Thursday, November 12, 2015
By Hugh G. EARNHART
OSU Ext. master gardener volunteer
As you plan for color in next fall’s garden, consider the garden aster.
Compared to the garden mum, there are more options that survive our winter and lots of unique colors to choose from.
No plant has waltzed in and out of the public affection like the perennial aster.
Asters were popular in the garden environment in the early 20th Century.
By the Depression years (1930s), they had tumbled in popularity, bumped by the garden mums.
Today they have danced back into favor because of their wildflower characteristics, and the new varieties can compete with the garden mum for fall color in the landscape.
The aster flowers all follow the same pattern-a central disk (usually yellow) surrounded by one or more rows of ray petals of various colors.
While most of their daisy cousins stand yellow in the garden during the summer and fall, the aster balances the color scheme with cool and soft colors.
Colors like white, pale blue, pastel pink, dark purple and blazing red greet the eye in the days before frost destroys our vegetation.
While asters are easy to grow, the gardener should keep four key things in mind.
The hardy New England and New York asters like full sun, a fair amount of room to spread their beauty, plenty of moisture (but not wet feet), and division when the plant has some age and shows signs of dying in the center.
Asters will thrive under almost any soil condition provided the soil is well drained.
They do not like to stand in water, especially during the winter season. Soil enriched with rotten manure, compost material, or leaf-mold in the fall suits the aster plant just fine.
These fall beauty queens have a hunger for food but should not be fed high nitrogen food that has a tendency to make the plant grow too leggy.
Although pests are few, mildew is a common problem with asters.
In the humid climate, where mildew is most bothersome, the grower will have to treat the plant several times during the growing season.
In a dry climate, foliage at the base of the tall asters often wither, so keep the plant watered and mulched during hot weather stress.
Some additional hints for good aster husbandry: In the fall, cut aster plants to ground level after the blooms have faded.
Divide plants when the plant shows signs of blooming less and dying in the center.
Fertilizing in the fall will allow the plant to get a healthy start in the spring. Purchase transplants that are suited for your region.
Tall asters that have a tendency to flop over should be staked or pinched during the growing season.
In late summer and during the fall, enjoy the vast range of effervescent colors that the aster can provide the garden terrain.
To learn more about asters for your landscape, go to: http://go.osu.edu/asters.