Smooth Blue Aster Seeds | 500 Seeds

How to Grow Smooth Blue Aster Seeds (Symphyotrichum laeve):
Smooth Blue Aster is a hardy native perennial that blooms lavender-blue daisies in late summer to fall and comes back year after year. Seeds usually need a cold period to wake up. so the easiest method is to sow outdoors in late fall or winter??scatter seeds on prepared soil. press in lightly. and let nature do the stratification. If you want to start in spring. cold-stratify first: keep seeds in a slightly damp medium in the fridge for about 6?C10 weeks. then sow. Plant seeds on the surface or barely covered (they germinate best with light). keep soil evenly moist. and expect sprouts once temperatures warm. Choose full sun for the strongest plants and most flowers (they tolerate light shade). and use well-drained soil that stays on the dry-to-medium side. Thin seedlings to about 30?C45 cm (12?C18 in) apart; mature plants typically reach 60?C120 cm (2?C4 ft) tall.

How to Care for Smooth Blue Aster:
Water regularly during the first growing season so roots establish. then switch to deeper. less frequent watering??this aster is fairly drought-tolerant once mature and dislikes soggy soil. Fertilizer is rarely needed; too-rich soil can make stems flop. so a light compost top-dress in spring is plenty. For bushier growth. you can pinch or trim stems back by about one-third in early summer. then stop pruning by late summer so buds can form. Tall stems may need staking in windy spots. Deadhead spent flowers if you want a tidier look and fewer self-seeded volunteers. or leave some heads to dry if you want natural reseeding. Pests and diseases are usually minimal; good sun. spacing. and drainage prevent most issues. After frost. cut stems down to a few centimeters above the soil and mulch lightly??new growth will return in spring.