Flowers – Cosmos Sensation Mixed – Heirloom Seeds

Cosmos Sensation Mixed (Cosmos bipinnatus) is a tall, airy annual with large, daisy-like flowers in shades of pink, rose, carmine and white above feathery green foliage. It is one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed, copes with heat and poor soil, and is a superb cut flower that bees and butterflies love. Plants reach roughly 90 to 120 cm, so use them at the back of beds or as an informal screen.

Growing guide for South Africa

• When to sow: after the last frost, from September to December in most areas (Highveld and other frost areas from October). Frost-free areas can sow from August to February for later flowers.
• How to sow: sow directly where they will flower, covering the seed with about 5 mm of soil. Seedlings can also be started in trays and planted out small, because cosmos dislikes root disturbance.
• Germination: 7 to 14 days at 18 to 25 degrees C.
• Spacing: thin or plant 30 to 45 cm apart.
• Position: full sun and well-drained soil. Poor to average soil gives the most flowers, so go easy on compost and fertiliser.
• Flowering: about 8 to 10 weeks from sowing, and then through summer into autumn.
• Care: water until established, then they are fairly drought tolerant. Stake tall plants in windy gardens, pinch out the tips when young for bushier growth, and cut or deadhead often to keep them flowering. They self-seed readily.

Quick facts: Packet: heirloom seed, mixed colours. Height 90 to 120 cm. Annual. Sowing times are a guide: adjust for your local frost dates and climate.