Garden Cosmos 'Picotee'

Try to plant in a location that enjoys full sun and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Picotee is thought of as tender, so it is imperative to wait until temperatures are mild before planting out of doors. Picotee tends to grow best in a soil ph of between 6.6 and 7.8 meaning it does best in weakly acidic soil - weakly alkaline soil.

Sow 3mm (1/8in) deep in spring at 21-24C (70-75F) in a good seed compost. Keep soil damp but not wet, sealing in a polythene bag after sowing is helpful. Do not exclude light.

Ensure a distance of 0.98 inches (2.5 cm) between seeds when sowing - look to sow at a depth of approximately 0.25 inches (0.64 cm). Soil temperature should be kept higher than 20°C / 68°F to ensure good germination.

By our calculations, you should look at sowing Picotee about 28 days before your last frost date.

When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant and grow on in cooler conditions. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 60cm (24in) apart in a sunny spot on light well drained soil.

Ensure that temperatures are mild (minimum night temperatures should be around 21°C / 70°F) and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Picotee is a tender plant.

The botanical epithet is from the Latin bipinnatus meaning “staunch” or “like two small wings”.¹

cosmos

¹ Latin Dictionary