Flowers cosmea (lat. Cosmos), or space, or Mexican aster belong to the genus of perennial and annual herbs of the Asteraceae, or Asteraceae, family, numbering more than twenty species. The name comes from Greek word kosmeo and translated means “decoration”. The tropics and subtropics of America are considered the birthplace of cosmos. most of Cosmos species grows in Mexico. In our climate, only three species of this genus are grown - two annual cosmos and one perennial.
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Planting and caring for cosmos (in brief)
- Landing: sowing seeds in the ground - in early spring, as soon as the snow melts, or before winter; sowing seeds for seedlings - in March or April, transplanting seedlings into the garden - from mid-May to early June.
- Bloom: from mid-June to September.
- Lighting: bright sunlight.
- The soil: any, but loose, well-drained, moderately fertile, slightly acidic soils are preferable.
- Watering: weekly and abundant - 4-5 buckets for each bush.
- Feeding: three times a season with complete mineral fertilizer: before the formation of buds, during the budding period and before the start of flowering. Foliar feeding is also welcome.
- Reproduction: seed.
- Pests: For young plants that have not yet matured, slugs and snails pose a danger.
- Diseases: the plant is very resistant to any infections.
Read more about growing cosmos below.
Cosmos flower - description
The cosmos plant reaches a height of 50 to 150 cm. Its stems are thin, flexible, erect and branched. The leaves are opposite, twice dissected, openwork, graceful. Inflorescences-baskets, similar to daisies, up to 12 cm in diameter, grow singly or are collected in loose corymbose panicles. The middle flowers in the baskets are small, tubular, yellowish, and the reed flowers are large, purple, pink, red, white, golden yellow. You can often read or hear the expressions “terry cosmos flower” or “growing terry cosmos,” but this does not mean that we are talking about any particular species, just last years breeders bred terry varieties long-cultivated plant species. The fruit of cosmos is a dark yellow, gray or Brown. Cosmos seeds remain viable for two to three years.
Growing cosmos from seeds
Sowing seeds
The cosmos flower is propagated by seeds, both by sowing directly in open ground and by seedlings. When to plant cosmos seeds in open ground? A cosmos flowerbed is sown in early spring, after the snow has melted. The seeds are scattered on the surface of the soil in nests, three to four pieces every 30-40 cm, and lightly smacked with the palm of your hand so that the planting depth is no more than one centimeter. Flowering of cosmos when sown without seedlings begins in July-early August. You can sow cosmos in open ground late autumn, before winter. In addition, cosmos reproduces well by self-sowing in the fall; all you have to do in the spring is to thin out the densely sprouted shoots.
Cosmos seedlings
Growing cosmos in seedlings gives more reliable and quick results. When to sow cosmos seedlings? In March or April. Photosensitive cosmos seeds sown on top of the substrate are lightly pressed into the soil without sprinkling, moistened and the seed is covered with film or glass. The container with the seed is kept in a bright place. If the temperature for seed germination is between 18-20 ºC, sprouts will appear in a week or two. Dense seedlings need to be thinned out so that the distance between seedlings is 10-15 cm; for this purpose, picking can be done. Pickled seedlings are grown at a lower temperature - 16-18 ºC. If you don’t want to bother with picking seedlings, you can immediately sow two or three seeds in separate cups.
Planting cosmos
When to plant cosmos
Cosmos planting is carried out in early June, when the return frosts have passed and the seedlings will stretch up to 6 cm. Planting in mid-May is acceptable if you are sure that the cold will not return. Find an open sunny area for the cosmos, protected from the wind, with moderately fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Too fertile soil promotes the lush growth of greenery, but, alas, the quality and intensity of flowering suffers from this.
How to plant cosmos
So, in mid-May or early June, when the weather finally gets warm, prepare shallow holes in the garden according to the 30x30 or 35x35 pattern if you are going to plant tall varieties, and water them. Then plant the seedlings in the holes, dig them in and water them again. Do not forget that tall varieties of cosmos may require support, so in advance, when planting seedlings, dig in slats or rods around which you will tie an adult bush. When the cosmos reaches a height of 50 cm, pinch the tops of the shoots so that the plant bushes better. Cosmos grown from seedlings blooms in June or mid-July.
Cosmos care
How to grow cosmos
Planting and caring for cosmos is not burdensome even for beginners in floriculture. Watering cosmos is carried out once a week, and it should be plentiful - four to five buckets of water should be poured under each bush. After watering, loosen the soil in the area and remove weeds until the cosmos becomes a mature, strong plant. Feeding cosmos with fertilizers for flowering plants carried out three times per season: before budding, during it and at the beginning of flowering. For more abundant flowering, you can perform foliar feeding - spraying the leaves with Bud, but when fertilizing cosmos, remember that moderation is needed in everything. Remove fading flowers promptly. If the cosmos in the flowerbed has grown greatly, you can cut it, this will not stop flowering, and the bushes will become compact and more attractive. That, in fact, is all you need to know about growing cosmos flowers.
Pests and diseases of cosmos
Cosmea is so immune to diseases and pests that it is practically not affected by them. Only slugs and snails pose a threat, and only until the plant has come into full bloom. You will have to deal with shellfish by collecting them manually. Place bowls of beer around the area and collect gastropods that crawl in to enjoy it from time to time.
Cosmea after flowering
How and when to collect cosmos seeds
Perennial cosmos propagates by tubers and cuttings, and annual cosmos in the garden after initial planting will propagate by self-sowing for several years - from three to five. If you want to get cosmos seeds, leave the largest buds on the bush for the fruits to ripen, and to prevent the ripened seeds from spilling on the ground, put gauze bags on the flower heads. As soon as the seeds darken, it is time to remove them. However, you should know that cosmos plant is cross-pollinated, so the seeds do not retain varietal characteristics, and it makes sense to simply buy seed from well-established manufacturing companies.
Perennial cosmos in winter
When the perennial cosmos blooms, it is better to trim it, leaving only 15 cm of stems on the bush. For the winter, the cosmos is covered with spruce branches.
Types and varieties of cosmos
Three types of cosmos are grown in culture - two annual and one perennial. True, these species, thanks to breeders, have many varieties and hybrids. So, we present to you annual species of cosmos:
Cosmos bipinnatus
– annual herbaceous plant from the mountainous regions of Mexico with erect, densely branched stems ranging from 80 to 150 cm in height. As the name implies, the foliage of this species is dissected into thread-like lobes, so it looks like dill leaves. Baskets from 7 to 10 cm in diameter grow singly or are collected in large corymbose inflorescences. The colors of the marginal flowers are white, red, pink, purple, and the tubular flowers form a small yellow disc in the middle of the basket. Cosmea bipinnate blooms profusely and gives good self-seeding. In cultivation since 1799 and today it is the most popular species in floriculture. Varieties:
- Dazzler– the blooming inflorescences have a bright red hue, but after a while they turn crimson;
- Purity– cosmos white as snow, with flexible stems;
- low-growing cosmos the Sonata series, which includes the Sonata Pink Blush variety - pink cosmos with a red rim around the middle.
Cosmos sulphureus
distributed in Latin America, it is a very heat-loving species with branched, erect, pubescent stems up to one and a half meters high. The leaves are twice and thrice dissected into wide pinnate lanceolate lobes, pointed towards the apexes. Reed flowers are orange or golden yellow, tubular flowers are yellow with protruding dark anthers at the ends orange color. In culture since 1799. Varieties:
- Bilbo– orange cosmos with semi-double inflorescences;
- Crest Lemon– lemon-yellow cosmos up to 50 cm tall;
- Diablo– this cultivar has fiery red inflorescences.
Blood red cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus)
Perennial cosmos is represented by such a species as blood-red cosmos, brought to us from the same Mexico. Sometimes this species is called black cosmos, because its red color is very dark, and its velvety flowers smell like chocolate. The leaves of this species are complex, consisting of an unpaired number of leaflets. Since red cosmos is an exceptionally heat-loving plant, it is recommended to grow it in pots that can be brought indoors for the winter. If you decide to grow blood-red cosmos in open ground, it will have to be covered for the winter.
Hello, dear readers!
This is the most common annual flower, I knew about it before, but somehow it didn’t touch me, so I never planted it on my plot.
But last summer, my neighbor at the dacha had extra seedlings of this plant and she finally persuaded me to plant it.
Resistant to adverse weather conditions, very durable and abundant flowering, the unpretentiousness of this flower simply captivated me.
As you probably already guessed, my story today is about space. The work of breeders has changed the familiar appearance of our old friend cosmos and now she’s simply unrecognizable.
As a result of selection, new spectacular varieties with semi-double, double and anemone-like inflorescences were obtained.
New ones have appeared compact forms cosmos, which can be grown perfectly in containers, flowerpots, flower pots and even on balconies.
The technology for growing this plant has also changed along with its appearance. If previously cosmos were sown immediately directly on permanent place, then now there are varieties that are grown through seedlings. They can be planted in the ground or containers already blooming.
In general, the breeders did a great job. In 2009, many new varieties appeared, very unusual, spectacular, blooming several weeks (3-4) earlier than our usual varieties, which demonstrated all the new capabilities of this crop.
So this year has become quite revolutionary for space.
Cosmea goes well with variegated annual flowers, suitable for color scheme- verbena, cloves, phlox, chamomile, marigolds. It is also harmonious in plantings with rudbeckia, cineraria, dahlias, and salvia.
Multi-level plantings of cosmos also look very good - with tall varieties in the background and low ones in the foreground.
Unpretentious beauties
There are two types of cosmos. First type - cosmoya doubipinnate or as it is also called Chinese chamomile. It grows up to 80-150 cm in height, with beautiful, double-pinnately dissected openwork leaves into thread-like lobes. The diameter of its chamomile-shaped inflorescences is from 5 to 12 cm. The marginal flowers can be from pure white to crimson and purple in color, and the central flowers are small yellow.
The second type is to Osmea sulfur-yellow height from 30 to 120 cm. Its leaves are already less dissected, and the inflorescences, abundantly covering the entire plant, have a smaller diameter (4 - 8 cm).
All types of cosmos are cold-resistant, drought-resistant and undemanding to the soil, bloom very profusely and for a long time, and also easily tolerate transplantation.
Cosmos are grown both by sowing seeds in open ground and through seedlings. Cosmea also reproduces very well by self-sowing.
As they ripen (August-September), you can collect the seeds yourself; they remain viable for 2-3 years.
Sow in open ground
We sow in open ground in a permanent place in the spring, as soon as the soil has warmed up thoroughly and the danger of cold mornings has passed.
Winter sowing of cosmos is also practiced.
We sow the seeds in nests of 2-3 pieces in loose soil, the planting depth should be no more than 1 cm, and the distance between nests should be from 25 to 50 cm, depending on the height of the variety you grow.
In order for seeds to germinate successfully, the following conditions are necessary:
- timely watering;
- good lighting;
- optimal soil temperature is from 18 to 20 O WITH.
In the presence of the above conditions, seedlings appear in 1-2 weeks and for their normal development a temperature of 15-18 is required O C, and if slight frosts occur, they must be covered.
When the first two true leaves appear, we thin out the seedlings, leaving one plant per nest.
At direct sowing in the ground, flowering occurs at the end of July - beginning of August, and when grown through seedlings, cosmos blooms one month earlier.
Growing through seedlings
We sow cosmos seedlings from March to mid-April. You can sow in small pots, planting boxes or in a greenhouse.
It is very important to maintain a temperature of 15-18 O C. If the temperature is higher, the seedlings may become very elongated and the plants will be weak. Seeds begin to germinate in 5-14 days.
If necessary, we thin out the seedlings, leaving 2 cm between plants, and then after 2-3 weeks the seedlings can be pruned.
Then the seedlings, which have reached 7-10 cm in height, are transferred to a permanent place.
We do this around the end of May - beginning of June. Plants are planted in open ground at a distance of 25-50 cm from each other.
Easy care
Cosmos are very unpretentious and easy to care for.
This means regular weeding and timely removal of faded inflorescences, which will prolong flowering and preserve the decorative appearance of the bush until the very end. late autumn. Cosmos tolerate summer heat well and do not need frequent watering. For abundant flowering and good growth we carry out complex fertilizing mineral fertilizers. We carry out the first feeding at the beginning of the growing season, and the second during the formation of buds.
Cosmos love:
- bright sunny places;
- grow protected from the wind;
- light, moist and not too fertile soil.
Cosmos don't like:
- water stagnation;
- an excess of organic matter in the soil, which results in the formation of powerful bushes, but flowering is late and poor.
Which variety should I choose?
This is, of course, the most difficult question, since the choice is very rich. Let's first decide where in your garden you are going to plant the cosmos.
If you want to use it in group plantings with decorative foliage plants, on flowering lawns, to decorate variegated flower beds, in the background of the border, creating flowering walls, then I advise you to use tall cosmos.
They also tolerate pruning very easily, so tall cosmos can also be used to create annual hedges.
These are varieties such as:
"Psychy White" - a variety with dazzling white, mostly double flowers, looking spectacular against the background of openwork foliage;
"Rubenza" - a variety with flowers of the deepest scarlet color, with abundant flowering and reminiscent of a bright, long-lasting fire;
"Double click rose bon-bon" - a variety with very large double flowers, very good for cutting;
"Sea Shell" is absolutely the new kind cosmos with spectacular, bizarrely shaped flowers, which are very difficult to recognize as a popular annual, spreading bushes with numerous shoots.
If you need flowers to decorate mixborders, flower beds, for growing in outdoor vases, flowerpots and containers, as well as on balconies, then low-growing forms of cosmos are more suitable for these purposes, such as:
"Brightness" - this is the most abundant flowering variety, with bushes strewn with bright double inflorescences, blooming all summer until frost;
F 1 "Antiquity" - this is the earliest and most compact variety with a unique unique color, changing during flowering from rich burgundy to bronze-salmon.
I hope that you, dear summer residents, also liked the new varieties described above, which brought cosmos out of the ordinary garden flower among the most spectacular and versatile flower crops.
See you soon, dear friends!
Few people these days are unfamiliar with cosmos. With her bright flowers associated with rainbow summer and warm sun. The charming cosmos is also called cosmos or Mexican aster; it represents the Astrov genus. These unpretentious flowers, which once came to us from Mexico, can now be found everywhere; they are loved to be planted in city yards, in private homes, and in country houses. When you look at a flowerbed with cosmos, it seems that it is a fluffy green carpet with multi-colored stars. Translated from Greek, its name means “decoration”. Indeed, beautiful bright blooms and soft green foliage will decorate any garden and flower garden with their presence.
Description of the cosmos
Cosmea is a herbaceous annual or perennial with thin, highly branched stems along the entire length. Its height is 50-150 cm. The shoots are covered with smooth, bright green skin with reddish streaks. Opposite openwork leaves grow on them, which together with the stems form a spreading subshrub, similar to airy green foam. The leaf segment adjacent to the long petiole can be oval with a pointed edge or thin, similar to soft needles.
Cosmos flowering begins in June and continues until the first frost. In the upper part of the shoots there are corymbose or paniculate inflorescences. Each flower is a basket-shaped inflorescence with a diameter of 6-12 cm. It has a fluffy center of tubular flowers of black or dark brown color. Yellow anthers rise above it. The core can be flat or spherical. It is edged with one or more rows of reed flowers with gold, red, white, pink or purple petals. The petals of a reed flower may grow together into a flat sail or form a more decorative, solid flare. 
Choosing a location and soil for cosmos
When it comes to cosmea care in open ground, open and sunny areas well protected from the winds are best suited. Cosmea is very undemanding to the soil. Ideal for it would be loose, drained soil, with a sufficient supply of organic and mineral fertilizers. The main thing is not to overdo it and use fertilizers in moderation. Growing cosmos in shade or partial shade, as well as in soils that are overly rich in organic matter, can result in abundant leaf development. The finally established warm air temperature and sufficiently warmed earth - best time when to sow cosmos in open ground. Observe these conditions, and the plant will certainly delight you with abundant and bright flowering.
Planting cosmos in open ground
Cosmos plants in a flowerbed will look great if you follow the rules for planting seeds in open ground. Planting cosmos seeds in open ground is carried out in early spring, after the snow has completely melted. Seeds must be scattered over the surface of the soil in small groups of 3-4 pieces, approximately every 30-40 centimeters, and lightly compacted with the palm of your hand. The embedment depth should be no more than one centimeter. When sown without seedlings, cosmos blooms in July - early August. You can also sow cosmos in open ground in late autumn. Cosmea reproduces well by self-sowing in autumn period, all you have to do is thin out the densely sprouted spring shoots. To form a beautiful crown, the plant can be pruned. This procedure will not affect flowering, and the flowers themselves will look neat and attractive. 
Growing cosmos seedlings
Growing cosmos in seedlings gives more reliable and faster results. It is worth sowing cosmos for seedlings in mid-April. Photosensitive cosmos seeds sown on top of the substrate are lightly pressed into the soil without sprinkling, moistened and the seed is covered with film or glass. The container with the seed is kept in a bright place. If the temperature for seed germination is between 18-20 ºC, sprouts will appear in a week or two. Dense seedlings need to be thinned out so that the distance between seedlings is 10-15 cm; for this purpose, picking can be done. Pickled seedlings are grown at a lower temperature - 16-18 ºC. If you don’t want to bother with picking seedlings, you can immediately sow two or three seeds in separate cups. 
Planting cosmos seedlings in open ground
Cosmos planting is carried out in early June, when the return frosts have passed and the seedlings will stretch up to 6 cm. Planting in mid-May is acceptable if you are sure that the cold will not return. At the beginning of June, when the weather finally gets warm, prepare shallow holes in the garden according to the 30x30 or 35x35 pattern if you are going to plant tall varieties, and water them. Then plant the seedlings in the holes, dig them in and water them again. Do not forget that tall varieties of cosmos may require support, so in advance, when planting seedlings, dig in slats or rods around which you will tie an adult bush. When the cosmos reaches a height of 50 cm, pinch the tops of the shoots so that the plant bushes better. Cosmos grown from seedlings blooms in June or mid-July.
Cosmos care
Even for a novice gardener, the process of caring for cosmos will not seem difficult, because cosmos can even grow “savage”. 
Basic rules for caring for cosmos
- watering is carried out once a week, it must be abundant (5-6 buckets per 1 bush);
- until the cosmos bush reaches maximum dimensions and will not completely strengthen, it is necessary to loosen the soil after watering and remove weeds so that they do not clog the flower;
- During the entire season it is necessary to feed the flower three times: before budding, during and at the beginning of flowering. Both organic matter (manure) and minerals (nitrophoska, gum) can be used as feeding material. It is also necessary to apply fertilizer in small doses, since excess fertilizer can lead to excessive bushiness and lack of flowers.
- if you want to get the most abundant flowering, use foliar feeding. For example, you can spray the leaves with the “Bud” preparation, remembering to observe moderation when feeding the flower;
- In order for cosmos to bloom profusely throughout the season, remove faded flowers in a timely manner;
- if the cosmos has begun to clog other flowers and plants, having grown greatly in the flowerbed, it can be trimmed, giving it a more attractive appearance. Such an action will not negatively affect flowering.
Caring for a plant in winter comes down to digging up the plant and replanting it in a pot for wintering in the house on the windowsill. Thus, by following the basic rules for caring for cosmos, you will achieve the most beautiful flowering during the season.
It is known that cosmos attract lacewings, which are not averse to feasting on thrips, aphids and mealybug and, accordingly, rid the garden of these pests. In addition, butterflies love cosmos, flocking to the garden at the sight of this marvelous flower.
Most great harm The flower can be damaged by black aphids, which are formed by ants. In this case, it is best to use soap solution, which will help free the plant from the pest. At high humidity and during wet weather, cosmos can be attacked by snails and slugs, for which beer traps can be made. Basically, cosmos is considered a plant resistant to diseases and pests.
Ease of care, variegated colors of inflorescences and almost complete absence of diseases make cosmos suitable option like for the garden experienced florist, and a beginner.
Both of them need to be closely monitored except to ensure that the plant does not receive excessive amounts of organic compounds, which can lead to a delay in flowering or even its absence.
Cosmea, or cosmos, is a genus of annual and perennial herbaceous plants of the Asteraceae, or Asteraceae, family.
Department: Angiosperms
Class: Dicotyledons
Order: Astroflowers
Family: Asteraceae
Or space(popularly this flower is also called beauty) - heat-loving ornamental plant 80-160 cm high, common in tropical areas of America. In total, there are about 20 species of this very common species in nature. garden plant, whose basket inflorescences are similar to chamomile inflorescences.
The most common are two types of cosmos. The first is the double-pinnate cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), reaching 120 cm in height, with tall, highly branched stems, densely covered with double-pinnately dissected leaves. The diameter of flowers can reach 10 cm; reed flowers can be painted white, pink and red; tubular flowers are bright yellow. Another species is the sulfur-yellow cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) - this species is more heat-loving and shorter (up to 70 cm in height), the leaves of this species are wider, the flowers are from yellow to orange and bright red, 4-6 cm in size.
Space is used in groups, on borders, for landscaping fences; is less likely to be cut. In flower beds where perennial flowers are grown, cosmos can successfully fill the resulting voids. Having the desire and opportunity to regularly water and feed cosmos, you can plant it in pots placed on terraces and balconies, where it will also look good. A good combination can be obtained by planting space next to such partners as marigolds, calendula officinalis, phlox, verbena, Turkish cloves, dimorphotheca, chamomile.
Place. Cosmea is a very sun-loving ornamental plant, so for it successful cultivation choose warm areas that are open to light and protected from the wind. If you plant cosmos in partial shade, it will have more foliage, but fewer flowers.
The soil. Any soil is suitable for cosmos, but it is better if it is loose, well-drained and nutritious - it will grow better in an area with such soil.
Disembarkation. When propagating cosmos by seeds, they can be sown in open ground in April-May. To do this, you need to dig up the selected area well, removing weeds and debris, and then add enough compost to the soil. When planting, seeds should only be lightly pressed into the soil, without covering them with soil, so as not to deprive them of the light they need. After planting, lightly moisten the area. Shoots will appear in 7-14 days. After the sprouts reach a height of 5-10 cm, the seedlings need to be thinned out so that the distance between plants is about 40 cm. You can grow space and seedlings, sowing seeds in March-April in room conditions and planting plants in open ground in June, when the danger of frost has passed (with this planting option, the cosmos will bloom earlier).
Time (period) of flowering. Cosmos blooms from early August to October if grown by sowing seeds in the ground; if it is seedlings, flowering begins in July.
Care. Cosmea needs moderate regular watering. To make the plants bush better and bloom more profusely, pinch their tops (once they reach a height of 40-50 cm). For abundant flowering and preservation decorative look You need to regularly remove faded inflorescences. It would be a good idea to fertilize 2-3 times with organic or mineral fertilizers (before, during budding and at the beginning of flowering) - then, again, the flowering will be more lush and the leaves will be lush green. For separately growing and powerful bushes of space, it would be a good idea to equip the appropriate support and, if necessary, tie the bush with twine. In the fall, after the first frost, you need to cut the cosmos stems close to the ground, leaving the roots in the soil for the winter.
Diseases and pests. Cosmea is quite resistant to various kinds of diseases and pests, but at a young age it can be harmed by slugs and snails.
Cosmea (sometimes spelled casmea, also called cosmos, Mexican aster) is a herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family. In its natural environment, it occupies vast territories of South and Central America, and was brought by the Spaniards to Western Europe, where currently it not only decorates gardens, but also grows wildly along roads, fields, and wastelands.
Botanical description
The height of the stem is 50-150 cm. It is thin, erect, branched. The leaves are openwork, thread-like. An inflorescence common to all Asteraceae: the core consists of numerous yellow tubular flowers, and what we call a petal is actually a separate inflorescence.
These “petals” are oval in shape, elongated, with slightly dissected edges. The color can be white, pink, yellow, red, dark red. At the top of the stem, the inflorescences are arranged singly or in several pieces. Fragrant flowers attract pollinating insects.
When it blooms
Flowering lasts all summer until the onset of severe cold. The fruit is an achene densely filled with seeds.
In our latitudes, cosmos is grown as an annual and perennial plant.
Growing cosmos from seeds
Sowing in the ground
You can sow directly into open ground or grow seedlings. In the first case, the flowering of cosmos starts in July-early August, in the second, the cosmos will bloom in early summer.
You can sow cosmos when the soil is ripe, already in March. In conditions middle zone Cosmos can be sown before winter, in October. Cosmos can reproduce by self-sowing.
- Dig up the soil, remove weeds, level the bed.
- Make holes no more than 1 cm deep, place 3-4 seeds there, cover with a thin layer of soil, and compact them a little. Water carefully so that the seeds are not washed away. Keep a distance between holes of about 30-35 cm.
- Thin out the seedlings, weed young plants from weeds.
How to grow seedlings
Sowing seeds for seedlings in March-early April. in boxes or directly into separate cups (then you won’t have to replant).
- Fill the containers with light, loose soil, moisten, spread the seeds over the surface, press them a little with your finger.
- Sow 1-2 seeds in cups.
- Cover the crops with film or glass, germinate in a bright place at a temperature of 18-20 ºC, ventilate the greenhouse, and moisten the soil.
- Expect seedlings to appear in 7-10 days. Then remove the cover and reduce the temperature by a couple of degrees.
- Thin out the seedlings in the boxes, leaving a distance of about 10 cm between them.
- The grown seedlings are taken outside two weeks before planting in the ground and hardened, gradually increasing the time spent in the fresh air every day.
Planting cosmos seedlings in open ground
Transplant the seedlings into open ground with the establishment of real warmth: in late May-early June.
Choose a sunny area. Please note that strong gusts of wind can break thin stems - plant tall plants in a secluded place or immediately build supports. Make shallow holes, maintain a distance between plantings of about 30 cm for short and medium-sized plants, and 35 cm for tall plants. Cosmos has cross-pollination - different varieties plant away from each other. When the height reaches 50 cm, pinch the tops of the shoots.
- Cosmea will grow well in water- and breathable neutral soil.
- If the soil is over-fed with organic matter or synthetic fertilizers, stems and leaves will actively grow, but there will be few flowers.
- Feed the depleted soil with complex mineral fertilizers, superphosphate or organic matter (mullein infusion) once a season.
Spray three times a season with a special preparation for flowering plants, for example, “Bud”. Carry out the first spraying at the seedling stage, the second - before budding, the third - during the period of active flowering.
Caring for cosmos outdoors
Loosening the soil and watering
Weed young plants regularly and loosen the soil after watering or rain. Older plants cope with weeds on their own.
The plant is drought-resistant - water only in severe drought.
Trimming
Removing spent flower heads encourages new flowers to appear. Leave only a few if you want to collect the seeds.
Preparing for winter
Perennial cosmos need to be prepared for wintering. After flowering ends, cut off the stems, leaving 10-15 cm above the soil surface. Mulch the soil with fallen leaves and cover with spruce branches.
Diseases and pests
The plant is not exposed to diseases and pests. Fresh young shoots can be eaten by snails and slugs. Collect them manually or use traps.
Collecting cosmos seeds
Choose large baskets for collecting seeds. Ripe seeds are brownish in color, dry and easy to separate. In order not to miss the moment of collection (seeds easily scatter when the wind blows), cover the baskets with gauze.
Carefully collect the seeds and place them in a paper or cloth bag.
Seeds are viable for about 3 years. Store them in a dark, dry place with good ventilation.
Types and varieties of cosmos with photos and names
Cosmos bipinnate Cosmos bipinnatus
An annual herbaceous plant. The height of the stem is 80-150 cm. The leaf blades are similar to dill leaves. The diameter of the basket is 7-10 cm. The core is yellow, the petals can be white, pink, red, purple.
Cosmos bipinnatus variety Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Cranberries’ photo
A popular variety of the species is Cosmea shell - the reed petals are rolled into tubes.
Blood red or chocolate cosmos Cosmos atrosanguineus
Perennial species. The core and petals are burgundy and exude a chocolate aroma. The plant is thermophilic, most often grown in flowerpots and pots.
Cosmos sulphureus Cosmos sulphureus
The erect stem of the plant reaches a height of 1.5 m. The leaves are dissected into 2 or 3 lobes and have pointed tips. The core is yellow, the petals have a golden yellow, orange tint. Annual.
Cosmea terry
A variety that has reed flowers (petals) arranged in several rows. The flower is beautiful and lush. The stems are denser. The color is varied.
In turn, this variety has many hybrids:
- Golden Valley: has sunny yellow flowers;
- Polydor fox - scarlet or orange inflorescences;
Cosmea variety Piper Red Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Pied Piper Red’
- Diablo, Red Pipe, Cranberry Click, Burgundy Button - color spectrum from scarlet to burgundy;
- Pink bonbon, Pink lollipop, Pink valley, Snow click, Terry click, Glissandro, Rainbow shimmer, Orange - various varieties of terry cosmos;
- Ladybug, Ariadne - semi-double.
Popular varieties of cosmos
