Aster is a plant that produces beautiful flowers from summer to fall. Some varieties of this popular perennial plant can grow to a height of 20 cm, while others can grow to 2.4 m, although the care requirements at planting are similar.
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Method 1 of 3: Seed Indoors
Step 1. Prepare the seeds for winter
If you choose to sow indoors, you should start about a month or two before you plan to plant it.
- Keep in mind that the germination of daisies tends to be uneven, so don't expect all the seeds you plant to grow.
- Because aster seed sprouts are unpredictable, many people prefer to buy young plants from a plant care store or use plants separated from mature asters.
Step 2. Fill a small container with seed growth medium
Fill separate small containers in a large plastic seedling tray with the seed growing mix.
You can use plastic cups, pots, or other small containers if you don't have a seedling tray. The container you use should be between 7, 6 and 10 cm deep
Step 3. Sow the seeds
Place one seed in each seedling container. Press the seeds into the soil about 2.5 cm.
Rub the soil over the holes made by the seeds after placing them in the container
Step 4. Store in the refrigerator
Cover the seedling tray with plastic and place it completely in the refrigerator. Leave it in for four to six weeks.
This artificial cooling of seeds resembles the natural cooling of seeds. Use the refrigerator, and do not cool the ground outside, so the seeds don't freeze and die
Step 5. Move to a sunny place
Remove the seeds from the refrigerator between two to four weeks before the last expected frost. Place the tray in a sunny spot in the room.
- This place should be exposed to the sun for at least six hours every day.
- You should wait for the young plants to grow before moving them outside. Growth is usually rapid.
Method 2 of 3: Moving Young Plants Outdoors
Step 1. Wait until spring
Move young asters outdoors once the threat of frost has passed.
This is true whether you are using seeds that were started to grow indoors, buying young plants from a plant store, or using plant parts from mature asters
Step 2. Choose a sunny spot with good drainage
Asters grow well in places that get full sun to partially shaded areas. The soil content can be abundant or average, but it can drain water well.
- Avoid planting daisies in loamy soil as this type of soil tends not to drain water well.
- Planting asters at the top of a mound or hill can improve water drainage, but it doesn't have to be.
Step 3. Improve the soil
Unless the soil is already very rich in nutrients, you should mix in some nutrient-rich compost before planting asters.
- Use a garden harrow or hoe to loosen the top (30 to 38 cm) of soil where the asters are planted.
- Add 5 to 10 cm of compost. Mix this compost into loose soil using a garden rake.
Step 4. Dig a deep hole for each aster plant
Each hole should be twice the diameter of the container or pot that previously held the daisies. The depth of the hole should also be approximately the same as that of the container.
Leave a gap of 30 to 90 cm between the asters. Small varieties of asters may only need to be spaced 10 to 15 cm apart
Step 5. Remove the young plants carefully
Gently press the side of the plastic container that holds the young plant. Start at the bottom, and work your way up. The young plant, the root ball, and the adhering soil will slowly loosen from the container.
- If you are having trouble removing young plants, moisten the soil with water first. Wetting the soil will make it denser, making it easier to remove the plant.
- If you can't press the sides of the container to get the young plants out, pry up the sides and carefully insert the shovel into one side. Slide the shovel around the pot until you can remove it along with the root ball and soil around it.
Step 6. Place the young plant in the planting hole
Place each aster plant in the center of the planting hole so that the top of the root ball is flush with the surface of the surrounding soil.
- Fill the remaining part in the hole around the root ball with the soil you removed earlier from the planting site.
- Use your hands to gently pat the soil to compact it.
Step 7. Water the soil well
As soon as the young plants are in the soil, you should water the soil well to compact it and promote plant growth.
There should be no standing water on the surface of the soil, but the soil should be moderately moist
Method 3 of 3: Caring for Adult Asters
Step 1. Cover the soil with mulch
Surround the daisies with 5 cm of mulch immediately after planting and each spring.
- Before applying new mulch in the spring, remove the old mulch.
- Mulch can keep the soil cool during the summer and warm during the winter. Mulch can also help to limit and prevent weed growth.
Step 2. Water as needed
Pay attention to the amount of rain that falls each week during the growing season. If it rains less than 2.5 cm for a week, you should water the soil where the asters grow.
- Asters are moisture sensitive plants and will usually appear weak if they get too much or too little moisture.
- Plants that lack water will usually drop their flowers and leaves.
- Plants that get too much water will usually start to turn yellow and shrivel.
Step 3. Enrich the soil content with the right fertilizer
At the very least, you should mix a thin layer of compost into the soil each spring before new growth begins.
For even better results, mix regular plant fertilizer into the soil once a month. Apply fertilizer according to the directions on the package
Step 4. Prune the asters twice a year
You may need to trim the daisies a little in the spring, and prune a lot in the fall.
- Pluck the stems of young plants in the spring to stimulate plant growth outwards. This will result in a more lush plant.
- Cut off the entire daisies once the leaves have died in winter. Cut off any stems that look sick or wilted, or prune the entire stem back to an inch, 5 or 5 cm above the ground. Most varieties of asters can survive both options. Cutting the plant can stimulate its ability to grow over a long period of time, but it will also delay flower growth for a few weeks.
- If you live in a colder climate (within the USDA vertical zoning or hardiness zone 5 or less) you will need to wait until spring before pruning many parts of your plant. Leaving the plant intact over the winter can increase its chances of survival.
- You can also regularly pick dead blooms to enhance the appearance of the plant, but this is not really necessary for the general health of the plant. If you are picking flowers that have been in bloom for a long time, do so with care, as new flower buds are usually in the vicinity.
Step 5. Provide support stakes for tall varieties
Many daisies can grow unsupported, but if your large daisies begin to droop, then attach stakes and train the leaves to stand upright.
- The stake you use should be 30 cm longer than the current height of the plant.
- Fix the stake with a hammer into the ground about 5 to 7.6 cm from the main stem of the plant.
- Use wool yarn or nylon stockings to gently tie the stems of the plant with pegs.
Step 6. Divide the plant every two to four years
Dividing overgrown plants allows them to deliver nutrients more effectively. As a result, the plants will look fresh and the flowers will still be plentiful.
- Wait until spring before dividing the plant.
- Remove half to two thirds of mature plants. Leave the rest where it belongs.
- Divide the plant you removed into two or three. Each section you separate should have three to five sticks.
- These separate plant parts can be planted in other parts of your garden or your friends. Treat this part of the plant as a young plant and transplant it into the soil properly.
Step 7. Watch out for plant pests and diseases
Asters are not often attacked by pests and plant diseases, but some varieties can be targeted by powdery mildew, rust fungus, white smut, leaf spot, stem canker, aphids, tarsonemid mites, snails, snails and nematodes.
- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Your best bet is to choose pest-resistant varieties of asters for your garden.
- When problems arise, treat them with an appropriate pesticide or fungicide.
