Aster’s have bright flowers occurring in
the fall when the garden is usually looking bland and not blooming. A common
name for the aster is Michaelmas daisy. A great money maker for the aster is
that it attracts butterflies.
When blooming, aster’s produce pink, white
or blue flowers in late summer or fall. They thrive where summers are cool and
moist.
The can grow between 8 inches and 8 feet
depending on what variety is growing.
Unfortunately, the aster is known to fall a
victim to mildew or rust diseases. This can be avoided if you choose disease
resistant varieties.
Planting
The best time to plant an aster is spring.
Space the plants 1-3 feet apart depending on growth for variety. Loosen the
soil with a tiller or fork. Dig the hole twice the diameter of the root ball
and place the plant in the hole so that the top of the root ball is level with
the soil surface. Fill in around the
root ball and mix in compost while lightly firming the soil. Water the plant
and soil around it thoroughly.
Care
Compost the base of the plant each spring
and top that off with some mulch. This will hold moisture and reduce the growth
of weeds. If there is less than 1 inch (2.5cm) of rain per week then water
appropriately.