Cosmos.

2nd pic.Those leaves do not belong to Cosmos bipinnatus.
Either seeds are not as label or weeds are growing from the new soil.

Suggest you do not pinch out..wait and watch to see what flowers appear.


cosmos bipinnatus leaves - Recherche Google

 

The only thing I know about Cosmos is that I booked a few holidays with them back in the 70s and 80s.

Picture 2, I would say, whatever it is the leaves are distorted.
Got to be insect damage or weed killer IMO.
But without being able to spot any offending insects it seems odd.

What is the Murphy's spray you are using, could it contain something that Cosmos don't like.
Some plants are affected by some insecticides.

 

My cosmos this year are a little odd. Not many flowers and some of them are 4 - 5 ft tall - I've never seen them this tall before.

Perhaps it's something to do with the unusual weather - I'm not saying that it's because of global warming...

 

If the second plant is indeed a Cosmos and not something similar poking through (thistle?), the leaves indeed look very thickened and malformed. Could it be a virus infection? Or some kind of fungus in the roots?

Interesting

I have tried pinching my Cosmos once some years ago, they didn't like it at all and flowered late. Why don't my plants take good advise?

 

Its Murphy’s systemic insecticide, but it’s only been used on a climbing rose, not near some of the cosmos.

 

I have just inspected them all again. Now I’m thinking they have just bolted! The stems are thick and like bolting parsley, the lower leaves are perfect, but as they go up, get this crinkled look with no signs of any buds, except one ! Is it possible they loved this new nutritious topsoil and thought, great ! We can grow massive here, forget about flowering ! I’m so disappointed.

 

The ground could be too rich I suppose, I think of Cosmos as a wild flower of well drained soil really so any thing too rich could have an adverse effect.
But the distortion seems to be the main problem.

 

Suggestion....There are other Cosmos sp
See Cosmos sulphureus. ..leaves are very different from Cosmos bipinnatus

As suggested..be patient..watch and wait for flowers!

Your leaves look healthy.

cosmos sulphureus 'Cosmic Orange - Recherche Google

Cosmos sulphureus 'Cosmic Red' Seed

 

I think you might be on to something there ! I shall watch and wait to see, what emerges !

 

Might this be an explanation ? Never heard of it, but my daughter mentioned it !
Fasciation: What It Is and How It Can Affect Your Plants | The Seed Collection

 

In your pics there is no evidence of fasciation.
In your very first pics above there were flower buds.
Have they opened yet?

 

I have three puny blooms !

 

Pic?

 

And no signs of buds in all the other plants. The flowers and a couple of smaller buds are all on the same plant.