![]() ![]() (Image credit: Thompson & Morgan) Do cosmos come back every year? Soil that is too moist may lead to disease,' advise the American Meadows experts. 'Cosmos prefer dry, arid soil over wet conditions. To avoid powdery mildew and fungal diseases ensure your plants have space and the soil isn’t soggy. Watch out for slugs and snails, though, especially when the plants are young and tender, so use slug barriers. ‘As they grow, stake cosmos if necessary, and water them regularly,' says Sarah Raven.Ĭosmos suffer from few pest problems. 'Cosmos is one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed that is directly sown in the garden bed,' advise the experts at American Meadows (opens in new tab). This will differ depending on the area where you live, but will be from about late May in cooler regions, and earlier in warmer zones.īought seedlings can be planted in late May or June. When to plant cosmos seedsĮarly spring is the best time to sow cosmos seeds under cover indoors, which will then produce flowers that bloom earlier in summer.Īlternatively you can direct sow cosmos seeds in their flowering position once the soil has warmed up. They are also excellent for companion planting alongside vegetable and fruit crops in a kitchen garden, as they entice pest predators and valuable pollinators. 'We plant cosmos with our vegetables, in rows to help support each other,' explain Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy, the Land Gardeners (opens in new tab). ‘I love to grow lots of different varieties of cosmos, putting together different heights and colors in pots and for borders for wonderful layers of intense colour,’ says Sarah Raven. This will also attract more bees than if they are dotted through the garden.Ĭosmos are useful for cheery color in any area of a backyard and suit a range of styles – from planting a cottage garden border, creating a prairie style naturalistic planting design, or planting a wildflower meadow. Plant your cosmos in a group to make a real focal point statement for late summer into fall until the first frost. Long periods or wet and cold are detrimental and can delay flowering. ![]() ![]() If you live in a very warm zone that can suffer extreme heat, cosmos will tolerate part shade.Ĭosmos tolerate most pH levels, but do best in neutral to alkaline soils and are quite drought tolerant, so might be worth adding to your planting palette if you're planning a dry garden. #Growing up in little pink houses meaning how toIt is advisable to mulch the ground to conserve moisture, and if you learn how to make leaf mulch you can use your own organic garden material. (Image credit: Getty Images) Where do cosmos grow best?Ĭosmos grow best in a sunny spot, protected from wind, with well-drained, light soil. He also recommends doing the same for young cosmos that are bought in the garden center, too. This will result in 'much faster growing and longer-lasting flowers,' says gardening guru Monty Don on his blog (opens in new tab). Move seedlings to a cold frame or light, sheltered spot for a few weeks before planting out to harden them off. Water from below, allow excess water to drain away and position in a warm place, ideally 60 to 70 0☏ (16 to 21☌), to germinate, which takes around 30 days. Sow indoors in module or seed trays, covered with about 2mm of good, fresh compost. Plus, since you are starting your plants off indoors, you are able to start planting earlier – in early spring – so will have well established flowers that attract bees by early summer. Keeping them off the ground and under cover will also protect the delicate seedlings from slugs and harsh weather. Growing cosmos in modules or seed trays indoors to start them off, gives you more control over the blooms. (Image credit: Future/Leigh Clapp) How do you successfully grow cosmos? ![]()
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