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do you feed your cosmos?

FireFire Posts: 19,096
in Problem solving
I have read that cosmos like "poor soil" which (to me) means low in nutrients - no manure, no clay, tom feed, granules and the like. But then I read that about a lot of plants, like salvias and erigeron. When I give those rich soil, they thrive. My cosmos this year are small, measly little things that are supposed to be over a metre tall. Is there a way to promote their growth upwards? Ammi majus / cow parsley etc also is said to like terrible soil. Is it true?

Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    edited June 2018
    I think if you give cosmos too good a soil, they make lots of growth, but very few flowers. Mine just get planted in with no feed or anything, and then watered if/when they start to wilt.
    Did you grow yours from seed or buy them in?
  • WorcesterParkWorcesterPark Posts: 94
    I remember Monty saying on GW that he’d give his cosmos one really good soaking when first placed into the ground - and then no more other than rainfall!
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Last year my cosmos, (first time I had grown from seed) were fantastic, 2,3, 4 feet high and flowering till November, this year, like your they are awful, grew the same varieties, some were even the same packets, same compost, they are about 4 inches tall, (I cheated last week bought 6 white ones from a nursery)  We are on clay, there is topsoil in some beds, they have been well watered because its been 4 weeks sans rain, and 30d today.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    No, other than a general application of FB&B before planting, and maybe another sprinkle around in early summer.
    Utah, USA.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I give the area FBB on planting, water in well. Usually I would leave them at that, but with this heat, I am having to water every other night.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    having to water twice sometimes 3 times day, early morning, evening after sun has gone round.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited June 2018
    I lay 3-4" rotted manure over the beds in autumn and that's all they get. But I do throw around a lot of seaweed meal in spring too - the smell is wonderful :)
    They do grow to 6ft+, they do get lots of ferny foliage, but I also get masses of flowers.
    This year I'm delaying planting out, to see if that holds them back a bit.
    I planted most out 2-3 weeks ago, but I've still got about 24 in modules to plant out, but it's way too hot atm and my soil is just dust. We've only had 1 brief shower in the last 5-6 weeks.
    Waiting for Amazon to deliver my 50m soaker hose - the sooner the better!

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Interesting. Thanks
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