PLEASE NOTE: Since plants are often sourced from the garden to order, sizes do vary a little, depending on how they come out of the ground, but I always endeavour to give a little more rather than less! They are sometimes shipped bare-rooted, but will approximate the size specified (e.g. a 9cm pot).

Cosmea bipinnatus Ex. Single white | ||||||||||||
Cosmos, ex. single white | ||||||||||||
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Masses of pure white, singe blooms with yellow centres throughout the summer, on tall stems with finely divided, bright-green foliage. Drought tolerant. Some say it is unnecessary to thin direct sown plants. Soil that is too rich may result in tall, lanky plants. NOTE: Seeds, when offered, are collected from single, white plants but other cosmos, both white and coloured, are grown in the garden, so there may have been some cross-pollination (see growing instructions for more info.) | ||||||||||||
Sowing and/or growing instructions | ||||||||||||
Can be sown direct, lightly raked into the soil, thinning to approx. 18in apart. Alternatively, sow under cover in spring in modules or seed trays, at 68-77F/20-25C. Do not exclude light, which aids germination. Move into individual pots as the plants develop. Wait until frost no longer poses a threat before planting into open ground. Pinch out growing tips once the plants are about 9-12in tall, to encourage branching. Prefers a fertile, moist soil in full sun. Discard any seedlings that have red stems as they will tend to produce pink or red flowers - or grow them on to plant elsewhere. |