GARDENING: GROWING THE COCKSCOMB.

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.

The plant's flowering is just about to begin

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...