It's time to prepare astilba for winter. To thank with lush flowering (and transform the garden). Minimum effort, but so many benefits

Flaming fireworks, fellow gardeners!

Do you want to see a powerful astilba on your site, pleasing the eye with lush inflorescences? Don't neglect autumn grooming anymore.

Astilbe will survive winter without difficulty. But it will be better if the gardener provides her with proper preparation for the winter. After all, a bush that has quietly slept for spring will remain healthy and from the moment of awakening it will aim at lush flowering. And this is what we need.

Planting astilba in the fall

If you, comrades, decide to have a noble flower in your flower bed or get hold of new varieties, then autumn is suitable for planting astilba. Be sure to pay attention to the quality of the planting material. The optimal time for planting young Astilba in the ground is the second half of September and the first half of October for most regions of Russia.

A margin of time before frost is needed so that the astilbe has time to take root. A suitable temperature range is 4 ° C at night to 15 ° C.

Astilba transplant in the fall

Fortunately, Astilba does not require frequent transplants. Fortunately - because most plant varieties turn into garden giants. And working with them is quite problematic.

But sometimes you can't do without an astilba transplant:

• If there is a desire to propagate a flower. After digging, the rhizome is divided into several parts.
• If a more suitable place in the garden was found for the beautiful astilba. Large varieties look great in the background of flower beds, against walls and fences. The plant is valuable in landscaping for its penumbra favor. Under the shade of large trees, astilba feels great and reveals all its decorativeness.

• If it has been growing in one place for more than 4 years (large varieties) and 6 years (small varieties). The growth of a cloud of leaves and flowering in lush panicles requires a lot of nutrients. Soil reserves are rapidly depleting.

Do you want to plant in the same place? Add nutritious soil to the planting hole.

Transplanting old astilbe is a must-have in autumn care. On poor land, the plant will not show all its beauty. Transplanting "starving" is carried out in the same time frame (3 weeks before the start of brr-rr-rr frosts) as the landing.

Astilbe care in autumn: before winter, it is worth taking care of a lush plant

In October, there was no need to fertilize, water and loosen the bush. Wet soil at low temperatures at night can play a cruel joke and provoke rot. Loosening will bring microscopic injuries to the superficial roots. They will not have time to overgrow before frost. Therefore, it is better not to disturb the bush. You will surely find more useful things in the garden.

The trick of the October astilba care is mulching 5 cm thick. It will protect the upper roots from frost and replenish the nutrient supply in the soil. The best materials for autumn astilba mulch are compost and humus that are valuable in composition. In extreme cases, you can collect peat.

If the rhizome partially freezes out in winter, then the astilba will not bloom properly. Comrades, do not neglect mulch. There will be more flowers.

Should you prune astilbe in the fall?

I do not remove faded astilba inflorescences. They look pretty even when dry. But before wintering I cut off all the "panicles". The look of rotting sticks will not add beauty to the winter garden.

Astilba foliage can be left if the untidy look does not frighten. But the remains of the bush will become a natural fertilizer and additionally protect the roots from frost.

But if for you, comrades, the aesthetic component of gardening is important, feel free to cut it off. Wait until the leaves set in frost and get to work. Leave small hemp 3-5 cm. So the snow will linger at the base of the bush and become a soft, reliable shelter.