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To propagate astilba correctly, it is enough to use a suitable method. This perennial ornamental plant is popular among gardeners due to its varietal and color variety. The reason is that astilbe is often used in landscape design both as an independent plant and in a group with other flowers. The main thing is to propagate the bush, plant the separated roots correctly and provide the flower with proper care.
Astilba breeding methods
Before growing a flower on your own site, you need to know exactly how it can be propagated.
Breeding methods:
- Division of roots. The oldest method, carried out by digging the rhizome of a flower bush and dividing it into elements of 3-4 living buds. It is applied only to an adult plant, most often the division of astilba is carried out in the fall.
- Cuttings. Troublesome method available at the beginning of the growing season. For reproduction, young rosettes with a couple of leaves are used.
- Renal renewal. Apply on young bushes during their active spring growth. To do this, the shoots are separated from the main bush along with a part of the rhizome (heel).
- Seeds. Such reproduction of astilbe is used exclusively by breeders because of its laboriousness and duration - it will take 3 years from the start of work to the appearance of a flowering bush.
Astilba is an excellent plant for creating an original design of a backyard area.
Breeding timing of astilba
Flower division can be carried out from early spring to late autumn. It is only important to decide on a suitable breeding method.
In spring, it is customary to separate astilba by roots, seeds or cuttings. At the same time, but only in mid-May, it is recommended to carry out the separation of the kidney renewal.
In summer, if the beginning of the growing season is delayed, it can be propagated by cuttings and buds. The specific time is the first decade of June.
More often it is in the fall that astilba is reproduced by dividing the bush. It is better to plan work at the end of September, so that the separated and newly planted elements have time to take root before frost.
To propagate astilbe, you need to extract a young plant from the ground and divide its rhizome into several components.
Is it possible to propagate astilbe by cuttings
This method is really applicable to a flower, only there are no cuttings on the plant. They mean young rosettes with several leaves. Such elements are usually found next to the rhizome.
Reproduction of astilbe by cuttings takes place according to the following scheme:
- Separate the young shoots from the main root together with the "heels".
- Sprinkle the cut site with crushed coal, you can activate it.
- Prepare special soil by mixing 25% sand with 75% peat. Plant the blanks in the resulting mixture.
- Cover the cuttings with foil or glass cap.
- Water periodically.
To propagate a flower by cuttings, you will have to find young rosettes on it.
How to propagate astilba by dividing a bush
This method of dividing a flower is used to rejuvenate it. By propagating the "old" astilba by this method, it will be possible to obtain 3-4 new, more compact seedlings.If you do not carry out the procedure for more than 7 years, the plant loses its decorative effect, the number of peduncles decreases every year, the root system gradually dies off.
Reproduction of astilba by dividing the bush goes like this:
- Peduncles and stems are cut at a height of 7 cm from the rhizome.
- The base is dug up, divided into several parts with live buds.
- The resulting elements are seated in new holes at a distance of 30-40 cm.
In order for astilba to take root better, mineral feed, ash and a little hydrogel are added to the pit. The latter will keep a sufficient amount of moisture near the roots for as long as possible. All that remains is to water the seedlings, wait until the water is absorbed, and then mulch the surface layer.
You can divide the "young" astilba with the help of improvised means: a knife or a secateurs
Site selection and soil preparation
Since astilbe grows best away from the sun, the ideal planting site is next to large garden trees. The sun's rays on the flower are permissible only in the morning or evening hours. In this case, it will bloom much longer. It is good if a suitable site is located next to a reservoir. Otherwise, the plant will have to be constantly watered.
To prepare the soil, it is enough to dig it up, remove the remnants of past plantings, add a few buckets of humus or organic compost.
The landing site should be in a lowland, away from direct sunlight
How to Dig and Divide Astilba
Once every few years, the flower needs a mandatory transplant. To do this, the plant must be dug up and propagated. In order not to damage the rhizome, it must be poured with several buckets of water the day before the procedure. So the soil will become softer and it will be much easier to get the bush out of it. If the root is young (2-3 years old), it can be propagated by hand, otherwise a shovel is required.
If astilba is propagated in the fall after flowering, then on each new element of the rhizome there should be 5-6 buds, otherwise it will be more difficult for the flower to survive the winter.
Landing rules
You can plant blanks in open ground no earlier than mid-May. The specific term depends on the region of the work.
Steps:
- Dig a hole up to 30 cm deep.
- Put ash, humus and mineral components on the bottom. Stir the dressing, pour over with water.
- Place the root with cuttings in the hole, without deepening it to the very end.
- Cover with fresh earth, lightly tamp, water again, then mulch with sawdust or peat.
The hole for planting should not be very deep, otherwise the flower will take longer to take root in a new place
How to propagate astilba by renewal buds
The following division technique is completely different from the propagation of astilbe by cuttings. In this case, the rhizome is not divided into equal parts, but selectively. Only young shoots (renewal buds) are of particular value. They need to be cut off with a part of the root, and the place of impact should be treated with ash. Place the resulting seedlings in a pot with a substrate of equal amounts of sand and peat. Astilbe can be transferred to open ground only in the spring of next year, so that the shoots have time to get stronger.
Planting care
Before dividing astilba in the fall and preparing it for the next season, you need to understand the basic steps of proper care for it.
Stages:
- Watering. The flower does not tolerate drought, so on hot summer days it will have to be moistened twice. To retain moisture in the ground, it is enough to mulch its top layer.
- Top dressing. In order for a perennial plant to please gardeners with abundant flowering even after reproduction, it is enough to stimulate its rhizome with potassium and phosphorus. First feeding
- produced before bud break, and the second - in the fall.
- Weeding.
- Weeds can carry a variety of diseases. Their timely removal will protect the flower bed from many problems.
Conclusion
It is not so difficult to propagate astilbe on your own if you know exactly how and at what time of the year this procedure is permissible. This is a completely unpretentious flower with a large varietal variety, so it will definitely be able to satisfy the needs of even the most selective gardeners.
