Aster relative fights doldrums

Sunset, Jan, 1990

Aster relative fights doldrums An upstanding relative of the aster can fill in admirably for a month or so when Shasta daisies, yarrow, and other tall garden standbys give way to late-summer doldrums. Order seeds of Boltonia asteroides now for spring planting and September bloom.

It bears showy clusters of white to pale blue 1-inch flowers on stiff stems. Gray-green leaves appear in spring, but vertical growth doesn't start till midsummer. In a spurt, plants reach 4 to 6 feet tall.

Sow in well-drained soil in full sun. Apply controlled-release fertilizer when growth starts. Boltonia needs regular watering, but otherwise takes care of itself.

You can order seeds from J.L. Hudson Seedsman, Box 1058, Redwood City, Calif. 94064 (catalog $1).