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The Annual Garden: Cosmos

Cosmos. Cosmos is not grown for its ornamental [27] value, but rather for its masses of pink, crimson and white flowers that come in the autumn and are excellent for cut flowers. It is, therefore, best to seed it in the vegetable garden, along a fence or in some other part of the place, than in the flower garden, as its straggly habit of growth is both unattractive and unkempt looking. Cosmos does best in light soils that are not too rich, as it is apt to run to leaf in soils that are overfertile. Seed in the open by May 1st and thin the seedlings so that they stand from 12 to 18 inches apart. When the plants are about one foot high pinch back the tips of the shoots so as to encourage lateral growths that will result in bushy plants. Cosmos needs staking as it is easily beaten down by hard rains and strong winds.