Terry kosmeya: description, varieties and cultivation

Terry kosmeya is considered one of the most beautiful plants on the planet. Translated from the Latin language kosmeya means "space". This flower is very unpretentious to grow, even beginners plant it in their gardens. Today, experts have bred many varieties of this plant that can decorate any personal plot. Further in the article, we will take a closer look at the varieties of cosmos, learn how to plant and care for it correctly, and also consider its main diseases and pests that can attack this plant.

Terry kosmeya belongs to the Astrovye family. Most of the annual and perennial species of this flower are used by gardeners as ornamental plants. They perfectly take root in the climatic conditions of our country, are light-loving enough and resistant to cold weather. Flowering of this plant usually occurs in the middle of summer, on average, the inflorescences reach 6-12 cm in diameter.

Terry kosmeya with delicate double petals grows as a shrub that can reach a height of 1.5 meters. A feature of a terry plant is that its petals in the inflorescences are located in one or even two rows, but in several.

Today, it is easy to purchase many original varieties of terry cosme, which can be grown without much difficulty in your personal plot. Let's consider them in more detail.

• "Snow click". This variety is one of the most common among terry. The color of the petals of this cosmos is snow-white, the bushes themselves are very lush, reminiscent of the inflorescences of a white dahlia. The plant reaches a height of no more than 70 cm.

• Psyche. This variety has flowers that resemble real lace collars. Inflorescences can be pale pink, white or purple in color. The bush is usually no more than 80 cm high.

• "Pink lollipop". The petals of this thermophilic variety grow in two rows at once, painted in a pale pink color. In height, they can reach 40-80 cm.

• "Sea shell". A distinctive feature of this variety is the dissected openwork leaves. The flowers are large enough, about 10 cm in diameter, located singly on the stems.

• "Terry button". It is a mixture of several bright terry inflorescences, the bush itself is about 110-120 cm high.This variety is perfect for planting in the background of flower beds and for creating a decor for fences.

• "Cranberry Click". This variety with very lush inflorescences can have colors from red and scarlet to deep burgundy. The height is 70-140 cm.

• Kosmeya "Orange" has bright orange petals reaching 7 cm in diameter. The height of the bush grows no more than one meter.

• "Rainbow overflows". Cosmos of this variety can be from white to burgundy.

• Rose Bonbon. This variety will appeal to those who like lush pink blossoms.

Semi-double varieties include "Ladybug" and "Ariadne". They can also be successfully combined with the above varieties in the garden and flower beds.

All varieties of cosmos look great on flower beds and borders, especially when grown in large quantities.

You can plant kosmeya in spring and autumn. Let's consider both options in more detail.

• Spring sowing. After the cold weather has gone and the snow has melted, you can start planting cosme seeds in open ground without any problems. In order for young plants to take root, it is recommended to dig up the ground in advance before planting them. To plant the seeds correctly, it is very important to spread them on the surface of the soil every 25-35 cm, lightly pressing them to the ground. You do not need to cover the seeds with soil.

• Autumn sowing. Terry kosmeya is considered frost-resistant (but not all varieties), and therefore it can be planted in autumn without any fear. The main thing is to start planting seeds no later than November, otherwise they will not be able to sprout due to the upcoming frosts. The planting process and technique itself are no different from those recommended for the spring.

Seeds of terry cosmos are planted immediately in open ground or for seedlings in pre-prepared containers. It is very important to avoid acidic soil that is not suitable for this plant. For sowing, seeds that are no more than 3 years old are suitable, since after this time their germination is lost.

Let's take a closer look at how cosme seeds are planted for seedlings. Usually they are planted on seedlings in the event that planting directly into the ground is impossible, for example, because of the cold climate. To grow healthy plants, you must adhere to the following rules and recommendations.

• You can start planting seeds in early April. To do this, prepare a small container (pot) with loose soil, where you need to place several seeds, and sprinkle them lightly.
• You can sow kosmeya in small cups of 1-2 seeds each.
• From time to time, you should moisten the soil with seeds using a spray bottle.
• It is also recommended to cover the sown seeds with foil. This is done to create the so-called greenhouse effect, thanks to which plants sprout many times faster.
• It is very important to control the temperature in the room where the cosme seeds will be grown. The temperature should be at least + 19-20 degrees.
• As soon as the first shoots appear, the film can be removed. This usually happens after 7-14 days. Watering the soil should be regular, but moderate.
• As soon as young cosmea seedlings reach a size of about 10 cm, they should be planted in separate pots or immediately in open ground.

If we talk about direct planting in the ground, then the seeds should go deep into it in the same way as when planting seedlings. The seeds are lowered about one cm deep into the soil. It is desirable that it be warmed up. The distance between the holes should be about 25-30 cm. To get lush shrubs, it is recommended to keep no more than 3 plants per hole in the future. The excess should be removed at the stage of the appearance of the third leaf.

Terry kosmeya is a rather unpretentious plant, it does not require too much attention to itself. So that when growing a plant, unnecessary questions do not arise, we recommend that you listen to the following tips.

• Seeds should only be planted in loose, nutritious and drained soil. Peat can be used as additives.
• It is important to always remove weeds from the area where young plants are growing.
• During flowering, it is very important to remove faded inflorescences.
• If necessary, the cosmos bushes can be trimmed so that they can be neat and compact.
• You can collect plant seeds both ripe and semi-ripe. In any case, their germination is very high.

Watering kosmey should be regular, but not excessively abundant. On average, the plant is watered 1-2 times a week.This should be done only as the soil dries out. In no case should they be poured, as this can lead to decay of the root system. Loosening is recommended after watering. It is worth noting that too frequent overflow can lead to the occurrence of fungal diseases that affect not only the roots, but also the leaves with flowers.

It is recommended to use complex formulations as fertilizers, but you should be extremely careful with organic ones, because their excess can negatively affect the condition of the plant. It may begin to grow abundantly in greens rather than buds.

Top dressing of cosmos can be done 3 times per season: before the onset of budding, during it and during the flowering period. During flowering, it is possible to use foliar dressing, which can contribute to an even more abundant flowering.

Kosmeya practically does not get sick. but it is often affected by slugs, caterpillars and snails, which are not always easy to deal with... Usually, such pests are removed by hand, and only then, for preventive purposes, the flowers are treated with the help of special preparations or herbal infusions with the addition of laundry soap.

Terry kosmei varieties look great in landscape design, as they are in perfect harmony with many plants in the garden, including chamomiles, asters, carnations, verbena, tulips and marigolds.

Terry kosmeya is grown next to fences, it very successfully disguises unsuccessful fences. It is also planted for a variety of hedges. Flower arrangements in flower beds and next to paths in the garden look very original.

Cosmey in the garden is often planted under the cut, since it looks good in bouquets.

For information on how to grow cosmeia from seeds, see the next video.