Aster (daisy) is a popular perennial flower that can be grown in gardens or pots anywhere in the world. Gardeners generally prune asters in the summer to increase the number of flowers they produce and to keep the plant blooming longer than its natural flowering period. Gardeners also prune asters before winter begins to remove unsightly dead plants from the garden.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Encouraging the Growth of Daisies
Step 1. Pick off any dead flowers by hand or with small cuttings
Remove dead flowers before they start producing seeds. This will allow the aster plant to invest its energy in producing new flowers, instead of producing seeds on flowers that have already bloomed. You can easily cut the stem that connects the dead flower to the ground.
- Wear gardening gloves as the tougher stems can irritate the skin.
- Use cutting shears to cut off the wilted flowers.
- On average, flowers on parenial plants last for 3-4 weeks.
Step 2. Remove dead and yellowing leaves
Leaves and stems can die at any time of the year. So you should throw away the dead parts as soon as you see them. Dead stems and leaves will be dark brown or black, and brittle. You can trim this section with cutting shears or pull off the dead leaves and stems individually by hand.
In addition, also remove the yellowish and withered stems and leaves. Yellowed leaves will not recover and are just as unsightly as dead leaves
Step 3. Trim all the stems of the daisies and leave about 10 cm
Use sharp pruning shears and trim the entire top of the clump of daisies. Pruning will ensure that all parts of the plant are at the same height as the stems continue to grow and flowers bloom again.
- This process is called flower pruning because it cuts off dead flower buds.
- If you don't have pruning shears, buy them at your local hardware or gardening supply store.
- Cut off dead flower stalks under the leaves to prevent unsightly stalks from sticking out of the clump.
Step 4. Leave the tiny flower buds on the plant
If you look closely at the daisies, you will see that many tiny flowers – each 0.5 cm in size – grow about 10 cm below the larger ones. When you prune asters, do not cut off the florets.
If pruned, you will need to wait more than a month for new flowers to grow back after the aster clump is pruned
Step 5. Wait 2-3 weeks for the next cluster of flowers to appear
Asters are fast growing flowers. Once pruned, the plant will grow back in 14-20 days. If the daisies aren't pruned, you'll end up with a flower clump full of unsightly seed pods instead of pretty flowers.
Step 6. Repeat the pruning cycle during the active growing season
You can continue pruning cycles like this during the asters' active growing season. As soon as most of the flowers die and start producing seeds, prune the plant.
Pruning essentially forces the aster plant to repeat certain stages in its reproductive cycle, instead of having the plant complete the cycle naturally
Method 2 of 2: Preparing Asters for Autumn and Winter
Step 1. Prune green daisies in the fall by cutting off half of the total stem height
Asters can grow to a height of 90-120 cm during the height of summer. After the last spring is finished in early fall, cut off the top half and leave the plant only 40-60 cm tall. Leafy, green daisies look beautiful in a fall garden.
At this point, the aster plant will allocate its energy to caring for the leaves, instead of producing seeds
Step 2. Discard the blackened and dead daisies
If you have asters in your garden that are completely dead, it's a good idea to prune them all. Dead daisies are usually brittle, so they are easy to bend and break near the ground. Then, take the cutting shears and cut the stem of the aster about 7-10 cm above the soil surface.
Asters that die in winter will have no leaves on their stems or stalks and the plant will start to look slender and unsightly
Step 3. Cut the stems of the daisies to 2.5-5 cm above the soil level in the spring
Make drastic pruning of asters every year after the first frost. Use sharp pruning shears to trim each stem of the aster so that it is no more than 2.5-5 cm above the soil level.
