Trial: Annual
Good Qualities
Harvest whole plant; long-lived but 'Serenade's' were better last year; Easy to grow, light staking (I did not and they stood pretty well), colors were brilliant, lots of buds per plant, bloomed earlier than other asters; Good germination.Problems
Aster yellows (2); Not eye catching enough by themselves, Sold ok when mixed with other asters (bigger flower), flowers are small and bright yellow disk a little prominent when opened; Too short, melted in heat; Despite electric deer fencing, these plants were destroyed by deer in field; None; Tarnish plant bug.Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating¹ | Repeat Again Rating¹ | Ease of Cultivation Rating¹ | Average Spacing (in2) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale | Retail | Consumer | ||||||
| Average | 0.6 | 18.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 103 |
| Range of Responses | 0-1 | 10-26 | 2 | 2 | 2-4 | 1-3 | 2-5 | 36-192 |
¹1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Comments
It is tough to beat Aster 'Serenade!'; I really liked them and was very disappointed with lack of consumer response; This series didn't really distinguish itself from others, to my eye.