Getting it to bloom
Why won't my New England Aster bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called New England aster, hairy Michaelmas daisy (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae).
More about new england aster
About New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · also called New England aster, hairy Michaelmas daisy · flowering
New England aster is a tall, robust native perennial crowned in autumn with masses of purple-to-pink daisy flowers with golden centres. A magnet for late-season bees and migrating monarchs, it thrives in full sun and moist, fertile soil. Vigorous and clump-forming, it benefits from staking or early-summer pinching to keep its sturdy stems upright.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons new england aster isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming new england aster traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:
- Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
- Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
- The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
- Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
- It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.
Feeding new england aster a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
The fix — how to get new england aster to flower
- Maximise sun. Give new england aster the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
- Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
- Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
- Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.
Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for new england aster and get the feeding right with the new england aster fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.
Bloom season and what to expect
New England Aster flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
Post-bloom care so it flowers again
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full new england aster care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
New England Aster blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my new england aster flower?
New England Aster blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
How do I make new england aster bloom?
Give new england aster the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
When does new england aster normally bloom?
New England Aster flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with new england aster after it flowers?
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping new england aster flowering?
Feeding new england aster a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- New England Aster care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- New England Aster light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- New England Aster fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 1410 bloom guides in the Growli library