Author Topic: Cosmos  (Read 2521 times)

Monika

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Cosmos
« on: August 09, 2019, 17:09:05 »
Some years ago, I set some Cosmos seed and since then, although I haven't set any more, I get a good number every summer as they seed themselves quite freely.  All I do is decide where I want them to flower and discard the rest.

This year, I have found that two of them have become like small bushes  with many heads, instead of the usual single stem plant.  Is this unusual, does anyone know?
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Tee Gee

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Re: Cosmos
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2019, 20:03:08 »
Sounds like a bit of hybridisation has occurred!

saddad

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Re: Cosmos
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2019, 11:34:35 »
Or possibly those two were damaged, had the growing point taken out by slugs for instance, and put out side shoots giving a bushy plant on a short leg.

Flighty

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Re: Cosmos
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2019, 13:31:55 »
I would say that it's not that unusual due to various reasons, such as Tee Gee and Saddad have mentioned.
I grow lots of different cosmos, generally let them self-seed year to year and find I get all sorts of variations in colour and height.   
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ber77tie

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Re: Cosmos
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2019, 21:06:22 »
I sow fresh cosmos seed every year but this year the plants are taller and just full of foliage.Hardly any flower. Do you think it is a weather problem or the seed as I usually have a good show.

Tee Gee

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Re: Cosmos
« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2019, 23:53:49 »
I often think that anomalies like this are down to previous year when the seed formed and the following year when they are grown, particularly when the weather conditions are quite different as they have been this year and last.

Take for example the month of May; last year it was relatively cool and moist so the plants had ideal conditions when the seedlings were planted out whereas this year May was very warm and dry which are less than ideal conditions for plants. I lost quite a lot of bedding plants this year because they dried out due to my inadequate watering regime!

Then later in the season last year it was very warm which was ideal for flower formation whereas this year it has been quite wet which is ideal for foliage production.

But let me say; I am no expert in Botany  and meteorology other than I know both affect plant life a great deal so every time I have a situation where I find a plant or plants don't perform as they normally should I look to things that happened this year and last.

Meaning, that every year I have a problem, I look to these two events, and if I can't fault them then I put the blame down to my growing methods and determine what I did different to previous years.

Usually I end up with a feasible answer and if  I determine the blame is down to me then I look to altering my ways the following year/s simply because I have no control over the other two factors!

This may seem a bit O.T.T but I just see it as another dimension to gardening and I really enjoy doing it!
« Last Edit: August 11, 2019, 23:59:40 by Tee Gee »

Monika

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Re: Cosmos
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2019, 15:57:45 »
Thank you everyone for all your interesting and sensible answers.  I love surprises in the garden so think I'll continue to let them self seed year on year and see what other delights turn up.

Your long reply Tee Gee affirms what I believe regarding different conditions from year to year and always pooh pooh the remark that a remarkable number of berries on the trees heralds a cold winter (as if the trees are clairvoyant) - whereas it seems obvious to me that a heavy number of winter berries just indicate that the earlier conditions have been really favourable.
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