We are so blessed to have so many wild asters growing on our 8 acres. The colors range from a very light pink to a med. purple. From what I have been reading about them. They are butterfly magnets. Especially for Monarchs that are making their way from Canada to Mexico this time of year. How wonderful to know that we help them on their long flight. Also the Bumble bees and honey bees have been loving them. I plan on harvesting a lot of seeds from them and sprinkling them in all of my existing flower beds, along with Black eyed Susan's that grow in our small prairie garden. This is only a small patch in front of our poll barn. SEEDS ANYONE!
I would love to have seeds Tooty but I don't know if you'd be allowed to send them to the UK. Maybe, to be on the safe side, I should look for some seeds over here to plant up. I like the fact that they attract butterflies and bees as I try to make my garden as wildlife friendly as I can. They certainly put on a great show don't they?
I love those, Tooty. I really need to go harvest some from along the road somewhere and toss them at the road ditch to grow. do you ever cut them and put them in a vase? do they hold up well?
Thanks all for the likes. Carolyn I do cut them and put them in a vase and they last about a week or so. I will be scattering my seeds far and wide.
Your Asters look so good. I like asters and have a couple of types in my flower garden. There are some butterflies that come by, but mostly it is honey bees. I do notice the odd bumble bee and hover flies on them as well. I have also grown some of the largish perennial showy ones ... I used to get the Aster 'Dutchess Mix" from Thompson and Morgan. I like the wild sort a little better and they are open-faced which makes it easier for pollinators to feed on. Anyway...yours look smashing. ----give that girl a gold star!
What beautiful asters Toots! The ones against your barn are incredible! I like your idea of propagating them. I have a different kind of aster at my place: wood aster. It grows in shady wooded areas & is nowhere near so pretty or showy, but nice just the same. It signals to me the start of fall.
Sjoerd--thank you. My Mom grew a beautiful dark red-pink Michaelmas Daisy(Aster). The Bumble bees loved it and as the sun went down and the flowers started to close up. The Bumble Bees would just stay in the closed blossom. Then when the sun came up and the flowers reopened they would start in harvesting the nectar. I would love to grow one of those in my flower beds or some other varieties. Maybe the beds closer to the house would be a safe place. We have deer in our area, and I have tried to grow other Aster varieties I bought at a garden center. The Deer seem to love them. Not sure why they do not eat these wild Asters. I think I may have gotten the answer from Cayuga saying they only having Woody Asters. Wow-Deer do not like them. YIPPY! Thank you for the gold star. Cayuga--Thank you. The ones in front of the barn are my favorite color. I just did a online search for woody Asters after you mentioned that you have those growing in your area. I do believe that all of the ones growing in our fields and around our home are Woody Asters. Yikes! I also read that in some states they are considered a weed to be controlled. Yes, here in Wisconsin it also signal the start of fall. My favorite time of year.
I was able to find the name of the aster which I have that is my favourite, it is called the Aster Novae-Angliae 'September Ruby'. It is said to be deer-proof, although I must admit that few deer come onto our gardening complex. It is such a lovely thing that stands in a group...like a stand, and does not spread out so quickly. It is such a unusual colour that it stands out where ever it is planted. the colour is almost true in the fotos--it is slightly more red in real life. You may want to try this one.
They are lovely Sjoerd. Mine are long gone too. BTW, the tomato that I grew using your method did very well. Even though it was planted long after the others, it caught up and out produced the traditionally grown tomatoes. thought you might like to know.
Thanks so much for letting me know, Cayuga. I am well chuffed that it worked so well for you, miss. Don't you just lurve it when you try something new and it works? Chapeau!
Yes I do! That tomato was the envy of the community garden. Okay, yes I exaggerate a tad, but there is a gardener from Germany who I tend to (uncharitably) think of the 'garden police'. She is always correcting the rest of us for various infractions and exhorting us to improve our methods. She & I have come to terms with one another, but she was VERY impressed with your method & has begun saving plastic bottles to use next year. I did give you credit.
