is it because they are usually pink or purple?

15 years ago

Continuing my messing around (& messing up) with pictures, here are the last flowers from the cutting gardens taken about 10 days ago. You can see the asters I'm talking about here behind the buckets of dahlias. (Actually, there was one more cutting but only snaps and China asters.)

Why don't I see more China asters in yards? Is it because they are usually pink or purple and bloom in late Summer and Fall?

I'm not too good with "seasonal color" choices but I think most folks are really missing out. The seed usually comes in mixed colors. Apparently, China asters aren't the most "true to type" plants. Nevertheless, there are a few reds that may fit in with Autumn schemes. And, the plants couldn't be much easier to raise.

For August & September flowers, I start the seed in the greenhouse but for October blooms, the greenhouse isn't necessary. China asters do seem to appreciate transplanting, however. The transplants are always larger than if they are direct-seeded into the beds in June in my garden.

Starting out can be a simple process during mid-June. The seed is started indoors in a shallow container, moved into a protected outdoor location, then the seedlings are transplanted into 72 cell flats and allowed to grow until they fill the cells.

I actually thought of posting something about asters right after I took this photo last week. So, I rearranged the buckets with the asters in front. Unfortunately, I then took a picture that is distressingly out of focus. This one was a little better:

There they are - behind the dahlias. That fact alone indicates that they are about 24+" in height. That's not bad altho' if these princess mix asters had been started in the greenhouse in March for late Summer, they'd be taller. Asters seem to bloom all at once this late in the season. The "October" asters were behind the zinnias and against a board fence so their garden location was NOT the best for a photograph but what a blazing splash of color they made!

Here are couple of links to red China asters. I've grown Matsumoto's before and appreciate a little larger sized bloom but the colors are nice and the plants healthy. Red Stripe is only a 10" plant so not a choice for the cutting garden. They'd be a little damaged by frost but imagine them out in the yard over the last couple of weeks. Wow!

Park's Matsumoto Red Stripe

T & MÃ¢ÂÂs Red Ribbon

digitS'

Comments (10)

jaliranchr
15 years ago
Lovely! Thank you for the wonderful picture of those glorious flowers, Steve!
dafygardennut
15 years ago
Those are gorgeous. Now I'm thinking I might need to try some as fill-ins in the front between the daylilies.

Jen
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nancy_in_co
15 years ago
Hi,

I grow them! Well, actually, they grow themselves. I grew some heirloom variety years ago and they have reseeded themselves every year since then. That's my kind of plant!

Nancy
highalttransplant
15 years ago
Yep, it's because they're pink or purple : )
digit
Original Author
15 years ago
I have some stunningly RED princess asters, Bonnie, but they apparently won't breed true to type. One of those others listed above was described as "scarlet" in the catalog.

Nancy, the little old lady who used to live down the road from us had volunteer asters (I'm pretty sure they were "Crego"). She also had volunteer dictamnus, petunias and annual poppies. Even tho' she was 80, she took real good care of her yard and it was bright with these flowers.

She gave us some poppy seed and when they grew, DW asked me what we'd say to the police about how we came to have opium poppies growing in our yard. I said we could just point down the road at Rosalee's house.

Rosalee is gone now but her poppies are still in our yard every year.

S'
highalttransplant
15 years ago
Digit, don't get me started on a rant about things that are described as red in the catalogs, that are really dark pink! I've been the victim of this particular type of false advertising numerous times in the past couple of years!!!

Bonnie
nancy_in_co
15 years ago
Digit,

Your little old lady has a few decades on me but she sounds about the same as my future plans for myself. I already have a few volunteer petunias and poppies. Yup, I grow a pretty good crop of opium poppies in the veggie garden. It's in the back of my yard so the police can't see it. My husband is always telling me that the police are going to be knocking on my door from all the basement grow lights radiating in late winter. Something about a basement pot growning operation. I tell him they are going to be really disappointed with my little tomato starts. Of course, they might get on my case about the datura plants...

Nancy
Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
15 years ago
I havenÂt had any luck with the opium poppies yet, but I keep trying--the flowers are SO pretty! So far IÂve tried starting them inside, and last winter I winter sowed some. They always come up quickly, and then just donÂt do much, and when I put them outside they just struggle along, develop mildew, and quickly peter out! This year IÂm gonna try direct seeding some outside and see how that works. Gonna do the same with some CA poppies, and Iceland poppies too. I love poppies, but all my efforts so far havenÂt netted me anything worth looking at! Tomorrow IS another day!

Have any Salvia down there in the basement, Nancy?

Skybird
digit
Original Author
15 years ago
Now, just what is it about that Salvia, anyway?

Pot? I could say that I didn't inhale but really, no one wanted to give me any . . .

Some of this information isn't true but you won't find my fingerprints on it.

digitS'
nancy_in_co
15 years ago
Alas, the only thing I inhale these days is copious amounts of Advil when I have spent too much time in the garden.

And I didn't know about THAT SALVIA. Hmmm. Sorry, there are none in the basement. Well I am attempting to overwinter a Blue and Black but I don't think that will get anybody anywhere.

Skybird, direct seeding is the way to go on the poppies. A gorgeous rose opium poppy popped up in the beans a year or two ago and it happily reseeded in the lettuce and broccoli this year. I have tried to collect seeds but the deer love the seed pods. Maybe they popped them the way I pop Advil. :)