My earliest gardening memories date back to my primary school days, when my father taught me to cover our cockscomb and zinnia plants in green net to protect the plants from being attacked by sparrows and other birds. He would insert bamboo sticks in the planter pots and cover it in net, leaving space for the plant to grow without obstruction. I learnt that if any part of the plant was left uncovered, the birds would descend on these flower plants, feasting on their favourite snacks in the scorching afternoons.

While cockscomb — in comparison to zinnia — is neither considered beautiful nor does it offer an array of shades and colours, it has a very unique feature that makes it distinguishable from the rest of the plants. The flower of this plant is strikingly similar to the crest of a rooster in shape and even in its colours — mainly pink, red, purple and orange — due to which it is called ‘cockscomb’.

Scientifically known as Celosia and belonging to the Amaranthaceae family, this flowering plant is usually grown in Pakistan in summers. One can grow any of its varieties that range from the celosia cristata, celosia caracas, celosia plumosa to the silver cockscomb, celosia argentea, celosia flamingo, crested cockscomb and many others. It is a perennial plant that is found in warmer regions due to how well it thrives in areas with direct sunlight.

The seeds of cockscomb available in the market are both in dwarf and giant sizes. The seeds are very tiny and blackish-grey in colour. The seeds should be sown right after the winters, ideally when the temperature is at least above 18 degrees Celsius. The soil should be well-drained and not contain any pebbles.

Easy-to-grow with minimal effort — the cockscomb flowering plant is a must have in one’s garden, especially during the summers

The soil should be very smooth, fine and filtered because even a small stone is likely to inhibit the seeds’ germination. Soil should be well-watered before sowing the seeds. The seeds are then sprinkled on the surface and covered with a very thin little layer of compost.

It is recommended to water the seeds through the bottom-up method. According to this method, the seedling tray is placed upon another tray containing water. The soil imbibes and sucks up the water from the drainage holes of the seedling tray and the water goes all the way up, keeping the soil moist throughout.

Another way to achieve this result would be to lightly water the seeds in a traditional manner and then cover the container with any plastic till the seeds germinate. This will make water less likely to evaporate and keep the soil moist for longer period.

It will also ensure that the seeds are less likely to get dispersed from their original sowing spots due to the reduced number of watering till the eventual germination. In favourable conditions, the seeds germinate within two to three weeks of sowing.

The seedlings should be segregated carefully after their growth up to four to five true leaves. They should then be moved to their permanent position, where they should be exposed to six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. If the plant is to be grown in a container, then it should be at least eight-by-eight inches in size.

It is a very easy to grow a plant which seldom requires any specific fertilisers. In any case, when the plant is in its sapling stage, you may provide it with a handful of decomposed cow manure. This will be enough for the plant throughout its entire life-cycle. The plant loves moist, well-drained soil. Water should not accumulate around the plant.

Common issues with cockscomb plant related to pests and diseases include spider mites’ attack and leaf spot fungal disease. Spider mites form very minute webs around the leaves. These are hardly visible with the naked eye to a layman gardener. Before even realising that the plant is under a pest attack, the spider mite is already done with the plant.

The leaves of the plant become discoloured in the case of a spider mite attack. If one is able to identify the spider mite attack beforehand, one should immediately spray any organic pesticide solution on the plant, adding a few drops of dishwashing soap.

This easy-to-grow plant adds colours to lawns with minimal effort.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, May 14th, 2023