Cosmos are among my favorite summer flowers. The plants’ light, wispy, foliage, reminiscent of dill, is topped by colorful, daisy-like flowers that sway in the breeze. Popular cottage garden picks, I tend to plant cosmos in my raised beds because they attract bees and butterflies. Growing these annuals from seed is super easy. In this article, I’m going to share some tips on seeding cosmos indoors so you’ll have seedlings for planting season, as well as how to direct-sow seeds right in the garden.
I find cosmos to be one of those plants that don’t look all that great at the garden center. You don’t usually find them in bloom, so unless you recognize that feathery foliage, you may walk right on by. It’s easy to start plants from seed and you’re in control of which varieties you choose
There are about 20 known species to choose from, with a range of varieties. “Cosmos” is the common name and the genus, which makes it easy when you’re looking at seed packets and plant tags.
osmos bipinnatus is probably the most common species you’ll find growing in the annuals section at garden centers. ‘Picotee’ is a popular C. bipinnatus variety. My favorite seed blend is ‘Dancing Petticoats’ from Renee’s Garden, which includes ‘Sea Shells’, ‘Psyche’, and ‘Versailles’. There is also a yellow and orange species called Cosmos sulphureus, and Chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus), which is a tuberous perennial.
There are also different petal types to choose from. There are tubular, frilly, and flat petals with various shapes.ven though they are annuals, cosmos still need to be off before planting them in the garden. Wait until all of frost has passed, then choose a well-draining spot in the garden that gets full sun (a little partial shade is okay, too). It’s worth noting that you don’t have to amend your soil with compost like you do with other flowers and veggies. This may help encourage more blooms. And you don’t really need fertilizers either. the soil will just result in more leaves.
Cosmos are pretty low-maintenance plants. Once they get going, they’re quite drought side. If you have a variety that grows too tall, so staking may be something to consider. spent blooms throughout the growing season to encourage more growth. This will also keep plants a shorter, encouraging new “branches” to grow outwards. You may even want to prune back some of the stems (up to one third) to keep it more contained.
