How to Care for Cockscomb?

Cockscomb is a fast growing plant that grows up to 30cm in height and is excellent for keeping in pots. This beautiful summer plant will surely surprise you. Just look at it a little to see the eruption of beautiful purple flowers on this plant. Continue reading this article in TooPlant in order to learn more about how to grow and care for Cockscomb.

Introduction of Cockscomb (Celosia)

Before addressing how to care for Cockscomb, please allow us to give you a brief introduction about this houseplant.

Cockscomb loves sunlight but grows well in low light. It is a little difficult for him to tolerate dehydration, just as drowning is very harmful for him. It is better to let the soil dry a few centimeters and then water it. All it asks of you is not to drown it, that’s it! In general, the maintenance and care for Cockscomb are very simple.

In this article, we want to provide you with information about how to care for Cockscomb, so stay tuned with Tooplant.

Care for Cockscombs

In this part, we will focus on the most important aspects which you need to take into consideration while treating this houseplant. The best methods of how to care for Cockscomb include as follows:

Light

Light is among the first important issues to care for Cockscomb. It’s nice to have enough sunshine in Cockscomb, but don’t worry. Because it grows in dimmer and shady environments. But it grows better in full light. Cockscomb needs about 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. In fact, the more light, the better! Place Cockscomb houseplants near a north skylight or on a balcony. Be careful that the soil does not dry out completely in the sun, as this will cause the plant to wither.

So, as shown above, light plays a significant role to care for Cockscomb.

Water

In the rest, concerning the tips of caring for a Cockscomb, it is better to know that Water the plant when the soil surface is completely dry. But overwatering severely weakens it. Cockscomb indoor plant can not tolerate wet soil. These plants do not enjoy much watering at all. Therefore, watering is another important aspect in order to care for Cockscomb.

Finding the right watering program for Cockscombs can be a little tricky, but don’t worry. The easiest way is to pay attention to the soil surface. Whenever the surface dries a few centimeters, it means that it is time to water. If your plant receives a lot of light, do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Conversely, if the plant is not exposed to much light, then its need for watering is reduced. 3cm of rain a week meets the needs of the plant well. So if you are in a rainy area, it is not bad to take a little plant under the rain.

In this way, to care for Cockscomb, watering is considered to be of great significance.

Soil

Intending to care for Cockscomb, the other crucial matter is soil. Having soil that drains quickly is very important to Cockscomb. Planting it in soil with improper drainage will cause the plant roots to rot and result in death. Heavy soil with high amounts of clay is not suitable for it. Suitable soil for Celosia is garden soil, peat moss and compost.

Thus, it can be said that, soil is another basic and important issue so as to care for Cockscomb.

Temperature and Humidity

Now, we come to temperature and humidity which are assumed to be principal to care for Cockscomb in addition to light, watering and soil that are mentioned above. Celosia (Cockscomb) can grow well in pots, but the indoor air is too dry to flower. So to keep the plant healthy, you need to help it. Place a humidifier next to it.

Another way to increase the humidity around the plant is to place the pot on a tray full of water. To do this, choose a shallow tray and fill it with sand, then pour a small amount of water on them and let the pebbles absorb some of it, finally you have to place the pot on the pebbles. Be careful that the bottom of the pot does not come into direct contact with the water in the tray. Therefore, please do not forget to take humidity into consideration in order to care for Cockscomb in the best way.

Cockscomb is a summer plant that does not like cold weather and a temperature of 25 to 35 degrees is ideal for its growth. Wetting the leaves can also be helpful; But be very careful not to just wet the leaves and never spray water on the flowers and blossoms. Do this with a water spray and use water at room temperature. Spraying should be done in the early morning, so that the plant has enough time to absorb it before sunset. This will prevent the plant from getting fungal diseases. Celosia is a tropical plant, so it loves warm and humid weather.

So, temperature and humidity are other important issues to care for Cockscomb.

Fertilizer

When you want to care for Cockscomb, one of the important questions that may come to your mind is “what is the best fertilizer?” In what follows, we will address how to fertilize this plant:

Fertilization is not necessary for Cockscomb. But if you see a slowdown in plant growth, you can apply liquid fertilizer to Celosia once during the growing season. Once the plant has started to bloom, this amount should also be increased every two weeks. Choose a fertilizer for Cockscomb indoor plant that is high in nitrogen, such as 3.1.2.

As a result, we could say that fertilizer is regarded as one of the fundamental issues when someone wants to care for Cockscomb.

Is Cockscomb Poisonous?

In order to care for Cockscomb, toxicity is considered to be a major issue because it directly relates to your health especially children. Cockscomb is safe for children and pets.

How To Prune Cockscomb?

Another thing to keep in mind when caring for a Cockscomb is pruning it. Separating the branches of the plant encourages it to produce more flowers and prevents it from expending its energy on seed production. Remove old, obsolete flowers from the branches before they produce seeds. Before cutting, wash the scissors well and clean them with alcohol. When the blades are completely dry, the scissors are ready for pruning.

Caring for Cockscomb: Common Pests and Diseases

After a description of taking care of a Cockscomb, we will explain the problems and their solutions:

Cockscomb is prone to fungal diseases. Proper watering and preventing the plant from waterlogging can prevent these diseases. Ticks, spider webs and aphids are the most common pests that attack Cockscomb. These pests are very common in houseplants. The best way to get rid of these pests is to wash them with a strong stream of water. This method also removes dust from the surface of the leaves, which prevents the growth of mites.

Essential Tips in Caring for Cockscomb

This plant grows quickly. So make room for it and make the pot bigger every few years. The stem of Celosia grows taller after a while and carries several flowers. The same weight may cause them to bend; Therefore, it is better to tie the stems together (or on another support) to prevent them from breaking. If you planted Cockscomb house plants in the garden, apply mulch around it. A thick layer of natural mulch helps the plant stay warm and does not lose moisture quickly. In addition, the presence of mulch prevents the growth of weeds.

What Is Cockscomb Used For?

This plant has medicinal properties. Useful for chicken pox. It is anti-irritant. It strengthens the sense of sight and hearing and is useful for colds. And its seeds have similar properties to Quinoa.

Infographic Of How To Care For Cockscomb

In this article, we tried to explain to you in an infographic the essential tips in the care of Cockscombs, so that you can briefly and usefully learn the methods of caring for this plant.

In The End

In this article, we tried to provide you with the necessary information about the methods of caring for a Cockscomb.

However, if you have any questions regarding this indoor plant or you need to get advice from our houseplant experts, please share your questions with us through the comments section below.