Table of contents
- Characteristics
- Location
- soil & substrate
- Fertilize
- Pour
- planting partner
- Plants & planting time
- flowering & cutting
- propagation
- winter protection
- use
The astilbes (magnificent piers) prefer semi-shady locations in the home garden. The interesting appearance of the plants and the variety of colors make the splendor a favorite in the garden decoration.
Characteristics
- Genus of plants originally from Asia
- popular for designing gardens and parks
- grow up to two meters tall
- bear between 500 and 2000 flowers
- between eight and 24 different species
- Cultivation in bucket possible
- popular with various insects
- dark green leaves partially covered with bronze color
Location
The splendor prefers a semi-shady and rather cool location. Sunny locations are possible for the plants if the soil is moist. However, the astilbe does not tolerate great heat. The location should be moist and the soil should be rich in nutrients.
Tip:
If you have a small stream or pond with shade in the immediate vicinity in the garden, this is the ideal location for the pier.
soil & substrate
The Astilben formulate high demands on the condition of the soil. This should be rich in nutrients and humus. At the same time, fresh to moist soil conditions are advantageous. The soil structure is preferably permeable. The sand content should not be too large. In return, the astilbes love a loamy soil. The pH should be between 5.5 and 6 for the lavender to thrive.
Good quality potting soil made from compost is the best choice. The proportion of peat should be small at best.
Fertilize
Organic fertilization is recommended in the period from April to August. You can do this at intervals of four weeks. At the same time, it is possible to spice up the plants with a long-term fertilizer after sowing or in summer.
Pour
Regular watering of the plants is necessary during drought. It is preferable to use rainwater, as the plants are considered sensitive to lime. Calcareous tap water can thus damage the Astilbe. You should check the soil regularly in summer with a thumb test. If the substrate feels rather dry on the surface, it is necessary to add water.
planting partner
Various plants are suitable for the surroundings of the piers. You can plant the following specimens as partners. The combination fits visually and the nutritional requirements also complement each other:
- anemone
- aconite
- fern
- hosts
- bluebell
- silver candle
- ornamental grasses
Plants & planting time
When planting, you should make sure that there is a reasonable distance between the individual plants. With conventional varieties, there should be a space of 40 cm between two specimens. For dwarf forms, approx. 25 cm. Planting the astilbes is possible twice a year. You can either plant the splendor spars in spring or sow them in autumn.
flowering & cutting
The flowering time of the astilbe differs depending on the variety. After all, there are different types. Most varieties flower between June and September. Then arise upright flower candles, which consist of several flowers. These can be white, red, purple or pink. In autumn, the flowers turn brown, so that the plants also visually enrich the garden in autumn.
Regular pruning of the astilbe is recommended. In spring or autumn, you can cut back close to the ground to support the growth of the plants.
propagation
Those who want to multiply the astilbe can do this independently. To do this, garden owners dig up the roots in spring or autumn. The root ball is then separated into at least two parts. A sharp knife is good for this. In principle, more segments are also possible. It is important that a part always has two eyes. Now you can bury the root piece to the same depth. A young plant of the astilbe will then form.
A notice:
At best, divide the plants every four to five years. In this way you prevent bald spots and at the same time increase your plant population. At the same time, the splendor spars bloom much more vigorously afterwards.
winter protection
The Astilbe is a plant that is basically hardy. However, the plants do not tolerate waterlogging in winter. Consequently, winter protection is required. Twigs are ideal for partially covering the astilbes. However, you should not cover the entire specimen with leaves and mulch, as this can start a rotting process. With protection, the plants can overwinter frost-free in the tub. It doesn't matter whether the magnificent spars are in the light or in the dark in winter.
use
The splendor spars are so-called shadow perennials. These are ideal for parks or gardens to enhance shady areas. The colored flowers are a visual enrichment. The numerous flowers are also used as cut flowers. They keep for several days in a vase.
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