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Aster 101
Asters bloom in areas with cool and moist summers. They have white, blue or pink flowers in late summer and fall. The Plants height varies from 8 inches to 8 feet, depending on type. Tall varieties create excellent back of the border plants and they look attractive when planted in naturalized pasture.
They are prone to powdery mold and rust problems, so it’s better select diseases resistant variety.
Few important things to know about Aster:
Name: Scientific names – Aster Dumosus, Aster Patens, Aster Vimineus and Aster Praealtus.
Variety: There are almost 600 species in North America and Eurasia.
Colors: White, purple, lavender and yellow.
Scent: Their scents vary depending on the species.
Freshness: They need to be hydrated immediately upon arrival.
Vase Life: Seven to ten days.
Availability: All through the year.
Cost: Easy on the pocket.
Meaning: Star.
Arranging Tip: When you receive your order of asters or while using them in a floral arrangement, follow these instructions to ensure your flower heads are protected while you place them in a vase. These instructions are helpful for your flowers to blossom bright over the coming few days.
1) Carefully eliminate any protective plastic or paper that might be wrapped up around your bouquet.
2) When the stems are below water, cut off one inch at an angle. Cutting the stems would open the pores of the flowers so that they can drink more water. We recommend cutting them beneath water because that eliminates any possibility of occurrence of air bubbles, which prevents the flower from consuming water. The angle enables easier water absorption.
3) After that, fill the flower vase with water which should be at room temperature. Mix a pack of flower food with water. You might have received flower food with your bouquet. In case you haven’t, then ask your local florist for some.
4) If any surplus foliage on stems has fallen underneath the water level, take it out. Excess foliage will muddy the water, in addition to sucking up much of it leaving the actual blossoms short of water to drink.
5) Preserve your cut asters from direct sunlight, drafts and heat. Keep them in a room with cool temperature.
6) Re-cut the stems, Keep changing water and add on day 3 second packet of flower food or do the same if water is turning yellow and hazy. If the water is changing color, it means bacteria are growing in it, which can cause the flowers to wither faster.
7) Remove dead heads and spent leaves to keep your bouquet fresh for longer period of time.
Growing Tip: Apply a lean layer of compost on each spring, followed by applying 2 inch layer of mulch to preserve moisture and avoid weeds. Pinch back young shoots to promote bushiness. Water them during the summer if rainfall is below 1 inch per week. Stake tall ones to keep them upright. After the first frigid frost, cut back the stems to 1-2 inches above soil. Divide the plants every 3 to 4 years as new growth commences in spring, lifting the plants and dividing them in clusters having 3 to 5 shoots.
Few varieties available with us:
– White
– Purple
– Lavender
– Solidago