Cosmos are quintessential cottage garden flower that thrive in our raging North Texas summer . Here is a quick guide to growing cosmea in the Dallas / Fort Worth area .
What are cosmos?
cosmea are versatile annual flowers that can be originate for cutting or as a bedding works . They also make good bloom for pressing .
grow between three and six metrical foot tall , existence are feathery plants that now and again benefit from back .
Cosmos bipinnatus is the species most unremarkably usable at garden essence and fromseed company . Bipinnatus semblance are typically clean , light pinko , or dark pink . Cosmos sulphureus originate taller than bipinnatus and boasts sensationalistic and orangish flower . midget variety of both species are usable .
Cosmos Xanthos
When to plant cosmos in North Texas
cosmea can be direct - seeded in the garden in early spring once all threat of freeze has passed ( mid - March here in North Texas ) . But you may also take up seminal fluid indoors in late January or former February and set out as tranplants . This give your plants a head commencement . ( To ensure a uninterrupted bloom throughout the grow time of year , see “ Succession Planting ” below . )
transplant are also useable for purchase at local garden eye in the early outpouring during the optimal planting window .
It generally takes 8 - 12 weeks from germ to first peak .
Cosmos Xanthos
How to grow cosmos
plant life cosmos in a location that receives full sun . They prefer well - draining soil , so if you have squeeze clay , amend soil with compost and expanded shale prior to institute .
Be thrifty not to ply ground that is too rich , however , as creation thrive on neglect and do not allow excessive water orfertilizer .
To extend blooming , remove spent flowers throughout the growing season . ( This is known as deadheading the plant life . ) Some gardeners , however , will await until their spring - planted world have an abundance of dried seed oral sex and then switch off the plants back to 12 to 18 inches mellow and sprinkle the dry ejaculate around the plants . The pruned plants will be back in bloom in a month , and the sprinkled source will develop in the hot soil , expanding the denseness of the original planting .
Cosmos Not Blooming? It’s A Timing Issue
Interestingly , cosmos are mean solar day length dependent . This means that they bloom in reply to the number of hours of day . Because world are poor - day plants , they perform best ( and bloom the most ) when day length is 14 hours or less .
This may excuse why the cosmea you planted in April or May are not blooming . Here in North Texas , our twenty-four hour period length top 14 hour between late May and recent July .
There is a manner around this , however . The caper is to clock your cosmos planting so that your industrial plant are matured by the end of May . This is because ripe cosmos plants will flower disregardless of day length . Fascinating , right ?
Cosmos Planting Schedule for Continuous Summer Bloom
There are two ways to ensure that your garden is full of cosmos flush all summer : proper timing of your plantings and succession planting .
As mentioned sooner , you’re able to start cosmos seed indoors anytime between late January and the first of April . Cosmos seeds can be planted now in the garden as soon as there is no opportunity of frost ( anytime after March 12 ) . Because cosmos require warm soil temperatures to germinate well , however , it ’s a good idea to wait until later March or early April to direct - sow for upright outcome .
First Week of April Is the Cut-Off for Summer
In rescript to have ripe plant before day length reach 14 hours , the last sowing of cosmos ( indoors or outdoors ) must take position within the first calendar week of April .
If you engraft cosmos by come after the first week of April , you will belike have to look until fall for blooms . Though frustrating , this is n’t a bad affair because cosmos blooms in the spill here in North Texas are usually even bigger and prettier than spring blooms .
Succession Planting
The best way to assert a steady supplying of cosmoscut flowersis through succession planting . sequence planting is the practice of seeding or transplanting the same craw multiple times throughout the farm time of year with a specific period of prison term between plantings . Sunflowers are another craw that benefit from succession planting throughout the summer . ( take about succession planting sunflowershere . )
To succession plant cosmos , start them by seed every two weeks to four weeks between the end of January and the last of July . ( begin indoors between January and April and again in July . All other calendar month you’re able to direct - sow . in person , I care to start all creation seeds indoors for best results . ) For info on start seeds indoors , gohere .
Fall Plantings
For beautiful cosmos blooms until frost , start cosmos seeds indoors in July and organ transplant outdoors in August or September .
Sudden Decline of Cosmos Plants
Sometimes , cosmos plant early in the year can experience a rapid decline in June after cast on unspoiled blooms in the saltation . A sudden decline in your cosmos flora is typically make by diseases that impact cosmos like powdery mildew , bacterial wilt , or root and stem rot .
If the spring season is peculiarly raining here in North Texas , your cosmos might not make it through the summer . This is why sow in cosmos multiple time throughout the year is important .
Cosmo varieties
Here are some democratic variety of cosmos that showcase the wide variety of flesh and colors . chatter through for sources .
Summary
When it comes to growing cosmos , less is more . Be stingy with water supply , and do n’t add any extrafertilizer .
If you are growing cosmos to make bouquets , grow at least three or four plants .
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Cosmos Xanthos
Cosmos Sensation
Cosmos Sea Shells
Cosmos Double Click
