WHERE TO PLANT ASTERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 514, 17 November 1928, Page 26

WHERE TO PLANT ASTERS

The best soil for aster culture is a well worked fertile sandy loam: the heavy soils require to be broken down somewhat either with plenty of stable manure, sand or ashes.

Before planting out the seedlings I have the land well broken up and dug over, and work in a liberal quantity of well decayed manure. At this i stage a dressing of bone meal comes ; in very handy. A handful to the \ square yard will be found sufficient. The beds where the are to grow should be sheltered f.jin winds as much as possible, but should be so situated that as much sunlight as possible can reach them. The plants should be set out in the beds some nine t£> twelve inches apart. If it is intended to grow asters in the ordinary flower border, they should he planted in clumps, pne in the centre and five around it| each distant from the other about 12 inches. When in full growth an occasional application of liquid cow manure or an ounce of the fallowing mixture in two gallons of water: one part superphosphate. one part sulphate of potash and two parts sulphate of ammonia. These fertilisers can be applied once a week, after watering remember, so as not to burn the roots. Among the many varieties of j asters offered by the seed trade, the : following types are worth the amateur !

gardener's attention. The best for all purposes is the Tasmanian giant I branching aster, a very hardy- type : and a very vigorous grower, attaining a height of some 24in and carrying innumerable flowers. It is by far the . best type to grow for the main crop.