Autumn asters build us a colorful bridge from the beautiful to the cold season. They trump the sensitive summer asters in terms of winter hardiness without losing their abundance of flowers. Do you still have questions about cultivation on your mind? Then read the tried and tested answers to frequently asked questions here.

Autumn asters bloom until the end of October with good care

Plant autumn asters correctly

Planting time for autumn asters is as early as spring so that they are well rooted by the time the flowering period begins. Allocate the perennials to a sunny location in order to dig small pits at a distance of 20-60 cm, appropriate for the variety. In it, place the previously soaked root balls in the ground up to just below the first pair of leaves. It is advantageous to enrich the excavation with compost and horn shavings.(32.93€) Press the soil down with your hands, water generously and mulch.

care tips

Autumn asters have a reputation for being completely undemanding. The following care program provides convincing proof of this image:

  • Keep the soil constantly slightly moist
  • From April to July, mulch regularly with leaves or lawn clippings
  • Fertilize organically or with liquid from August to mid-October
  • Clean out wilted flowers every few days

After the first frost, cut the perennials back down to the ground foliage. In regions with harsh winters, they cover the root disk with leaves and needle brushwood. Potted flowers move to a frost-free, bright winter quarters.

Which location is suitable?

When autumn asters open their flower dance, the days have already become noticeably shorter. So that the perennials can develop their full flowering potential so late in the year, a sunny and warm location is important. Only the autumn-blooming forest aster (Aster cordifolius) tolerates a place in partial shade. Choose a location with fresh, moist soil that is rich in nutrients and well-drained.

Cut autumn asters correctly

Once the first flower heads have withered, your autumn asters are far from over this year's flowering period. If you cut off the flowers, you can see the waiting buds underneath. Only after the first frost are there any prospects of fresh flowers. Now cut the perennial by a third. The remaining leaves remain until early spring, only then to be cut off at ground level.

Water autumn asters

After planting in spring, see asters through the summer with regular watering. Soil and pot substrate must not dry out or get wet. During rainy autumn weather, frequent watering of the bed is no longer necessary. Otherwise, continue the water supply during drought, which continues to be maintained during frost in winter.

Fertilize autumn asters properly

With an organic nutrient supply, you give autumn asters the right impetus for a vital, long flowering period. How to do it right:

  • After spring planting, mulch regularly with leaves or grass clippings
  • Fertilize every 2-3 weeks from August to mid-October with compost, horn shavings or bark humus
  • Complementary douche the floor with comfrey manure

In the pot and balcony box, the nutrient reserves of the pre-fertilized substrate cover the requirements until the beginning of the flowering period. From August to mid-October you administer a liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks or apply fertilizer sticks (4.48€) with a long-term effect.

hibernate

Autumn asters are tough. This applies not least to their stamina during the cold season. Cut back the perennials by a third at the end of the flowering period to cover them with fall foliage or pine fronds. The remaining leaves serve as additional winter protection until early spring. Please cut these off close to the ground in good time before the new shoots.

Multiply autumn asters

Multiply your loveliest autumn asters simply by dividing the root ball. A well-chosen point in time is spring, when no more ground frosts are to be expected. Lift the perennial out of the ground and divide it into segments with at least 2 buds each with a knife or spade. Alternatively, sow the seeds on the windowsill in February/March. At 18-20 degrees Celsius the seed will germinate within 2-4 weeks. Propagation by cuttings is also conceivable, but comes with a comparatively high failure rate of 40-50 percent.

Autumn asters in a pot

In the pot, autumn asters also bring the garden year to a colorful end on the balcony and terrace. Please pay attention to a regular water supply, as the substrate dries out faster than garden soil. A liquid fertilizer covers the nutrient requirement every 2 weeks. The application of fertilizer ends in mid-October at the latest, so that the beautiful flowers can prepare for the coming winter time. After the first frost, cut back the flowers by a third. Planters with a diameter of less than 30 cm should be placed in bright, frost-free winter quarters. Big buckets get a winter jacket made of fleece, jute or foil and a warm wooden base. The substrate is covered with autumn leaves and needle brushwood.

Are autumn asters poisonous?

Autumn asters are the ideal candidates to wave off the garden year in bloom in the family garden. The daisy family is not poisonous, so there is nothing wrong with cultivating it within the reach of children or pets. In fact, the pretty star blossoms are even edible and serve as floral food decoration in natural cuisine.

Beautiful varieties

It is a whole series of magnificent asters that light up the fall with their rich flower colors. Browse through a selection of the most beautiful varieties of dainty cushion asters (Aster dumosus), majestic tawny asters (Aster novae-angliae), elegant smooth-leaf asters (Aster novae belgii) and late-flowering Tatar asters (Aster tataricus) that we all sweeten the farewell to summer.

  • Snow Cushion: Cute cushion aster with white flowers that makes a great bed edging, ground cover and pot flower; 15-20cm
  • Rose Imp: The autumn-flowering cushion aster lives up to its name with pink flowers; 20-25cm
  • Purple Dome: The stable, robust borage aster inspires in the autumn garden with dark violet flowers; 50-70cm
  • Pink Winner: A majestic Aster novae-angliae that boasts excellent sighting results; 120-140cm
  • Permanently blue: The historic smooth-leaf aster attracts everyone's attention with its lilac-blue flowers until December; 120-140cm
  • Beacon: With countless bright crimson flowers, this aster will light up the perennial border; 100-110cm
  • Jundaii: The Tatar aster is the last to bloom in the autumnal aster cycle and lasts until the first frost; 100-150cm

Category:

Herbs