Help: Droopy Stokes Aster

Hi, everyone.

I planted several Stokes Aster about a month ago. They were doing very well, except for two of them, which immediately became very droopy. A couple of weeks ago they all started to droop. And now it's looking dire! The attached photo is of the worst of them.

I was watering them a lot for a couple weeks, because they were new transplants. Now I'm thinking I overwatered them?

They're in a spot that gets sun roughly half the day. I haven't fertilized since I planted them, and I haven't mulched around them.

Thanks for your help.

Dare

Were they plants that were in that potting mix that looks like bark? I hope you removed some of that so the roots could get to the good soil. That stuff dries out pretty quickly. If that is the case, I'd carefully remove them from the hole and shake some of that off and then replant and water well. If you water the plant and it still looks wilted.....that could also be a sign of root rot. I went to a local nursery a week ago to ask about a plant I had that was behaving like that. She told me to mix Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) with water about half and half. She said to water once with that very well and then let the plant dry some for several days. I did that and it helped save my plant. I hope your plants do recover.

I have a nice healthy plant, nice rosette of leaves, but the flowers stems all lay down on the ground instead of growing upright. They are sprinklered, bright light, with half day at least sun, in Michigan. Any suggestions?

I had an aster with similar leaves, but not a stokes, do the same thing earlier this summer. I just assumed they go summer dormant if the temperature gets too hot. Mine was not a new transplant but a two year old plant.

Joni: I bet the problem is that you don't have enough sun. Mobot says they need full sun. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder/plant-details/kc/i900/stokesia-laevis.aspx