Tips on how to get more flower power from your Cosmos and create more robust plants

[@eliev7844]

Such a helpful video. Wouldn’t have thought of nipping it so low down, but can now see why that’s exactly what you should do. Thank you x

[@mollypitcher9380]

GREAT THANKS!!!! I’ll do that right now for my cosmos (May, NJ). Perfect timing!!!🌸

[@lyndaturner6686]

Thanks for the tip I shall go and trim up my Cosmos plants and next year I will definitely do that when planting out 👍

[@Saba15-t9d]

I just went out to do the same, thanks for the very helpful advice!

[@MurphysGarden]

Thanks for watching Jenny

[@debbieholst3720]

Thanks so much for sharing. I have not done mine, will be heading out to do that. Thx again

[@MurphysGarden]

I haven’t done mine yet this year, everything seems a bit behind this year. Thanks for watching Jenny

[@patriciahogg5763]

Good tips! Thanks!

[@MurphysGarden]

Thank you for watching!

[@HavardStreAndresen]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Your video helped me a lot😀

[@MurphysGarden]

Thank you for watching

[@alexlomako4030]

You can save the Cosmo cuttings and pot in water. They will root . Save the cuttings!

[@MurphysGarden]

Oh, will try this!

[@katethegardener]

@@MurphysGarden just stick the stem into the ground and they grow!

[@alexlomako4030]

Put in glass of water . For more Cosmo.

[@DoloresReed-g6e]

Thanks. I didn’t get any flowers, the plants are at least 18-20 ft tall

[@MurphysGarden]

Oh dear, maybe do it a bit earlier when the plants are smaller.

[@txnygotw]

What happens if you don't stake them after cutting back? Would they still flop?

[@MurphysGarden]

They form shorter bushier plants less prone to flopping. I still do stake them as my garden is so windy but in a sheltered spot perhaps grown adjacent to other plants you may get away with not staking. I know it’s a bit time consuming individually staking but sometimes I just stick in a few bamboos around the group and zig zag some string back and forward while the plants are small and the cosmos can grow through it giving them some support. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching Jenny

[@txnygotw]

@@MurphysGarden Thanks, Jenny! The spot where I'll be growing them next year is not so windy. I'll chop them back and try without staking, and see how it goes. :)

[@theropesofrenovation9352]

Just do this once?

[@sweeneyTodd-de4by]

Hi I’ve just bought some cosmos, about 6 “ high what do I do with the top I’ve cut replant that?

[@MurphysGarden]

No, I don’t think it would root but the original plant will bush up as a result

[@mindfish21]

After you get two new shoots growing, if you pinch those shoots will it create even more? And is this advised for more bushing or will it get too bulky for the main stem? Idk anything about plants lol.

[@MurphysGarden]

It depends on what effect you want to get. If you repeatedly pinch out then you will end up with short, stocky plants with short stems. If you still want tallish plants with longish stems then just pinch out once. My husband complained that when he pinched his out last year they were dwarfed, he did it a bit too late in the season and they grew shorter than the flowers around them. I would advise pinching out once early, once they have two sets of true leaves. Hope this helps Thanks for watching Jenny

[@laurak5196]

Thanks so much for your video! Is it too late to do this now at the end of May? My husband grew our cosmos from seed but a couple plants have started blooming already. Most haven’t, but they’ve been planted now for a couple of weeks and are about a foot tall at this point. Thanks in advance for any advice! 😀🌸

[@deniseconnors8124]

I’ve done this, but mine are not blooming. Any ideas?

[@MurphysGarden]

Do they look healthy otherwise? Have you been feeding them? Sometimes if they have too much nitrogen then they produce a lot of vegetative growth at the expense of flowers. Sometimes feeds contain a bit too much nitrogen, try sprinkling a bit of bonemeal around the base and just water in and don’t feed with anything else, it contains phosphorus and may boost flowering Hope that helps Jenny

[@deniseconnors8124]

@@MurphysGarden thank you so much! Will try 🌸

[@honeybee6154]

Same problem here. I pinched mine and now they're big and have NO blooms. 😢

[@MurphysGarden]

Oh dear, not sure why that is. Could you have done it a bit late, which would delay flowering. You should pinch out the growing tip of a cosmos seedling when the plant has developed its first 2-3 sets of true leaves sometime between March and May (depending on where you live and whether you are sowing indoors or outdoors). Hope that helps for next year, in the meantime try a bit of bonemeal as suggested above and I hope the blooms will come Jenny

[@wilsgrant]

I keep hearing Cosmos don't need much water and are super draught tolerant. Based on this advice, I planted mine in grow bags with excellent drainage and well draining soil. However, if they go even a day or two in the PNW summer without watering they get dramatic and start drooping heavily. As soon as they are watered, they perk right up. Why is that?

[@MurphysGarden]

I never water mine which are in the ground and so I guess the roots go deep down to find moisture and because they are underground they don’t dry out. Perhaps because yours are in grow bags which are shallow and the plastic probably gets quite hot which means that they dry out quickly and are dependent on you watering them frequently. Perhaps next year, plant in the ground if possible or else in a deep pot and hopefully they won’t be quite so demanding! 🌸

[@wilsgrant]

@@MurphysGarden Makes sense, thank you for the thoughtful advice! Now I'm just hoping they hurry up and bloom, I planted them late (early June) and they are big and healthy but not blooming yet.

[@MurphysGarden]

Cosmos may be reluctant to bloom if the plants are getting too much nitrogen fertilizer. Although nitrogen is a necessary nutrient for healthy green growth, too much can be a bad thing for many plants. If your cosmos plant will not flower but has produced a lot of healthy looking leaves, it may be due to overfertilization. Try sprinkling with bonemeal to increase phosphorus and just water as needed. This makes them Sound incredibly fussy, really just stick them in the ground and let them do their own thing, you may be caring for them a bit too much!

[@wilsgrant]

@@MurphysGarden Thanks! I heard you shouldn't fertilize them much, but I didn't know you could still hit them with phosphorus and its just nitrogen that is the problem. When they were young I gave them a balanced "bloom booster" water soluble feed but haven't for over a month.

[@MurphysGarden]

@@wilsgrant sounds good, I hope you get some blooms soon 🤞

[@chrisdooney5374]

Murphy is such a cute dog what breed is he

[@MurphysGarden]

He’s a working cocker spaniel and he is such a good dog. He’s 10 now but still wants to chase his ball all day long but he is starting to slow down gets tired so I can’t throw it as much as he wants me to!

[@chrisdooney5374]

@@MurphysGarden aw he's adorable

[@sandraarmstrong3722]

Are you from N Ireland you have a lovely accent

[@MurphysGarden]

Yes, I am originally from N Ireland, thank you for watching Jenny

[@sandraarmstrong3722]

@@MurphysGarden I’m from Enniskillen

[@MurphysGarden]

Oh wow,, are you still there? I was four when we left Ireland but my accent has stuck, I wouldn’t want to lose it!

[@floraavelar8589]

KZbin