How to Cut Cosmos

Lots of people ask me how to make their Cosmos last longer in the vase. The truth is it's all about how you cut and condition it.
Here's what to do.

[@valarieannaliza8805]

Love Cosmos! Just discovered them two seasons ago. Where have they been all my life!?

[@torriesmith6419]

Thank you. Just what I was looking for!

[@yolandapierce4258]

My first year growing cosmos was last year and they were well over 7ft tall 😂 I didn't know how to cut them and I didn't want to, but this year I am. This video was very helpful.

[@aongv]

Thank you so much for this video super clear! I was so confused on how deep I needed to cut. I’ve been cutting it wrong since I want longer stems. I’ll try this today!

[@zeinadarwazah7300]

what a useful video. so for that i can assume, they can be used for weddings tables-capes

[@MarciaKarasek]

Super helpful! Thank you!

[@astar3849]

Omg thank you, Im growing these this year because they claimed to be good for cut flowers, but wasn't cutting them long enough and was clipping off the buds thinking they wouldn't open in the vase and they would take energy away from the flower that had opened. Tomorrow I'm going to cut a big bunch of budding purity! I'm assuming smaller cosmos will only be viable for small jam jar arrangements , I'd gottenthe two lemonade varieties but they're much smaller than the purity, would be hard to cut them long enough for a decent vase...

[@sarahbarton2089]

Thank you. Very helpful

[@wisdomtree9911]

So glad I saw this. I was just cutting off the flowering stem. Quite a few of my cosmos have just become huge foliage monsters with no buds. Could you do a 'How to Cut Dalias' video?

[@debrabray8855]

Thank you! im just starting cosmos for the first time and didn't know any of that.

[@TheFloralProject]

Glad you enjoyed Debra!

[@traceyrigney8742]

Thank you 😊

[@nicbird6873]

Welcome!

[@aimeemacdn]

So helpful, thankyou. I have had an allotment for 17 years but have only recently started growing flowers for cutting. I was doing what you describe - cutting a blooming head with very short stem and leaving the buds behind. With regards to the conditioning, would it be OK to leave them outside overnight in a bucket. You said you put yours in the garage, do they need to be under-cover?

[@TheFloralProject]

I would say so given the english weather! Plus you want them somewhere dark - use your bathroom or coolest room in the house if you don't have a garage.

[@aimeemacdn]

@@TheFloralProject Thanks.

[@awkwardautistic]

I have a question... my Cosmos are huge.. at least 10ft probably more. But now that it's November and I live in NE Ohio where it's cold now... do I cut them or pull them all out?

[@TheFloralProject]

Wow - those are HUGE. You'll need to pull them all out once the frosts come as they are tender. However, I don't know about the zones in the US so you might also want to check with a US flower grower.

[@elizabetskrobo6634]

Did you pinch them when they were small?

[@TheFloralProject]

Yes I always do.

[@flowerfairy1950]

I don't quite understand why the need to condition rather than put them straight into a vase? Thank you

[@wotapalava]

its to prolong their vase life, xx

[@flowerfairy1950]

@@wotapalava I understand but my logic says they are going into water in a vase so what is difference. If to go into a bouquet that makes sense but direct into a vase?

[@TheFloralProject]

Hi - they need some time to rest before they are 'faffed' with so conditioning means to strip all their lower leaves off then simply place them with as little 'faffing' as possible into a bucket of water all the way up their stems and leave them somewhere dark and cool. That way they'll do much better in the vase!

[@flowerfairy1950]

@@TheFloralProject Thank you 👍

[@rachelplatt2918]

Really helpful….thanks