Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Purple Dome aster, New England aster, Michaelmas daisy (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Purple Dome').

More about aster 'purple dome'

About Aster 'Purple Dome'

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Purple Dome' · also called Purple Dome aster, New England aster · flowering

A compact, naturally mounding New England aster covered in rich violet-purple daisy flowers with yellow centres from late summer into autumn. One of the best dwarf asters for the front of the border, it rarely needs staking. Not ASPCA-listed; treat as mildly toxic to pets as a precaution. Excellent for pollinators.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons aster 'purple dome' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming aster 'purple dome' 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 'purple dome' 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 'purple dome' to flower

Maximise sun. Give aster 'purple dome' 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 'purple dome' and get the feeding right with the aster 'purple dome' 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 'Purple Dome' 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 'purple dome' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Aster 'Purple Dome' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my aster 'purple dome' flower?

Aster 'Purple Dome' 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 'purple dome' bloom?

Give aster 'purple dome' 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 'purple dome' normally bloom?