When to Plant Cockscomb? A Full Guide to the Latest Planting Times
Cockscomb, also known as cockscomb flower, cockscomb crest flower and so on, is a flowering plant famous for its flower shape resembling a rooster's comb, with colors such as red, purplish red and yellow. It is often seen in gardens and flower beds in daily life, adds a lovely decorative touch to the living environment, and is also a medicinal herb with good effects on conditions such as vomiting blood, blood in the stool and hemorrhoidal bleeding. Let us take a look below at the planting time for cockscomb!
Cockscomb Growth Habits
Cockscomb is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Celosia in the amaranth family. Varieties can be divided by inflorescence form into broom cockscomb, face cockscomb, mandarin duck cockscomb, tassel cockscomb and so on. It prefers a warm, dry climate, fears drought, loves sunlight, is not tolerant of waterlogging, frost or poor soil, and prefers loose, fertile, well-drained soil. It grows better in well-drained sandy loam and is a new way to develop courtyard economies at present.
Cockscomb Planting Time
Cockscomb is generally planted from April to May, usually by sowing seeds, that is, around a few days before and after Qingming Festival. During these days the temperature is 20 to 25 degrees, which is very suitable for the survival of cockscomb seeds.
Cockscomb Propagation Methods
1. Seed sowing: Cockscomb is commonly propagated by seed. At Qingming, choose a good plot, apply sufficient base fertilizer, plow finely and harrow evenly, level the ground and make beds, scatter the seeds evenly over the bed surface, cover the seeds lightly, tread firm and water thoroughly. Generally at a temperature of 15-20°C, seedlings emerge in 10-15 days. For summer sowing after Grain in Ear, seize the dry period to clear stubble, and it can also be intercropped with white peony, tree peony or other crops, using one jin of seed per mu.
2. Seedling stage management: When cockscomb seedlings are 2 cun tall, thin them to a row spacing of 1 chi and a plant spacing of 8 cun. The thinned seedlings can be transplanted to other fields, and after transplanting they must be watered. During the seedling stage, be sure to weed and loosen the soil, and water as little as possible when it is not too dry. When the seedlings are about 1 chi tall, apply a topdressing once. After the rows close, appropriately remove some old leaves. When flowering and heading, if the weather is dry, water appropriately, and strictly prevent water accumulation in low-lying areas during the rainy season. After heading, the flower buds in the leaf axils on the lower part can be removed to help nutrients concentrate on the growth of the main spike at the top.