The seeds I planted were - Mr. Fothergill's 13747 Cosmos Psyche White Seeds for 60 Plants.
Kitty 2 -They're resonably big... I plant first week of May, and they're stems etc had strengthed up a lot over the last 10 days of hardening off but it's suddenly got a lot colder again.
I might try and find another less hot space in the studio where I could keep them in for a bit longer. Or the corridor is less hot if i had them out in the day and in the corridor at night. My sweet peas seem quite happy outside but I've read their supposed to be a bit hardier..
Other possibility I was wondering about was dampening off as the soil is very peaty and doesn't seem to drain very well, tried not to over water because of this.
Hi Miranda all my cosmos outside in what was a pop up plastic greenhouse but is now a coldframe as zip broke! the other thing I use as we're v short of space is 2 clear storage box lids I pop over plants at night currently protecting lots of seedling s this way, it's not perfect but it's better than nothing as 'cold frame' is packed to bursting!
Damping off was the first thing that came into my mind when I read your first post, but looking at the photos I reckon they're too big for that.
Can you turn off individual radiators? If they've removed the controls, a small adjustable spanner will do the job. Otherwise the corridor sounds like an idea - is there any light there at night/weekends?
Hi Miranda, I agree with rosemummy that they probably need a little protection outside.
If you don't have a cold frame the easiest way to give them some shelter is to cut the bottom of a 2 litre plastic bottle and use it as a mini cloche, take the lid off to let fresh air in.
Your plants are a nice size, much bigger than mine but I'm up north.
I know they look a bit miserable now but most of the plants in the photos will be OK! It is unusually cold at night but some of the ideas here should help. It really is a difficult time of year when we all want to get things out into the garden but there is a danger of frost. Best of luck with your cosmos!
Some of my other seedlings with wider leaves have visable tracks through them and I thought it was odd that I could see black specks in the dying leaves of the cosmos. Turns out that's their droppings and I'd been squishing a fair few little black flies in my room.
Looks like I've got a nasty case of leaf miner!
I've just gone and snipped off as many infected leaves as I can without leaving everything bald.
Does anyone have any advice as how to get rid of them before they kill the rest of my cosmos.
Will an insecticide spray work if I get one tomorrow?
Steve 309 - radiator hacking is definitely on the list - I've got my spanner at the ready for tomorrow.
It's down to 1oc this evening where I am so brought everything into the coolest patch of corridor I could find.
Any advice on killing leaf miners would be really appreciated! Found one larvae emerging from a leaf and cut it in half but think I'm going to need a bigger solution!
Are you sure it is leaf miners and not something like tortrix moth? If you can see a little caterpillar the best way with just a few plants is to pick them over carefully and just remove and squish the culprits. Some bugs hide themselves by folding over the leaf; you can gently unroll it and catch the little green caterpillar which will drop down to evade capture, so hold something underneath while you unroll.
Yeah pretty certain. Found another 4 white larvae inside the actual leaf stalks this morning and squished them. They're leaving a trail of black dots inside the leaves which I've read is from their droppings and the dead leaves have been completely hollowed out...
Also makes sense with the white trails I've found on the other bigger leaf seedlings next to them. And the little black flies I’ve been squishing.
Have you ever dealt with them before? Was looking at buying some Bug clear spray and some fly paper to see if I could break the life cycle or is it just a lost cause?
Posts
Hi Posy,
The seeds I planted were - Mr. Fothergill's 13747 Cosmos Psyche White Seeds for 60 Plants.
Kitty 2 -They're resonably big... I plant first week of May, and they're stems etc had strengthed up a lot over the last 10 days of hardening off but it's suddenly got a lot colder again.
I might try and find another less hot space in the studio where I could keep them in for a bit longer. Or the corridor is less hot if i had them out in the day and in the corridor at night. My sweet peas seem quite happy outside but I've read their supposed to be a bit hardier..
Other possibility I was wondering about was dampening off as the soil is very peaty and doesn't seem to drain very well, tried not to over water because of this.
Hi Miranda all my cosmos outside in what was a pop up plastic greenhouse but is now a coldframe as zip broke! the other thing I use as we're v short of space is 2 clear storage box lids I pop over plants at night currently protecting lots of seedling s this way, it's not perfect but it's better than nothing as 'cold frame' is packed to bursting!
Damping off was the first thing that came into my mind when I read your first post, but looking at the photos I reckon they're too big for that.
Can you turn off individual radiators? If they've removed the controls, a small adjustable spanner will do the job.
Otherwise the corridor sounds like an idea - is there any light there at night/weekends?
Hi Miranda, I agree with rosemummy that they probably need a little protection outside.
If you don't have a cold frame the easiest way to give them some shelter is to cut the bottom of a 2 litre plastic bottle and use it as a mini cloche, take the lid off to let fresh air in.
Your plants are a nice size, much bigger than mine but I'm up north.
Hi Miranda
I have some Cosmos that have looked like your last photo even though they were treated in the same way as others.
I wonder if the mould is an over watering problem ?
Mine are still in the conservatory they are just about ready to pot on.
I think Rosemummy's idea is a good one. Maybe stand them in a cardboard box overnight and put some newspaper over the top
I know they look a bit miserable now but most of the plants in the photos will be OK! It is unusually cold at night but some of the ideas here should help. It really is a difficult time of year when we all want to get things out into the garden but there is a danger of frost. Best of luck with your cosmos!
I've just figured out what it is!
Some of my other seedlings with wider leaves have visable tracks through them and I thought it was odd that I could see black specks in the dying leaves of the cosmos. Turns out that's their droppings and I'd been squishing a fair few little black flies in my room.
Looks like I've got a nasty case of leaf miner!
I've just gone and snipped off as many infected leaves as I can without leaving everything bald.
Does anyone have any advice as how to get rid of them before they kill the rest of my cosmos.
Will an insecticide spray work if I get one tomorrow?
Steve 309 - radiator hacking is definitely on the list - I've got my spanner at the ready for tomorrow.
It's down to 1oc this evening where I am so brought everything into the coolest patch of corridor I could find.
Any advice on killing leaf miners would be really appreciated! Found one larvae emerging from a leaf and cut it in half but think I'm going to need a bigger solution!
Thanks for all your help!
Are you sure it is leaf miners and not something like tortrix moth? If you can see a little caterpillar the best way with just a few plants is to pick them over carefully and just remove and squish the culprits. Some bugs hide themselves by folding over the leaf; you can gently unroll it and catch the little green caterpillar which will drop down to evade capture, so hold something underneath while you unroll.
Hi Posy,
Yeah pretty certain. Found another 4 white larvae inside the actual leaf stalks this morning and squished them. They're leaving a trail of black dots inside the leaves which I've read is from their droppings and the dead leaves have been completely hollowed out...
Also makes sense with the white trails I've found on the other bigger leaf seedlings next to them. And the little black flies I’ve been squishing.
Have you ever dealt with them before? Was looking at buying some Bug clear spray and some fly paper to see if I could break the life cycle or is it just a lost cause?
Thanks for all your help!
M