Callistephus (red) - Seeds

Name: Callistephus (red)
Quantity: 800 Bulk Seeds
Height: 8 to 32 inches (20 to 80 cm).
Growing Region: Zones 1 to 10.
Flowers: Summer.
Flower Details: Red. Chrysanthemum-like. Fragrant.
Foliage: Ovate. Toothed. Two to three inches.
Sow Outdoors: Cover seed. Following the last frost. Spacing 6 to 24 inches (15 to 60 cm).

Sow Indoors: Water from below. Use vermiculite. Use Peat pots. Germination time: one to two weeks. Temperature 65 to 70°F (18 to 21°C). Seven or eight weeks in advance. Transplant outdoors following the last frost.

Requirements: Full sunlight or light shade. Good drainage. Soil pH 5.5 to 7. Rich soil. Regular light watering. Feed with fertilizer two times during the growing season. May need support. Summer mulch. Deadhead. Weed around plants to prevent competition. Grow in a different location every year. Do not overcrowd. Do not grow close to a surface that reflects heat. Grow in an area that has adequate ventilation. It is important to remove plants that have any sign of disease as they pass infections easily to other Callistephus.

How to grow:
If planning to grow Callistephus then the seeds should be lightly covered once sown. Sow in the spring, following the last frost. 
If you plan to grow China Aster and similar as seedlings indoors for later transplanting then they should be germinated at a temperature of 18 to 21C for two weeks. Seeds should be sown in peat pots in a vermiculite mix and water supplied from below. After about seven or eight weeks the seedlings can be planted in the garden in an area of partial shade or full sun with a spacing of 20cm (dwarf) 40cm (medium) or 60cm for larger species. They prefer to grow in a rich soil that has good drainage and a pH of 6 to 7.