Astilba: preparation for winter, how and when to cut, whether to cover

Preparing astilba for winter is the most important part of the technology of growing this crop on a personal plot. The overwintering of the culture, its growth and development in the next year, the abundance and beauty of flowering depend on the correctness of its implementation. Neglecting even the most seemingly insignificant moment of these preparatory measures can lead to both weakening and complete death of the plant.

How to prepare a flower for winter

Preparing for the winter of such a flower crop as astilbe includes pruning, mulching, fertilizing.

Do I need to prune the plant for the winter

Pruning this crop for the winter, in most cases, must be done for several reasons:

1. Seeds that ripen in boxes on dried paniculate inflorescences take away a large amount of nutrients, thereby weakening the plant.
2. Leaves damaged by the first frost will still die, creating conditions for the development of diseases and overwintering pests.
3. On bushes over 5 years old, as well as in harsh climates, it is necessary to cut off the aerial part in order to most effectively and reliably cover the plant from frost and cold weather using various covering materials, plastic film.

Also, pruning allows you to give the plant gradually shedding leaves a more neat and well-groomed appearance.

Timing

Pruning includes the removal of flower stalks with faded paniculate inflorescences and frost-damaged foliage that has begun to dry out. Peduncles with panicles are removed after flowering, as soon as the petals begin to fall off the inflorescence, and it becomes yellow-brown. Depending on the characteristics of the variety, this part of the pruning is performed in July-August. The foliage is cut in autumn, when the first night frosts come - October-November.

Cutting rules

The pruning technology of this flower crop includes the following steps:

1. Fade and browned inflorescences are completely removed along with peduncles.
2. Foliage is cut at the very surface of the earth. At the same time, the remaining stumps should protrude above the soil surface by no more than 15-20 millimeters.

Pruning is done with secateurs pre-disinfected in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate or with sharp scissors. Autumn pruning of this crop is not carried out when it is planted at this time - in such cases, the annual astilba bush is pruned only next fall.

Mulching

After pruning, the soil around the plant is carefully loosened to a depth of 10-12 centimeters and covered with a 5-6 cm layer of mulch. Well-rotted compost, humus, straw, dry grass, lowland peat are used as mulching materials.

It is undesirable to use fresh oak sawdust as mulch, wet and rotting foliage, any non-air-permeable polymeric materials.

Fertilizer

Autumn top dressing is necessary to strengthen the plant and its good overwintering. It is carried out with phosphorus and potash fertilizers at a dose of 20 grams of the active ingredient each. In physical weight, this is about 40 grams of potassium sulfate and 50 grams of double superphosphate.

Apply these fertilizers in two ways:

1. In dry form - scattered, when loosening the soil before or after pruning the above-ground part of the plant, with obligatory incorporation to a depth of 10-12 centimeters.
2. In the form of a solution - with moisture-charging autumn watering.

When applied as a solution, superphosphate is pre-dissolved in boiling water, and then mixed with potassium sulfate diluted in cold water.

Astilba shelter for wintering

Young bushes after timely pruning and mulching in temperate climates do not need shelter. Starting from the age of 5, when the overgrown rhizome already strongly protrudes above the soil surface, the plant needs mandatory shelter.

The simplest, yet reliable, shelter for a given crop is done as follows:

1. Departing from the rhizome about 10-15 centimeters, 4 wooden bars are stuck next to the plant.
2. The bars are tied together with planks.
3. Dry leaves fall asleep inside the resulting frame.
4. The frame with foliage is covered with non-woven porous material - lutrasil.
5. A dense and thick polyethylene film is placed on top of lutrasil, pressing its edges with bricks, stones or sprinkling with earth.

Such a shelter will protect the rhizome with buds from freezing during the winter, protect the plant from damage by rodents.

What are the features of preparing astilba in different regions

Depending on the conditions of the region in which the crop winters, there are some peculiarities in its preparation for the winter season.

In the Urals and Siberia

In severe Siberian winters, plants of this species at any age must be covered for the winter after pruning. To do this, both large frames are erected over them, and they are simply covered on top with a large layer of spruce branches, straw. Also, often in such conditions, astilbe is grown in large pots, which, with the onset of the first frost, are brought in for wintering in dry and cool rooms, where they can be guaranteed to be stored in the winter.

In the Middle lane and Moscow region

In the conditions of the Middle Strip, young plants must be pruned and mulched for the winter, while for older bushes they make a frame shelter.

In the Volga region

In the Volga region, the preparation of crops for winter has the following features:

1. Culture is not covered for the winter, limited to pruning and mulching.
2. In the southernmost regions of this region, characterized by mild winters, they limit themselves to pruning only peduncles, leaving intact leaves.

Typical mistakes when preparing for the winter period

The main, most common mistakes made by flower growers when preparing astilba for winter are the following:

1. Incomplete pruning - many flower growers do not cut faded inflorescences, as a result of which the plant is greatly weakened, giving a very large amount of nutrients to seed formation.
2. Neglect of phosphorus-potassium top dressing - in the absence of such an event as the introduction of phosphorus and potash fertilizers under the crop, the astilbe goes into the winter not strong enough. This, in case of extreme cold and insufficient insulation, can play a fatal role.
3. Poor mulching - a small layer of mulch can cause the soil near the plant to freeze more intensely in the event of even slight frosts, causing damage or complete death of the rhizome.

Also in areas with severe winters and when the plant is more than 5 years old, the most serious mistake is poor insulation of the bush, leading to its damage or complete death.

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