Asters and Mums – Jewels of The Fall Garden
by: Liz Roberts

Asters and mums are lovely additions to any autumn garden. Both can come in a cascade of colors and sizes. They lend dashes of brightness to lawns bereft of summer blooms. Both can be hardy and durable if properly tended and can turn a fading summer landscape into a bright autumn one.

Asters are perennials (related surprisingly to the sunflower and the dandelion) which means once they’re planted they’re in your garden for good. Different aster varieties are hardy, surviving in places as diverse as arid deserts to saturated bogs. There is even an endangered species of white aster growing in the Wisconsin marshland. Your plants will survive in moist, well drained soil in an area prone to full sunlight. They can also thrive in light shade as well. Keep in mind that asters draw bees, so place them away from the house, garage and kid’s play area. They should be planted 18 inches apart because they will grow into broad, bushy plants that will have a tendency to crowd out other greenery. More mature groupings or clumps have to be divided out every three to four years. This can be done in early spring or late fall, before or after the asters bloom. New growths have to be pinched back about three to five inches. Do this by using your thumb and index finger, basically snapping off the top of the new shoot. This should be done this in mid summer. If done later, it’ll result in more leaves than flowers. Your asters may suffer from aster wilt, a kind of dehydration, due to too many roots leaching the moisture out of the soil. The young plants should be thinned twelve to fifteen inches apart when they reach the three inch growth mark. Mulch lightly during the colder months, especially when the ground starts freezing.

The other gem of your fall garden, the chrysanthemum, is one of America’s favorite flowers. Gardeners like the fact that it has so many hardy varieties. Chrysanthemums usually have petals surrounding a thick center disc. These are known as “decorative “There are other that look like daisies with a single row of white petals surrounding an always yellow middle. Other resembles anemones with their frilly petals surrounding lacy raised centers. Then there are the spiders, with their shaggy long petals, resembling a daddy long legs. Chrysanthemums come in every color except blue.

Mums (as they’re commonly called) flower in the fall as part of a natural response to the length of days. As the days become shorter, flower buds form. They then thrive and bloom when the daylight hours become minimal. Surprisingly enough they, too, like the aster, grow beautifully in sunny locations. Their soil must be well drained and fertile (add peat moss and / or mulch to improve it) Mum plants should be started in a highly organic soil mix and also require monthly fertilization, using either a granular or liquid plant food.

Winterizing your mums is very important. After the first frost has killed the flowers, trim them back to the ground and provide a light, airy mulch of evergreen branches. Mums face the horrors of constant wetness (caused by snow, rain or sleet) or frozen leaves. Keep them relatively dry and protected by building up the surrounding soil in mounds around them. Also create a simple drainage ditch along side them to divert water away from stems. Frost heaving can also occur. This is when the ground alternately freezes and thaws. To avoid having your mums traumatized, keep the plants somewhat shaded as well as insulating their roots with a light airy mulch (again use evergreen branches.)

Asters and mums can turn any garden into a special one. With their bright colors and hardy nature, they can help the landscape turn from a summer one into an autumn scene. They truly are the gems of a cold weather garden. They will sparkle and shine right up to your Thanksgiving holiday!