James282 wrote:I just bought a few aster plants and have now read that Jess would "never have them in her garden!" I was just wondering what the main problems are with them. They seem to be so pretty and I hope that they can have a place on my property somewhere!
Oops not been keeping up with this thread...sorry.
The area I live in is fairly hot and humid. Asters in hot humid weather are always covered in mildew. Their roots spread like spaghetti and unless dug up and split every couple of years the middle dies off and the edges fall over...the taller varieties fall over whatever state they are in!
Once in an area they are very difficult to get rid of. Getting every piece of root out is so hard and invariably they sprout in that area again.
All of that is a generalisation. There are many different forms of aster, some tall, some short, some very airy but your average clump in England is the tall, purple, straggly, mildew infested, overgrown Aster novi-belgii.
I am sure whatever you grow will be beautiful!
EDIT...aha! Just noticed that you mentioned Stokes aster,
Stokesia laevis. Could this be where the difference in opinion comes from? Stokesia are beautiful plants. Not known as asters here and rarely seen either. I would have no problem planting those in my garden!