I ws'd some cosmos seeds this past winter. Candy stripe,seashells.and psyche white. All came up, all have flowered. The problem is they are TINY micro plants and flowers. I pinched off the first round of buds thinking it would help the plants grow larger before flowering. Needless to say it didn't seem to help. What have I done wrong? Is there still hope for them this year or do I have to wait till next year?
growing cosmos
Iv'e never pinched mine back so I cannot comment. The orange type gets the largest for me and is the most vigorous in my yard. The pink/purple kind with very finely divided leaves never get above 1.5 feet.
C
This is my first year for cosmos. I had the opposite problem that you did. I started them on indoor lightstand and they sprouted very quickly and got tall and spindly before it was warm enough to put them outdoors. They are orange and about 18 to 24 inches tall, nice blooms but the plant is kind of stringy looking because I just put one plant in each location, thinking they would fill in, and they need companions, I think, to look right. I had no idea what their growth habit was. Next time I'll transplant several close together.
I had the same problem..mine are from seeds I purchased in the store. they are so tiny you can't see them unless you bend wayyyyy over,lol.
I have the larger Cosmos sulphureus (bright orange), and I love them. They are prolific non-stop bloomers and reseed easily. The last from early spring until frost here in Houston. I also grew some of the other colors from seed this year, and they are definately more fragile and are unhappy in less than perfect conditions (where the Cosmos sulphureus grows just about anywhere that is not too wet or shady). The foliage is lacy and thin, and the flowers are not as large, but the other colors, white, purple, etc. are very pretty.
And here is the Cosmos bipinnatus (lacy foliage in a variety of colors), though the foliage is not shown in my photo. It is a gorgeous color. Here is a very good page with information on the Cosmos - http://sustainable.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/flowers/cosmos/cosmos.html
The orange can be direct sown but I have read that they are becoming invasive in some areas. I love them too and every spring new plants grow from last years seed.
C
Glenna did u go to the roundup?
It's still early in the season. They'll continue to grow taller and as they do, the flowers will be larger. Be patient....
Here's a normal size flower on a plant that's about 3' tall.
Then there's this one...
Well, here's an update on my Cosmos. The one's I originally posted about are doing about the same. Still micro plants and flowers :( These are ones I winter sowed in 4" pots. Now here's the kicker.... I had forgotten that I also direct sowed some of those same seeds. Those are growing really well. They are about waist high and now blooming alot! Why was the least amount of effort reward here?
Don't like to be transplanted?
Oop forgot pic
C I hadn't thought of the transplanting. :} Maybe that's it.
These were direct sowed.I usually don't have blooms from seeds b/c I forget that they are there and mulch/plant over them.
The little one that I posted a pic of was direct sown. I also have ones that are regular size, but not as tall as they will grow.
