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Multi-colored asters long bloom in the autumn, decorating a flower garden. The plant is not whimsical, so the difficulties in growing does not arise. Astra can be sown with seeds directly into the ground or planted its seedlings, then flowering will come sooner. Growing aster seedlings at home requires some knowledge about caring for young shoots. Failure to comply with agrotechnics young plants can get sick and die, which often occurs in inexperienced gardeners. Let us consider in detail the whole process of growing aster seedlings on the windowsill of a house: from sowing seeds to planting on the street.
When to sow asters for seedlings?
It is necessary to sow aster seeds in a timely manner, as overgrown seedlings take root worse, and a later sowing of seeds does not make sense. Good, healthy aster seedlings can be obtained from fresh, last year’s seeds that are sown from late March to the second decade of April. Later sowing is already carried out directly in the ground at a permanent place of growth.
Growing seedlings of asters from
seeds. For sowing work we need:
- . Boxes with a minimum height of 5 cm;
- Piece of glass, the dimensions of which correspond to the box;
- Soil of soil, humus and sand in equal proportions;
- Wood Ash;
- Perlite;
- Weak potassium permanganate solution;
- Package of aster seeds.
Many wonder: how to grow good aster seedlings? In order for the flowers to grow strong, it is necessary to sow the seeds initially in the nutrient soil. Any florist will be able to make it himself: they mix humus, garden soil and sand in equal proportions, steam in an oven or a double boiler, and add wood ash at the rate of a glass of ash to the mixture bucket. It is useful to add perlite to the prepared soil, which improves soil aeration and allows seedling roots to develop better.
A plastic or wooden box for seedlings is filled with prepared soil, slightly compacted and poured with potassium permanganate.
Seeds before planting must be treated with any fungicide. This is the most effective remedy against fungal diseases that often affect aster seedlings on the windowsill of a house.
Shallow grooves( up to 2 cm) are made in the ground and aster seeds are laid out. Then they are sprinkled on top of the soil, but not more than 2 mm. The distance between the grooves should be 2-5 cm.
Experienced flower growers advise you to powder aster seeds with calcined sand 0.5 cm thick, which will allow you to avoid bloating and the development of the black leg disease.
Crops are covered with a piece of glass, which will prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture.
Shoots of asters appear for 5-10 days, after which the glass is removed from the box. Seedlings are moved to the windowsill with good lighting, but the temperature should not be higher than 15 ° C.This is an important condition for growing aster seedlings at home, otherwise it will stretch.
As the drying process, the soil is moistened with a spray water with warm water. It is important not to overdo it and not to pour the plants, otherwise the black leg can hit the seedlings. As soon as the first signs of this disease are found, the diseased sprouts are immediately removed with a small clod of earth. The hole is covered with earth and shed this place with a solution of a fungicide.
Picking up aster seedlings
This procedure should be carried out when 2-3 true leaves appear on aster seedlings. The composition of the soil during transplantation should not differ, but an additional spoonful of complex mineral fertilizer is added to the prepared soil. For uniform distribution of fertilizer the soil is thoroughly mixed.
Pots or cassettes are filled with soil and slightly compacted so that the soil after watering is not much settled. With a wand in the center of the pot, a groove is made in which the roots of the seedling will freely accommodate. A plant with a strongly branched root system makes a nip. When transplanting seedlings are buried in the soil, but not more than 1 cm from the cotyledon leaves.
The soil around the sprout is compacted so that it is not washed with water during irrigation.
Each pot is carefully spilled with warm water, and water must be watered from the edge of the pot, gradually moving towards the center. It is important to ensure that water does not fall on the leaves of plants. The aspirated seedlings of asters are exposed to a bright place, preventing the ingress of direct sunlight. The optimum temperature for asters is + 20 ° C.
The aftercare of aster seedlings is not complicated. As the soil dries up in a pot, the seedlings are watered with warm water, it is not necessary to feed it, if the soil was originally filled with mineral fertilizers.
Additional mineral dressing plants will need, if its landing is postponed due to cold weather. When 4-5 leaves are formed on aster plants, the seedlings need to be gradually hardened in fresh air, for which the pots are taken out onto the street in a slightly darkened place.
