Cosmos Germination

I thought, “Is this worthy of its own blog post? Nah, probably not.”

But actually, this being the first sign of new life in my personal environment since the dreadfully cold and wet winter, yes it is. It is worth recording the first of the seed germination that will become a few of many plants that provide bright colour and pollen for insect life this year.

Cosmos bipinnatus (otherwise known as Mexican Aster and Spanish Needles) is a half-hardy annual, but it’s known for self-seeding so the pots I’m growing them in can be brought in over winter and will hopefully contain new growth next year. They come in various shades of pinks, purples and white.

They have a reputation for becoming top-heavy when they flower, but growing them in clumps (as I intend to, in pots) ensures that the leaves interlock and they support each other.

They’re quite a tall plant (2’ to 6’) so I plan to reserve room for them against the wall athe the back of the displays.