no

do it

if you have more than one... leave one.. and experiment ...

i used to do mums.. aster close enough.. 6/4 7/4 .. and 8/4 in MI ...

ken

I will leave buds on one plant and see what happens.:) Thanks, Ken!

I have cut mine back twice already and will do at least one more time. If I don't, they all fall over when in bloom. Al

A rabbit is conducting Ken's experiment on my 'Purple Dome'.

I'm happy it doesn't seem to be able to reach the 'Alma Pötschke' which I like tall.

Ah, those pesky rabbits have nibbled most of my asters to the ground, Purple Dome is fenced in and I have sprayed Alma Potschke which has some damage along the edges. It's been years since I have seen AP tall.

Interesting, Mnwsgal.

This is the first year we've had rabbit-aster damage.

Perhaps your post looks into our future!

I just wondered why you want to cut back the compact dwarf Purple Dome? Mine grow very compact and completely different from the tall types.

I am not sure that this particular cultivar would benefit from a chomp- attack, well, just wondering, bye, Lin

I'm also due to cut mine back for the third time.

The bunnies munched early on mine but must have found something tastier as they thankfully haven't been back.

I was also wondering why such a short plant would need to be cut back. Purple Dome only grows about 15 inches tall and I've never had issues with flopping. I guess it could if grown in too much shade.

From past discussions about this plant, there seems to be a number of people who think they have Purple Dome, but it's really something else. Something else much, much taller.

Kevin

True, Kevin.

But much easier to deal with than the tall New England asters.

(October 15, 21013):

I cut back to extend my blooming season as I'm sure many others do too.

Beautiful in the fall....

This post was edited by lilsprout on Tue, Jul 1, 14 at 15:57

Interesting....

Purple Dome must behave differently in different parts of the country. For me, without pinching, it's just about the last plant to flower before frost. Luckily, it seems to take quite a bit of frost before it succumbs.

{{gwi:241215}}

It really is one of the best asters IMO.

Kevin

My Purple Dome's buds were opening up in bloom and I wanted to extend the bloom time until Fall. I have Clara Curtis asters that I always cut back to 6 inches first of July so they don't bloom too early. Anyway, I cut buds off all asters and will just have to see how it goes.

'Purple Dome' is one of the last things (including our other New England asters) in bloom here too.

Another aster which is still in bloom, at the same time, is smooth aster 'Bluebird'.

I'd say it's a very good fall perennial. It's perhaps better proportioned than 'Purple Dome'. It's also a graceful, well-behaved and hardy perennial, covered, in bloom, with many lavender blue flowers.

The picture is of the same bed, on the same day, as that of my 'Purple Dome' above.

Oh, I wish mine looked like yours, Kevin. Sadly deer found it in the not high enough fenced veg garden and ate it to the ground last night. Good thing I have mums for fall color.

I have a few different ones with misplaced tags. Can you possibly ID for me ?

TIA

Another...purple dome?

One more....thanks!

Sorry Lilsprout, I certainly can not.

I only have ongoing experience with a few named New England aster cultivars, though I have used "fall asters", latter with a New York aster or sometimes part New York ancestry.

Speculation re the last picture: on the basis of brown disc florets and the (small) number of ray florets, it's a New York hybrid.

I'm also assuming that there are more short New York aster cultivars available than New England ones, the latter plant typically being taller.

However,'Purple Dome' is a New England cultivar. it's thick stem fits, as does it's yellow flat central disc (disc florets). I've not checked it's leaves, which to be typically New England, should be hairy (not smooth).