Aster Pompon Blue Seeds - Callistephus Tall Pompon Blue

Pompon Aster (Callistephus Tall Pompon Blue) with showy blue blooms and white center make great cut flowers. They will bloom from summer until the first hard frost in the fall. Deadheading promotes continuous blooming. Asters are attractive to pollinators: bees and butterflies. PLANT INFORMATION: Plant Name: AsterVariety: Callistephus Tall Pompon BlueLife Cycle: Annual  Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9 Soil Preference: Rich, consistently moist, well-drainedLight: Full sun – Partial shadeColor: Dark blue w/ white center   Sow Indoors or Outdoors:  Aster seeds are best started indoors 6 – 8 weeks before the final frost, with germination occurring in 7 – 21 days with full lighting. Aster seeds can also be sown directly outside just after the last frost.Planting Depth: Plant 4 – 5 seeds ¼” deepPlant Spacing: 9 – 12"Sowing rate: 3-4 seeds per plant   PLANTING GUIDE: Asters are summer season annuals. Sow seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the potential last frost. Sow aster seeds on the top of the soil surface. Barely cover them with soil. Cover the pots with a layer of clear plastic wrap, which preserves moisture till the seeds sprout. Set up the tray of pots in a 70-75 Fahrenheit place that gets indirect light from sun.  Take out the plastic wrap when sprouts come out. Move the pots to a spot that gets a minimum of 6 hrs of direct sun light; water the seedlings when the soil surface area dries out. Once the plants produce their 2nd set of leaves, thin the seedlings to ensure that only one aster remains in each pot. Incorporate a 2-inch garden compost layer into the top of 8 inches soil, in a well-draining outdoor bed that gets 6 hours of direct sun light daily. Transplant the asters into the bed at the very same depth they were in their pots, spacing them 9 to 12 inches apart. Harden the Aster plants off for 10 - 14 days before transplanting outdoors. Water aster plants deeply one or two times a week, giving approx 1 inch of moist each time, make sure that the top 6 inches of soil do not dry. Spread out a 2-inch layer of mulch over the bed to support preserve the soil humidity. Cut off spent blooms, and get rid of any plants that seem unhealthy to avoid the spread of diseases. Spray the asters with an insecticidal soap if leafhoppers, mites or aphids end up being an issue. Leafhoppers can spread out the aster yellows infection, so they need timely control.   Package includes: Aster Pompon Blue 100 Seeds   SHIPPING INFORMATION Processing time 2-5 business days. Estimated delivery time 3-9 days (depending on your location).