Graceful Umbrellas Of Astrania. Growing

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

When laying a perennial plantation of astrantia on flower beds, it is necessary to comply with a number of agrotechnical requirements of the culture. Carefully care for the plant to prolong its longevity. How to properly plant a star on the site?

Landing

Astrantia can grow in one place for several years, so the site is carefully prepared. A complex fertilizer nitroammofosku is scattered over the surface. They dig shovels onto the bayonet, picking out the roots of perennial malicious weeds.

With a close location of groundwater, a drainage layer of broken clay shards, expanded clay or pebbles is laid on the bottom of the pit. Above is a layer of clean river sand. In a dry place, such preparation is not required.

Clay soils are loosened with sand, enriched with peat or humus. Dig holes at a distance of 0.5 m from each other. The roots of the seedlings are straightened, sprinkled with a fertile mixture, leaving the growth buds on the surface. Squeeze the substrate around the plants, if necessary add to the upper edge of the hole. Spill with a solution of potassium permanganate until saturated.

At first, they shade with non-woven fabric or buckets without a bottom. After a month, the bushes adapt to a new place, start growing. The shelter is gradually removed.

Care

Zvezdovka is not demanding to care for. At first, frequent watering will be required as the top layer of the soil dries up. Subsequently, the moisture around the plants is increased on days of prolonged drought. The rest of the time, Astrantia does not need watering.

At the beginning of the season, they feed the complex fertilizer "Zdraven" or "Kemira Lux" at the rate of a tablespoon per bucket of liquid. They regularly loosen the soil in the beds, destroying the weeds in the phase of "thin thread", closing the evaporation of moisture.

Mulching with sawdust, peat, straw will help maintain a favorable microclimate in the root zone and reduce watering. Strong shoots of tall specimens do not need additional support.

After flowering, if there is no need for your own seeds, the branches are cut at ground level. This technique retains the decorative effect of the bushes throughout the season, in some varieties it contributes to the re-emergence of peduncles closer to autumn.

Young plantings are mulched with a small layer of peat. Adult plants do not need shelter for the winter.

Pests, diseases

Astrantia is rarely affected by diseases. The close location of groundwater, heavy rainfall during the season can provoke rotting of the root system. Frequent loosening of the soil around the plants, a drainage device when planting, help to solve this problem.

In early spring, hungry after winter slugs eat the tender leaves of the starfish. They intuitively sense its medicinal properties. To scare off pests will help the drug "Thunderstorm", crushed eggshells, fresh sawdust scattered around the bushes.

Beer traps attract slugs, pieces of roofing material, boards laid along the paths - serve as a shelter during hot times of the day. Manual picking during the day will help to reduce the number of "competitors" on the site.

Buying Astrantia in winter

Garden centers are beginning to sell starfish planting material in the winter, packed in bags with peat chips. There is snow on the street, plants in this form can deteriorate at home. What to do with shop bushes?

We take out the rhizomes from the package. We are preparing a fertile substrate. We mix garden soil, sand, peat, vermiculite. At the bottom of the cups, we pierce holes for the drain of excess water. We fill in the soil, plant the plants without deepening the growth point. Water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

We put the containers on the lightest window. Fresh shoots appear in 2-3 weeks. On cloudy days, we supplement it with phytolamps. As the soil dries up, water it moderately with water, once a month with a solution of complex fertilizers for flowers.

With the onset of warm weather, we move the young to a glazed loggia or veranda. At the beginning of June, we carefully transfer the bushes together with a lump of earth to a permanent place in the open ground. By this time, the starfish will build up a powerful root system capable of extracting moisture and nutrients from the soil.

Astrantia is a unique plant worthy of the attention of gardeners. Having once settled wonderful bushes on your site, you will strive to replenish the collection with new specimens every year, expanding the color range on the flower bed.