Aster: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
When and how do you sow asters outdoors?
Check the botanical name and packet instructions before sowing asters outside. The garden name includes perennials from several genera and annual China aster, Callistephus chinensis. Timing, temperatures and possible chilling requirements differ. For seed intended for spring sowing, wait for sufficiently warm ground and respect its frost sensitivity. Do not automatically apply cold treatment to every batch simply because it is labelled aster.
Prepare a small, weed-free, well-drained area with a fine, level surface. Choose suitable light for the type, generally a sunny position. Sow thinly in marked rows or a nursery bed. Follow the supplier’s depth: many small seeds need only a very light covering rather than routine burial at 1 to 1.5 cm. Seed distribution is different from final spacing between mature plants. Label the name and date.
Water gently and maintain steady moisture until emergence without saturating the soil. Identify seedlings before removing competing weeds. Germination varies, so a three-week period is not universal. Once several true leaves appear, thin plants or prepare to move them according to mature width. Seed from a hybrid cultivar does not guarantee identical offspring, and some perennials flower after an establishment period rather than immediately.
When and how do you plant asters?
When do asters flower and how do you care for their blooms?
