How to Plant, Grow and Care for Asters

Asters shine in your garden. When most perennials are winding down, Asters light up the late-season garden with vibrant blooms. Their fall flowers not only extend your color palette but also sustain pollinators as temperatures cool.  

 

Asters are long-lived perennials that are members of the Asteraceae or daisy family. Typically, you’ll start to notice them late in the summer, blooming in response to shorter days, with flowers that range from blue to purple to pink to white depending on the species. Among the more popular cultivars are:

New England aster ‘Purple Dome’ 

Bushy Aster ‘Wood’s Pink’ 

‘Kristina’ 

 ‘Wood’s Blue’ Aster x dumosus  

Aster dumosus are commonly called Bushy Asters.

  

 

Asters can be grown in containers as annuals, on the porch or deck. For the best results in the long term, asters need to be planted in the perennial bed.  

 

Start by selecting a spot in the garden that receives a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight. Asters planted in less than full sun will grow tall and scraggly, with reduced flower size.  

Start by amending the planting site with organic material, such as Earth Essentials Sheep. Peat and Compost. The planting hole should be twice as wide as the container and half again as deep. Once the site is ready, place your aster in the planting hole, making sure the crown of the plant is at the same level it was in the container. Fill in around the plant with amended soil.  

Next, mix up a solution of Root Stimulator and water the aster thoroughly. Root Stimulator will help the plant establish a strong root system going into winter.  

Aster will generally lose their top growth after a hard frost and begin to go dormant for the winter. When this happens, they need to be cut back to a few inches above the ground.  

Wait until the ground is cold - usually around Thanksgiving before adding a five-to-six-inch layer of organic mulch, such as shredded cedar or Gorilla Hair mulch.  Mulch will help retain moisture and keep the ground stable.  

 

Through the course of the winter, water your aster plants every five to six weeks. This practice applies to all trees, shrubs and perennials in your landscape.  

The following spring, after the threat of frost has passed, start to remove the mulch gradually. You can also remove any dead vegetation that may remain. In some cases, you’ll find the plant has already begun to leaf out.  

 

Planted in the garden now, hardy asters will offer seasonal color as well as pollinator support for many seasons to come.  

Fall Care Tips for Bearded Iris

 

Bearded iris has been a favorite of generations of gardeners and for good reason. They’re reliable perennials, blooming late spring into early summer. They’re easy to grow, available in a variety of bloom colors, and typically don’t require a lot of maintenance, but if your iris didn’t bloom this year or there weren’t as many blooms as usual, they’re telling you they need some help.  

Bearded irises thrive when you give them attention in the fall. These seasonal tasks include cleaning up old foliage, pruning, dividing crowded clumps, and adding new varieties to your garden. Doing these things now help set the stage for vibrant spring blooms. 

 

Bearded irises grow from a thick root structure called a rhizome. As the plant matures the rhizome multiplies, resulting in more leaves and flowers.  

If your bearded iris didn’t bloom this this spring, it’s a sure sign they need to be divided. Overcrowded irises will not bloom. When this happens, it’s time to dig them up and divide the rhizomes. The best tool to use to dig iris rhizomes, is a spading fork. Spading forks make it easy to get under and lift the rhizome without causing damage to the roots. 

Once you’ve got the clump of iris out of the ground, you’ll be able to see the rhizomes clearly. You can divide the clump with a knife or by simply breaking off each root with your hand. Trim the leaves in a fan shape down to between 4" and 6". Mark the leaves with the variety of the iris, so you’ll remember which one it is. 

Ready to plant

Iris will do okay in clay soils, but they thrive in soils that have been amended, so add a couple of inches of Sheep, Peat and Compost and dig it in 4-5 inches.  Add some Bone Meal or Dutch Bulb Food and place the rhizome so that the roots are fanned out to the side, then add enough soil to cover the roots, leaving the very top of the rhizome exposed. Water in thoroughly. Your iris will establish through the fall and be ready to bloom next spring.    

 

When you’re replanting, it’s important to remember iris grow in the direction of the heel so place your rhizomes with the leaves planted in the direction you want the plant to grow.    

 

Your iris will establish roots through the fall and early winter and be ready to bloom for you next spring and in some cases, again next fall. 

 

For the rest of the iris in your garden, remove any dead vegetation, cut the foliage back to 4” to 6” long and fertilize with Bone Meal or Dutch Bulb Food, then water thoroughly. This will prepare your iris for the winter season ahead. Avoid using mulch around bearded iris. It’s better to leave the soil open. 

This is also a good time to add new varieties and colors to your garden. We’ve just received our shipments of bearded iris rhizomes, so it’s a great time to add to your collection, while stock is fresh and there’s a good selection of colors.  As you're shopping for bearded iris, you may notice some boxes are labeled "Blooms Spring and Fall". These are "reblooming" iris, that is iris that have been developed to produce blooms in the spring and again in the fall.

The same planting guidelines apply. Pick a good solid rhizome, amend the soil well, add some Bone Meal and make sure you mark the iris, so you’ll remember the name next spring.  

 

With proper care now, your iris will bloom reliably for many springs to come.