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Flowers · annual
China aster from seed
Callistephus chinensis · also searched as asters, easy to grow asters
- Germination temperature
- 70 to 72°F (21 to 22°C)
- Sowing depth
- covered lightly
- Days to germinate
- 7 to 14 days
- Light
- Either; light is not critical
- Before sowing
- Nothing needed
- Start indoors
- 6 to 8 weeks before planting out
- Plant out
- 0 to 2 weeks after the last frost
- Spacing
- 6 to 12 in (15 to 30 cm)
Your dates from your last frost Seed not coming up?
Sowing
Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before planting out (Johnny's) or direct once soil is 65 to 70°F.
Care and transplanting
Support tall types. Row cover helps keep leafhoppers (which spread aster yellows) off.
Problems
Fusarium wilt persists in soil; rotate beds. Aster yellows distorts and greens flowers; remove affected plants.
Saving seed
Collect dry seed from faded heads.