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Astilba Fanal is a bright representative of shade-tolerant plants. The plant is appreciated for its unpretentiousness and decorative properties. The flower is grown from seed through seedlings. With the right choice of place for planting, Astilba requires minimal maintenance.
Botanical description
Astilba is a herbaceous perennial belonging to the Saxifrage family. In nature, the plant is found in East Asia and North America, in deciduous forests, on the banks of rivers and reservoirs. Since the 18th century, the flower has been grown in Europe.
Astilba Fanal is a hybrid obtained in 1930 by the German breeder Georg Arends. The name of the variety translates as "lighthouse" or "lighthouse light".
Description of Astilba Fanal:
- height 60 cm;
- the rhizome is powerful, woody, erect shoots;
- leaves are shiny, about 40 cm long, unpaired, pinnate and dissected;
- the edges of the leaf plates are serrated;
- when blooming, the leaves have a brown or reddish tint, in summer they acquire a rich green color;
- petioles and stems with a reddish tint;
- crimson flowers, collected in paniculate inflorescences 20 cm long;
- inflorescence width - up to 8 cm.
Astilba Fanal bloom begins in June-July and lasts 20 days. The flowering period depends on the planting site and weather conditions. At high humidity and temperature, Astilbe blooms earlier. In drought or cool weather, flowering begins in August. The flower is prized for its decorative properties. Inflorescences do not fade for a long time and remain on the bushes.
After flowering ends in August-September, seed pods are formed. They are collected to obtain planting material. Seed germination lasts for several years.
Photo of Astilba Fanal:
Fanal variety is unpretentious, prefers shaded areas. The plant is grown in flower beds and in flower beds. The flower looks good in single and group plantings. Shoots are used in cut to create summer bouquets.
Seeds are on sale from companies Avista, Russkiy Ogorod, Flos and others. Planting material is also supplied from Holland.
Growing astilba
Astilba Fanal is grown by planting seeds at home. The seedlings are provided with the necessary conditions, after which they are transferred to a permanent place. Plant seeds are also planted outdoors, but the seedling method is more reliable and proven.
Landing order
Planting work begins in March-April. First, a substrate is prepared, consisting of an equal amount of peat and sand. It is allowed to use peat cups or purchased soil mixture.
Before planting, it is recommended to steam the soil in a water bath for the purpose of disinfection. Another option is to keep the soil in the refrigerator or on the balcony for several months in freezing temperatures.
Before planting, it is recommended to disinfect the seeds by placing them in Fitosporin solution for 2-3 hours. Processing will avoid diseases of seedlings and adult plants.
The order of planting astilba seeds:
- The containers are filled with the prepared substrate.
- A 1 cm layer of snow is poured onto the soil. If there is no snow cover, ice from the freezer is used.
- Seeds are placed on top. As the snow melts, the planting material will be in the soil.
- When the snow has completely melted, the containers are wrapped in a plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator for 20 days.
Due to stratification when changing temperature conditions, the emergence of seedlings is accelerated.When the first shoots appear on the surface of the soil, the containers are transferred to the room. In the future, astilbe seedlings provide the necessary care.
Seedling conditions
Astilbe seedlings Fanal successfully develops when a number of conditions are met:
- temperature regime: from 18 to 22 ° С;
- regular watering;
- lighting for 10-12 hours.
Fanal seedlings are watered with warm, settled water. When the soil begins to dry out, it is moistened with a spray bottle. Moisture should not get on the leaves and stems of plants.
Additional lighting is set for seedlings if the daylight hours are not long enough. For seedlings, fluorescent or phytolamps are purchased. They are installed at a distance of 25 cm from the plants and turned on in the morning or evening.
When 2-3 leaves appear in astilbe seedlings, they are seated in separate containers. When grown in peat cups or cassettes, picking is not required. The most gentle method for plants is the transshipment method, when they are transplanted into a new container along with a clod of earth.
A couple of weeks before planting in the ground, they begin to harden the plants. First, you can open the window for a couple of hours to provide fresh air. Then the planting is transferred to a balcony or loggia. Hardening allows you to accelerate the adaptation of plants to natural conditions.
Landing in the ground
The landing site for Arends Fanal's astilba is chosen in advance. In the fall, the soil is dug up, cleaned of weeds and prior cultures. The flower prefers loamy fertile soil. To improve the quality of the soil when digging, add 2 buckets of humus and 1 tbsp. l. complex fertilizer per 1 sq. m.
The flower is transplanted in late May or early June, when the spring frosts have passed. Astilba Fanal grows well in partial shade. In illuminated areas, the plant blooms profusely, but for a short time. The flower can be planted in an area with a high level of groundwater.
Ideal planting sites for Astilba are northern areas along buildings or fences. The plant is comfortable next to water bodies and fountains, under the shade of trees and shrubs.
The sequence of actions for planting Astilba Arends Fanal:
- In the spring, deep loosening is carried out on the garden bed with a rake.
- Pits 20 cm in size and 30 cm deep are prepared for planting. 30 cm are left between the plants.
- Pour ½ cup of wood ash into each hole.
- The plants are watered, carefully removed from the containers and transferred to the planting pit.
- The root collar is deepened by 4 cm. The soil is compacted and watered abundantly.
After transplanting astilba, the soil is kept moist. Mulching the soil with peat or humus will help to reduce the regularity of watering.
Astilba care
Astilba Fanal develops with minimal maintenance. Plants are watered abundantly, especially in drought, the soil is loosened and weeded from weeds. Abundant flowering of astilba will provide fertilizing with mineral or organic substances. Autumn processing will prepare the plants for winter.
The life span of an astilbe in one place is 5-7 years. With good care, this period is extended to 10 years. Then the bushes are transplanted to a new place or new plants are prepared for planting.
Watering
Astilba Fanal is watered abundantly throughout the season. The soil in the beds must remain moist. For irrigation, take warm, settled water. The procedure is carried out in the morning or evening.
After watering, the soil is loosened to accelerate the absorption of moisture and useful components. The beds are weeded out. You can mulch the soil not only after planting the plants, but also throughout the season.
Photo of Astilba Fanal in landscape design:
Astilba rhizome gradually grows upward, so it is huddled 2-3 times over the summer. Without hilling, the root system will lose access to nutrients and die.
Top dressing
During the season, the astilba will be fed enough several times.If the soil is quite fertile or has been well fertilized in the fall, then fertilizing is carried out according to the sulfur required. If the plant has a depressed appearance and development is slowed down, then minerals or organic matter are introduced into the soil.
The frequency of feeding Astilba Fanal:
- in the spring after the snow melts;
- before flowering;
- after flowering is complete.
To build up green mass, a fertilizer containing nitrogen is prepared as the first top dressing. From organic substances, an infusion of mullein or poultry droppings is used in a ratio of 1:15. Plants can be fed with ammonium nitrate solution. Then 20 g of the substance is added to 10 liters of water.
The second treatment of astilba Fanal is carried out with the use of potassium. For a similar volume of water, 2 tbsp is enough. l. potassium sulfate. After flowering, the plants are treated with a superphosphate solution, which is poured under the root. Take 20 g of phosphorus fertilizer per bush.
Autumn works
In the fall, when flowering is complete, astilbe is cut off at the root. Above ground level, leave 20-25 cm. The plant is mulched and covered with spruce branches.
According to the description of Astilbe, Fanal is a frost-resistant plant and tolerates winter frosts well under snow cover. In the absence of snow, astilba is additionally covered with agrofibre. In the spring, the shelter is removed.
Conclusion
Astilba Fanal is ideal for decorating shady areas of the garden. For abundant flowering, plants are provided with regular watering and feeding. The flower is recommended to be grown at home and transferred to an open area at the beginning of summer.
