They are available with white, deep blue, pink, violet, red and even yellow flowers - the asters. Depending on the variety, they delight with their charm. One aspect in which they are all quite similar is their seeds.
What do aster seeds look like and when do they germinate?
Aster seeds are narrow, elongated, ocher to light brown and sometimes have longitudinal grooves. Size and seed maturity vary depending on the species and flowering time. The seeds can be grown early from March to April or sown outdoors from May. Germination time is 7 to 14 days.
What do they actually look like?
Not everyone has ever seen the rather inconspicuous and - admittedly - less spectacular-looking seeds of the asters. So that you can recognize them when you walk past the faded flowers in the garden and are perhaps looking for seeds to sow in spring, you should know their external characteristics.
This is what the aster seeds look like:
- narrow
- elongated
- ocher to light brown
- wider at one end than the other,
- relatively smooth
- Longitudinal grooves are partially visible
- different sizes
- on the former inflorescence standing upright in the middle
- provided with former tubular flowers on the top
Seed maturity: Varies by type and species
In the aster world there are species that bloom in May. Others bloom in midsummer and others only in autumn. Due to the different flowering times, there is a different seed ripening time. The seeds of spring asters ripen in July. The seeds of autumn asters are not ripe until late autumn.
What should you know about germinating or sowing seeds?
The seeds can be sown between March and April. You should not start direct sowing outdoors before May. The seeds germinate at temperatures around 10 °C. But the higher the temperatures, the faster they germinate. Their average germination time is between 7 and 14 days.
Harvest or buy seeds
You can harvest the seeds without any problems. But be careful: Some seeds, such as those of the Alpine aster, need a cold stimulus in order to germinate. If you decide to buy the seeds, you usually don't need to expose them to cold. This has usually already been done.
Tip
If you harvested the seeds in summer or fall, it is best to store them in the refrigerator until next spring. This is how they retain their ability to germinate.
