How to Plant Cosmos Seeds? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Planting Methods
Cosmos, also known as autumn cosmos, is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant with a very large planting area in China. Cosmos has extremely high ornamental value and is now mainly used for landscaping. Cosmos also has considerable medicinal value, with heat-clearing and detoxifying effects, and the whole plant can be used as medicine. So how should cosmos seeds be planted? Below, the editor will give you a brief introduction. Let's take a look together!
1. Planting Time
The planting time for cosmos should be controlled according to the region, because different regions have different climates. For example, if planting in northern regions, open-field sowing should be carried out after Qingming Festival. After sowing, if temperature, moisture and other conditions are suitable, seedlings will generally emerge after about a week. By around July, they can bloom, and the flowering period can last for two months. If you want to advance the flowering period of cosmos, under good climate conditions, you can sow around February, and the flowering time will also be earlier.
2. Timely Sowing
Cosmos has very strong growth ability. The seeds do not need special treatment such as soaking or germination acceleration before sowing, and the seedling emergence rate will still be very high. However, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied before sowing, then the cosmos seeds should be evenly mixed with fine sand and broadcast on the soil. After broadcasting the seeds, properly cover the seeds with a thin layer of fine soil, keeping the soil cover thickness at about one centimeter; it should not be too thick. After sowing, pay attention to appropriate watering to keep the soil moist and provide sufficient moisture for seed germination.
3. Transplanting and Field Planting
If direct seeding is used, then there is no need to transplant. But if raising seedlings for transplanting, then we also need to do a good job of transplanting. Generally, after the cosmos plants have grown 4-5 leaves, they can be transplanted. If direct seeding is used, then at this time thinning should be done well. When field planting, also pay attention to controlling density; it should not be too dense, to avoid affecting flowering. After transplanting, reduce the amount of topdressing. If too much topdressing is applied, it will cause cosmos to grow excessively and reduce the flowering rate.
4. Planting Management
During the growth of cosmos, pay attention to controlling the amount of water and fertilizer. Whether watering or fertilizing, neither should be excessive. If cosmos shows excessive growth, it will lead to a decrease in the flowering rate of cosmos and reduce its ornamental value. Then, during the growth of cosmos, pay attention to promptly removing the branches at the top center of the plant to promote the growth of side branches, which can effectively improve the flowering rate and flower quality. Finally, do a good job of pest and disease control, such as red spider mites, ensure field ventilation, and strengthen management.
The above is a brief introduction to how to plant cosmos seeds. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!