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I was given two of these for my birthday, one is planted in a walled raised bed at home and well mulched for protection, the other is ni a cold frost free greenhouse.

Come the spring can I propogate it like dahlias by taking cuttings of the shoots with a bit of root attached?

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated - Sunday 19th at 2100hrs

Did they flower last summer PW?

I grow loads of annual Cosmos, just love them. But the chocolate cosmos is (I think) a perennial. So presumably you can divide like a normal perennial (?). I keep meaning to get a plant - will it do in any soil and conditions?

I think Jennie that the poorer the soil the better they do. The chocolate variety is indeed a perenial and both flowered this year. I grow annual ones for cutting as they are so prolific.

__________________
Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated - Sunday 19th at 2100hrs

Thanks for that PW. The Thompson & MOrgan catalogue arrived this morning and they have a dwarf chocolate cosmos, so think I might go for that one and give it a go.

On the annuals - how close do you plant yours? I think I spread mine out abit too much this year and they looked a bit straggly, particularly as they seemed to shoot up. I thought I had mostly mid heights (18"), but most went up alot higher than that! My favourites this year were Dazzlers - a pinky stripe flower, very pretty, and as you say, they are great cut flowers for the house.

Used to have some chocolate cosmos in the garden but it tended to get a bit leggy over the season so I pulled it out and transplanted with something else. They did smell nice but didn't have enough of a contrast with the soil for my liking. Suppose it's a matter of personal preference and I've been gradually moving away from purely ornamental stuff and using more and more of the garden for things I can eat - do pick some of the more pretty varieties though. Suppose it's different if you have a larger garden or a lottie as the ground space isn't quite so critical.

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Hi Piglet,

Yep Chocolate Cosmos hails from Mexico I think (as does the Dahlia) & has a tuber just the same.

I would guess, if you leav it in the pot & let it dry out ( put the pot on it's side) then later on give it a good drink & some bottom heat & as the shoots break through take them as cuttings.

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

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