Cosmos is a perennial herbaceous plant with long blooming periods and rich colors, which is highly favored by gardening enthusiasts. However, many people don't know how to handle cosmos after it blooms, leading to withered flowers or plants that don't grow beautifully enough. Today, I will introduce some methods for handling cosmos after flowering to help everyone make their cosmos more beautiful.
Remove Wilted Flowers
After cosmos blooms, the flowers will gradually wither. If not cleaned up in time, it will affect the growth of the entire plant. Therefore, the first step is to remove the withered flowers. When removing them, be gentle and avoid damaging other healthy parts.
Maintain Soil Moisture
Cosmos prefers a moist environment, so soil moisture needs to be maintained after flowering. This can be achieved through regular watering or covering with a moisture-retaining film. But be careful not to overwater, as this may cause root rot.
Control Temperature
Cosmos needs to grow in suitable temperatures after flowering. Generally speaking, the optimal temperature range for cosmos growth is between 18°C and 20°C. If the temperature is too high or too low, it will affect the growth of cosmos.
Fertilization
Cosmos needs appropriate fertilization after flowering to maintain sufficient nutrients. You can choose some organic fertilizers such as chicken manure, cow dung, etc., and apply fertilizer periodically.
Pest and Disease Prevention
Cosmos is prone to pests and diseases after flowering, such as aphids, powdery mildew, etc. Therefore, timely prevention and control measures should be taken for cosmos, and some eco-friendly agents can be sprayed.
Prune Branches and Leaves
After cosmos blooms, branches and leaves will gradually age and need to be pruned in time. When pruning, be careful not to damage other healthy parts and maintain a neat shape.
Adjust Light Exposure
Cosmos needs appropriate sunlight exposure after flowering, but avoid direct strong sun. This can be achieved by adjusting placement positions or building shade structures.
Strengthen Management
Cosmos needs enhanced management after flowering, regularly clearing weeds and maintaining environmental hygiene around. At the same time, pay attention to timely pruning, watering, etc., to help cosmos maintain healthy growth.
Regular Repotting
Cosmos can be repotted regularly after flowering to help it better absorb nutrients. When repotting, choose suitable soil and transfer slowly to avoid damaging the roots.
Control Blooming Period
If you want to extend the blooming period of cosmos after flowering, you can achieve this by controlling temperature and maintaining humidity. At the same time, appropriate fertilization can help cosmos grow better.
Promote Branching
After cosmos blooms, branching can be appropriately promoted to help it grow denser. This can be achieved through pruning, stimulating new bud growth.
Maintain Ventilation
Cosmos needs good ventilation after flowering to prevent disease caused by humid environments. You can choose to ventilate regularly by opening windows or build ventilation equipment.
Add Nutrient Supplements
Cosmos can have appropriate nutrient supplements added after flowering to help it better absorb nutrients. You can choose some organic nutrient supplements such as seaweed fertilizer, etc.
Maintain Even Light Distribution
Cosmos needs even light distribution after flowering to avoid poor growth due to insufficient or excessive light. This can be achieved by adjusting positions or adding supplementary lights.
Regular Dormancy
Cosmos needs timely dormancy after flowering to better recover energy. You can choose to let cosmos go dormant in autumn by moving it to a cooler environment.
Cosmos is a very beautiful flower, but it requires timely management and care after flowering. By removing withered flowers, maintaining soil moisture, controlling temperature, etc., you can help cosmos grow better and display its most beautiful side.