Cosmos
I have opinions on cosmos, I really do.
I have always enjoyed cosmos, those cheerful multicoloured blooms atop tall stalks fringed with feathery fronds.
This summer, when I was trying to tame the side garden, cosmos were high on my list. They have a wildflower aura to them, and so seemed perfect for that still disreputable corner of the garden.
They grew nicely and I had high hopes for them. But they kept growing, and growing, and growing...and nary a bud to show for it!
This seemed very odd. I consulted with my neighbours; they said they had never seen cosmos grow so tall (they were over 5 feet at that point), and didn't know why there were no buds. I consulted Google - it said possibly too much water, not enough water, too much nitrogen in the soil or maybe I had planted them too late to get any blooms this season. My husband said I should not have used sheep manure, my neighbour said sheep manure was the best thing to use.
So.
Well, I left them in the bed, as they nicely filled out the space at the base of the (also gigantic) sunflowers. And, eventually, some buds did appear, and then we got some sweet blooms.
The bees have been enjoying them, too.
I have always enjoyed cosmos, those cheerful multicoloured blooms atop tall stalks fringed with feathery fronds.
This summer, when I was trying to tame the side garden, cosmos were high on my list. They have a wildflower aura to them, and so seemed perfect for that still disreputable corner of the garden.
They grew nicely and I had high hopes for them. But they kept growing, and growing, and growing...and nary a bud to show for it!
This seemed very odd. I consulted with my neighbours; they said they had never seen cosmos grow so tall (they were over 5 feet at that point), and didn't know why there were no buds. I consulted Google - it said possibly too much water, not enough water, too much nitrogen in the soil or maybe I had planted them too late to get any blooms this season. My husband said I should not have used sheep manure, my neighbour said sheep manure was the best thing to use.
So.
Well, I left them in the bed, as they nicely filled out the space at the base of the (also gigantic) sunflowers. And, eventually, some buds did appear, and then we got some sweet blooms.
The bees have been enjoying them, too.
But, lovely though these blossoms are, the height of the plant has been a pain. They have crowded out the the other plants in the garden, and now are toppling over. The dollar store is out of bamboo stakes (the ones I used for the sunflowers) and I am too lazy to go hunting elsewhere for some (plus my gardening budget got surpassed sometime in August - hee hee). So I just let the cosmos flop.
Poor little cosmos (well, not so little).
I expanded the side garden a few weeks ago (and it looks so much tidier now - yay!). At the same time, I cut down some big cosmos plants that were obscuring the wildflowers (now I can see the bachelor's buttons!). They didn't have any buds, so I am not too remorseful.
I don't think I'll plant cosmos in this spot again next year, but definitely will find another place for it in the garden, somewhere that its wild and bushy soul can roam free!
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