When it arrives
Your plug tray
Plugs are small and dry out fast. Water on arrival, keep in bright light, and harden off a week before planting. Pot 72-cell plugs into 4 in pots or plant directly once rooted. Pinch once when 6 in tall.
Made with this by our community
Real dishes from our Field Notes recipes, shared by the people who made them.
Grape Crush grown by our community
Vote, explore & learn moreAccolades, grower stories, cultivar confidence, sharing, and the full gallery
↻
Fresh votes, familiar photosEvery eligible photo automatically re-enters monthly. Crown first, new entries next, returning entries after.
🏆 Monthly crown tally
Four emojis, four real accolades
Your reaction votes in that category and also adds one equal point to the photo's overall Lavender Crown total.
💜Community FavoriteThe photo you simply love most
📷Best ViewThe strongest composition, setting, or scene
🌱Healthiest VigorStrong visible growth for the plant's age and season
✨Creative GrowingAn inventive pot, trellis, landscape, bed, or field
Category accolades: the photo leading each emoji earns that badge; one photo can earn several. Overall Lavender Crown: all four emoji counts combine, and the highest monthly total wins. Monthly counts restart, but approved photos stay enrolled. Cultivar-confidence votes are separate.
🛡 Automated upload checks, permissions, community confidence, and vote integrity protect each entry.
- Mature height
- 30.0 in
- Mature spread
- 44.0 in
- Bloom
- Early-September – peak Late-September
- Fragrance
- None
- Deer
- Susceptible
Lavender companion · grow guide
How to grow Grape Crush
New England Aster · Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
New England aster wants full sun and moist, fertile, well-drained soil. Pinch it in spring for a bushier plant and late-season blooms for pollinators.
Check my zone & planting dates
-
Full sunLight
-
Moderate waterAverage drainage
-
pH 5.5–7.5Soil
-
Zones 3a–8bHardiness
-
30″ tall44″ wide
-
Some resistanceDeer · rabbits susceptible
-
Not known toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Grape Crush will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 3a–8b
Spring or early fall.
Your year with Grape Crush
JFMAMJJASOND
When to plant
Spring or early fall.
How deep
Crown at soil level, same depth as it grew.
Spacing
2-3 ft apart for airflow; it's a large clump.
Soil
Moist, fertile loam; tolerates clay · pH 5.5–7.5
Fix-it tip: Add compost to sandy soil to hold moisture. Clay is fine as long as it doesn't stay waterlogged.
Sun
Full sun (tolerates part shade).
Shade causes leggy stems, fewer flowers, and more mildew.
Don’t give up on it
Is it alive? What spring looks like
Shoots appear in mid spring. Plants look like green leafy stems all summer and don't bloom until late summer to fall, so be patient.
Spring
Divide if needed; pinch stems in late spring.
-
Summer
Water in drought; watch for mildew.
Fall
Enjoy blooms; leave seed heads for birds.
Winter
Cut back or leave stems standing.
Watering
First season: Water weekly through the first summer if rain is short.
After that: Water in dry spells; drought stress causes lower leaves to brown and drop.
Feeding
Light. Compost in spring; too much nitrogen gives floppy stems.
Pruning & deadheading
Pinch or cut stems back by about half before early July (in the North) for bushier plants. This delays bloom slightly. Cut back in late fall or leave for winter birds.
Dividing
Every 2-3 years in spring to keep it vigorous.
Winter
Very cold hardy. Leave stems for wildlife or cut back after frost.
Summer heat
Lower leaves often brown in heat or drought; plant shorter perennials in front to hide them. Powdery mildew is common in humid weather.
White powder on leaves late summer
Likely cause: Powdery mildew
What to do: Space for airflow, thin stems in spring, and water at the base.
Stems flop open
Likely cause: Not pinched, or too much shade or nitrogen
What to do: Pinch in late spring; stake tall types.
Bare, brown lower stems
Likely cause: Drought stress (normal to a degree)
What to do: Water in dry spells; plant low perennials in front.
Too wet or too dry?
Bare, brown lower stems mean drought stress. Yellowing and rot at the base mean too wet.
Watch for
- Powdery mildew
- Lower leaf drop in drought
- Aster wilt, stem rot
- Aphids, spider mites, leafminers
Pets & wildlife
Not listed by ASPCA; no known toxicity reported. Discourage pets from chewing any garden plant.
Deer: somewhat resistant · Rabbits: susceptible
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
In a container
Possible, with care · 3 gallon+
Large, thirsty plant; possible in a big pot with frequent watering.
Indoors
Outdoor plant
Needs full sun and winter dormancy outdoors.
Winter chill
No chill needed
Flowering is triggered by shortening days in late summer; young plants usually bloom their first fall.
Growing it on
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 3 gallon pot
Time to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Plant it near your lavender
Shares full sun but wants more water and richer soil. Plant behind or beside the lavender bed; its fall purple blooms carry pollinators long after lavender finishes.
Same bedNearbyIts own area
Community Grower Report
How does Grape Crush New England Aster grow for you?
Real results from gardeners who grow it, including how it does beside lavender. Answer only what you have experience with.
Loading community reports…
–out of 5
Overall
recommendation
Your grower tips
Optional. The farm reads every tip before it appears on this page.
Tips from growers
Grower-sourced information. Results reflect real gardens and farms and vary with climate, soil, plant age and care.
Great Lakes Lavender Farm
Is your plant struggling?
Use our evidence-led health checker for a practical recovery plan, staff review, or a second opinion from the Grower Community.
GREAT LAKES LAVENDER FARM
Customer Reviews
Reviews from growers, gardeners and shoppers.
—
🪻🪻🪻🪻🪻
Loading reviews…SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Great Lakes Lavender Farm Community
Plants, lavender products, apparel, gifts and growing supplies.
Customer Photos
Community Reels
Loading reviews…
No approved reviews match this filter.
