Cosmos woes

[MrsBertBibby]

How do you get them to grow?

I sowed a tray of cosmos, following all instructions. They didn't have a great germination rate, but enough. They looked tall and feeble, but alive.

This morning, I found them, every single seedling was snipped out. Not eaten, the leaves were lying by each stalk.

How do you get these little shits to not due? Argh!

Like someone took scissors to them.

I could cry.

Do you mean the leaves had fallen off?!
No suggestions I’m afraid. I’ve just sowed some and thought they were v easy to grow!

Do you have kids who might have taken scissors to them while playing? A few of mine died last year but there was a very distinctive shrivelled part where they broke.

No, literally, Blunt stalk, leaves lying on the vermiculite.

Kids way too old for that.

It might have been a mouse. Keep them indoors until they get a bit bigger.

Can any cosmos succeeders talk me through what they do between germination and planting out?

They were indoors! And mice are unlikely given I have two horrifyingly effective mouse's in the house.

No snail trails either.

Mousers.

I am so frustrated, I was trying Rubenza, was really looking forward to them.

I'm semi-successful with cosmos. I started mine way too early last year so they got a bit leggy. They were a mixed packet from Sainsburys (think it was the brand Fothergills) and all but 2 seeds of the 30 germinated. By April I put them in the garden during mild days to harden up (wind helps create a stronger stem). I planted them out close together at the end of April. When I planted them out I lost a few to slugs and snails. Once they looked big enough not to be eaten overnight I pulled more out for better spacing. In the end I had 6 cosmos left and they took off, despite late frosts in May. They started flowering in early June and by July there were so many flowers it was actually too many for the house. I was cutting an arm full of flowers every 2 or 3 days just to keep on top of them. They only stopped in late September.

I usually die the seeds direct into the area, sometimes they crop up elsewhere! But they are quite good sewn direct I find

One of my local nurseries does a set of 6 cosmos plugs for about £2 each April. I've given up growing stringy weaklings from seed and just buy their plugs now - much easier and they grow on really well too. Sorry, probably not what you were hoping for but I feel your pain!!

I did better last year by sowing them much later than I normally do, they were less leggy and to be honest flowered not much later and for longer. Sowed them end of April. Germination rate was better too.

Try again. If you are normally OK with seeds it's just one of those things - if you aren't then don't overwater and make sure get enough light.

Thanks all.

Jam, when you sowed in April, where did you keep them until planting out? Or did you sow outside?

I sowed inside and then popped them out in a sheltered spot till big enough to prick out.

I have never had success with direct sowing with them, in North west and think it's just a bit too cold.

I absolutely love them though, one of my favourite flowers.

I know, that's why I persevere!

I will have to try another tray of rubenza, I realised there are still some in the packet. I sowed a tray of sweet kisses which is insanely pretty last night, they are in the propagator. My c sulphureus only had a couple come up, but those were very old seed so no real surprise.

Just looked up the C Sweet Kisses - they are lovely. And I'd never seen the yellow ones before.

I grew purity last year, and they were amazing. And also antiquity which were very pretty but didn't do as well.

This is why I really want to master growing from seed, there are so many gorgeous varieties I never see in the garden centre!

Someone or something has snipped or bitten the leaves off, that doesn't happen naturally.

I find them quite easy to grow, but they like the heat and light so I'm waiting a few more weeks before sowing. I think I sowed Purity mid-April last year and they were fabulous, well over my head and flowered until the frosts.

Where did you get the seed? If they're not germinating well it's probably old seed or has been kept in the wrong conditions.

Your cats might have nipped off the tops. I've caught mine doing similar. .

Cosmos from seed need a LOT of light and sunshine. Yours were already looking leggy for lack of sunshine. If you have to start them on a windowsill then start them later when the light is better - I haven't started mine yet - and it really needs to be a windowsill that gets a lot of light. I sit them in a big tray and water from the bottom, don't overwater them they really don't want to be soggy.

I often start mine in the airing cupboard for maximum consistent warmth but watch them like a hawk and as soon as I see germination I whip them out into the light.

Then when they get going pinch them out ruthlessly (I tell mine this is hurting me more than it hurts them).