Coleus Virus or Downy Mildew?

This is not my year for growing things. Brought cuttings of Perilla & several Coleus home a few weeks ago, got everything rooted, potted up all the cuttings. The new Perilla growth didn't have much color to it, but inexperienced me figured it was because the new growth was growing indoors in indirect light (as opposed to the full-sun plant the cuttings came from). Eventually, the newest growth on the Coleus cuttings started looking "off", too (but still healthy looking). The Perilla no longer looks healthy, looks downright awful. Is this Downy Mildew, or symptoms of the virus that seems to be attacking Coleus plants this year? Will this spread to my other houseplants??

This message was edited Jul 15, 2010 10:01 PM

A coleus growing in the same pot.

And yet another coleus in the same pot.

If you put the Perilla in a pot by itself it should do better since it has less of a need for water than the coleus.

If the leaves all feel springy, as opposed to limp, you're doing fine. Older leaves, just due to the fact of age, will be more on the limp side - just remove them when they're too limp for your eyes.

Put them all in an east window but not up against the glass itself - too much heat passes through most windows.

Pirl, all the leaves feel springy, and all the coleus leaves still feel "normal", but should they
be losing color like that? In the second picture, the very bottom leaf of that plant is magenta with a green margin, the second set of leaves have no color at all where they
attach to the stems. Is this normal for new coleus growth?

Do you think the Perilla is looking so bad, because of overwatering? Would be great if that is all that is wrong with it! The white leaves feel "crunchy" to the touch.

The newer leaves should have very good color but the bottom leaves always lose color as they age and die off.

Just my guess here, the very top leaves aren't yet mature enough to show all the color - give it time and more light.

In the second picture, which I've studied twice now, I can't spot any leaves without any color.

Would you consider putting the Perilla in the earth in dappled shade?

I can plant the Perilla outside, just wanted to make sure it was still a healthy plant before
I moved it since my outside plants (the ones that have survived) are still recovering from a
spider mite infestation.

I cropped that second picture so you could see just the one leaf that's lost color. The
white area nearest the stem isn't white in color, the leaf is colorless there, and there is the same lack of color on the underside of the leaf in the same spot.

I'd bet it's just the variegation and nothing is wrong with it. How does that section of the leaf feel compared to 1/2" away? If it's firm, it's fine.

The colorless section feels just as firm as the top section. Thanks for all the help, about to go put the pots outside in the shade so they don't get shocked going from air conditioning
to the blistering heat, then will transplant in a few days.

This summer sure has been a major learning experience for me!

My perilla outside is much darker than the exact same plant that is inside.

We all learn at our own pace - you just happen to be learning faster than many others.

I appreciate the very kind words. Hope to learn enough eventually so I can start answering questions here too one day.

Hopefully we all help each other and we all learn.

Hi dear old friends. I hope you are as happy to see me back as I am to find you all still here.
Jolie, I looked and looked and can see nothing wrong with any of your plants.
Here is a Perilla http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/2004/08/27/shudhave/e41b1d.jpg which has alot of white.
Otherwise they look just fine.
I use Fish Emulsion to keep the color bright.
Sidney

Sidney, the Perilla in that picture looks *just* like mine does. Thanks for confirming!
I did as Pirl suggested and all my potted cuttings are now outside (still potted) in the shade,
and doing well despite the heat. Hope to get them in the ground in the next couple of days.

Thanks for the tip on the Fish Emulsion.

Look for DEODORIZED Fish Emulsion.

LOL,
Pirl,
I didn't know that existed.
Mine stinks and it stinks good! LOL, LOL
I actually foliage feed with a pump sprayer and do shower immediately after.
Sidney...Thankful to be back.

Spraying any stinky product at night or as late as possible seems best. Then a shower is doubly welcome. There are many products that repel humans and deer!

Glad to have you with us again.

Sidney, forgot to say, nice to meet you!

Pirl, deodorized fish emulsion does sound like it would be less stinky, thanks for that tip!
Do you spray it right on the leaves, or at the base of the plants?

I tend to put it in a watering can and get it over with ASAP - just watering the base of the plants. To me it still has some amount of odor.

Thanks!