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General Gardening

Fall Flowers: Asters Are a Charming Alternative!

October 22, 2022

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

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Categories Flowers, General Gardening, Perennials & Biennials Tags asters, fall perennials

Tips from a Seasoned Gardener

September 25, 2022

What does it take to be a seasoned gardener with tips to offer others? Only a little experience and a willingness to share! Cleaning up my vegetable garden in late summer brings to mind my four favorite gardening tips: start early, be prepared, have a seat, and take it in.

Starting early can mean many things to a gardener. It means pulling those weeds before they go to seed, planning for next season, and preparing in advance. Yesterday’s small weeds can quickly become towering monsters with the sole purpose of reproduction, so don’t let up on weeding. Clean up and compost garden debris, being careful to place diseased leaves and weed seeds in a separate location. Be sure to keep pathways clean also, for both health and aesthetic purposes. Test your soil to determine needed nutrients and add fertilizer as appropriate. Prepare for next year by repairing old beds and adding new ones. Autumn brings a welcome coolness that’s perfect for getting an early start on next year.

It’s also important to be prepared with the right tools for the job. My must-haves (besides a hat, gloves, sunscreen, and herbal insect repellent) are a trowel, a bucket, and my two new favorites—a serrated gardening knife and a Dutch hoe. Although I use other tools to prepare rows and beds and to handle end-of-season clean up, nothing is used more than my trowel. It is valuable, not only to plant and transplant, but also to insert in the ground besides weeds as I pull them. This works especially well after a soaking rain. A bucket is my constant companion for transferring weeds and plant clippings to the compost bin, with woody plants, diseased leaves, and seedy weeds going to a separate pile. My new heavy-duty serrated gardening knife has proved valuable for removing weeds and also great for dividing root clumps. The Dutch hoe allows me to use a push motion to efficiently cut weeds off just below the soil surface. So, while we all tend to rely on our tried-and-true favorite tools, I encourage you to try new ones.

Dutch hoe
Dutch hoe
Working with the Dutch hoe_by Robert T Bell_CC BY 2.0
Working with Dutch hoe
Serrated garden knife
Serrated garden knife

While much of what we do as gardeners is physical in nature, I’ve found that it’s wonderful to have a chair or bench in the garden for an occasional rest. Being able to sit down for a break not only keeps me refreshed so I can keep on working longer, but also encourages me to observe my surroundings more closely. I do most mid-summer gardening in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid intense heat, but a place to sit still improves the day.

Garden Chair_by Bill Smith_CC BY 2.0
A garden seat to rest and observe

Pausing to pay attention to your surroundings connects you both to your plants and to the earth. Look for emerging sprouts, opening flowers, and early preventable insect damage. Listen to birds and breezes. Smell not only the flowers but the herbs and tomato vines and ripening fruit. Smell the rain coming, the seasons changing, and the earth itself. Taste tomatoes fresh from the vines, early-ripened strawberries, and crisp peas and green beans. Feel all those garden sensations—a prickly cucumber, a smooth pepper, and a bumpy-textured gourd. Touch the feathery tops of carrots and fennel, then grasp the reliable strength of a rake or trowel in your hand. Gardening is more than dirt on one’s hands or sweat on a brow. It is truly a feast for all the senses.

While most of my time in the garden is spent working, I’ve found that many of my best memories come from moments in between. Starting preparation early, both in the spring and fall, helps me to think through plans and keeps me dreaming those garden dreams. Having efficient and favorite tools in the garden makes the job easier and more enjoyable. The benches and chairs in my garden invite me out there and provide a place to share reflections with a friend, write in a journal, or just rest. Momentary breaks from work afford time to use all my senses to gain an awareness of the environment.

Yes, gardening is work.  But it isn’t all about work.  My tips—start early, be prepared, provide a place to rest, and utilize your senses to take it in—can be summed up in a single word that’s my favorite gardening tip of all:  enjoy!

Article written by Mary Alice Ramsey, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer. Mary Alice is a native of Western North Carolina and has gardened here for more than fifty years.

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Categories General Gardening Tags soil-full musings

Landscape Design: Foundation Planting?

August 16, 2022

Every house—even your townhouse or condo—has a foundation! Landscapers traditionally plant shrubs, trees, and sometimes annual and perennial plants in front of the foundation, most obviously for “curb appeal.” Foundation plantings can serve many other purposes, such as moderating environmental conditions by reducing indoor temperatures through shade or providing a windbreak. What is yours doing?

Overgrown foundation plants

Take an honest look at your foundation planting

  • Are the plantings looking good?
    • Many established foundation plantings are overgrown:
      • Are trees or shrubs too close to the house?
      • Are views from windows and doors obstructed?
    • Other plantings are failing! Are any plants struggling to survive or are already dead?
      • If one or more shrubs or trees hasn’t prospered, there may be obvious gaps in the existing landscape.
      • If a design that is meant to mirror or repeat hasn’t done so, the planting may look lopsided!
    • What do you want your planting to do for you?
      • Does your foundation planting harmonize with your home and your lifestyle?
        • Do your plant choices complement the home’s building materials, color palette, size, and architectural style?
        • Consider what maintenance your planting needs–If you won’t have time to prune fast-growing or very formal shrub plantings, weed extensive flower beds, or edge the interface between foundation planting and lawn, consider lower maintenance choices.
      • Are there any other benefits different foundation plants could add in providing four-season interest, privacy, shade, or enhancing views from inside the home?
Before…
After!

Changing landscape traditions give you new ways to update your foundation planting

  • If you are thinking about reducing or replacing your lawn, consider integrating your foundation area into your new landscape design.
  • Using native plants in your landscape is another trend—and one recommended way to replace your lawn! Even if you keep your lawn, including natives in your foundation planting can help attract birds and pollinators to your yard.
Edible foundation plantings

Edible landscaping is becoming more popular, too. Are there opportunities to incorporate edibles into your foundation planting?

    • In addition to fruiting trees or shrubs, there are many attractive herb and vegetables that can double as ornamentals.
    • Don’t plant edibles in contaminated soils or chemically treated areas—termite treatments are often applied around foundations—check to ensure the treatments used are safe for edibles.

If you are installing a new foundation planting or revamping an existing one, examine the planting beds as well as your plant choices! Poor soils, construction debris, and drainage issues may all affect your success. See the links below on designing and planting your foundation beds. Do a soil test!

Garden inspiration is a year-round opportunity. Enjoy!

Article written by Debbie Green, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

For more information:

Landscape design: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/19-landscape-design#section_heading_6158

Designing and planting your foundation beds: https://lsuagcenter.com/articles/page1640179592192

Using native plants in foundation plantings around townhomes and single-family homes:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/landscape-designs-native-plants

 

 

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Categories General Gardening, Landscape Design Tags Foundation planting, landscape planning, native plants

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