Q.My asters are a deep royal blue..what is their name..thanks
I bought as a large thickly blossomed potted plant in late September 3 years ago..placed them in the ground in October..watered in well, covered with cedar mulch..they returned last year but did not bloom..so this year I cut them back once they became a foot tall..now they are covered in the same royal blue flowers with yellow centres..I love them and don’t want to lose them..how do I make them bushier? Thanks so much for your help..I don’t have a camera but they are just lovely
I'm not sure why your asters didn't bloom last year. Are they in full sun? There are hybrid asters that make knowing exactly which one you have very difficult. It sounds like Aster novae-angliae, aka Symphyotrichum New England aster. It may also be Aster novi-belgii "Royal Blue", a New York or Michaelmas aster. Like mums, asters need to be trimmed once or twice before July 4th. This helps them bush out instead of becoming rangy. Since asters are prone to mildew, remove some stems to the ground to increase air circulation. Fertilizer isn't necessary and may encourage tall, floppy growth. Put 2 inches of compost around the base of the plant annually instead of fertilizer. Consider saving some seed from this year's blooms. Asters are easy to grow from seed and seed can be sown in late fall where you want it to grow. If your aster is a hybrid, plants from seed will not look exactly like the parent plant. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/asters/aster-seed-planting.htm
