Content
Astilba Amethyst is a perennial herbaceous crop from the Kamnelomkovy family. The plant with openwork leaves is very popular with gardeners. The amethyst shimmer of astilba and inflorescences of extraordinary beauty can decorate any garden plot or greenhouse.
Description of Astilba Amethyst
Astilba Arends Amethyst is a perennial shrub with complex trifoliate yellow-green leaves.
Adult specimens reach 1 m in height
Astilba Amethyst prefers areas with partial shade, as excess sunlight can adversely affect growth rates. The culture does not tolerate stagnant moisture and groundwater. The abundance of fluid leads to damping out of the root system.
Flowering features
Astilba Amethyst is the owner of paniculate violet-pink or lilac inflorescences, the size of which varies between 18-31 cm. A beautiful pink frame can be observed in the light sepal inflorescences. Astilba Amethyst has a long flowering that begins in July and lasts until the end of August. The fruits are oil pods with small seeds inside. Under natural conditions, they ripen at the end of summer or in the first half of September. The peduncle develops only in the second year after planting the seedling in the ground.
Application in design
Astilba Amethyst is a common ornamental plant found in gardens, parks and greenhouses.
Astilba, located not far from the open-air table, will help create a peaceful atmosphere in the country.
Astilba is used to create mixers in combination with aquilegia, phlox and lily
mixborders
Astilba Amethyst looks great next to badan, host and other evergreen shrubs
Astilba is used to create mixborders in combination with aquilegia, phlox and lily
mixborders
Astilba Amethyst looks great next to badan, host and other evergreen shrubs
Neighborhood with hyacinth, crocus, snowdrop, tulip, daffodil and other representatives of bulbous crops is considered favorable.
A perennial plant looks very good on the coast of a pond
Reproduction methods
The best breeding method for astilba Amethyst is the division of the bush. The procedure is performed according to the following algorithm:
- The roots are carefully removed from the ground and divided into several parts.
The division is carried out quickly so that the roots do not have time to dry out.
- The cut area is treated with crushed coal or garden grease.
- For the best adaptation of the root system, Astilba needs: moistened soil, regular loosening of the soil and watering.
Stimulants and other additives are used to accelerate growth. The preferred period for dividing the rhizomes of Astilba Amethyst is the beginning of spring. The renal division method provides good survival rate. It is started with the appearance of the first buds. Astilba cuttings are cut and planted in a warm place (in a greenhouse or greenhouse) in soil abundantly saturated with water. A mixture of soil with the addition of gravel and sand is considered optimal. A bud with a rhizome must be covered with plastic wrap. Reproduction of astilba Amethyst by seeds requires a lot of effort and is long-term and ineffective, so this method is practically not used by gardeners.
Landing algorithm
The main factor by which the survival rate of a culture is determined is high-quality planting material. It is not recommended to purchase Astilba Amethyst seedlings from unverified sellers. It is necessary to carefully examine each rhizome, on which dried and rotten areas should be completely absent. During storage, the root system is periodically moistened. Drying out is equally detrimental to the plant, as is excessive moisture. The planting algorithm for Astilba Amethyst is as follows:
- The first step is to prepare the planting pit for the size of the rhizome.
- The roots should be freely located in the pit; a large deepening of the astilbe is not required.
- Shortly before planting, it is necessary to fertilize the soil in the form of mineral fertilizers and ash.
- The easiest way to maintain the desired moisture content is with a hydrogel. Before planting, the soil is watered.
- Astilba seedling Amethyst needs mulching.
For dusting, use bark, chips, peat chips
Thanks to mulching materials, it is possible to maintain the desired level of moisture and prevent the roots from drying out.
The end of the autumn planting season falls in mid-September. The preferred period is from mid-May to early June. Store seedlings in a cool place to prevent premature bud germination. If a seedling has pale, thin and long shoots, it has every chance of taking root, but only if its root system has not rotted and dried out.
Astilba Amethyst easily transfers maintenance at home in the period between the acquisition of seedlings and their planting in the ground. A basement is perfect for storage, where the temperature is close to zero. Astilba seedlings are placed in plastic containers with sufficient ventilation holes. Moistened substrate, sawdust, coconut fiber, lightweight soil and moss are added to the container. In the case of disembarking a group consisting of perennials astilba Amethyst, it is necessary to maintain a distance of about 50 cm between them.
Rhizomes with awakened buds and sprouts can be transplanted into flower pots and placed on the windowsill. Seedlings require periodic watering. Waterlogging is detrimental to the plant. Loamy soils with acidity in the range of 5.5-6 pH are excellent for planting astilba Amethyst. High air humidity and proximity to groundwater have a positive effect on development.
Follow-up care
Astilba Amethyst is a culture that does not require special attention and special care.
A drainage pad made of expanded clay, fine gravel and peat avoids waterlogging.
As the seedlings develop, mulching needs to be done. Thanks to timely watering and soil care, you can achieve high growth rates, abundant and long flowering, as well as prevent diseases and rid the crop of pests. As you grow, you need to prune dead leaves and old inflorescences.
Astilba Amethyst is a perennial crop that requires periodic feeding. In early spring, she needs fertilizers with a predominance of nitrogen. They nourish the soil and increase the indicators of the strength and strength of the culture. With the help of additives, the process of plant recovery after the winter period is facilitated, and the rate of green mass gain is increased. Top dressing with potash and phosphorus fertilizers makes the inflorescences of Astilba Amethyst brighter and more lush. To strengthen the stems and increase the plant's resistance to stress, humus and special preparations are used.
During the dry period, the plant needs watering, which is carried out every other day.The first fertilizers in the form of mineral dressings are applied to the soil in the spring after the snow begins to melt. When the flowering process is complete and the flower stalks are dry, they can be left in place, because even when dried, they have a stunning appearance.
Timely fertilizing is necessary to obtain high-quality seeds required for the reproduction of Astilbe Amethyst
Preparing for winter
The creation of a protective layer of crushed stone and peat allows you to maintain the required moisture level and prevent freezing of the root system in winter. For 12 months, the culture grows up to 5.5 cm in height, so it is necessary to increase the bedding layer by 2.5-3 cm annually. Before the onset of cold weather, the aerial part of the plant needs pruning and the creation of a shelter from a plastic film. Additional protection can be made from coniferous spruce branches or vegetable tops.
Preparation for the winter of a young bush of Astilba Amethyst begins in the summer. They get rid of the peduncle immediately after its isolation. Until the onset of cold weather, the area around the shrub must be periodically weeded and weed. When loosening the topsoil, care must be taken so as not to damage the young root system of Astilba Amethyst.
Diseases and pests
Astilba Arends Amethyst is a plant that is highly resistant to diseases and pests. The danger for the shrub is the leafhopper (common slobber), which attacks it from the beginning of summer to mid-September. It is almost impossible to get rid of it with the help of special preparations and means. You have to deal with the pest manually. Another parasite that poses a danger to the culture is the roundworm - rootworm nematode. It is impossible to cope with the pest, therefore, the complete destruction of the bush is required.
Experts recommend removing a small layer of soil in the place where the infected shrub grew
Conclusion
Astilba Amethyst does not require crown pruning, which is formed on its own. Seedlings need to be transplanted to another place after 5-6 years. It is necessary to get rid of dried leaves and flower arrows in time, as they inhibit the process of shrub development.
