Cosmos Pinwheel Pink

Cosmos are generally very rewarding and low-maintenance annuals that even a complete beginner can grow without any problems. The rare 'Pinwheel Pink' variety will additionally reward you with a flood of pastel pink flowers with a unique star-like shape. You have two options for sowing – either start the plants indoors or sow them directly into the flowerbed. Since cosmos are not frost-hardy, wait for direct sowing until mid-May when there is no longer a risk of ground frost, and you can continue until July. For earlier blooms, however, we recommend starting indoors in trays, which is ideal to begin in April. Cosmos grow very quickly and the starting period takes only 2 to 4 weeks, so sowing too early would lead to unnecessarily leggy and weak plants. When starting indoors, choose a medium to large seed tray (for example, with 40 or 60 cells) so the root system has enough space for healthy development. Place 1 to 2 seeds in each cell and cover them with only a thin layer of substrate, approximately 0.5 to 1 cm. Seeds need warmth to germinate, so place the tray in a bright location with an optimal temperature of 18–22 °C. Under these conditions, the first green leaves will appear very quickly; usually, the germination time takes only 4 to 8 days. Keep the substrate slightly moist, but be careful of overwatering. To ensure your cosmos form bushy, well-branched plants and produce many more buds, we recommend pinching the main stem. You can perform this procedure even while the seedlings are in the tray (or just after planting) and have at least two to three pairs of true leaves. Transplant the started seedlings outdoors into the bed only in the second half of May after the 'Ice Saints'. Choose a location in full sun or light partial shade with sandy or loamy, well-draining soil. The advantage of cosmos is that they literally love poor soil – in over-fertilized soil, they would produce a huge amount of foliage at the expense of flowering. Plant them with a spacing of 20 to 30 cm. This spacing ensures good air circulation, which acts as a prevention against powdery mildew. Because the 'Pinwheel Pink' variety grows to a height of 60 to 120 cm, we recommend providing the plants with support (for example, a stretched net or string around the perimeter of the bed) so that the wind does not break them. After planting, watch out for slugs and snails, which like to nibble on young leaves, and occasionally check for aphids. The plant is not poisonous, it even has edible flowers, attracts many pollinators, and readily self-seeds in the bed. Cosmos are legendary 'flower machines', and freshly cut bouquets will stay beautiful in a vase at home for about 5 to 7 days. For the longest vase life, follow these rules when harvesting: * Harvest time: Ideally cut the flowers early in the morning or in the evening, when the stems are most hydrated. * Correct stage: Cut when the bud is just starting to open and showing color, but the tubular petals are not yet fully developed into a horizontal position (or choose flowers with the yellow center not yet fully bloomed). * Aftercare: Immediately after cutting, remove the bottom leaves that would rot in the vase and place the stems in deep, clean water. * Deadheading: The more you cut cosmos, the more they will produce. Therefore, be sure to regularly remove faded flowers, which will keep the plant in continuous bloom from June until the October frosts.