The astilbe (splendid spar) prefer partially shaded locations in the home garden. The interesting appearance of the plants and the diverse colors make the splendid sparrows into favorites in garden decoration.
Characteristics
- Plant genus that originally comes 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 types
- Can be cultivated in a bucket
- popular with various insects
- dark green leaves that are partially covered with a bronze color
Location
The splendid spars prefer a partially shaded and rather cool location. Sunny locations are possible for the plants when the soil is moist. However, the astilbe does not tolerate great heat. The location should be moist, the soil should contain a lot of nutrients.
Tip: If you have a small stream or pond with shade in the immediate vicinity in the garden, this is it
the ideal location for the magnificent spar.Soil & Substrate
The astilbe formulate high demands on the nature of the soil. This should be rich in nutrients and humus. At the same time, fresh to moist soil conditions are beneficial. The soil structure is preferably permeable. The proportion of sand should not be too large. In return, the astilbe love a loamy soil. The pH value should be between 5.5 and 6 so that the splendor spar can thrive.
High-quality potting soil made from compost is the means of choice. The proportion of peat should at best be small.
Fertilize
Organic fertilization is recommended in the period from April to August. You can do this every four weeks. At the same time, it is possible to spice up the plants with a long-term fertilizer after sowing or in summer.
to water
Regular watering of the plants is necessary when it is dry. It is preferable to use rainwater, as the plants are considered sensitive to lime. Calcareous tap water
can thus damage the astilbe. You should regularly check the soil with a thumb test in summer. If the substrate feels rather dry on the surface, the addition of water is necessary.
Planting partner
Different plants are suitable for the environment of the splendid sparrows. You can plant the following specimens as a partner. The combination fits optically and the nutritional requirements complement each other:
- anemone
- Monkshood
- fern
- Hostas
- Bellflower
- Silver candle
- Ornamental grasses
Plants & planting time
When planting, you should make sure that there is an adequate spacing between the individual plants. With conventional varieties, there should be 40 cm of space between two specimens. For dwarf forms, approx. 25 cm. Planting the astilbe is possible twice a year. You can either plant the splendid sparrows 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 varieties. Most varieties bloom between June and September. Then upright flower candles are created, 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 cutting of the astilbe is recommended. In spring or autumn, pruning close to the ground can be done
to support the growth of the plants.Multiplication
If you want to multiply the astilbe, you can do this yourself. 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 suitable for this. In principle, more segments are also possible. It is important that a part always has two eyes. You can now bury the root piece at the same depth. A young astilbe plant will then form.
Note: 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 splendid sparrows 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. Hence, winter protection is required. Brushwood is ideal for partially covering the astilbe. However, you should not cover all of the specimens with leaves and mulch, as this can cause a rotting process. With protection, the plants can overwinter frost-free in the tub. It doesn't matter whether the splendid spars are in the light or in the dark in winter.
use
The splendid sparrows 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 last for several days in a vase.