How to grow Celosia

Seed Sowing

Don’t sow too early as Celosia do not like the cold. Sow seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date (roughly March – April) in module trays or seed trays to be pricked out. Keep in a warm place as they grow.

Transplanting

Transplant outside in May once danger of frost has passed, spacing plants 30cm apart. Alternatively direct sow in May into weed free, well prepared soil, sowing into shallow drills 20cm apart. Thin to 30cm in the row once seeds have germinated. Celosia can also be grown in containers.

Plant Care

Celosia thrive in hot and humid conditions and may grow better undercover in a polytunnel or greenhouse. Keep the area weed-free and watered during hot spells. You can mulch around the plants to keep in moisture and prevent weeds. Deadhead to prolong flowering. Stems may need support, especially in windy growing conditions.

Challenges

Celosia are generally easy to grow and free from most pests and diseases.

Harvest

Pinch out the central stem to encourage lower branching stems of a more workable length. Pick the flowers often to encourage more flowers to form.

Ideally harvest the flowers in the morning when temperatures are low and plant water content is high. Plants will arrange better if left to sit in water for a few hours after cutting. Celosia have a very long vase life of up to two weeks.

To dry, cut stems and remove lower leaves and hang upside down in bunches in a cool, dark and well ventilated space.

Culinary Ideas

Celosia is part of the amaranth family and can be used in a similar way in cooking. Before flowering, its leaves can be harvested and used in recipes just like spinach.

Seed Saving

Harvest the individual flowers as they dry or whole plants once most of the flowers on the stem have dried. Lay out on a sheet to dry further and thresh by hand and winnow to clean the seeds.

Store in a cool dark place.