Sonata Pink Cosmos Seedling Plants

Cosmos Sonata Pink

This is the mid-pink member of the Sonata range of Cosmos which was bred to cater for smaller gardens, window boxes and container gardeners in general. Cosmos Sonata Pink is much smaller and tidier than the usual Cosmos bipinnatus varieties, which can often reach 100 cms in height. Sonata Cosmos are typically half that at between 40-60 cms tall. It is because of this as well as its delicious pastel pink flowers that Cosmos Sonata Pink is in our range of ready to plant cosmos seedlings.

All annual Cosmos produce flowers in abundance and Sonata Pink is no exception. The stems will be a bit shorter than those of its taller cousins but, although we have not counted, it looks as if it produces just as many flowers. Planted in a drift, it can put on a show to take the breath away. Simply stunning, it also has amazing stamina keeping going until it is cut down by the first frosts in November. A must for any garden.

Cosmos Sonata Pink Features:

• Half-hardy Annual
• Colour: Pastel pink with gold stamens
• Height: 45-50 cms
• Planting Months: April - June/July
• Flowering: May - November
• Plant Spacing: 25-30 cms

Plant Cosmos Sonata Pink seedlings in well prepared, moist soil that ideally was enriched with a little organic matter the previous autumn. Not too much as Cosmos flower better if the soil is not overly rich. Water well after planting and for at least a week after that just to make sure they establish well.

The Sonata series of Cosmos are ideal for growing in containers as none of them reach more than 50 cms tall. However they are bushy plants, and so need enough compost in the pot to stop a strong wind blowing them over so we would suggest using pot sizes of at least 5 Litres and preferably a bit more. Any general purpose compost will do here.

The main requirements are that your plants have enough light and water - they grow very fast and flower hugely through summer so moisture is important. They can cope with a little shade but flower better in full sun. As a guide, they need a bare minimum of 4 hours direct light a day, but they do better with more.

Because you are buying seedlings, you can plant your cosmos into their final flowering positions immediately. Space your plants 25-30 cms apart and (in a bed) plant them in drifts of 12-15 plants. They will either need a 60 cms cane per plant (which should be pushed in about 25 cms deep and about 5 cm from a plant) or a support made of twine or pea/bean netting. This should be stretched between canes about 20-30 cms above ground level and the cosmos can then grow through it. It is not pretty at first but the plants disguise it very quickly and it is an effective solution. Just don't plant a group that is so big you can't reach the middle...

As flowers develop cut them or dead head when they are over and your cosmos will carry on flowering all summer long. Well grown Cosmos can quite literally produce a hundred flowers or so per plant in a season.

To maintain flower quality and size, you can use a high potash and phosphate fertiliser every fortnight throughout summer. Home-made comfrey tea is perfect or one of the specialised tomato fertilisers will do very well.