How to grow cosmos

Farming methods

illumination

Cosmos is strong and likes sunlight, so it can be maintained with short-day conditions. It should be noted that Cosmos is not very demanding on soil. If it is transplanted into fertile soil and the light is not strong, the plant will easily grow too tall.

Water and fertilizer management

Watering: Cosmos likes water. It can be watered 2-3 times a day during droughts and once every 1-2 days on normal days. But avoid waterlogging in the pot soil.

Fertilization: If base fertilizer is applied when potting, no further fertilizer is needed during the growing period. If the soil is too fertile, the branches and leaves will easily grow too tall and the flowering will decrease. Or apply 5 times the amount of decomposed urine in water once every 10 days during the growth period.

Reproduction method

Sowing: Cosmos is sown in March and April. When the seedlings have 4 to 5 true leaves, they should be transplanted and topped off. They can also be thinned out after direct seeding.

Cuttings: Use softwood cuttings in summer, with a high survival rate. It can be done in May. You can choose thick top branches, cut a 8 cm to 10 cm long section as cuttings, and plant 3 to 5 plants in a cluster in the flowerpot. The pot should be buried in the soil, with 4 cm to 5 cm exposed above the ground. Water and shade it, and it will take root after half a month. After rooting, apply thin fertilizer solution once every 15 days, and remove the top buds when the plant grows to 15 cm to promote more branches. If fertilizer and water are controlled properly, flowers will be seen in about 45 days.

Precautions

Anti-lodging

Cosmos plants are tall and tend to sway in the wind, but they are also easily broken by the wind.

If you want to cultivate a short cosmos that will not fall over, you should postpone the sowing period to July, or after sowing in spring, pinch off the top of the plant when it grows to 40-50 cm to allow the axillary buds to bloom.

Pest and disease prevention

The main diseases of cosmos are leaf spot and powdery mildew, which can be treated by spraying 500 times diluted 50% tobac wettable powder.

Pests that need to be paid attention to for cosmos include aphids, beetles, etc., which can be killed by spraying 2500 times diluted 10% insecticide emulsion. Red spider mites are more likely to cause damage during hot weather, so it is advisable to prevent and control them early.