Your Weekly Electronic Gardening Guide
Practical Horticulture for Busy People.
Aster
About This Plant...
Genus and species:Callistephus chinensis
Plant type:cool-season annual
Height:8-10 inches or 18-24 inches
Location and soil:sun; tolerates poor, dry soil
Uses:cutting, bedding, border, edging, containers
Bloom time:late summer-late fall
Color range:lavender, pink, red, rose, yellow, white
Indoor Sowing...
Time needed to reach transplant size:6-8 weeks
When to transplant to garden:after last heavy spring frost
Outdoor Sowing...
When to sow outdoors:after last heavy spring frost
Other Sowing Guidelines...
Approx. germination time:10-14 days
Germination temp.:70 degrees F.
Sowing Depth:1/16 inch
Needs light or dark to germinate:-
Transplanting Guidelines...
Spacing between plants:12-15 inches
Growing On...
Pests:leafhoppers
Diseases:wilt, aster yellows
Growing tips:pinch back plants in late spring to encourage bushiness; rotate planting area each season to keep diseases from developing; asters do not transplant well; tolerates light frost