Description of the best varieties of cosmos, planting and care in open ground

In summer cottages you can often find tall purple daisies. But not everyone knows the name of this flower. The plant is called cosmos. Planting and caring for cosmos outdoors is quite simple. You don’t have to put in a lot of effort to grow a flower of this variety.

Description

Cosmea can be perennial or annual. The plant belongs to the Asteraceae family. The birthplace of the culture is Spain. The flower grows well in Russian latitudes, even in the northern regions. The culture grows well in arid regions on sandy soil. There are about 25 varieties in nature, but in Russia the two most common types are sulfur-yellow cosmos and double-pinnate.

Depending on the variety, the inflorescences can be either regular or double. The shade of the petals also varies. From white to rich burgundy. Cosmea can be tall or short.

Peculiarities

The height of the bushes can vary from 60 cm to 1.5 m. The outer inflorescence looks very much like daisies. Most varieties are characterized by the usual type of inflorescence. But relatively recently, breeders managed to breed terry cosmos.

Types and varieties

There are a large number of varieties of cosmos, which differ from each other in a number of characteristics.

Double pinnate

The most common variety of cosmos in Russia is double-pinnate. These are annual hybrids with large inflorescences; they can reach up to 10 cm in diameter.

Dazzler

The inflorescences are bright red, which gradually acquire a crimson color.

Purity

The stems of the Purity variety are thin and flexible, the shade of the petals is snow-white.

short

The height of the bushes is no more than 65 cm. The inflorescences come in various shades. Most often there are pink inflorescences with a red border in the center of the flower.

Sulfur yellow

This variety was brought from the southern regions of Mexico.Prefers to grow in areas where summers are hot. It grows poorly during prolonged rains and constant cold snaps.

Bilbo

A low-growing variety, the height of the stems grows up to 50 cm. The inflorescences are a rich yellow-orange color.

Crest Lemon

The height of adult bushes is 50 cm. The petals are yellow.

Diablo

The height of the bushes is from 60 to 85 cm. The petals are red with a yellow border in the center.

Blood red

Grows only in warm regions. In the north it can only be grown at home in flower pots. The inflorescences of this variety are rich burgundy with a pleasant chocolate smell.

Brightness

The variety is classified as semi-double. Flowers come in different shades. These are mainly warm shades of orange and yellow. Due to their small height of 30 cm, they are used to decorate borders.

Antiquity

During the flowering period, the Activity variety changes shade from wine to delicate salmon color.

Double click rose bon-bon

Terry variety, tall bushes. Flowers are suitable for making bouquets. Inflorescences are lavender-pink in color. To ensure lush inflorescences, it is recommended to plant bushes in sunny areas.

Terry

Terry varieties were bred not so long ago. The main difference from other varieties is the double inflorescence. The shades of the petals are different.

Golden Valley

The shade of the petals is orange-yellow. The bush is low-growing, growing up to 65 cm in height.

Polydor little fox

The height of the bush is from 65 to 100 cm. The shade of the petals is yellow. The flowering period is long, beginning in July and ending with the first frost.

Red Pyle

The color of the inflorescence is raspberry-pink. Bushes up to 75 cm high. Flowering continues until frost.

Burgundy button

Suitable for cutting, burgundy inflorescences. Plant height is 80 cm.

Chocolate

A special feature of this variety is the smell of the inflorescences - it resembles sweet chocolate. The shade of the petals is blood red.

Dwarf

A low-growing variety, the height does not exceed 85 cm. The shades of the petals range from black with a red tint to white.

Sensation

A mixture of shades of inflorescences. The flowers of this variety are white, pink and salmon. There are varieties with white petals and a purple border around the edges. The height of mature bushes is up to 1.2 m.

Sonata

A low-growing variety, the height of the bushes is no more than 75 cm. The color of the flowers is purple. The inflorescences are large, usually from 10 to 13 cm in diameter. The flowering period lasts from July to mid-October.

Seashell

The peculiarity of this variety is that the petals look like a tube, which is why the variety got the name Seashell. The shade of the petals is purple.

Picoti

The petals of the flowers are white, with a purple border at the edges. The bushes grow up to 80 cm in height.

Features of growing from seeds

You can plant cosmos in seedlings, or immediately sow planting material in open ground. Both methods are quite effective.

Sowing

The easiest way is to plant the plant immediately in open ground and wait for germination. The crop sprouts quickly if the seeds are provided with favorable conditions.

Deadlines

Planting material is planted in warm soil in mid-May. If the spring turns out to be cold, it is better to postpone planting until the end of May.

Planting scheme

Before planting seeds, the soil is weeded and wood ash is added.

How to sow seeds:

• Make shallow holes.
• Plant the seeds at a distance of 5-8 cm from each other.
• Sprinkle lightly with soil.

At the end of sowing, irrigate the soil generously with warm water.

Seedling

Another way to grow cosmos is from seedlings. The seeds are first planted at home and then transplanted into open ground.

When to plant

It is recommended to plant planting material in the first half of March so that the bushes have time to grow by the time it is warm outside. When grown in the southern regions, planting material can be planted in mid-February. And in the northern regions - closer to the end of March or the beginning of April.

How to plant

Make shallow furrows in the soil and plant the seeds. Lightly cover them with soil and water thoroughly. You can cover the boxes with cling film to help the seedlings sprout faster.

Temperature

Cosmea is a heat-loving crop, so in order for the seeds to begin to actively germinate, they must be provided with all the necessary conditions. Shoots appear at temperatures from +19 degrees. Lighting is also important. It is not recommended to place boxes with seedlings in the shade. They should be exposed to sunlight for most of the day. If the weather is often cloudy, you need to install artificial lighting and turn it on in the evenings.

Thinning

Thinning is necessary if the planting material has been planted very densely and the bushes prevent each other from growing. After the shoots appear and the seedlings grow a little, they can be thinned out. The weakest and smallest seedlings should be pulled out.

Dive

You need to plant seedlings in separate pots after a couple of full-fledged leaves appear on them. For picking, it is best to use peat cups, from which you do not then have to remove the seedlings, but plant flowers along with them.

Planting in open ground

Planting seedlings in open ground is done after the soil has warmed up well and the weather is warm outside. Typically, transplant dates occur at the end of May.It is recommended to plant bushes in fertile, loose soil with a low nitrogen content.

How to plant cosmos in open ground:

• Dig holes and fill the bottom with drainage.
• Add a small amount of mineral fertilizers for flower crops.
• Plant seedlings.
• Fill the holes with soil and lightly compact them near the base of the stem.

Water generously with warm water at the end of planting. You can cover the seedlings at night. Although if night frosts are not expected, you don’t have to cover the plants.

Care

Probably, among all the flower crops, cosmos is the most unpretentious. It seems as if it is enough to plant it and water it occasionally. But if you put in a little more effort, the flowering will be long and abundant.

Watering

The plant is drought-resistant. You can water the bushes 2-3 times a week in the evening, after sunset. For irrigation, water heated in the sun is used.

Top dressing

Although cosmos is an unpretentious crop and can do without fertilizing the soil, to increase the appearance of inflorescences, you should not forget about regularly fertilizing the soil.

First

In the first half of the season, before flowering, cosmos are fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. The main thing is not to overdo it and not to overfeed. The bushes cannot tolerate excess nitrogen in the soil and may even stop blooming. At least 14 days should pass between feedings. Plants are watered with nitrogen after irrigating the soil so as not to burn the root system of the bushes.

Second

The second feeding should be aimed at the formation of inflorescences and increasing their number. Phosphorus and potassium are suitable for this purpose. Fertilize the soil in the evening. When applying fertilizers, it is important not to allow them to get on the foliage, but to water only the soil.Wood ash and infusions based on weeds are suitable organic fertilizers.

Third

The third fertilizing is applied towards the end of the growing season. If these are annual varieties, then you can do without it. And if they are perennial, then it is better not to forget about the third stage of fertilizing. Fertilizing at the end of summer is necessary in order to prepare the bushes for winter.

Rotted manure or bird droppings diluted in water are used as fertilizers. Applying organic fertilizers will prepare the bushes for winter. In addition, in the spring the soil will already be fertilized, and the bushes will begin to grow faster.

Breakage of wilted inflorescences

Regular removal of faded inflorescences will increase the flowering period. The inflorescences are cut along with the peduncles at the base, where they connect to the stem.

Trimming

Some varieties are annuals; they do not need to be pruned in the fall; the bushes are completely dug up and thrown away. Perennial varieties are pruned in the fall, after the flowering period. The bushes are pruned so that the height of the stem from the ground is 15 cm.

Bloom

To increase flowering and increase its duration, you need to regularly fertilize the soil and immediately after the inflorescences fade, cut them off.

Diseases and pests

The plant is resistant to diseases and pest attacks. If you provide the bushes with favorable conditions for growth, then you will not have to fight diseases at the entire growth stage.

Pests on bushes can include snails and slugs. And then only when the seedlings are still small and weak. As a rule, there are no harmful insects on mature bushes. Snails and slugs are collected by hand. You can also set up beer traps and burn them when the insects crawl onto them.

Collection and storage of seeds

The seeds of the crop are collected after the inflorescences have completely faded and dried out. It is recommended to store seeds in the refrigerator for no more than two years. It is worth noting that cosmos is a cross-pollinated crop, so it will still not be possible to preserve varietal characteristics when collecting seeds.

Wintering

After pruning, the bushes are covered with spruce branches or agrofibre. Perennial cosmos is pruned so that only 15 cm of stems remain. You can also mulch the soil. When grown in the southern regions, shelter for the winter is not required.

Use in landscape design

Cosmea looks great in landscape design. It is used both for planting in summer cottages and in the urban landscape. The plant goes well with other flower crops.

Reviews

Alena, 35 years old: “As a child, cosmos always grew at my grandmother’s dacha, which I really liked. I still can’t imagine a dacha without this flower. The plant is unpretentious and always blooms profusely. I especially liked the variety with double inflorescences. The flowers look like peonies."

Karina, 26 years old: “I’ve been planting cosmos for several years now. The seeds always germinate together and grow quickly. And the main advantage of this flower is that it blooms from the very beginning of summer until autumn.”