My coleus looks like it is changing colors,,,should it be?
My coleus
It's just the difference between the old leaves fading and new leaves arriving. Have you taken cuttings for winter or do you avoid that constant chore?
I'm a newbie,,,But yes I plan on doing that...or at try my hand at that
I even purchased those clay pebble...But i do not know what to do with them.....
jm
I've seen some posts by people who root cuttings in the pebbles but I've never used them.
Many of us bring in cuttings of our favorite coleus. Many don't make it to spring and generally over watering or rooms that are too cool (below 60) are the culprits. Mealy bugs are yet another problem.
what should a room temp be for the cutting survive? I dont know what mealy bugs are ,,,if they die,,, why do you do the cuttings?
jm
Room temperature should be 60 and above.
Mealybugs look like white cottony patches and the tiny insect within will suck the sap from the plant and distort the plant. There's more information here:
http://plantsarethestrangestpeople.blogspot.com/2008/01/mealybugs-and-you.html
We do the cuttings and bring in established plants (that were likely just cuttings during the last year) in the hopes they'll make it to May when we can put them outside again.
Oh I read somewhere to keep them at 50... to keep the growth at a slow rate.... I'm still trying to root phlox cutting with no results =(
JM
I've never tried to take phlox cuttings, sorry.
Jo Ann (ge1836) lost a lot of coleus during the winter and she blamed it on the room being too cold. They are tropical plants and want warmth.
How do these bugs get into the house, is there a way to wash the plants in soapy water before bringing them in the house?
jm
Isn't it amazing how these bugs, and many others, appear out of nowhere? I'm sure just the tiniest unseen spot is the start of it all.
You can wash the plants and drench the soil with insecticidal soap.
insecticidal soup is that just dish soap and water? or soap with chemicals in it? I have dogs that sniff and sometimes eat my plants...just a leaf or two....lol
jm
There are some who do use Dawn and water but there is also an acutal insecticidal soap. Do whatever is best for you and your pets.
My plants really took a beating are this last hot spell.... I think I lost a few pots and a few cuttings that I did take ...Are you still giving your plants MG? Some of my pots looked GREAT and some do, thats why I was wondering if I shouuld stop with my MG routine?
JM
I don't use MG but since fall is near I'd cut back on it. You don't want to force growth during their low cycle of growth.
What do you use for your plants? Please do tell a newbie.....
jm
I don't feed them! There are very few of our plants outside that I even feed. They are planted with compost and get a compost refreshment every spring - that's all.
If it makes you feel any better I inspected my coleus this afternoon and one whole container has mealybugs. I'll ditch all plants and the mix they grew in and put it in the trash, not the compost. In spite of our best efforts it still can happen.
Oh- i dont compost...These bugs are they on the underside of the left or on the stem? I've never inspected my plants to that extent ..I've picked beetles off! Had a big problem with earwigs.....
jm
Here's a link with a very modest photo of mealbugs but if you Google images of them beware - they are disgusting. The link also shows Listerine to be effective in fighting them. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://gardencorner.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/bugs.jpg&imgrefurl=http://gardencorner.net/%3Fp%3D108&usg=__ALGik5ULT31xS52Kx2w_0CPF3P0=&h=345&w=450&sz=131&hl=en&start=15&zoom=1&itbs=1&tbnid=bawe-iT2PJNqMM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmealybugs%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1
When I referenced compost that isn't used for coleus but for all perennials outside only.
How the heck did you find such a tiny bug on your plant.....I'm gonna have a look at mine tomorrow!
I dont think I would notice such a small spot ,,nor am I keen about putting my hand inside a crowded pot of flowers with the bees around.....
It's not as tiny as you may think - probably around this size...0.
I'll take photos tomorrow and include a coin so you can judge the size.
Mealybugs:
GROSS! I tossed and turned last night thinking of these bugs!!! Is it just a coleus bug or will it go to any plant?
JM
It attacks Jade plants and many others. Just keep alert to any white blobs and remove them immediately.
the plant will be infested before you know the bugs are there right,,,,becuase the are juice suckers so the damage will be done by the time you notice your plant is droopy....
jm
It happens very fast. Today I threw out more so it will be a miracle to see any of them survive to spring.
JM, you have found a great mentor for growing in NY. Ms Pirl has the best luck and methods for that area.
As for your question, Yes that particular coleus does morph into pink and burgundy leafs.
I think one of the things that most folks need is a breeze.
My BF waters her plants by picking up the pots and seeing how heavy they are.
Great to see new faces in the Coleus Forum.
Sidney
Last year, I had a huge mealybug infestation and ended up throwing all the plants away, including some wonderful cuttings I got from Dale. The devils were on the plants in the garden and on the caged lanai. Nothing survived.
This year, in June, I saw them start up again and decided to try the beetles, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, aka mealybug destroyers, to see if a natural enemy would work. I bought a jar of 250 of them from Biocontrol Network, here:
www.biconet.com/biocontrol/cryp.html
I put 5 or 6 on each plant out in the yard, and knock on wood, not a sign of the mealies all season! I did take some cuttings and had them growing on the lanai and they got the mealies, but the plants out in the yard are still completely clean. I hope I'm not jinxing them by talking about it.
The destroyers are pricey - with overnight shipping it cost me about $100, but given that I spent more than that at Rosy Dawn, I'm more than happy with the beetles. I've taken cuttings and kept them growing near the mother plants as well, with no sign of the mealies. So I'm budgeting for another jar of the destroyers for next year.
Helen
So with all that can go wrong with the cuttings is it worth taking them? Cant you purchase or trade them pretty cheap in the spring?
Being a newbiedear hubby is giving me the upstairs since my only son moves out and got married in dec ( =( )
there is a cubby that should be a closet but it has no door,,so I will put a shelf unit in there ...are there pics somewhere of indoor mini ouse type grown setup....do you know what i mean?
jm
Thank you, Sidney. You're very kind.
Helen - can the beetles be used indoors?
JM - will you have lights for each shelf in the closet?
This is my little greenhouse that stays on the indoor porch all year long.
I'm a little worried about starting plants in the house..I dont have any plants in the house due to the fact that Ive gotten these tiny little flying bugs...Whats up with those? Any way to prevent them?
JM
With any light do?
They're either fruit flies or fungus gnats. Put out a little glass filled with apple cider vinegar and they'll die there.
You'd need plant lights. Either try a local store like Home Depot or eBay.
Yes, from what I've read they have been used in conservatories, greenhouses and other indoor spaces. They apparently don't have a very large flight radius, so you won't find them all over your house, but that's what I've read, not from experience. I'm not sure what they feed on after they've munched all the mealybugs and scale, but I found the folks at Biocontrol to be very helpful - they may have some pointers.
are those your cutting in that mini greenhouse? Do you WS or grow under lights?
Are you organize about planting?
JM
Helen - does Biocontrol have any systemic for control of mealybugs? I saw something about using Bayer's Rose food/systemic and could give that a try.
JM - Yes, they are some of our cuttings, not all. We don't winter sow at all. My husband does grow from seed in the basement, under lights. Organized? Only to a minor extent.
Do you have pictures of your setup in the basement
Do you have pictures of your gardens?
jm
Pirl, I use Bayer Tree and Shrub, a systemic. I love it. Not a spray so it does not get all over but a soil drench. And one application lasts up to a year of protection. I haven't used it on coleus but on other houseplants like my variegated clivia which attract mealies from miles around.
2 in 1 Systemic Rose and Flower Care also kills mealy bug. It has Imidacloprid..................0.22%
but only lasts up to 8 weeks. Bayer Tree and Shrub has more Imidacloprid .................1.47%.
I would be careful of the ones that have fetilizer in them as well as an insecticide. They can really burn a plant and I would think coleus would be more sensitive to them. I use the Tree and Shrub with insecticide alone.
JM - here's a partial photo of the basement showing the different heights for the plants. At the furthest end are the tomatoes, which have been transplanted for the last time, so the lights are higher but still close to the top of the foliage.
Here's a link: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/528730/?hl=SOUTHOLD+HISTORICAL
Kell - thanks for the info. I have the Bayer with Imidacloprid (Rose and Flower Care) but will have to look for the Tree and Shrub but I will have to look out of state since Imidacloprid is banned in NY. I appreciate your help.
Pirl - I didn't do any searches for a systemic - I had heard about the beetles somewhere and thought I'd give them a shot before I went the chemical route. Good to know about the Bayer, Kell. I'll give that a try on the plants on the lanai.
When I did the search for a systemic the beetles were the first item shown.
WOW! those are some gardens you have there! How do you do it?
jm