Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Aster 'Little Carlow' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Little Carlow Aster, Michaelmas Daisy 'Little Carlow' (Symphyotrichum 'Little Carlow').

More about aster 'little carlow'

About Aster 'Little Carlow'

Symphyotrichum 'Little Carlow' · also called Little Carlow Aster, Michaelmas Daisy 'Little Carlow' · flowering

Symphyotrichum 'Little Carlow' is a vigorous, award-winning perennial Michaelmas daisy producing clouds of violet-blue flowers with yellow centres in late summer and autumn. It is exceptionally mildew-resistant for an aster. Thrives in full sun and well-drained soil; not individually ASPCA-listed but generally low-toxicity.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons aster 'little carlow' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming aster 'little carlow' 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 aster 'little carlow' 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 aster 'little carlow' to flower

Maximise sun. Give aster 'little carlow' 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 aster 'little carlow' and get the feeding right with the aster 'little carlow' 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

Aster 'Little Carlow' 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 aster 'little carlow' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Aster 'Little Carlow' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my aster 'little carlow' flower?

Aster 'Little Carlow' 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 aster 'little carlow' bloom?

Give aster 'little carlow' 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 aster 'little carlow' normally bloom?