Lets remember for next year when some one want to use it for rooting.
I am a deciple of soil.
Rooting cuttings question.
good job Pirl
I'm not complaining. I can plant them at any time but at least none rotted and none died, which is more than I can say for plain water.
I wonder how long it would have taken for rooting of any amount?
Sometimes coleus root quickly, as fast as overnight for me, and sometimes days or a week or two, and sometimes they just say no. lol.
But it's the vigor, and strength of the cutting, also. A cutting from a struggling, dying plant couldn't have the life in it as a cutting from a happy, early summer plant, hey?
And then there's the "Luck" I have with Swiss Sunshine. I've tried to see how small a cutting will root, I got down to bits that fit on top of a quarter. I just didn't have the appetite to try to nickel and dime them. Some coleus varieties are simply more vigorous than others. I'm finding Sedona to be very fickle.
Perhaps to feed a mother plant a few days before taking cuttings? Go off into the World on a full stomach?
There are two cuttings with the tiniest of roots - about the size of a dash " - " so it may be time to pot them up but I just don't have the patience for potting up another 100 cuttings between the ones in the crystals and 70 more I took yesterday, nor do I have room for them.
The last few months of caring for all the potted cuttings have taught me that the wimpy ones must depart. The strong ones are the ones I like.
I'm certain Electric Lime has built-in steroids. It just doesn't quit.
LOL
I am hacking mine back.
Can't imagine how I ignored the top shelf in my little greenhouse but there must be 200 cuttings waiting to be taken!
I give up Pirl.
You are the gardening champ.
It's quite likely I'll ditch the cuttings. Maybe I'll keep a few for the person who wants some but they'll be in water.
Sometimes we have to use "tough love"
I held my ground and kept only 69 cuttings, throwing out even more than that. We do reach a limit!
limit ... what's that???
Eliminating an indoor bed to make room for more coleus!
or people!!!
I have a question. I have noticed that sometimes I can take cuttings and they are off to the races really quickly and other times I have taken cuttings that just set and do nothing. They do nothing for ages just sit there like bumpkins. What is up with that.? shirleyt
Same plant?
Some coleus are really slow.
I have had my best luck when taking cuttings between the new moon and the first quarter.....
Electric Lime>
This message was edited Mar 24, 2010 4:16 PM
After over-wintering about 100 coleus and trying all sorts of rooting techniques I find the best rooting medium to be ... ugly pearlite...it retains the moisture but is dry enough to keep them from rotting and damping off and works about 99 percent of the time. I have used the polymer crystals and some thrive in it but most just rot .My potting medium I make myself I use 3 parts coir (coconut fiber), 1 part pearlite and a pinch of crystals and my coleus love it.
I'll give it a try next winter. I did not like the polymers for the coleus...at all. What purpose does the coir serve? Just curious.
Coir is clean and light and very absorbant , great for bottom watering. I will never use peat ,once it dries it is almost impossible to re-wet and the fungus gnats love it . I have lost so many plants when I used peat products esp . peat pots.
This message was edited Mar 24, 2011 8:55 AM
when I put gels in the cuttings... they are at the very bottom of the cell... just a couple though.. more or less there for later on use... I see them there... just like being bottom watered.. then I add the medium on top.. mine are all in coir & perlite .. but mostly coir.. no gnats this year!!!