Now that containers are at their peak,I took a look at waht was going on in my DeckGarden.
Its hard to choose but The kitchen door containre is just lush and the little coilpot on the deck steps with Coleus Elfers and CaladiumWhite Queen is beyond what I expected.Its another "toss and hope"situation.
This is the kitchen door combo.
Felix,Glory,Fiesta,Elfers coleus and GreyGhost Caladium.
OOOPS forgot one of my fav.trailers in the lower left corner Swiss Sunshine.
This message was edited Aug 3, 2010 4:27 AM
Here's my favorite combo, and since it's thanks to Jo Ann I have to post the picture.
Mahogany Giant coleus, that Jo gave me three of she started for me from cuttings. This is just one of them! The caldium is Blaze. I bought them from Ednie, and they were huge.
I got so excited showing off my coleus from Jo, I forgot to comment on how beautiful your containers are Jo Ann. That White Queen and Elfers is striking!
Love that kitchen door combo, too!
i think I would be sitting on your deck all day, just in heaven.
Thanks Polly it is a great place to go when the garden is in changes from May to August. Its waaay too humid for now and I believe the deck-gazing days are ending.
it only looks like photo shop
WOW Gordonhawk. That is a beautiful photo
Here are my September containers.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jgentle4/SeptemberTubs
ge1836 ~ Your containers are gorgeous. We've had such a hot, hot summer here in the south....most of my containers are looking pretty sad about now (even the marigolds and zinnias are struggling). It's nice to see your plants looking so happy and healthy!
Does anyone know of a source for the mahogany coleus shown above? It is just gorgeous with the caladium. I have a big place in our church garden that would be perfect for the two, I have caladiums there now.
Do you know how to overwinter coleus, Cathy? If someone would tell me exactly how to cut them and ship them, I would be glad to send you some now.
Polly, that is so nice, thank you. I have a small greenhouse that I use for overwintering and propagation. I wonder if wrapping some stems in damp paper towels inside a zip lock bag would work. I'd be glad to pay shipping.
No problem, Cathy.
Maybe there is someone on here who has successfully shipped them before, and can give us advice???????
I know, I bet Allison knows. I'll ask her to come over.
you got it kids... Cathy is right... I use damp paper towels... and cover the ends with a baggie or even better... press and seal wrap.. and wrap the bottom like you would a bridal bouquet ... in the box it's self I use either newspaper or paper towels...(in case any of the leaves get wet.. they won't rot then)... if going a long distance in warm weather I will put some expanded polymer gels in the paper towel as well.. but for us northerners this time of year ... that won't be necessary
when shipping... the bigger the cutting the better... some don't ship well and you have a better chance if you can get 2 cuttings off of one.. if that isn't an option don't worry too much ... they do take a lot of abuse...
I have received cuttings from NC Farms that were an inch big.. and just stuck in a baggie sealed up... and had great success with them.. another example is Dale sent me cuttings from FL in the dead of summer... in a garbage bag and the majority of them made it.. only a few wilted badly...
coleus cuttings are the easiest thing to ship that's for sure!!!... I go over the top to make sure they arrive the way I sent them
oh one more thing.. Cathy when you get them... if they look good just re cut the ends and stick them in soil.... sometimes they callus over.. if there are multiple sets of leaves... cut the bottom set off ... if the leaves are massive I will leave the tip alone and cut all the big leaves in half... if they arrive wilted you might want to cut the bottom ... soak them in water for an hour or two before you pot them up .. hope that wasn't TMI
:)
Thanks Allison! I knew you'd know. Much appreciated! Do I leave the leaves whole, and does it matter if I cut them anyplace special on the stem as long as I send quite a long piece? They are very tall, so that's not going to be a problem.
Cathy, if you want to dmail me your address, I'll get them out to you Monday. It's starting to get cool at night here, so probably the sooner, the better.
I usually cut above a node to get a nice stem to wrap
a 4" cutting will ship nicely
Will do.
Thanks again, Allison!
any time!!
Thanks again for this info and sharing, I'm thrilled to look forward to a very special addition to the garden at church next spring.
I'd like to chime in here and add.
If the leaves arrive wilted, dont assume the cutting is lost. Just take a bowl of tepid water and lay the entire cutting in it and next morning it should be fine.
The same goes for planted cuttings. They all tend to wilt a bit at first,just keep them watered until they pirk up.
Duering the winter I let mu cuttings get quite dry before watering.Too much winter water brings on mealybugs.
Mahogany Giants winter well and respond to cuttings nicely,no problem with that variety.
I posted an album showing how I take cuttings. I just found it.
Others might do this differently but this is my method and so far it has worked.
Certainly Allison is the champ,she has been doing it longer than I have.
There was a good sequence of "how to take cuttings" a couple of years ago. I cant remember who took the time to make it but I got a lot of info from it.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jgentle4/ColeusCuttingsHowTo?authkey=Gv1sRgCILs4Y-os9fsHQ
I have about a mile of the dark sweet potato vine and a smaller amount of the lime green, would anyone want some? I put the cuttings in damp sand and most root easily, much like the coleus. Send a d-mail with your address with what color(s) you would like. It likes full sun but will do well in light shade, too.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/80500/
Thanks Jo, the pictures really help. I didn't know about laying them in tepid water either. Good advice!
cracked me up that you use your scissors to make the hole... I do the same thing
I use anything thats long and pointy ,except my finger.The wilted coleus cuttings in a bowl of water trick was from Pirl.
It must be the same principal as refreshing lettuce except the coleus doesnt go in the fridg.
The cuttings Polly sent are going great, thanks again Polly! I took small cuttings from the big ones, and rooted them in sand and put the large cuttings in water since the stems were thick, they are already putting up new growth. It is so fun getting new plants that way.
Whew Cathy, I was almost afraid to ask. I had the lovely instructions, but then the leaves were soooooo big. Glad to hear they are OK.
good for you
My cuttings are doing well too, thanks to you Allison, and Jo.
Thats a reliefe.
Mine are getting taller and sending out branches.
There has been frost suggested for next weekend .Extreemly cold nights in the low 30's.If you have cuttings outside they will not make it.
Coleus dont like temps below 50*
I expect it will be the end of the ones in planters and the garden.
yeah!!!... good job Polly!!!
I just checked YAHOO weather, they are predicting temps in the 40's.
It's still too cold for the coleus.
yeah it's about time
Thats what I say.
DD's are still outside. She brought 1 in.
I might have to do it. There are only 3 but they are hers.
She took a cuttinh of Sedona which barely made it for me last year.
It spent the summer in the garden and finally made a decent height about 2 weeks ago.
I will buy some from RD for next year.
Our Master Gardener group plant the planters in the city. This is the one I did. I wish I would of used some more contrasting colors, I planted different types of foliage but the potatoe vine took over so it didn't stand out very much, and I never got the one plant to bloom, it should of had little white blooms all over it.
I love the pics you guys have posted and can hopefully help me next year.
Happ, I like the planter you did, maybe a dark potato vine next year? We do the gardens at church, and I find I have to chop the potato vines back, but they sure do fill in and keep the weeds away. Do you lift the potato before a freeze for next year?
Happ, I think your container is lovely.
I agree a darker vine next year.The combination of different plants is "spot on"
