Why is my cosmos not flowering

Cosmos is a low-maintenance annual flowering plant that is grown in many gardens. It belongs to the Compositae family and there are about 20 varieties of cosmos. The commonly grown cosmos varieties include cosmos sulphureus and cosmos bipinnatus. Cosmos sulphurous comes in colours such as yellow, orange and red. Its leaves are opposite and pinnately divided. Cosmos bipinnatus flowers come in pink, purple and white colours. Its foliage has a fern-like appearance.

Reasons why your cosmos is not flowering:

1.Overfertilizing

Cosmos grows well and produces more blooms in average soil conditions. When there is too much nitrogen in the soil, the plant produces more foliage and less blooms. To prevent this sow cosmos seeds in a potting mix that contains 40% sand, 30% garden soil and 30% compost. When they are not fertilised much they produce more blooms.

2.Lack of sunlight

Cosmos grows best when it gets 6 to 8 hours of sunlight every day. When it is grown in shady areas it tends to produce fewer blooms. Similarly, when the weather is too wet or cold, cosmos produces fewer blooms. To avoid this plant cosmos in a location that gets good levels of sunlight.

3.Overwatering

Cosmos is a hardy drought-tolerant annual, and overwatering can result in more foliage and fewer blooms. Water your cosmos plant when the soil is dry.

4.Pests

If your cosmos is affected by pests such as mealy bugs and whiteflies, they might find it difficult to bloom.