Cosmic Rain
To dead-head or not to dead-head? That was the question. Whether it was nobler to brave the summer wind and rain; to snip the heads of Candy Stripe, Gazebo mixed, Purity, Sea Shell Mix and Sensation Mixed. Or, whether it was time better spent in doors with a warming brew watching the raindrops pour down the windowsill and fill the pond.
It seemed so simple when we first launched the trial on the programme in April. All we wanted to find out was whether cosmos plants benefit from being deadheaded. Previous research, we had heard, had shown that removing a spent flower-head on a regular basis could prolong the length of the flowering display by a considerable amount. But did that apply to all varieties of cosmos? Were some varieties better than others? We just didn't know.
We still don't and we're blaming the weather.
Alys meticulously sowed and pricked out and planted out five different varieties of cosmos bipinnatus. Then she meticulously deadheaded three plants from each variety whilst leaving an equal number from each variety full of faded blooms. Then the rains came, the plants sulked and to be honest our hopes began to fade.
Let's face it the weather has not been kind to us. When Alys was away on holiday we lost some plants and now - although we are seeing some results - we're not confident we've got results for all our varieties. So can you help? You snapped up the 5,000 packets of free seeds back in the spring. Now we want to hear from you. Have you fared better? Have you enjoyed a sun pocket and got a great results from your deadheading. If so please leave a message below and tell us what you have found. Fingers crossed your blooms still have their heads held high...
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~25~RS~)
Comments
Hi, my Cosmos 'purity' has been fantastic. i have deadheaded when needed and as a result had tall beautiful flowers throughout the summer and still as we head towards auturnm. I shall be buying more seeds for next year.
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I got two cosmos plants from gardeners world live, one white and one pink. I deadheaded the pink one only. They have both done well but I would say the pink one has definately done better and still has lots of buds on it.
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My Cosmos - Gazebo Mixed - have had mixed success! Mind you we have left them twice this summer, for two weeks each time. I then took every flower off before leaving and returned to lots of lovely flowers. The plants have been dead-headed and are still going strong. I have a couple of plants that look like small trees and have yet to flower, others that are doing as they should and yet others that have had to fight the slugs and wet to survive - but overall they have been good.
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Quite a high proportion of my Cosmos Sensation plants have not born any flowers at all. Those which have flowered are beautiful and continue to do well (I deadhead regularly). The blind plants had extremely sturdy stems and bushy leaves but no sign ever of flower buds. These were not seeds from Gardeners' World but were Wilkinson's brand. I have been growing Cosmos for years, they're my favourite annual for lasting late summer colour, but this is the first time I have had this happen.
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I planted some Cosmos Sensation early this year (along with French Marigolds) and planted them out when they were roughly the same size as the Marigolds. On the packet (they weren't the free ones from GW) it said they'd reach 1m tall, more like 2m!
Thanks to the rain they're really bushy and have taken over my borders. They are the only plants in my garden that seem to have really thrived due to the rain. I deadhead them and they have flowered loads but trouble is due to their size they've taken over my borders and i'm wondering whether to plant them again next year!
They are also prone to blowing over and i've had to stake each one with a really sturdy cane. For such a large plant, the roots are really insignificant and don't seem to anchor the plants in
It's my first year growing them but could be my last... Anyone else found their Cosmos problematic?
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As a volunteer in the walled garden at Cannon Hall, Barnsley I thought a Cosmos trial would provide extra interest on our Annual Pear Day in September. I grew 4 of the 5 listed varieties i.e. Purity, Sensation Mixed, Seashell Mixed and Gazebo Mixed in a bed 10ft by 18ft. Two rows of 5 of each variety approx. 18ins apart were planted out on 5th June.
The plants grew well but flowering was slow due to the poor summer and they only really got into their stride in September. Some plants have still to flower! Thus the benefits of dead heading are not immediately obvious but on the Purity and Gazebo there are a lot more buds to come on the deadheaded rows. The Gazebo were first into flower, and the most floriferous, and being slightly shorter were easier to manage. Seashells Mixed were most disappointing-least floriferous. The Purity and Sensation made huge plants which made it difficult to tell which flowers belonged to which row! (soil not fertilised but had been fallow for some years). Plants and rows needed to be further apart but they have made a lovely colourful show.
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Hello Barbara from Barnsley
Thanks so much for getting in touch. We'd love to hear more about your wonderful cosmos trial here at Gardeners' World, so if you could drop me a line at claire.johnson@bbc.co.uk that would be fab! If you have any photos, I'd love to see these too!
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I grew cosmos from seed they were not free GW seeds sorry I dont remember the variety but they are white with large flowers. I had lots and put them everywhere each time slugs ate one I replaced it .
They have all flowered profusely the ones deadheaded and not. I only recomend dead heading because the dying flowers spoil the look.
They are beautiful very tall and they glow out in different parts of the garden on the gloomiest days. I will definitely grow them again.
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My Cosmos trial was with 'Purity' and 'Sea shell Mix'. Both have done well, and are still flowering, and have buds yet to flower. The ones I didn't deadhead (purity only) seem to have flowered more, but that maybe due to location, as in full sun most of the day, and in the ground, whereas others are in pots which has limited growth, and they had slug attacks early on.
They all look so beautiful especially in my Mum's veg garden which we have taken on. We will definitely be planting them again next year and in years to come.
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I had a packet of the shell cosmos and what a delight they have been. My trial was to plant in two large pots and dead head the plants in one pot and leave the others. There was a clear difference. The ones I did not dead head apart from looking sad, have died off much more quickly than the others. I grew so many plants that I put the rest in the front border and they are still flowering. So as far as I am concerned dead heading prolonged the flowering period and as my own private trial seems to suggest grow your cosmos in the border not in pots they last much longer!
Thought I would also just mention that I have never grown flowers from seed before and I am now a convert and will not be spending quite so much at the garden centre now I know that you can produce lots more, much more cheaply by sowing your own. I am saving seed from my cosmos, not sure if they will grow but it's worth a try!
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