them: will they be able to get seedlings? How to increase the germination rate of a crop?

Self-seeding

Astilbe – herbaceous plant, the ground part of which dies off during the winter in order to grow a new vegetative mass in the spring. Some gardeners do not cut off the faded panicles, creating a natural shelter for the rhizome to avoid freezing.

The best results of self-seeding are visible where there is no demand garden tools

U early varieties Astilbes have time to set, ripen and sift numerous seeds into the ground. Over the winter they undergo stratification and in late spring (or even early summer) produce miniature, one might say stunted, seedlings. Germination statistics are modest. Considering that 1 g of dry inflorescence can contain up to 20 thousand seeds, no more than 3-7 are viable. Why is that?

Practice shows that often the lack of seedlings is to blame not for the plant, but for the gardeners. Reasons for failure:

1. The millimeter-long sprouts that hatch in the spring (early summer) are in complete darkness due to the abundant foliage of the parent perennial. Weak astilbes die without having time to develop a vegetative mass.
   The way out is that seedlings found under the bushes dive into a pot or free up part of the space, thinning out the parent “under the crown.”
2. Miniature young shoots are destroyed along with weeds during spring weeding.

Everyone remembers that astilbes develop incredibly slowly, but no one attaches importance to this fact. And in vain. The seedlings will form a small bush (visible to the naked eye) no earlier than mid-summer or closer to autumn.

Conclusion! Self-seeding of astilbe is not a rare phenomenon. It is quite possible to get 1-2 seedlings from a bush. The main thing is not to remove faded panicles from early varieties and not to expect the children to repeat the parental characteristics.

In general, perennials are decorative, often with white and pale pinkish tassels.

Seeds for seedlings

Sellers sell bags of varietal astilbe seeds no less successfully than rhizomes. The gardener has the opportunity to choose the color he likes or the desired height of the plant and start germinating the seedlings.

None of the gardeners have yet succeeded in tracking the pattern and establishing the timing of seed germination.

Adult astilbes with well-developed roots prefer to grow in loam. Tender seedlings need to be provided with a mixture of peat and sand mixed in equal quantities.

Calendar March is the time when seeds emerge from deep dormancy and acquire the ability to germinate. However, the start may take 3-5 months, which is due to the specific characteristics of the seeds, in particular the underdevelopment of the embryos. The process of awakening astilbe goes through several stages. Moreover, a number of them proceed unnoticed, without visible manifestations of seed growth.

Algorithm of actions:

• a wide and low container is filled with wet substrate;
• seeds are scattered on the surface of the soil;
• spray them generously with a spray bottle;
• the container is placed in the refrigerator for stratification for 2-3 weeks;
• after the specified period, the seed is placed on a light windowsill;
• regularly moisten the soil.

On a note! The appearance of seedlings 3-5 months after sowing is the norm for astilbe. It is important to maintain during this period optimal humidity substrate.

The practice of using powdered hydrogel in agricultural technology is not new. Some gardeners have gotten used to growing not only tomato seedlings in it, but also astilbe. It is believed that seeds in the gel germinate faster. If you have to wait months for germination in soil, then when sowing in polymer, the period is reduced to 3-4 weeks. How to propagate astilbe in hydrogel? What are the mistakes of novice gardeners?

To remove sprouts from the surface of a napkin, filter paper, gauze, you will need tweezers

The algorithm for germinating seeds in polymer is similar to the procedure for using soil:

• the gel is diluted according to the instructions for the drug (sometimes excess water is drained);
• put wet filter paper on top;
• astilbe seeds are scattered on the surface;
• spray them with a spray bottle;
• the container is put in the refrigerator;
• removed after 10-20 days;
• Place the container in a bright place and wait for the seedlings to appear.

As a rule, astilbe sprouts peck earlier than expected. Sometimes even in the refrigerator, during the stratification period. This is a signal that the plant needs to be transplanted into a pot with peat and sand. Then the seedlings undergo standard care: watering, diving, transplanting into open ground.

Three main mistakes of inexperienced gardeners:

• sowing astilbe in gel without paper (napkins), when the seeds literally drown in the polymer and simply suffocate;
• untimely removal of the seedling from the gel, when young roots become deformed and rot due to lack of oxygen;
• turning the container into a greenhouse, which increases the humidity several times environment and destroys sensitive sprouts.

Working on mistakes will allow you to get several treasured astilbe bushes or propagate your favorite variety.

On a note! A perennial grown by seed blooms in the 3rd year, less often in the 2nd year.

When to transplant into seedlings?

Time for the procedure: spring, summer, early autumn. In principle, practice shows that during the period of active growing season (and even flowering), astilbe takes root well in a new place. The main thing is that the bush is sufficiently formed, strong and healthy, and can quickly adapt to new conditions.

Astilbe budding is not an obstacle to finding a new place of residence

In spring, seedlings are transplanted after the threat has passed. return frosts. Aggressive weather is quite capable of destroying young (2-year-old) plants. In summer, bushes are moved at any time. In the fall - as early as possible, so that the perennial has time to take root before it retires.

The holes should be spacious enough, the mail should be flavored nutrients: complex fertilizer, ash. After planting the bush, it is important to water the soil around it well and mulch it with grass and sawdust.

Reproduction of astilbe by dividing the bush is an important “rejuvenation” procedure. From one old, overgrown perennial, the gardener gets 2-4 new compact flowers. Ignoring this point for 5-7 years naturally leads to a loss of decorativeness of the plant, a decrease in the number of peduncles, shredding of inflorescences, and the death of part of the root.

Step-by-step instructions for dividing and replanting astilbe:

• at a height of 5-7 cm from the ground, cut off the stems and peduncles;
• dig up a bush;
• use a shovel (knife) to chop the rhizome into pieces with 3-5 buds;
• The cuttings are planted in the ground, maintaining a minimum distance of 30 cm.

Ash, mineral fertilizers, and, if desired, hydrogel are poured into a spacious hole to retain moisture near the rhizome for a long time. After planting the astilbe, the hole is well watered, and the ground around is mulched with available materials.

This bush can be safely divided into 3-4 parts

On a note! If the perennial is divided in the spring, in early March, astilbe can bloom already in this season.

Rooting buds renewal

This method differs from dividing a bush in that the planting material is processed selectively. The gardener is not interested in the whole rhizome, but in the young shoots (renewal buds). The shoots are cut off with part of the root. The cut is sprinkled with ash. The seedling is rooted in a pot with a substrate consisting of equal portions of peat and sand.

It is better to replant astilbe in open ground next spring. In a year, the delenka will have time to grow and become stronger for new challenges.

How to choose and propagate purchased planting material correctly? See tips from Garden World:

When and why to divide astilbe? The “newspaper gardener” answers: