| Author | Content |
stormyla
Norristown, PA (Zone 6b)
October 5, 2009 4:56 AM Post #7135976
| Hi, It's that time again. Let's see everyone's Asters. Such wonderful colors for this time of year.
Asters, Mums and Galliardia. I think they make a great combination.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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stormyla
Norristown, PA (Zone 6b)
October 5, 2009 5:00 AM Post #7135984
| These Asters are all NOID varieities purchased very inexpensively at the produce stand. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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stormyla
Norristown, PA (Zone 6b)
October 5, 2009 5:05 AM Post #7135986
| These are all between 18 & 24" tall. They were a good bit taller, but I cut them down by half in the 3rd week of July. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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stormyla
Norristown, PA (Zone 6b)
October 5, 2009 5:11 AM Post #7135996
| This Nova Begi may become the Aster that ate Philadelphia. It is 5' across. Last fall I dug up the two outside edges of it and gifted those to neighbors and spread some around the other sides of the bed. This spring I again dug up the outside edges of it and took them to our regional swap. It was down to 2" wide after that. It is about 18" tall and stays that height. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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stormyla
Norristown, PA (Zone 6b)
October 5, 2009 5:15 AM Post #7136002
| This tiny Aster is Wood's Light Blue and was just planted last month. I like how it looks with the Gloriosa Daisy. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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stormyla
Norristown, PA (Zone 6b)
October 5, 2009 5:17 AM Post #7136005
| This Alma Potsche is about 4' tall and was planted two years ago. In my garden, it requires staking. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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katie59
Woodinville, WA (Zone 8b)
October 15, 2009 6:18 AM Post #7171014
| I especially love that little Woods Light Blue . . . |
jmorth
Divernon, IL (Zone 5b)
October 15, 2009 6:30 AM Post #7171025
| followed from the rudbeckia discussion...I think we crossed on asters somewhere recently too...here's New England Asters, plants were started from seed from the wild. They top out around 6' and are unbelievable butterfly magnets in the month of September. They self-seed but valiant elimination can keep that in check.
That's a nice collection you have there stormyla.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmorth
Divernon, IL (Zone 5b)
October 15, 2009 6:43 AM Post #7171035
| Goldenrod go well with these asters. Goldenrod just arrived one year out off the blue. Well, probably from some farm field where its often a prolific 'weed' along ditches and field edges. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmorth
Divernon, IL (Zone 5b)
October 15, 2009 6:59 AM Post #7171044
| 2 Sulphurs 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmorth
Divernon, IL (Zone 5b)
October 15, 2009 7:05 AM Post #7171046
| Monarch, Sulphur, and bee 
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stormyla
Norristown, PA (Zone 6b)
October 15, 2009 7:09 AM Post #7171051
| jmorth, what lovely photos! Those two asters in your first photo are gorgeous. I've never grown any of the really tall varieties. Are they easy to start from seed?
That goldenrod really does look nice with the asters. I had a few of them move in this year. So far I'm letting them stay.
Beautiful Sulphurs! Thanks for posting, Jmorth.
Thanks, Katie. |
stormyla
Norristown, PA (Zone 6b)
October 15, 2009 7:11 AM Post #7171054
| Wow, how long did you have to follow those guys to get that shot?? |
jmorth
Divernon, IL (Zone 5b)
October 15, 2009 7:18 AM Post #7171059
| They get so thick out there in the middle of Sept., I can stand on a concrete slab that borders some of the asters and take a 100 pictures of the butterflies & bees within a relatively short span of time. The goldenrods seem to be favored by wasps. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmorth
Divernon, IL (Zone 5b)
October 15, 2009 7:21 AM Post #7171060
| Here's 2 Cabbage Whites from the same day as above, ones flying. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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katie59
Woodinville, WA (Zone 8b)
October 15, 2009 7:07 PM Post #7172508
| Wow. What kind of camera did you use? It's as though you stopped them mid-flight!! |
jmorth
Divernon, IL (Zone 5b)
October 16, 2009 3:43 AM Post #7174304
| Canon SX110 IS 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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katie59
Woodinville, WA (Zone 8b)
October 16, 2009 5:08 AM Post #7174499
| I like it. Need a new camera (I dropped my Nikon Coolpix) - with the damage from dropping it and the changes in technology, it's time. I would like a digital SLR, but can't afford that right now. I'm going to check out the Canon - maybe that's a good compromise for me. |
jmorth
Divernon, IL (Zone 5b)
October 16, 2009 5:13 AM Post #7174508
| I really like it - it's a 10X zoom yet can actually fit in my back pocket (barely). |
bluepoppy
Landisburg, PA (Zone 6a)
May 9, 2011 10:25 AM Post #8549882
| I have the tall pink aster and wondering since it is tall already can I cut it back like I do the mums????? |
jmorth
Divernon, IL (Zone 5b)
May 9, 2011 2:10 PM Post #8550368
| I think it'd be ok, probably bush em out. However, having never attempted that cut I can't say with 100% surity that it's fine. |
sempervirens
Northern, NJ (Zone 6b)
June 3, 2011 2:38 AM Post #8605528
| I just cut all my streetside tall asters back and will cut them back once again before July 15th. After a few days they all put out side shoots at the cut point. Flowers are said to be smaller but more numerous.
In the wilder areas with the taller switch grass to lean on I let the tall asters reach full height.
Having just read that asters and goldenrods are 2 of the best plants to add for nectar in the fall garden I also added a few goldenrods ( love the photo of the 2 together in this thread) near the tall asters with native grasses; little bluestem and switch grass.
The grasses are host plants for the skippers so in the fall I have tons of skippers visiting the asters just like Jmorth mentioned in an earlier post. The plants are literally covered with bees, skippers, butterflies and beneficial insects in the fall.
Asters are one of my favorite plants but I've been disappointed a few times when I impulsively purchased a few unnamed filler asters that where clearly hybrids when not on insect would touch them. Pretty to look at but useless. |
stormyla
Norristown, PA (Zone 6b)
August 6, 2011 9:05 AM Post #8740019
| I usually cut all of my Asters that grow in excess of two feet tall in half at least once over the summer. |
LoveForests
Clearwater, FL (Zone 10a)
August 11, 2011 10:55 PM Post #8751551
| Does'nt matter what 'camera' you use to photograph insects or butterflies, ... you just need to make sure the "shutter-speed" is at 250 or higher in order to capture a clear photo of a 'moving' subject, (in bright-shade or full sun).
And a "macro setting" on the camera helps also :] |
LoveForests
Clearwater, FL (Zone 10a)
September 8, 2011 8:55 PM Post #8800057
|
This message was edited Sep 16, 2011 9:53 PM |
OutlawHeart81
Syracuse, NY (Zone 5a)
September 15, 2011 6:36 PM Post #8810255
| Wild asters with goldenrod seem to be a hot combo. :) 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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OutlawHeart81
Syracuse, NY (Zone 5a)
September 15, 2011 6:40 PM Post #8810260
| Here's some Crego mixed asters 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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OutlawHeart81
Syracuse, NY (Zone 5a)
September 15, 2011 6:42 PM Post #8810265
| More of the same 
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OutlawHeart81
Syracuse, NY (Zone 5a)
September 15, 2011 6:45 PM Post #8810269
| And another 
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OutlawHeart81
Syracuse, NY (Zone 5a)
September 15, 2011 6:56 PM Post #8810285
| But I'm really a bigger fan of the wild guys. :) 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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OutlawHeart81
Syracuse, NY (Zone 5a)
September 15, 2011 6:58 PM Post #8810287
| Such a perfect and natural combo 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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stormyla
Norristown, PA (Zone 6b)
October 10, 2011 6:20 PM Post #8844139
| Outlaw, Those Crego Asters are really pretty. I have never grown any of those. |
kjuddy
Little Rock, AR (Zone 7b)
October 17, 2011 7:56 AM Post #8852378
| Here's a picture of my Asters with Cleome not sure which aster this is but it is my favorite! 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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