Almost Spring! How are the cuttings doing?

Just took time to pinch back my coleus cuttings this morning and take a good look at them. Overall, most of them are looking good, considering they have spent the winter in front of a Southwest window with no added light and only got water when they started to wilt. Looks like I'm ending up with about 40 coleus, and 4 Persian Shields and 4 lantana that were also started from cuttings. Just about the right amount for my pots and a few left over for bedding plants.

How did the rest of you do with yours overwinter?

susan

Table 1 in the south west window. nearly all are large uprights. Some are Trailing Queen

Table 2

Kind of quiet here in the Coleus Zone.

Thought this would be a good one to kick up to the top of the heap.

Things are going well here in west central Florida.

The amaryllis are finishing up their blooms>

Zounds, Dale! That's quite a few amaryllis. I have one left in bloom now.

My coleus also spent the winter in a southwest exposure with water only when starting to wilt and they're doing so much better than last year.

Some were on the porch (same exposure) and some in the kitchen. Then last week we had an ant invasion in the kitchen pots so we had no choice but to bring them all outside to the table. We cover it morning and night with that protective white cloth (the name escapes me now) and they're enjoying the fresh air.

The coleus are getting so big, and I'm having a hard time keeping up with taking care of them. It seems like I have to water at least every other day. I went down today and some were wilting. Sob! Hopefully they'll bounce back. I think it's too warm in my basement!
I can't wait to get them outside. I brought up a few and set outside a little while today. It sure is going to be a job acclimatizing all of them. I propagated too many this year!

My poor coleus have been attacked my some nasty bug that looks like a little grasshopper and has lots of holes in the leaves. I am trying to get rid of them manually, but may give the plants a good spray of incesticide once they go outside, which I hope is soon.

Woah

lincolnitess,

Have you tried Diatomaceous earth? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

I use it on the grasshoppers in the yard. I dust them and the plants they chew on.

Cool fern, staghorn type>

Wow Dale!

I just took a cutting of Canina. Its the only one I needed more of.

ColeusLover 123, I hear ya! I propagated over 100 and they are all doing so good! They are getting so big and full and can't wait to get them all outside, instead of watering them for an hour!

There is a downside to cuttings.I had no idea I would be making so many trips to the sink.

I haven't increased my watering by much. That will probably change in the next month. They do much better for me on the dry side as opposed to the moist side.

But cuttings sure save LOTS of money! The watering and other work is certainly worth it. I figure I save over $200 each year and have so many more plants of my favorite varieties, the many to share!

I would not have a coleus collection if it weren't for cuttings....

This is not my beautiful house>

That sure is pretty Dale. Do you know what the red coleus up front is? I've been trying to find a really bright red coleus and so far have not been successful. (My sedona was beautiful reddish, but not the bright fire engine red I'm looking for.) I ordered the redest RD had, but they are really all just maroon. I'm hoping they'll turn red once they get outside. I got 'stella red' and 'blushing zebra' and 'autumn'.

If you have a mostly sunny spot try Elfers,Its red in sun.
Its behind Glory in this photo

Mighty pretty plants you have GE

Shameless>

Thats a nice one Dale.
Combos for this year.
https://picasaweb.google.com/jgentle4/LatestCombosApril162011

Dale, Poor India Frills! Always a bridesmaid, never a bride! ;)
Joann, check and see if that link works please. It could be my computer or something!
I am anxious to see combos as I'm headed to a "melt-me-down" nursery in Ft Lauderdale and down there, it's end of season.
I gathered several well leafed SPV from my front garden. They are Blackie and Ace of Spades. No Margarita to be found.
Sidney

Sugarweed: Its you

Sugar, I have always been content to be a part of the supporting cast.

Can't remember the names>

Ah hah! I needed to click on your image in the right hand corner.
You have some of the most beautiful Clematis I've ever seen.
I enjoyed your combos. I try for a coleus, a bloom, and usually some vine that's a color in the coleus, or bloom.
Dale you know I was referring to the "Shameless" picture.
Sidney

Those red and green coleus are beautiful Dale. I love the way you have arranged that!

Everytime I go down to the basement to tend my coleus, I can practically hear them crying, 'give me sunlight'. I made 6 trips from basement to second floor and back today, to get a few of them upstairs on the window sills. I couldn't put them there before now as it was too cold. I probably shouldn't leave them there, but at least a few of them got a little sun bath today. 'sedona' and 'twist n twirl' especially needed it.

Mine are really leaping along. I have another month to wait before they go out.

You are a patient soul.....

No choice Dale. Night temps are in the 40's until late May We dont set out any annuals until Memorial Day.

Its killin me.

I have planted a few annuals already in spite of the cool nights, but am holding the coleus for awhile yet. Mine sure have a lot of holes in them after the bug problem, but it seems to be under control.

Coleus wont be happy outside until nights are in the high 50' and 60's.
This is the hardest time .The waiting for warm nights. I have lost many coleus by thinking its OK to put them out.
Then BAM nights isn the 30's and 40's for just a few days. The leaves all dropped off and the plants struggled all season.Looked awful too.

Of the hundreds of cultivars I've grown over the last ten-plus years the clearest of the reds (none are fire engine red that I've had) has been Vern Ogren's Crimson Velvet, and one that I think came out of U of Florida that is being called Redhead.

My poor cutting have sure gone downhill since the first photo posted here. First the bugs got them, then I forgot to water them and now the ones that are still alive are getting leggy. May have to pinch the tops, root and start them. Now sure it's worth all the work. I'm not good about taking care of plants in the house.

I work with plants every day and would not consider having one plant in the house.

It is just easier to start over every new season.

Red Planet, it won't grow here in Tampa, too hot>

it happens to the best of us

Bummer it won't grow there Dale.. it's one of my favs

I overwintered almost three dozen varieties of coleus this winter, and they look great. With cuttings taken from them this month, I figure I have saved enough money by not having to buy them again, but they are "paying me back" for their original cost as I sell them at a reasonable price to friends. The gro-light set up was not cheap, but should last for years. I have dozens of each variety to use or sell this spring, at no new cost, worth hundreds of dollars.

It sure is worth the effort to me!

Good investment then.

Since coleus are widely grown here it is easier for me to buy them at 79 cents.

I have one grower who is always asking me for cuttings. I give them to her and she always kills them or kills most of them when winter rolls around. How odd.

Un-named hybrid>

it is worth it for me as well... I started over after loosing all mine in the GH in Nov.... was a lot of work building back up.. easier to maintain... love the colors on that one Dale

I got four deck boxes tossed and lost many coleus by small tornado. Anyone who has extras for sale please let me know.
Sidney

Sidney,

I have several Dipt in Wine and Defiance if you want some of them.

I just got "Defiance." Saw a couple of attractive NOID varities -- may go back and get them and ask for your help.

Sharon