With their star-shaped flowers, which depending on the variety can shine white, pink, red, violet or blue, they have already conquered the hearts of many a gardener, the asters. Read below how to propagate them by seed!

The seeds can be collected after flowering in autumn

Preculture from February

You can pre-cultivate the aster seeds from February. Pre-cultivation from home is possible until April. But not only in the house is a suitable place for the preculture. You can also sow the seeds outside on the balcony in mild temperatures.

This is to be noted:

  • use fresh seed soil (asters are susceptible to fungal diseases)
  • Fill pots with seed compost
  • Use 2 to 3 seeds per planting hole
  • Sow seeds 1 cm deep
  • keep moist
  • Germination temperature: from 10 °C
  • Germination time: 1 to 2 weeks
  • separate later if necessary

Direct sowing from April

From April, but preferably from mid-May, the seeds can also be spread directly outdoors. Greenhouses (77.12€) or cold frames are also suitable. The main thing is that it is light. Proceed in a similar way to the instructions for pre-cultivation. If there is no rain, watering is important so as not to interrupt the germination process.

It is important that you sow the seeds in a sunny place. Asters are real sun worshippers. Also make sure that you have the right spacing when sowing. You should at least keep half the growth width of the respective species or variety.

Some aster species require a cold stimulus

There are also aster species that are not so easy to pre-cultivate in the warm. Their seeds first need a cold stimulus (stratification). These include the species Aster alpinus, Aster novi-angliae and Aster belgiae.

Expose the seeds of these species to temperatures around 5 °C for 4 to 8 weeks (e.g. in the refrigerator, in winter on the balcony,…). The temperatures may also be below 5 °C. Only then are the seeds grown in pots at home.

tips

If asters are sown at temperatures around 10 °C, they develop into stronger plants. Too much heat partially restricts their growth potential.

Category:

Vegetable garden