How do you plant cosmos so they grow well? Master these cultivation methods

Cosmos is very popular, but growing beautiful cosmos is not something you can do just any way. Cosmos is a flowering plant that is not too difficult to grow, and many people cultivate it. So before planting, we must understand how to plant cosmos so they grow well, rather than planting blindly and running into unnecessary trouble.

I. About cosmos

Cosmos is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, genus Cosmos. The plant height is 30-120 cm, with slender upright stems, many branches, and smooth stems or stems with fine hairs. The leaves are opposite, bipinnately parted, with sparse, linear, entire lobes. The flower heads are single-layered, with tips truncate or slightly notched. Flower colors range from white and pink to purple-red. The disk florets in the center are yellow. The flowering period is from September until the first frost.

Cosmos is native to Mexico and other parts of South America. It is a light-loving plant that likes light, tolerates poor soil, and dislikes fertilizer; overly fertile soil is taboo, as are intense heat and waterlogging. It is not suited to high summer temperatures and is not cold-tolerant. It needs loose, fertile, well-drained loam. Cosmos is a small flower with relatively strong vitality; it is drought-tolerant and sun-tolerant, easy to grow, and has a high germination rate and fast growth. It is mostly propagated by seed, and can also be propagated by cuttings. Seeds can be sown directly in the open field in early spring. After the seedlings have 4 true leaves, they can be pinched and transplanted. Plant them out in early June with a spacing of about 50 cm. Those sown in spring will not bloom until autumn. Softwood cuttings can also be taken in early summer.

II. Cosmos cultivation methods

1. Sowing

Cosmos seeds are the basis of its growth and reproduction. Sow cosmos seeds from April to June each year. There is no need to soak them before sowing; this way the germination rate is higher. Sow 2 seeds every 20-30 cm. After sowing, cover with soil about 0.5 cm thick. Cosmos seeds take 1 week to germinate. When the cosmos has grown to have 4-6 leaves, cut off the stem tip so that new shoots can sprout from the sides and produce new flowers. Whether grown in the ground or in flower pots, do not fertilize unless the growing conditions are extremely harsh.

2. Growth

Cosmos loves a warm and cool climate, and cosmos seeds grow best in an environment with plenty of sunlight. So place the flower pot in a spot with sufficient light for care. For watering, it is also best to use a multi-hole sprinkling can; do not water heavily, as this can avoid washing out the newly sprouted seedlings from the seeds. Do not water too often; just keep the soil moist.

3. Management

The stems of cosmos are relatively thin and prone to lodging, so when sowing cosmos seeds at home, you can build supports, or you can pinch the tips multiple times in late spring and early autumn to encourage more and denser branches, and also to suppress its height so it maintains an upright plant shape. During the growth period of cosmos seeds, fertilizer and water need to be controlled; moist soil can make cosmos flowers flourish. If fertilizer and water are controlled appropriately, flowers can be seen in 12 weeks.

4. Cycle

After the flowers fade and the fruits ripen, the cosmos plant dies, and the cosmos seeds fall from the plant automatically, sowing themselves into the soil to continue life. Of course, when the fruits mature, you can also pick the cosmos seeds and sow them again the following year for a new round. You can also select a section of thick, strong top branches and cut them for propagation by cuttings, inserted into a flower pot.

III. Pest and disease control for cosmos

The main pests and diseases of cosmos often include leaf spot and powdery mildew. In hot weather, red spider mite damage is likely, and it should be controlled early. Below are several key points for controlling cosmos pests and diseases:

1. Appropriately increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and pay attention to ventilation and light penetration;

2. Promptly prune off severely diseased plants or severely diseased parts, and bury them deeply or burn them to eliminate the source of infection;

3. When necessary, spray 15% triadimefon wettable powder at 1500 times dilution in the early stage of disease onset.

The above is the relevant introduction in this article. I believe after reading it you now have a simple understanding of this. If needed, you can continue to follow No. 1 Home Network to learn more information.