How to Grow Cockscomb? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
Cockscomb is also known as cockscomb flower, laolaihong, reed-flower cockscomb, pen cockscomb, small-head cockscomb, phoenix-tail cockscomb, and so on. It is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Celosia in the Amaranthaceae family. It blooms in summer and autumn, and its flowers are mostly red and shaped like a cockscomb, hence the name cockscomb. It is a commonly used flower for flower beds in summer and autumn, and it also has high medicinal value. Now let us take a look at the cultivation methods for cockscomb!
Growth Habits of Cockscomb
Cockscomb prefers a hot and dry climate and is afraid of waterlogging. It grows well in sunny, fertile sandy soil, and avoids clay soil. In poor, poorly aerated soil it grows poorly and its inflorescences become smaller. It can reproduce by self-seeding. For spring sowing, sow in March to April in an open-air seedbed. Before sowing, mix the seeds with New High Lipid Film (to increase the germination rate). After sowing, do not cover with soil; cover with grass and then water, keeping the soil moist.
How to Sow Cockscomb Seeds
1. Seed sowing: Cockscomb is commonly propagated by seed. Around Qingming, choose a good plot, apply sufficient base fertilizer, plow fine and harrow evenly, level and make beds, scatter the seeds evenly over the bed surface, cover the seeds only slightly, firm the soil and water thoroughly. Generally, at a temperature of 15-20°C, seedlings can emerge in 10-15 days. For summer sowing after Mangzhong, 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 management: When 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. When it is not too dry, water as little as possible. When the seedlings are about 1 chi tall, apply a topdressing once. After the rows close, appropriately remove 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.
Cultivation Methods for Cockscomb
1. Soil: Cockscomb has certain requirements for soil and is suitable for planting in well-drained, loose and fertile sandy loam. If drainage is poor, it is prone to root rot.
2. Watering: Although cockscomb likes dry air and avoids waterlogging, its stems are thick and its leaves are abundant, and it consumes a large amount of water during the growing period, so in hot summer it must be watered sufficiently. At the same time, excessive water must also be prevented. During continuous rainy days, potted flowers should be moved indoors, and for ground-planted flowers attention should be paid to drainage. Watering should be moderate, otherwise root rot is likely.
3. Sunlight: It likes warmth and avoids cold. During the growing period it needs sufficient light, with at least 4 hours of light guaranteed every day. If it grows in a shaded place, the inflorescences will be small and the ornamental value will decrease. The most suitable growth temperature is 18-28°C. When the temperature is low, growth is slow, and after winter begins the plants die.
4. Pruning: For dwarf varieties, pinching should be carried out after planting to promote branching. When used as cut flowers, pinching can be done when the plant height is 20-30 cm.
5. Fertilizing: Apply sufficient base fertilizer when sowing, and apply compound fertilizer 1-2 times before flowering and during the flowering period. The amount of nitrogen fertilizer should not be too much, to prevent excessive growth and lodging.
6. Pests and diseases: Cockscomb has relatively few pests and diseases. Damping-off is likely to occur at the seedling stage, and aphids are harmful during the growing period, so attention should be paid to prevention and control. If root rot is found, the diseased plants should be pulled out and copper sulfate sprayed for control.