The cosmos is one of the loveliest summer flowers. Because they delight us with their many colorful flowers. They also attract beneficial insects.
With its colorful, filigree flowers, the cosmea (Cosmos bipinnatus) is a real eye-catcher in the bed. The decorative basket is easy to care for and can also be used in a bucket on the balcony or terrace. Available in many colorful varieties, the summer flowers can be arranged beautifully and are also suitable as cut flowers.
Origins of Cosmea
Cosmea originally comes from Brazil and Mexico. The German term "Schmuckkörbchen" indicates the simple beauty of the simple cup flowers. Cosmeen belong to the daisy family and form the genus Cosmos, which comprises around 30 species.
Suitable location for the Cosmea
So that the hobby gardener can enjoy the lush flowering of the cosmos, a location in full sun must be found. Even in a semi-shady location, the willingness to bloom will be noticeably reduced. In order to preserve the filigree flowers for as long as possible, a wind-protected position is advantageous.
Welcome bed neighbors of the cosmos plant are asters, gypsophila or larkspur.
Ideal substrate for cosmea
A loose and permeable soil offers the Cosmea the ideal growth conditions. The undemanding plant does best in less nutritious soil.
You can loosen compacted soil by mixing in sand or gravel. Waterlogging is dangerous for the plant. If the cosmos is cultivated in a tub, rhododendron soil mixed with some sand is suitable.
Plant Cosmea
The decorative basket can be sown directly, pre-cultivated in the room or purchased as commercially available pots and then planted.
Prefer Cosmea in the room
You can start growing the plants in a warm room in March.
Proceed as follows:
1. Fill the plant pots with potting soil
2. Spread the seeds on the substrate
3. Cover the seeds lightly with the substrate
4. Set up the plant pots in a light and warm place
5. Keep the seeds evenly moist hold
6. Germinationwait
In order for strong young plants to develop, the plant pots should not be set up too warm. Temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees are ideal. Then germination will start after about two weeks.
Tip: Covering with foil or glass will speed up germination.
Keep the plant pots evenly moist. The best way to do this is by spraying. That way the seeds don't wash out of the ground.
Sow Cosmea directly in the bed
In addition to pre-breeding indoors, direct sowing outdoors is also possible. However, it should not be sown before mid-May, lest the seedlings be surprised and destroyed by late frosts.
How to do it:
1. Select location
2. Prepare soil
3. Enhance soil
4. Spread seeds on substrate
5. Cover seeds with substrate
6. Water seeds lightly
7. Wait for budding
8. Separate young plants
Before you start sowing, rake the bed well. Roots, stones and weeds must be removed from the soil. Adding compost and horn shavings upgrades the substrate. The plants can supply themselves with nutrients as needed and do not need any additional fertilizer.
After the seeds have been spread over the bed, cover the ground with substrate. This is best done with a rake. The layer of earth should be about half a centimeter. When the young plants have grown to five to ten centimetres, the strongest plants are left in the bed and separated at a distance of 30 centimetres.
Planting cosmea outdoors
Potted plants can be planted outdoors from mid-May. Group planting has proven its worth. The soil preparation corresponds to the procedure described for sowing.
The following steps are then necessary:
1. dig small planting holes
2. Maintain a distance of 30 cm
3. Take the young plants out of the plant pots
4. Shorten the roots evenly
5. Plant this deep into the ground place them as they stood in the plant pot
6. Fill up the substrate
7. Water the plants well
Tip: Depending on the variety, a plant support may be necessary.
Planting Cosmea in the bucket
Because of the permanent flowering, planting in tubs is a popular form of cultivation.
The following must be observed:
1. Select planter of sufficient size.
2. Planter bottom withcover with drainage.
3. Mix the substrate with sand and loosen it up.
4. Attach a plant support for taller varieties.
Potters of pottery, gravel or lava granules are suitable for drainage. When cultivating in a tub, the higher water and nutrient requirements must be taken into account.
Popular varieties at a glance
If different varieties are used, they can be arranged attractively in the bed or bucket according to their size and flower colour.
The following table gives a small insight into the diversity of varieties:
| Cosmea variety | Flower Color | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Sonata White | white | 50 to 60 cm |
| Pink Popsocks | pink | 50 to 60 cm |
| Roggli Red | red | 80 to 100 cm |
| Sea Shells Red | pink and red | 60 to 70 cm |
| Double Click Rose Bonbon | pink | 60 to 90 cm |
| Picotee | white and magenta | 80 to 100 cm |
| Sunset Yellow | yellow | 70 to 80 cm |
Care for Cosmea
Water the cosmea correctly
If the plants are well established, even short periods of drought cannot harm them. To ensure the abundance of flowers, it must be watered regularly. This is especially true for plants in pots. They need more water, so you have to water them every day.
In the case of outdoor plants, the surface of the soil should dry well between the individual waterings.
Tip: The cosmos plant does not tolerate excessively damp leaves. Therefore the plant is watered from below.
Fertilize Cosmea correctly
Because of the low nutrient requirements, the Cosmea outdoors does not require any additional fertilization. If mature compost was incorporated during planting, the plant is sufficiently supplied with nutrients.
Hobby gardeners can meet the higher nutrient requirements of potted plants with an occasional portion of liquid fertilizer in the irrigation water.
Cutting Cosmea
In order to stimulate flowering, withered flower heads should be removed regularly. An occasional pruning promotes a bushier growth. If the cosmea is to be used as a cut flower, it is advisable to cut it in the morning. Pruning is preferred on dry days.
If the flowers are wet, they don't last as long in the vase. The ends of the stems are cut diagonally with a knife. Leaves and buds that will reach into the waterremoved to prevent mold from forming. The flower water should be renewed every two to three days.
Tip: A pinch of sugar in the flower water keeps the jewelery basket fresh for longer.
Propagating Cosmea
If you want to multiply your cosmos, you can leave the flowers on the plant and collect the small seed pods. The sowing can then proceed as already described.
If the seed pods are not removed, the Cosmea will propagate and sow itself. As the seeds are carried away by the wind and insects, flowering is likely to surprise next year in rather unusual and perhaps undesirable locations. Therefore, the targeted propagation should preferably be done by sowing.
Detecting diseases and pests on the cosmea
The biggest enemy of the plant are the snails. Young plants in particular are on the menu of slugs. Rarely is anything left over from the jewelry basket.
It is therefore advisable to prevent snail infestation when planting.
These actions can be taken:
- Cover plants overnight with a large yoghurt cup or seed cap
- Put up snail fences
- Place beer traps around the plants
- Scatter the coffee grounds around the plants
- Erect moving barriers out of brushwood, wood shavings or gravel
In the morning, the nocturnal snails can be collected from the plants. Watering is also done in the early hours of the morning.
In hot and dry weather, the plants can be attacked by powdery mildew. Aphid infestations are also more common. If the plants develop a lot of foliage, but the flowers are missing, care mistakes have been made. Either the soil is over-fertilized or the site is too shady.