This unfussy yearbook makes a colourful accession to abridge flower bouquets .
There is hardly any annual flush that is as easy to distinguish ascosmoswith its saucer - mould garden pink , magenta , or whitened efflorescence and bright unripe , feathery foliage . Cosmos is a day - sensitive plant that bloom best in late summertime when the sidereal day get shortsighted .
If you decide to plant cosmos , you are mishandle for choice . There are more than 25 species of cosmos and numerous varieties and cultivar . Cosmos cultivar offer a orotund routine of blossom colours than the cosmos species , and there are even bicolor varieties . The selection do n’t end here . Cosmos hail with single , semi - double , or double flowers , and in sizing ranging from midget to tall .
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Where to Plant Cosmos
plant life cosmos in a location with full Sunday and well - drain ground with a indifferent to slenderly alkaline pH.
Match the planting location with the cosmos variety . Tall cosmos are honorable for the back of the garden or a flower bed whereas short , summary types should be plant in the front where they wo n’t be obstructed by other plant life . Or , plant lilliputian assortment in containers for a pretty splatter of people of color on the patio . Cosmos flowers are the most striking when planted in groups or drifts .
Pair cosmos with three or fourother wanton - to - maturate annualsin a contract flower layer and enjoy week of freshly cut flowers right from your own garden . Anchor the cutting garden with multiple varieties of cosmos . You may also want to include other annuals like zinnias , sunflowers , larkspur , bells of Ireland , and unmarried man ’s buttons . Because cosmos flowers are so gentle to grow , they make a fun choice for a children ’s garden .
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
How and When to Plant Cosmos
Directly sow cosmos seeds in the garden after the last spring frost and when the filth temperature is at least 65 degrees F and ideally between 70 to 75 degrees F. Scatter the seeds on the soil surface and light rake them into the grease . The seed should not be covered with more than 1/8 inch of soil otherwise they wo n’t germinate . Keep the grime evenly moist . The seeds will germinate in 7 to 14 day .
Alternatively , startle the seeds indoors6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date in spring and transfer the seedlings outside after the last frost escort .
For space , pass on about 1 foot between transplantation or thinning the direct - sow seedlings accordingly allows the plants to support one another without being overcrowded .
Credit: Justin Hancock
Cosmos Care Tips
Cosmos is a tough one-year plant life that is easy to get and require minimum care .
Light
A emplacement that receives at least 8 hours offull sunis a must . Too much shadiness will lead to poor bloom and spindly growth .
Soil and Water
Cosmos uprise in a blanket ambit of soil types . Soil with ordinary to piteous fertility and apH between 7.0 and 7.5is best . Excellent soil drainage is a key requirement .
Keep the soil moist at all times during the seeded player sprouting flow and water as often as need . After the seedlings emerge , water them deeply about once a week . Once the plants are set up , no watering is required — cosmos boom in wry ground .
Temperature and Humidity
Cosmos is a warm - clime plant native to Mexico that needs temperature above 60 degrees F. It is not frost - tolerant . increase is stunted in temperatures below 53 degrees . High humidness is not an issue .
Fertilizer
Do not fecundate cosmos . This is a plant that expand in miserable land . Rich soil produces floppy , debile works , as well as a sparse bloom .
Pruning
Deadheading the spent flowerspromotes re - blooming and also cut down on the self - seeding . If the plant are getting grandiloquent and lank , cutting them back to a acme of 12 to 18 inches in midsummer encourage a shaggy maturation substance abuse .
Potting and Repotting Cosmos
Cosmos makes a great container flora . Choose shorter , summary variety as the tall varieties are more prone to topple over . Plant cosmos in a pot fill with well - enfeeble potting mix . verify the container has heavy drainage holes .
Like all potted works , cosmos in container require more frequent tearing than inground plant , as often as daily in raging summertime atmospheric condition .
Repotting wo n’t be required as cosmos are yearly .
Credit: Graham Jimerson
Pests and Problems
Cosmos is rarely affected by serious pests or disease . The industrial plant may attract aphids . Potential disease let in powdery mold , grey-headed molding , and stalk canker sore . Proper spatial arrangement to see to it good airflow help oneself to keep diseases .
How to Propagate Cosmos
Types of Cosmos
‘Sonata White’ Cosmos
Cosmosbipinnatus’Sonata White ' bears perfect - white flowers on stout , 18 - inch - tall works .
‘Cosmic Yellow’ Cosmos
Cosmos sulphureus’Cosmic Yellow ' is a thickset choice with three-fold chicken flowers over dark green leafage . It grows 12 inches marvellous .
‘Cosmic Orange’ Cosmos
This cultivar ofCosmos sulphureusbears many double orange flowers that are great for cut . It develop 12 inches tall .
‘Sensation’ Cosmos
This popular commixture ofCosmosbipinnatusbears gravid , 4 - inch - wide bloom in a mix of lavender , pink , red , and white on plant life that grow up to 5 feet magniloquent .
‘Versailles’ Cosmos
The strong stems and declamatory flowers in ghost of pink , white , and red make this intermixture ofCosmos bipinnatusespecially good for swerve .
‘Candystripe’ Cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus’Candystripe ' has pure white petals butt against in deep pink . It reaches 3 to 5 human foot tall .
Chocolate Cosmos
Cosmos atrosanguineus‘Choca Mocha ’ is a short , thickset cultivar with chocolate - colored flowers and fern - similar foliage . The sturdy stem grow up to 12 inch magniloquent .
Cosmos Companion Plants
Celosia
There are few yearly flowers as showy ascelosia . Whether you plant the congratulate eccentric , which produce strike upright spires , or the crested type , which has a fascinating twisted form , you ’ll enjoy using genus Celosia in bouquets . The bloom are beautiful as fresh flowers , but you could also dry them easily . And they blossom in all the colors of a glowing sundown . Plant established seedling in spring after all peril of frost has passed . Celosia likes rich , well - drained soil with moderate water . In hot , ironical conditions wanderer mites may become a job .
Dusty Miller
Dusty milleris a favored yearbook because it looks good with everything . The silvery - clean colouring is a great foil for any eccentric of garden blossom and the alright - textured foliage creates a beautiful demarcation against other plants ' green leafage . Dusty miller has also realise its place in the garden because it ’s delightfully easy to develop , hold out oestrus and drouth like a champion .
Salvia (Sage)
There are few gardens that do n’t have at least onesalviagrowing in them . Whether you have sun or shade , a teetotal garden or lots of rainfall , there ’s an yearly salvia that you ’ll obtain essential . All pull hummingbirds , specially the scarlet ones , and are slap-up picks for hot , dry web site where you want tons of gloss all time of year . Most sage do n’t like cool weather , so implant them outside after all danger of frost has passed .
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the size of the plant . Taller varieties may need game , especially if they are exposed to eminent winds and heavy rainfall . Shorter , bushier industrial plant commonly do n’t take game .
As the temperatures drop in the downfall , cosmos reaches the end of its annual lifecycle and die . Pull the integral works with all its ancestor , shake it to remove dirt , and tote up it to your compost mountain ( if you have a compost barrel , cut it into a few large section to make it set ) .
Updated by Nadia Hassani
Credit: Chipper R. Hatter
Credit: Jay Wilde
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Tom McWilliam
