Cosmic Rain
To dead-head or not to dead-head? That was the question. Whether it was nobler to brave the summer wind and rain; to snip the heads of Candy Stripe, Gazebo mixed, Purity, Sea Shell Mix and Sensation Mixed. Or, whether it was time better spent in doors with a warming brew watching the raindrops pour down the windowsill and fill the pond.
It seemed so simple when we first launched the trial on the programme in April. All we wanted to find out was whether cosmos plants benefit from being deadheaded. Previous research, we had heard, had shown that removing a spent flower-head on a regular basis could prolong the length of the flowering display by a considerable amount. But did that apply to all varieties of cosmos? Were some varieties better than others? We just didn't know.
We still don't and we're blaming the weather.
Alys meticulously sowed and pricked out and planted out five different varieties of cosmos bipinnatus. Then she meticulously deadheaded three plants from each variety whilst leaving an equal number from each variety full of faded blooms. Then the rains came, the plants sulked and to be honest our hopes began to fade.
Let's face it the weather has not been kind to us. When Alys was away on holiday we lost some plants and now - although we are seeing some results - we're not confident we've got results for all our varieties. So can you help? You snapped up the 5,000 packets of free seeds back in the spring. Now we want to hear from you. Have you fared better? Have you enjoyed a sun pocket and got a great results from your deadheading. If so please leave a message below and tell us what you have found. Fingers crossed your blooms still have their heads held high...
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