Prolonging flowering this autumn - Asters and crysanths and roses
Hello, I planted Asters (Lazy Daisy variety) and Crysanthamums, hoping they might keep going until mid October to use at our wedding. They still look great and I have some new buds still coming as I sowed some at different times. My question is, is there anything I can do to help maximise flowers for 3 weeks' time? I am deadheading them regularly as the petals start to droop. But wondered if it was worth risking anything more drastic - eg cutting back flowers which still look good at the moment to make more buds form. Obviously I know if we get a hard frost they could be done for!
I also have a rose bush - no idea of the variety sorry - and that is still flowering and some new buds still coming. I have been deadheading very regularly but again wonder if I cut off all the flowers now might that help more buds form?
I've also got Orlaya, Verbena Bonariensis, Nasturtiums and California Poppies which seem to all be lasting very well at the moment.
Grateful for any tips. I normally grow veg on my allotment but turned some of it over to flowers this year, so new to this!
thank you!
Kath
Posts
With the roses, just keep deadheading. I usually have roses blooming into November
However, this year, my roses haven't had a very good 'second' flush. I've dead-headed them, fed them, but, one bed in particular (Pearl) just isn't flowering at all at the moment. I wonder whether the hot weather and lack of water affected them ?? My climbers are the similar - they flowered well at first, but just haven't got a lot of flowers now.
Yes, keep deadheading, and take the flowers off before they really go over - I would NOT hack the whole plant back, but don't let it waste too much energy thinking about seeds - 'dead'head before the insects pollinate....
And keep them watered and fed! (I'd think tomato food might be best? but I'm not an expert)
andyou need some later flowering asters and chrysanths. Have a look and see what's flowering in other gardens and nurseries but beware of the very late chrysanths. I had some that were so late they just looked miserable in November. I'm miserable enough in November without that.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Is it possible that the excellent first flush of roses this year, which in my garden were the best for years if not ever, took too much out of them to expect a great second flowering/repeat... especially as I didn't feed them again in the very hot spell. Come to think of it, was the hot spell and lack of water to blame? I think so.
Nut, I have some "late spray" chrysanths, and if they don't do anything this year they are for the compost heap. Plenty of leaf, but no flower power.
WW a lot of mine made their own decision during the long cold wet months of last winter
In the sticks near Peterborough
They are on their last warning! I had hoped they would give me an extended seaon of flower, and they were really good plugs from Chrys. Direct. However they have never flowered, and they are very leggy, even if you give them a hard cut back as instructed. All in all more bother than.......
In my experience very hot and dry weather seems to be a real check on plant growth, and as soon as things cool and rain arrives off they go again. However I must admit that I have been a bit lax on the deadheading front