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Cosmos & pinching out

*Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 264
in Plants
Last year I grew some cosmos from packet seeds,  I collected the seed when they finished flowering and have started growing them again this year. 
Last year they got very tall and I was growing them in pots. A friend had said I should’ve pinched them out to bush them up and get more flowers. 

What I want to know this year is exactly at what point do I pinch them out? I assume not yet? I will add a photo the size they are now. I have recently re potted them from a seed tray to 9cm pots. I assume I leave them alone for the time being?


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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 9,985
    I usually pinch them out when they have 4-5 pairs of true leaves
    I'm growing dwarf varieties this year in the hope they will keep below 7ft! :)
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LynLyn Posts: 21,411
    You could repot into deeper pots and bury the stems right up to the first true leaves, even if it means curling round the pot a bit., those are not big enough to pinch the tops yet, you need some more sets of leaves first.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • *Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 264
    Ok thanks! I assume by true leaves I’m counting the “fluffy “ leaves not the 2 little ones at the bottom?
    I don’t have any deeper small pots maybe I could put them (several plants in 1 pot) into much larger ones, hopefully they won’t mind being separated when they get bigger?!  although I’m running out of compost now so will see if I can get to a garden centre next week!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 82,795
    I really wouldnt put more than one in each pot. The roots will become entwined and they’ll be damaged when you try to disentangle them ☹️ 


    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 9,985
    Yes - the fluffy leaves are the true leaves.
    They don't need big pots to grow on and as Dove says a lot easier with 1 per pot.
    They'll be ready to plant out in about 3 weeks
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • *Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 264
    Ok thanks for the help! Hopefully they’ll do better this year 😁🤞
  • LynLyn Posts: 21,411
    Take them out of the pots they’re in,  shake a bit of loose soil off and repot in new compost but deeper,  curl them round the pot a bit, it won’t hurt them I do it every year. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • jaffacakesjaffacakes Posts: 429
    I'm planting half of my cosmos out and potting up the rest. Mine are around the same size as yours. I'm hoping they will be ok. Also planting out half the dahlias too. Don't expect any more frosty weather now. :smile: Fingers crossed
  • *Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 264
    Ok so I’ve re potted them today! Still in the same pots but deeper as the only other pots I have which are deeper  are huge.

     I just want to check though it’s ok that I’ve buried the bottom 2 little “seed”. Leaves? There was a lot of stem between these leaves and the first fluffy leaves.

    They had grown leggy probably because the only place I could put them was a bit shady . Sadly I snapped a couple trying to bend them round a bit in the pots. I take it they will produce more roots lower down the newly planted stems?

  • *Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 264
    I’m glad I’m not the only one worried about pinching out my cosmos !!  
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