Coleus 2012

The ugly coleus - pale brown with green edges were almost toss in the compost. However, I planted them along the fence as slug bait for my hosta. And guess what? - honeybees love them! Ugly Coleus rocks!

Coleus flower with a bee - can you see the bee?

august 12, 2012
ottawa city, ontario, canada
Coleus collection in my backyard.

Coleus Salmon Lace - nice big leaves to accent my Hosta Guacamole

 

Coleus Apple green and some Coleus Scarlet Wizard!

some garden pictures thriving after the heatwave, and loving the rain!

coleus collection - violet tri-color with some coleus velvet lime

A collection of  Coleus Velvet Lime

coleus collection in a pot

coleus-fishnet stockings

Coleus Giant exhibition - Palisandra

heirloom coleus

Coleus Seed Propagation: Ebay Seeds(Ebay username: heavonlea)

March 31, 2012 - These are the babies transplanted yesterday to individual cell packs. It looks like I have more babies in this batch of seeds.



feb. 24, 2012 (This seed was sown Feb 11, 2012)


COLEUS SEED PROPAGATION:

SEED SOURCE: Ebay username: heavonlea
Maureen of Ontario

The batch of seeds was labeled Coleus - Stunning Color Rainbow.

These seeds were sown Feb11, 2012 - a regular potting mix, put in an empty take out container, put under a light.

Seeds germinated very well, still all green, but exciting. Will update soon as seeds show character and grace.)

Comment: I will definitely recommend buying from this seller, because the seed germinated without a problem, so my guess is this was a fresh seed from Fall 2011 harvest.

Coleus Everywhere

coleus cuttings, coleus from seeds, there they are...anyone wants coleus in the ottawa area?
$2 per 4 inch pot and a thank you smile for clearing my space for next herb in season.

Maintaining Amaryllis Bulbs

The top of my medium size bookshelf. Left to right. Coleus rustic orange, velvet lime. Amarylis, and a succulent dish which I designed myself - a moom cactus, with Echevaria.

Two stalks of blooming red amaryllis.

A close up of the flower.

AMARYLLIS (naked lily) December 30, 2011.

i got amaryllis from trevor and vj for christmas. I have no experience with this bulb but it come with instructions. so, will, it is worth a try. any plant loves me, so this is another member of my family.

it is the variety red lion. red flowers in the window box, so it is put in its vase downstairs and hope it will show me flowers soon.

before i discard the kit, the instructions is here:

MAINTAINING AMARYLLIS BULBS:
Unlike most other bulbs, Amaryllis bulbs will bloom again and again, provided they are properly cared for.

• after the bulb finishes blooming, cut off the flower stalk close to the base.
  
• keep the plant moist and add houseplant fertilizer regularly. after the last frost, you can put the amaryllis outside in a sunny spot.
• stop watering and feeding in August/September and allow the plant to dry out completely in the sun.
  
• in early fall, remove bulb from soil and clean the bulbs of old scales and spent foliage.
• re-pot in a clean container with the neck of the bulb above the soil, water and place in cool, sunny spot. water sparingly until the first sprout appears, then keep moist. In about 8 weeks, the bulb will bloom again.
  

i will add notes if these instruction works, and how i tweak ( as I am known as the mad scientist on plants) them to suit my needs.

Currently, I planted the Amaryllis in my basement. I have a garage light " a flourescent 48" hanging from the wall " in my laundry room. This is how this amaryllis is planted. It showed about 2" of sprout already.

Since 8 weeks is blooming time, approximately that will be February 24th, 2012 from today (12/30/2011).

• UPDATE: Feb. 18, 2011. Probably the estimated date is close to when it flowers. I have two big stalks or red flowers, and very awesome. It was so heavy that it fall off on the side. I have to cut two big stalks and put em in two separate flower vase.
  

Coleus List, Coleus Identification (Painted Nettle) Solenostemon Scu

Coleus Henna

Coleus Brilliancy or Saturn

Mixed Tray 6 pots - blaze would be my guess, along with Farm Mix

Here is the list of my coleus. I obtained many cuttings this fall, and believe me when I say, I maybe have 50 pots of them under a shop light, which I rigged suspended from the ceiling. If you want a small pot of coleus for a houseplant, contact me.  There is no way I can accommodate more coleus in my home without invading my kitchen. Plus, I got seedlings germinating in the basement tray. OPS!

Coleus Palisandra

Coleus Black Dragon 6 pots

 

 

 

Salmon Lace or  Blaze - 6 pots

 This variety is probably heirloom, you can found these colors in any coleus seed catalogs. If you think there are other names to this coleus, please let me know. I'd be happy to add the name.

 

salmon Lace or Violet Tricolor Variety 

6 pots

A tray of Blaze, definitely needs repotting. 

These Blaze are propagated by re-using a plastic cover from a whole chicken BBQ. I have to pot them soon, roots are showing out in the transparent side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Probably, another batch of Blaze. A tray of sliced fruits - the empty plastic is used as cutting propagator. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re Use: Plastic Milk Bags as Growing Pots for Coleus

This summer, I have notice that some of my plants become root bound - meaning the roots came out of the hole of the pots. When I re-pot the plants, poor plant roots had swolen, because of the lack of space. Since life is busy, I lose track of the last time I may have check the roots. 

Since then, I have been looking for other planting medium which I can see the roots inside it. There are few 4" pots that are transparent, but then, the price tag too is high.

Recently, I have been given coleus cuttings by friends "take it Angie, before coleus dies of frost",  so I did. Coleus (Solenostemon ) is a very easy to grow houseplant, can be outdoors annual (in Canada) and tender perennial (Philippines). 

So with this venture of keeping these as houseplant in Canada, and bring them outdoors for color display in summer, I found a solution in my kitchen. Those plastic milk bags - transparent enough, so I can see when roots are coming out and ready to go into a bigger container.

Any readers: please save the milk bags for me. Rinse it, and it will do fine. I will do a pick up once a month, or if you prefer once every two weeks. 

Just another way to reduce the non-biodegrable waste in our landfill. 

Contact me at: angelina2600@gmail.com

I will post few coleus poted in milk bags in a few days. 
These are current cuttings still in water. 

Coleus cuttings from our good friend, Larry. 

 
references for coleus varieties: unfortunately both as in the USA
1. http://www.colorfarm.com/
2. http://rosydawngardens.com/
3. coleusfinder.org

Coleus

Coleus Cuttings: Batch #2

I love coleus, just the colors are so amazing, and these annuals are easy care once establish.

A friend Larry gave me some of his cuttings, and I am planting them in my basement now, for the spring 2012.
Thank you Larry.

Since, there is no  coleus registry, I am sort of guessing the name of my cuttings base on color of leaves, and I may not be accurate.

Here are few websites of coleus distributors, hobbyists that has pictures for reference:

1. http://coleusfinder.org/
2. www.rosydawngardens.com/
3. www.colorfarm.com/

Friday: Planting Liliums and Tulips and Hosta on the Top:) Indoors: Coleus

Hosta Wolverine 2011


Hosta Wolverine 2011




Lunch Break: Tulips, Liliums and Hosta Wolverine, Hosta Sagae, and Hosta Purple Dwarf on Top

Hosta Hill Fall 2011

The back portion of my little rock garden becomes Angel Hill Hosta.

Deep on the ground are liliums and tulips, topped with hosta: Wolverine, Sagae and Purple Dwarf.

My lunch break was consist of planting Lilium bulbs, top with tulip bulbs. I was not contented, so I planted two pots of hosta on top, to create that hilltop look.

Indoors: I started a small flat of Coleus, just because I need something to keep me busy for winter, and these babies are so colorful, "red", my favorite color.

The plastic is covers the coleus cuttings for humidity.

There are 8 cuttings in this small flat, plus 2 in small yogort containers.

I plan on putting this cover for one week, then transfer them to the basement rack.