The fall flower bed should include the late blooming New England Aster. The new Latin name is Symphyotrichum novae-angliae which used to be Aster novae-angliae. Its commonly known as Michaelmas Daisy or fall aster.

New England Aster is native to the northeast United States. You find it growing in open fields, road sides, and the edges of forests. New England Aster likes full sun but is just as comfortable in part shade. Colors range from white, pink, rose, lilac, to royal purple. Late season butterflies like the Monarch are attracted to the New England Aster's yellow centers. It is a profuse bloomer with clusters of blossoms on tip of each stem.

The New England Aster is a perennial. It will tolerate moist soil. Include it in your native plant and butterfly gardens.

Selecting Your New England Aster

New England Aster plants will be available in various sizes late August through October. Not much has been done on developing hybrid species. You will find them at your local nurseries, home improvement warehouse stores, grocery and department stores. Select New England Aster plants that are healthy with no broken stems. Inspect soil and under leaves for bug infestation. Gently pull plant from pot to check if pot bound. You should see healthy root growth with plenty of soil. If roots are not visible, select another plant. Opt for plants with a full head of unopened buds. Refrain from instant gratification planting. You don't want to begin with dead heading.

Where To Plant Your New England Aster

Small pots of New England Asters are well suited for window boxes, mixed flower planters, and borders of your flower bed. Large specimens should be planted to the back of flower beds. Large plants can fill large planter pots for door steps and patio. Since the New England Aster is perennial, plan on transferring any container plantings to a permanent place in the garden before a hard freeze is expected. This is a frugal gardening tip.

How To Plant Your New England Aster

The New England Aster will attain heights up to 4-6 feet. Select a site where they can attain full growth. The general planting rule of thumb applies to New England Asters. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and deeper. Mix organic compounds such as compost or peat moss with the soil. Plant the new specimen no deeper than it was in its pot. Water thoroughly to promote good deep root growth.

How To Care For And Maintain Your New England Aster

Your New England Aster is virtually maintenance free once it is established in your fall flower garden bed. Because it is native, it has a natural immunity to disease and insect attack.

Mulching with seaweed, compost, or pine bark will help your New England Aster establish itself in your garden and provide the nutrients needed to flourish. Water thoroughly once a week for several weeks to ensure root growth before winter sets in. Containers need daily watering and respond to a monthly dose of liquid fertilizer at half strength.

Dead heading will encourage your New England Aster to go for another round of blooms before a heavy freeze. Take a pair of scissors to cut off the numerous spent flowers all at once. This is much easier than trying to keep up with pinching.

To maintain a bushy full plant, pinch off the tips of the stems of your New England Asters just under the height and shape you wish your plant to be in fall. You should stop pinching back by mid summer to allow buds to form.

Every couple of years it will be necessary to dig up and divide the New England Aster root ball. This will invigorate the plant. Amend the soil as stated above before replanting. New plants can be easily propagated by taking stem cuttings and removing leaves from at least two nodes. Gently insert them into the soil and water well.

How To Use Your New England Asters

Group Your New England Asters around a garden bed feature such as a large rock or statue. Add color to your bird feeding station. Use as a specimen plant.

These Asters make wonderful cut flowers for table centerpieces and flower arrangements.  Pots or vases can be set between pumpkins and gourds for a fall display. A basket containing one to three small pots and a bow makes a lovely hostess or house warming gift.