Asters
The long cold winter days give way to the sun, spring is in full swing and we are already looking forward to summer. Indispensable in this time of year are asters; especially the purple and white variant are very popular. The supply of asters actually starts early in the summer and there are a multitude of beautiful (perhaps lesser-known), pastel-colored varieties that also fit very well in summer bouquets. We visited the Zijdezicht nursery, where we were given a lovely tour by Ron van Oosten. He told us everything about cultivation and in particular about the beautiful blue 'Olivia' and lilac colored 'Cassandra'.
Nursery Zijdezicht
Nursery Zijdezicht was founded in 2002, through a collaboration between Ron van Oosten and John Krijger. Before the collaboration, both had been active for many years in the cultivation of asters and chrysanthemums. By joining forces and using a larger combined production area, they were able to perfect their range and improve their market position. Together you are stronger!
In addition to asters, Ron and John grow chrysanthemums. Since 2011, Zijdezicht has been affiliated with Zentoo and their chrysanthemums are supplied under this quality brand.
Aster universe
The aster is native to North America, Europe and Asia. Her name comes from the Greek: 'Star'. And that is very clearly reflected in the shape of the flowers.
Ron and John introduce the 'Olivia' this season and of course we wanted to know all about it!
Aster Cassandra
Cassandra is a pastel colored aster with a lovely appearance. Its soft color makes it very suitable for use in bridal decorations or with other romantic occasions. Cassandra will fit very well in field bouquets or as a single bunch in a vase. Also with this variety all flowers opened very nicely.
Aster Olivia
Olivia is a very beautiful, sturdy, dark blue aster. Due to the warm color, this flower will be a real eye-catcher in any (field) bouquet. We noticed that the Olivia is very nicely branched and heavy in quality. Every single flower opens up and the well-filled branches give a sea of flowers. This makes the Olivia a gorgeous addition in a bouquet, but also looks wonderful as a monobunch in a vase. Olivia is a real summer flower that will not disappoint!
Tips for an optimal vase life of the aster
Grower's tip: asters prefer a glass vase. Cut off a piece of the stem before putting them in the water. Asters drink a lot, especially the first few days. They do not like draft or direct sunlight. Feeding is not absolutely necessary, but certainly won’t harm the flowers. If you use all the grower's tips, you will enjoy these cheerful flowers for at least 10 to 14 days!
How are asters grown?
Asters are perennials. There are many different types of asters and each type has its own preferences in terms of cultivation. Ron and John have figured out which varieties will grow best together. The slow growers are in one location, the fast growers in another.
The first plants are planted in February after they have already had a lot of travel hours. The plant material is made in South Africa and Sri Lanka and then sent to the Netherlands to root. Only when the plants are firmly rooted do they reach the grower.
The first branches can be cut in April, the first flowers will then be open. Most varieties can be cut in two rounds, some even 2.5 or 3 times.
After harvesting, the flowers are sorted by ripeness and length. After the flowers have been bunched, they are assessed on their weight.
At the end of September, all plants are dug up and the soil is steamed. This is to destroy the weeds and leftover asters, so that the soil is nice and clean before the chrysanthemums are planted.
Future
For every grower in the Netherlands who has to heat his greenhouse, these are uncertain times with the current gas prices. Ron and John are busy equipping their greenhouses with LED lighting. This should save about 40% energy.
The heat, electricity and CO2 come from the heat-power coupler (CHP), a large gas engine with generator. As a result, they have an extremely high energy efficiency. The remaining electricity is supplied to the energy grid.
The men have made a lot of progress in biological control in recent years. They want to optimize this further with small steps.
FloraPodium, 01 June 2023
