Cosmos can tolerate warm, dry weather very well. They are even drought-tolerant. Depending on the variety, cosmos can grow anywhere between 18 to 60 inches tall, so plan accordingly. Thin to 12—18 inches apart when seedlings are a few inches tall.
If you are growing cosmos from seeds, be mindful that it takes about 7 weeks to first bloom. After that, though, your flowers should continue to bloom until the first fall frost. If you let the spiky-brown seed heads blow away during the fall, cosmos are likely to self-sow throughout your garden. This speeds up flower development and aids branching. Because some of these plants can grow really tall, staking may be necessary.
Offer them protection from strong winds, encourage balanced branching by pinching out aka pruning central shoots or stem tips, or stake them. Growing them against a fence can also provide the necessary support. Water regularly until plants are established or if it is unusually dry.
Cosmos can tolerate dry soil, even in a hot, arid, sunbaked spot. Cosmos beds may become weedy due to the fact that they self-seed, so remember to remove flowers before they go to seed or to thin seedlings in the spring. Stem canker Powdery mildew Gray mold Aphids. Harvesting Seeds and Cut Flowers To harvest more seeds, remember to leave a few flowers on the plant because they will self-seed.
Simply strip off the lower leaves and put them in a vase. Tall cosmos are best for the back of the garden and filling in mixed borders among perennials such as foxgloves , phlox , delphiniums , and daisies , as well as annuals such as poppies, cleome, and asters. Dwarf cosmos, such as the Ladybird series, are great companions for zinnias , Johnny jump-ups, pansies , alchemilla, or dark-blue morning glory.
Cosmos is one of the October birth flowers. Vegetable Gardener's Handbook. What do you want to read next? Easy Perennial Flowers for Crazy for Daisies: Types of Black-eyed Susans.
Growing Wildflowers The Best Fall Flowers for Your Planting Fall Bulbs for Spring Bee Balm. Invasion of the Garden Catalogs Are Cosmos stems adventitious like tomatoes? Can I bury the stems deeper when I transplant them? Try these: yellow cosmos Cosmos sulphureus , which can grow 4 to 7 feet tall.
Where can I buy cosmos seeds? Dollar Tree when seeds were available. I bought mine here and am very happy! Go to American Meadows. I have liked everything I have purchased. How to Plant and Grow. Sign up for our email newsletter by entering your email address. Full Sun. Loamy , Sandy.
Neutral to Slightly Alkaline. Summer , Fall. Orange , Pink , Purple , Red , White. Plus, since you are starting your plants off indoors whether that's in a greenhouse or on a windowsill , you are able to start planting earlier in early spring so will have a well established, flowering plant by early summer.
If you are starting your cosmos in the greenhouse, then it is essential to harden them off. Thankfully, hardening off is very important and very easy. Simply put your plants in a sheltered place for a week or two to adjust to the temperature variation in your garden. It 'means much faster growing and longer-lasting flowers' says Monty Don on his popular blog. He also recommends doing the same for young cosmos that are bought in the garden centre too.
Direct planting is a low-maintenance choice that creates a beautiful cottage garden aesthetic. Simply rake the ground and sprinkle the seeds directly in the bed.
You can then thin these out once the seedlings have appeared. However, be sure to wait until all threat of frost is over and ensure that your soil has sufficiently warmed up. However you start off your plants, cosmos like being planted out in full sun and in moist but well-drained soil. You can also encourage bushier plants by pinching out the tips at cm, and by staking the plants once they are tall enough.
If your cosmos just aren't flowering, you could be making one crucial mistake. In order to keep your cosmos flowering, it is important to deadhead the blooms. This stops the plant putting its energy into creating seeds and instead puts its efforts into creating more flowers. Just before the first frost, allow a few blooms to go to seed, so that you can harvest and save the seeds for planting next year.
Cosmos are annuals meaning they do not come back every year. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. We use cookies to give you the best experience on our website.
These cookies are completely safe and secure and will never contain any sensitive information. Learn more. Cosmos are prized for their abundant, silky, daisylike flowers and their unflappable, easy-care nature in the garden. While bedding plants are sold in spring, cosmos are simple and inexpensive to grow from seeds. Plant them in full sun in very hot regions, cosmos can take afternoon shade and give them protection from strong winds.
Cosmos tolerates a wide range of soil types, including poor soil. Plants need even moisture to get started, but mature cosmos are drought tolerant; plants produce more and larger flowers, however, if they are watered regularly.
Cosmos, in its annual form, is a native of Mexico. Along with taking gold, silver, and other riches from Mexico, 16th-century Spanish explorers sent hundreds of cosmos back to Madrid. It was at least another 50 years until cosmos got to the United States, indirectly from England and Spain and more directly from Mexico.
Either sow cosmos seeds outdoors after danger of frost has passed, or for an early start on summer blooms, sow seeds indoors four to five weeks before the last spring-frost date.
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