Grow Monster Cosmos!

Mine look like weeds! How do you do it??

I hear this every year from my neighbors. And every year I tell them they don't understand the cosmos.

The cosmos (Cosmos bipannutus, Hardy to Zone 5) is a plant on the fine line of gardening. Though it thrives in hot drought conditions, complete neglect will kill it while too much of the opposite will produce, as my neighbors call it, disappointing straggly weeds with few flowers.

Being a huge fan of cosmos I plant the variety 'Versailles' by seed, as well as 'Seashell' 'Sonata', and 'Psycho', in my garden each year.

The cosmos in my garden (in Zone 9) reach six feet or more in height, depending on the variety, four feet in diameter, and drip with so many flowers the foliage is barely visible. It takes me hours to deadhead.

I kid you not! Hummingbirds perch in the towering bushes while drying off after bathing in the lawn sprinkler. I often find bumblebees dozing in the flower heads. On a windy day the flowers flutter in the sunlight like so many butterflies. I've found children playing hide and seek in my cosmos forest more than once.

I've heard of cosmos reaching eleven feet in height. But you may not want cosmos quite that large so we'll stick with the more modest six feet. But if you want to try to grow higher then go for it!

Here are my rules for growing towering Cosmos:

1. Choose a garden bed in full all-day sun. Cosmos love heat and hate the shade. Good air circulation is always a plus.

2. Start from seed. Your plants will grow a stronger root system if seeded directly into the garden bed. Don?t worry! Cosmos is a snap to grow from seed. Transplants are too busy recovering from the shock of being transplanted to develop a big root system.

3. Plant the seeds in a bed of loose average soil at least a foot deep. Cosmos have a taproot that needs depth in order to achieve maximum size (the bigger the root system the bigger the plant.)

4. Fertilize one time when the plants are seedlings, after that fertilize ONLY if your plants look pale.

5. Keep reading for the one vital secret you need to grow towering cosmos, or her funky Christmas trees? as a neighbor's boy once described.

Keep the bed moist but don't drown your babies. Watering in the morning is best. It keeps the seedlings moist during the warmest parts of the day. If your seedlings dry out from heat or extreme wind during the day then water once more. Watering at night can cause your seedlings to develop fungi, as will watering your lawn at night. Moisture plus warmth plus good air circulation is a must for seedlings.

Try not to walk on the bed, especially if your soil consists mostly of clay. Walking compacts the dirt making it harder after it dries, which makes growing more difficult for your seedlings.

If you have a problem with birds in your area then place a fine wire mesh on the bed to protect the seeds. I, for one, have never bothered to do so with my cosmos seeds even though there are a lot of birds in my area. Even if the birds snack on a few seeds I always have more than plenty left over in the ground.

I plant my cosmos in a bed where the plants catch plenty of afternoon wind. Good air circulation is necessary to prevent mildew from forming on any plant. Cosmos stands up pretty well to wind, but staking your plants ahead of time is the wisest course to take. Better to be safe than sorry.

After your seedlings sprout thin till they?re six to twelve inches apart. Ease off on the water a smidgen, but don't let your seedlings dry out. Remember, the cosmos is a drought plant, but even drought plants need water. Fertilize the seedlings ONE TIME ONLY by spraying them with compost tea.

Compost tea is manure left to rot in a bucket of water for a few days. I know, it sounds disgusting. It smells even worse. But compost tea is not only an effective safe and cheap organic fertilizer for the entire garden, but it also supplies vital microbial organisms essential for good plant health. Strain the foul-smelling water into a spray bottle and then spray directly onto the plants.

I speak from experience when I advise you to not let your child handle the spray bottle. He or she may think it hysterical to fertilize you. Manure stains can be difficult to remove from clothing. Trust me on this.

But what it the final vital secret you need to know to successfully grow monster size cosmos? Here it is (drum roll, please!):

After the seedlings form adult leaves (at four to six inches) carefully strip the lower leaves, side branches, and any buds off the seedling leaving the two top leaves. Your plants will look ridiculous. You may catch yourself apologizing to them (I can't help it! They look so naked!). But repeatedly stripping leaves until the seedlings reach two feet in height encourages growth. After reaching two feet in height stop stripping. The plants should take off, seemingly growing overnight.

One morning you'll walk out your door and be amazed by the huge plants and rainbow of color in your garden. And then you'll grin. Allow yourself a snicker or two while glancing at your neighbors' yards. You may catch a few neighbors staring back in frustrated envy.

Grow monster cosmos and you'll rule the neighborhood!

Jenny Harker is an experienced gardener and writer of articles as well as humorous romantic fiction. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ParanormalGardening to check our her newsletter.