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Cosmos not germinating - again!

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  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Beautiful, Lyn.

    I have a question about planting out. My grand plan is to fill my garden with cosmos plants - Rubenza and bipinnatus 'Versailles Red' . But I read they like poor soil best - like a Med plant - rubble and full sun (like lavender, rosemary, thyme etc). I have the opposite - new beds put in, full of rotted manure and garden compost. I wonder what will happen - loads of foliage few flowers? Would they just tank?

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I have the same sort of soil and you'll find they grow HUGE
    They flower profusely but mine grow to between 5-6ft usually and sometimes higher.
    And I pinch the tops out.
    I've grown Rubenza and found them to be a bit straggly, maybe it's just the conditions here, but it's worth pinching out the tops when they have about 4 pairs of leaves to make them bush out more
    I've got 66 of them hardening off atm Purity, Sensation Pinkie and Daydream.. a forest of cosmos! :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    That's my plan too! I'll give them a go and post what happens.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I'll look forward to seeing them Fire - good luck


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Was that last year, Pete?
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited May 2018
    Yes that was August - I think we'd had some strong gales and most of the cosmos had got badly broken, some had split branches hanging from the stems as they were so tall, but they carried on regardless
    If you can keep up with the deadheading they just go on and on
    Purity - last August too



    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Lovely. Out of interest, how many Purity plants are there (roughly) in the picture?
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I think that was 3. I guess the diameter of a plant would be around 3ft. I probably planted them 18"-2ft apart just to ram 'em in
    As to where I'm going to plant 66 of them......
    Lucky neighbours again I guess :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited May 2018
    Very helpful. Thanks. Planting with verbena bon. looks lovely.
  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    The seed company I got my Purity from has said that they have had lots of complaints that it is not germinating well. I think I got 6 plants from a generous packet of seed. Xanthos and Cranberry mix germinated fine. 
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
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