Cosmos are the easiest, most generous cottage flower — airy, daisy-like blooms on tall stems that flower for months and buzz with bees and hoverflies. Sow once and enjoy them all summer.
Quick facts
- Position: full sun
- Spacing: 30–40 cm apart
- Tub depth: our 23 cm+ depth
- Time to harvest: 10–12 weeks to flower
When to plant: Cosmos are frost-tender — sow directly from spring through summer. They often self-seed for the following year. Our free planting calendar shows the right months for your postcode.
Growing it in a raised bed: Sow seed straight into the mix in full sun — poor soil actually gives more flowers and fewer leaves. Deadhead or pick regularly and they'll bloom until the frosts.
How to use it: Cosmos are grown for cutting and for the pollinators rather than the plate — they're a superb, long-flowering nectar source that fills a garden with beneficial insects.
Common pests: keep an eye out for aphids, though flowers are seldom much bothered. See our safe pest guide.
Common problems: the main one to watch is powdery mildew, usually in damp, crowded conditions. Good airflow prevents most.
Where to plant it: Dot them through and around the veggie beds to bring in bees and hoverflies; brilliant as cut flowers. See our companion planting guide.
More growing guides: calendula, cornflowers and sunflowers.
Plan your patch: our free planting calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.
Image: Dominic Nelson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Share and get 15% off!
Simply share this product on one of the following social networks and you will unlock 15% off!