Cosmos.

What’s happening to my cosmos plants this year, grown from seed ? Last year there was a wealth of blooms this time of year, but out of thirty five plants, only one has a bud or two.
Does anybody else have problems ?

 

Yes, all from the same packet. The lower bits are healthy cosmos greenery, the crinkled bits are at the top.

 

I know they are the same, I’m finding posting pictures are difficult, the first one was ok, but subsequent ones don’t seem to register. Anyway, you can’t see the lower foliage, because the picture is taken from above to show the crinkly bits.

 

No I don’t. They are in two separate newly established raised beds, all I have sprayed with in one of them is Muphy’s insect spray on my roses. I wondered if they had been suffering in the heat last week, though I watered every evening.

 

It looks to me like aphid damage which can cause the leaves to distort , they come eventually they just need time .

 

The beds were filled with topsoil by the landscapers and I haven’t added anything to them, I feel the soil should have plenty of nutrients this first year.

 

I have had a good look for any pests, but I can’t see anything, certainly no blackfly. I may just give them a good going over with my trusted Murphy’s !!!

 

I can see anything, nothing lurking in the curly leaves. The stalks also look weird, very much like parsley, when it’s setting seed. All the seed I sowed were exactly the same, those funny little half moons. I’m well puzzled.
Maybe I’m just expecting blooms too early, I was a tad late with my sowing !

 

I have just read another cosmos conversation and come up with a solution ! Not one for pinching out, I think that may be worth trying. I shall lob off the wrong looking bits and see what happens. I shall report back ! Thanks for all your answers !