Cosmos seeds and planting!

hi!

I’m very proud to be growing lots of things from seed and bulb this year but I have a question about cosmos!

Does each single seed turn into a big plant? Or should I have had 4 or 5 seeds in each pot to form a single plant?

Also, the little plants haven’t grown much at all in the last week. They seem to be stuck how they appear in the photo! They shot up quick but then haven’t grown at all lately.

I’ve had them indoors for a few weeks until now, when I’m putting them outside for most of the day. We’ve had virtually no direct sunlight for weeks!

 

Each single seed will turn into a Cosmos plant Kriss. Sometimes into a very big plant ! What variety are you growing ? The only plant where I clump seedlings together would be ornamental grasses. Then I prick out about a dozen into a 3" pot , always a bit fiddly . Your Cosmos will grow fine just be patient

 

That’s a relief! I’m growing rubenza and dwarf sonata. I pricked out about 12 good ones! Potted them on like so....

 

Hi Kriss, I think it's a little early to be hardening your Cosmos off. I don't put mine out until around the end of May.

PS ... you say that's a photi of them. Is it the photo in your avatar ? If so they don't look like Cosmos. Cosmos have ver finely cut leaves so they give a ferny appearance. They look a more rounded leaf , like an annual Aster.

 

I’ve forgotten slightly what’s what with my pots. The larger ones are dahlias.

I’ve taken them all in now! Eek! I’ll wait a month before I start putting them out.

The single stemmed 2 leaf ones are definitely cosmos.

 

Far too soon to be putting cosmos outside. Its not about sunshine but all to do with temperature. Put them outside now and they will die

Meanwhile two things Kriss......keep them growing fast by pricking out into 9cm pots when a couple of inches high. And pinch out the tips of plants when about 3" or 4" high.....I do this with most everything; makes them bushy. And keep them indoors. Patience!! I pinch out 2 or 3 times before I allow them to flower. When you are sure frost has gone and temps, esp night temps, are at least 10 degrees then you can plant them out. Before then harden them off by placing outside in their pots by day and bringing them in overnight. Mine do not get planted out in the garden until filling 2 litre pots.

Size Kriss? Cosmos will make tall, about 3' (90 cm) even very tall plants.

 

Thanks everyone for the advise. I’ve been interested in gardening for a few years now but this year I’ve got the time to focus on flowers!! Previously my gardens were all just shrubs and trees! So I’m just venturing into bulbs, annuals and perennial flowers which is quite exciting.

I’ve planted cosmos, dahlias, cornflower, Livingston daisies and some other bulbs I picked up in the bargain shops.

As the weather has been so horrendous and because I didn’t realise some Some things need a few years to mature to flower, I’ve also bought plug plants for sea holly, echinops asters and coneflowers!!

 

get these seeds every year. just put them in a long type planter outside around 2 week in May and be done with it. then off to holiday. works every year.

 

Cornflower is basically the only seed I’ve grown before. I stumbled upon it and subsequently learned it was one of the easiest things to grow!

 

Always label everything. You'll think that you'll remember what's in each pot but it's easy to get pots mixed up. You can buy cheap plastic plant labels and a sharpie pen is good for writing on them. I reuse the labels by sticking them in a bucket of water with a bit of bleach. Leave overnight then rinse in fresh water and dry. Sorted.

 

Yes , I always write my labels out before I sow the seeds ( Wilkos plastic ones + a Sharpie ) . You always think you can easily remember what is what , but you bloomin' well can't

 

Would you guys be putting cosmos into an unheated greenhouse coldframe yet, or is it still a bit too soon?

 

I would during the day for a week or so then keep them there. Bristol is not too cold overnight now is it?
Watering is the main problem for cosmos I think......at this stage they do not like it much more than dryish I find.
My own cosmos are now in unheated gh but night temps are likely to stay above 6 degrees here

 

Thanks @Verdun, yeah we're warming up steadily here, it's been over 7 degrees fairly consistently for the last week or so. I can't for the life of me remember when I put them out last year, and everything seems late this year with the weather anyway - according to the diary I planted out my sweet peas on 11th April last year, and that is definitely not happening this!

 

I’ve been spraying mine with water!!! Should I let leave them alone and stop having the pots too moist!?