Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County

Flowers

Fall Flowers: Asters Are a Charming Alternative!

As autumn unfolds, ornamental gardens may look a little bedraggled as summer blooms fade and go to seed. That’s when fall asters can provide a burst of color and interest! There is still time to plant these long-flowering and long-lived perennials.

Recommended asters
Two native aster species pack a particular punch: aromatic/oblong-leaved aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) and blue wood/common blue aster (S. cordifolium). Both species have yellow disc-shaped flowers surrounded by rayed petals in shades of blue and purple, while their foliage and height differ.

Aromatic/oblong leaf Aster
    • S. oblongifolium has narrow leaves that get smaller as they climb the stem; both leaves and stems are covered with short hairs. Usually less than 20 inches tall, it has rigid stems and lots of branches, and is fragrant when crushed. Some of the more reliable, popular aromatic aster cultivars are:
        • ‘Fanny’,
        • ‘October Skies’,
        • ‘Raydon’s Favorite’.
    • S. cordifolium has sharply toothed leaves on smooth, upright arching stems 3 to 4 feet tall—the upper leaves are oval, while the lower are heart-shaped. Cut the stalks back in
      Wood Asters

      mid-summer to form denser mounds. Deadhead to prevent unwanted seeding! Less commonly available in nurseries, there are some blue wood aster cultivars, but these are not necessarily more desirable than the species:

        • ‘Avondale’,
        • ‘Photograph’

Although all these asters have some susceptibility to powdery mildew and aster wilt, they don’t have serious pest or disease problems, deer and rabbits ignore them, and they are drought- tolerant once established.

Euptoieta claudia (variegated fritillary) on aromatic aster

Featuring asters in your fall garden
Plant asters in formal flower beds—or in naturalized areas. Their soft colors blend well with other autumn flowers, such as goldenrods (Solidago spp.) and perennial fall sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) and are a noteworthy alternative to ubiquitous fall mums. They are an abundant late-season source of nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies, too!

Aromatic asters work especially well in mass plantings along walkways, where you can appreciate their balsam-like fragrance. Plant in full sun areas with well-drained soil and good air circulation. The showy small purple flowers have a long bloom season, lasting from late summer until the first frost.  They spread by wind-dispersed seeds or underground stolons. To keep them from spreading too aggressively, deadhead often and divide in spring to disrupt root growth.

Blue wood aster prefers shade and moist, well-drained soils, thriving at woods edge or along stream banks. Deadhead to avoid unwanted spread.

Article by Buncombe County Extension Master GardenerSM Intern Anne Spruance

For more information:
Aromatic aster: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/symphyotrichum-oblongifolium/
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/mdpmcfs9053.pdf

Blue wood aster: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/symphyotrichum-cordifolium/
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a78 8

Working with Roses: There’s a Rhythm to It!

Early Spring in TLG-Rose Garden 2021

When most gardeners are impatiently waiting for the average last frost date, rose gardeners at the Learning Garden (TLG) are starting their annual chores. Roses require the most attention from mid- to late February through April, making the ‘rhythm’ of working with them different from gardening with other plants.

Early season rose garden activities:

  1. We prune our roses when they begin to show signs of new growth—typically when the forsythia blooms. Remove any dead, damaged, or crossing canes; clear out the centers for good air circulation; and cut most roses back by about one third. Check out the short video on Early Spring Pruning of Roses at the end of this post.
  2. Next, we clear debris from beneath the plants and weed the beds.
  3. We transplant any roses that need moving so that they will “wake up” in their new homes.
  4. We also plant new roses from late March to mid- April.
  5. In mid-April we fertilize our roses. In the Learning Rose Garden, we use a slow-acting, organic fertilizer that can take weeks to become available to the roses. We sometimes supplement this first feeding with a liquid or faster-acting fertilizer to give the roses a quick boost.
  6. If you choose to use fungicides to prevent black spot from establishing in your garden, it is important to start early! We start spraying fungicides in April.

Watering is important!
During these spring months, we make sure our roses get enough water.  Adequate water is necessary for new and transplanted roses, as well as for soaking in fertilizer.  April showers are a definite plus in a rose garden! For maximum sustained growth, roses require at least one inch of water per week.

TLG-Rose Garden in bloom, 2020

The payoff?
By May, when other gardeners are busy, we are keeping our eyes on the rain gauge and watching the roses beginning to bloom!

 

 

Article by Judy Deutsch, Buncombe County Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer and Certified Consulting Rosarian

For more information:
Check out this video on this site: Great Roses for Western North Carolina
Here is a short video on Early Spring Pruning of Roses by the University of Maryland.

Gardening Video: Great Roses for Western North Carolina

Gardening in the Mountain presents:
Great Roses for WNC—Roses from The Learning Garden

Presenter: Judy Deutsch, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

In 2018, the first roses were planted in the Learning Rose Garden.  This garden is part of a group of gardens on the Buncombe County Cooperative Extension campus known collectively as The Learning Garden.  Today, the Learning Rose Garden has 51 different roses, representing over 20 varieties.

One objective of this garden was to determine which roses, particularly new roses, grow well in Western North Carolina.  In this program, Judy covers some basics of rose care and selection but focuses on 14 roses that have performed particularly well in the garden.   Color, size, fragrance, disease resistance, and vase-life are factors considered in selection.  This talk has something for everyone, no matter if your garden is large or small, if you want one rose or a bed of roses.  You will also learn where you can obtain these and other roses not available at your local nurseries.

To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:

Great Roses for Western North Carolina

Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org, click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page and select the video from the list provided.

Contact Us

Buncombe County Extension Office
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville, NC 28806
Helpline 828-255-5522

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