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Attract Pollinators All Summer Long With This Late-Blooming Flower
By NAOMI MEZA
While keeping a garden lively after the summer can be hard, asters bloom from late August until the first frost and bring pollinators into your yard long after most flowers wilted.
To ensure asters bloom all fall, you must maintain them properly. Plant them in nutrient-rich soil and water them carefully, as fluctuations in moisture levels can stress them out.
They also require pruning to promote a bushier growth habit and abundant blooms throughout the summer. When choosing a variety of aster, be sure to pick a non-invasive species.
A local variety is more beneficial to pollinators since they evolved with the plants. Plus, a native type offers more nectar and pollen compared with ornamental aster cultivars.
For example, both New England and New York asters are native to North America and will provide your garden with gorgeous, pollinator-attracting flowers in a range of colors.