Crego Giant Mix Aster Seeds

Introduced in the early 1910s, Aster Crego Giant Mix features large showy double-blooms that average 3-4 inches wide. Plants grow up to 3 feet and the long-stemmed feathery flowers are a mix of purple, rose, fuchsia and white.

Excellent for filling a sunny spot in a border, to grow in containers indoors or outdoors, along a fence or a wall. Crego Giant Mix is sure to please fresh on display or also as a popular cut flower in seasonal arrangements.

- Latin Name: Callistephus chinensis
- Life Cycle: Annual
- Days to Maturity: 90-105
- Planting Depth: 3-4 seed 3-4 mm deep
- Plant Spacing: 30-40 cm
- Growth Habit: 30-45 cm tall

GROWING INSTRUCTIONS

Asters showcase their gorgeous daisy-esque flowers in the late summer and fall. They’re so valuable, not only as a symbol of autumn, but because they bloom magnificently when many other flowers begin to fade. Asters offer up their nectar to bees and butterflies late in the year, an important source of food to help them prepare for the coming winter.

The upright perennial flowers come in shades of white, blue, purple and pink, adding unusual colours to the fall landscape. Depending on the height of the variety, asters can be used in many different locations like borders, rock gardens and wildflower gardens. On top of being a beneficial pollinator plant, aster seed heads feed cardinals, chickadees and finches, among other types of local birds.

Asters are typically bought as potted plants and propagated by division, but can definitely be started from seed by following the correct method. Seeds can be sown directly outdoors in the fall, or started inside in flats during the winter. Planted seeds should be refrigerated for four to six weeks to simulate a cold winter season. Then, about eight weeks before the last spring frost, place the flats in a sunny location with an ambient temperature of 16 degrees. Seedlings can be hardened off and transplanted into the garden in mid to late spring after the danger of frost has passed.

Give plenty of water to developing plants. Space young aster plants 30-90 cm apart, depending on the variety. It’s a good idea to grant more space than less, as asters will continue to grow over the years and expand their roots. After planting, add a layer of mulch around the base of the plants to keep the soil cool and moist.

During the summer, asters can be cut back by a third to encourage stockier growth and more flowers. For the winter, asters can be cut to the ground, or left to add character to the landscape and as a feed for the birds.

Asters should be planted in a location that is mostly sunny. Some partial shade will be tolerated, but too much will result in leggy plants and less flowers. A loamy, well-drained soil supplemented with compost will provide the perfect place for asters to thrive for many seasons.

Asters prefer cool regions and are frost-hardy, tolerating light frosts and temporary near-freezing temperatures. After asters have been established for a few years, they can be dug up and divided before they get too woody and die out in the centre. Salvage the outer portions of new growth and discard the woody centre. 

QUICK FACTS

- Aster, meaning ‘’star’’ in Latin, is a unique daisy-like star-shaped wildflower. Originally from the temperate regions of China and Korea, it has been cultivated for medicinal purposes for at least 2,000 years. Aster was introduced to Europe during the 1700s, where it quickly gained popularity, especially during Victorian times when floriography was highly fashionable.

- Aster seeds will remain viable for 1 year if stored in a cool, dark place, ideally between 4 and 10⁰C. After that, the germination rate may start to go down.