Cool! Coleus were almost omnipresent in gardens when I was a kid, long long ago, but then disappeared! It seems like they are going through a revival period lately, and I have been seeing some interesting varieties that I don't remember from those long gone days! I hadn't given them much thought, so it surprised me that they are in the family of mint and basil! But once you pay attention to their flowers and plant shape, it makes a whole lot of sense (of course)! Thank you for the video! You could have dropped the catchy punchline on this one: "This video is not sponsored, but it just could as well have been!" 😂... Then make sure some people at Miracle Gro get to watch it!
Thanks for your comment! I actually know some folks at Scotts Miracle Grow. One of my former students took a position there since they are not located very far from my old lab in the midwest. They produce a lot of nice products - maybe I should reach out to them.... There are a lot of memorable members of the mint family. The square stem is an easy feature that distinguishes them.
Thanks for your comment - yeah, I am always moving plants around to see where they do best. Sometimes, it does not follow reason. There are a lot of issues here with root knot nematode and the coleus does not seem to be affected by them, which is great. I am getting too many coleus plants so I may try them in places that may not be the best for their growth!😁
Thanks for your comment. Yeah - they really are easy to propagate! I like rooting them in soil - depending on your location and environment, it can be much less of a shock when the cuttings are initially rooted in soil before being placed in the garden, especially in full sun. As with most plants, there are a lot of different ways to propagate - I am glad that rooting in water has been working so well for you!!
@@plantpropagator you put them in full sun? The die in sun at my house (so Cal). I kinda keep the cuttings inside, one big one on the front doorstep (full shade).
@@JustcallmeDebbieB Some varieties will tolerate full sun - the ones with the dark leaves cannot handle it. Most of my plants are in morning sun in southwest FL, where the sun is pretty strong. I cannot keep anything inside - too little space. Everything grows so quickly, if it can grow at all, outside here!!
@@plantpropagator, I can never get cuttings to start in soil (I'll try your mix next time). So I always use water. I really enjoy watching the roots developing and I know exactly when to transition to pots for a week or two before going outside. I just transitioned some rosemary from water to soil. They look great and I'm even getting new growth! The secret with water propagation is to use the green, new growth. Once the rosemary starts to turn woody (older growth) I don't have much luck in water. I've heard a lot of people that have had good luck with root hormones and soil, rooting more woody stems, but I haven't been so lucky. 💕🌞🌵😷
@@suzisaintjames Yeah - woody plants are a little more difficult to root. For my efforts with soil, it helps to use the soilless mix that I use - and, if you are growing under low humidity conditions, put a bag over the plant to maintain high humidity. It is so hot and humid here that the cuttings root quickly and the plants go so fast.... The coleus cuttings that I rooted in this video are already growing - that was so fast!!
5:22 Living in the Arizona Desert 🏜️, we get very low humidity. So I do have to trim back the leaves as well. When I began water propagation that was my first question, how much of the leaves do you remove? What if your cutting only has one or two, long leaves or wide leaves? The answer is, it depends ... It depends on how long you cutting is and how well it's taking up water. Great! That answers the scientists, but what about regular people? If you cut the the end off the stem under water ... after a few hours, and the leaves are starting to droop, you need to take more leaf off. Again, cut the bottom of the stem off, be sure to remove the short end. It usually floats because it's filled with air. Check the leaves after a few hours. Once I get down to 1 or 2 leaves and it's still droopy, I start cutting the length or width of the leaf off, which ever looks like it can spare. As you need some leaves for photosynthesis. If you leaves are still droopy, it could be that your stem is too long. For big plants, the maximum stem length is 6-8 inches. Or not more than 3-4 leaf nodes... One for the roots, one for new leaves and one for a spare. For monipodials like African Violets, the leaf stem going into the water has to be longer that the leaf at least 1/4" (or the leaf gets wet and rots), but I like at least 1" on violets, that way I don't have to watch the water level every day. That's how much leaf to cutoff or leave. But with water propagation, I never had to put a bag over the top. These are all guidelines for success. Yes, I've had cuttings take with only one node or long 10" stems with no leaves, but there are more failures. And I have to mention again everything mentioned here does not apply to orchids. 💕🌞🌵😷
When you cut a stem or leaf off a plant, you should know that there is a column of water in the stem and petiole that is under vacuum as the water is evaporating from the leaves. So, when you cut, try immersing the stem or leaf in water right away. I keep a glass of water next to the plant that I am cutting. If you do not, air will get into the stem and block the flow of water. You can avoid this by recutting the stem so that the column of water in the stem is continuous. At least, that is how I like to think about it. You can propagate African violets and most other Gesneriads from leaf pieces without a petiole. I used to grow gloxinias and streptocarpus from seed and cuttings - so easy to do - maybe a video coming but I am not sure that is needed. Thanks for your comment - we have a lot of plants in common!
@@plantpropagator , often I try to trim the stem (especially roses) whilst it is under water and then try not to lift it again into the air. Also, trimming the stem on a diagonal , allows for more surface area to absorb more water. If I do have to transfer the stem from the bucket to a vase or cutting jar, I always give the stem another trim. The longer the stem, it seems like the more you have to cut to get past that air bubble so the fluids can flow again. Something else I do if my leaves continue to droop and I've trimmed back the leaves as much as I dare is: whilst the stem is under water, I'll take the scissors and put slash marks up the stem about an inch to let more water absorb (don't try this with orchids as I've found breaks in the velem is not the best). If I'm going to make several cuttings with one branch, I like to seal the tops. In the past, I've used black tar made for roses and trees. I tried just cinnamon on orchid spikes but like the cinnamon as an antiseptic and then sealing the cut with white school glue. 💖🌞🌵💕
@@plantpropagator, because your channel name is the plant propagator, I think that any plant propagation video is needed and that people searching for information will be drawn to your channel. I got into orchids because of a video. Years ago I had an extensive African Violet collection. I had several that were 14" inches diameter. But life happens. Recently, I've been thinking about getting back into violets, but I only have a 4" wide window sill. So violets are out. I love violets but was never drawn to the minis. So I happened to get a short in my feed about phals. Because of their right/left structure, I thought mini phals would be perfect for my window sill. Because of channels like yours, my orchid journey has been made a lot easier. I've had my mini phal 16 weeks now and without UA-cam, she'd be dead now because that starter plug was killing her, even with two beautiful spikes. The main stem was black and there were lots of leaf sheaths. Her stem is now clean, nice and tan colored. I guess I'm saying thank you for your work on this channel and you should let people know how they can get your hybrids in each video, as they are so beautiful. 💕🌞🌵😷
@@suzisaintjames Thanks so much for your comment. My orchid hybrids will all get pretty big. But, I have occasionally shared information about how to contact me to purchase flasks and grow seedlings. When you compare orchids to African violets, you have to have way more patience to grow orchids - they are slow and usually do not bloom year round. For Phals, the flowers last a long time but, if you want new flower spikes, most need low temps to induce flowering. I have a few hundred orchids and only 10-20 are blooming right now - but, if you wait a few weeks, different ones will be blooming. If you had violets that were that big, you really know what you are doing. Of the members of the African violet family, I really like streptocarpus - they are easy to grow from seed and propagate from leaf pieces. As with some plants, they do not do well when they get big - I find that I have to propagate them to keep young vigorous plants that will flower more often. Have you tried growing anything other than Phals? And anything outside?
@@plantpropagator , this mini phal is my first. I would think it would be too hot (110+ in the summer and lower 30s in winter is not uncommon) and too dry (as low as 2% at times) for orchids outside in the Arizona Desert 🌵. I'm sure they would grow well, under a misting system, but that's a lot of water. I'm happy with my No-id for right now. You say they are slow growing, but she changes every day. Her blooms finished at 9 weeks (I think the last 3 blasted because it was too hot by the window). The spikes are doing something at the first nodes... Not sure of a branch or keikes, they're not growing at the moment but they haven't been abandoned either. It's been a few weeks since the blooms died and I have a new leaf... It's about 2.5 cm now. This last week, it's probably grown 1cm! The roots can't figure out what to do. They've been pretty stable until this week. One got slimy and another dried up. So I cut them off. The leaves can't figure it out either. They either want to hydrate or turn yellow. She's not happy because the window sill was in bright shade but now the sun has moved lower in the sky and I had to move her behind a curtain or risk sunburn. (Yes, less light, but since she's a bit further from the glass, she's a bit cooler now too.) I bought her for $8 (including shipping) at a mother's day sale... So I've certainly gotten my money's worth, just in the blooms! She came with a 365 return window, so I have another 6 months to try find a way to make her happy. Right now, I'm also starting some rosemary from cuttings. They were in water for a few weeks and now I've moved them to soil that I'm keeping pretty wet at the bottom... Thinking that they'll think they're still in straight water and soil... My plan is to slowly dry it out. So far all 6 cuttings have new growth (no losses yet.) It sits in the window by the mini phal. Eventually, the rosemary will go outside. They grow well here in the heat. The landscapers use rosemary here instead of boxwood for hedges and topiaries. Outside right now I have a few things. I saved my mulberry from black soot disease. And last summer I started some Mexican Petunia cuttings and now have a beautiful 10-foot long hedge of the beautiful lavender blooms. Mexican Petunias are very resilient. They will droop and perk right up after watering and are constantly in flower. I'm trying to propagate some creosote bushes, but they don't transplant well. They struggle for a couple of years before they establish. I want to start an oleander hedge along my back property line, but I've gotta get a temporary watering system back there as they need a couple of years before they're draught tolerant all summer. And I'm thinking of putting grapevines along my block wall, but I've got to find a good source. I'm trying to turn my yard into a field of African Daisies every January/February. This year I planted some seeds. Every year before, the self sow in one area, but I want to expand the area, so I started to supplement the seeds. I had some success, but there's a learning curve, so I'll try again this winter. My mother's passion was roses. We've always had gardens. 💕🌞🌵😷
Cool! Coleus were almost omnipresent in gardens when I was a kid, long long ago, but then disappeared! It seems like they are going through a revival period lately, and I have been seeing some interesting varieties that I don't remember from those long gone days! I hadn't given them much thought, so it surprised me that they are in the family of mint and basil! But once you pay attention to their flowers and plant shape, it makes a whole lot of sense (of course)! Thank you for the video! You could have dropped the catchy punchline on this one: "This video is not sponsored, but it just could as well have been!" 😂... Then make sure some people at Miracle Gro get to watch it!
Thanks for your comment! I actually know some folks at Scotts Miracle Grow. One of my former students took a position there since they are not located very far from my old lab in the midwest. They produce a lot of nice products - maybe I should reach out to them....
There are a lot of memorable members of the mint family. The square stem is an easy feature that distinguishes them.
❤ love your content! Thank you.
Thanks for your positive comment and for watching!
If the purple ones don't do as well, plant them in the back... closer to the house, so they get more shade than the ones in the front. 💕🌞🌵😷
Thanks for your comment - yeah, I am always moving plants around to see where they do best. Sometimes, it does not follow reason. There are a lot of issues here with root knot nematode and the coleus does not seem to be affected by them, which is great. I am getting too many coleus plants so I may try them in places that may not be the best for their growth!😁
@@plantpropagator that's when you learn the most! 💕🌞🌵😷
Cut, put in water, wait for roots, put in soil. I have bunches!
Thanks for your comment. Yeah - they really are easy to propagate! I like rooting them in soil - depending on your location and environment, it can be much less of a shock when the cuttings are initially rooted in soil before being placed in the garden, especially in full sun. As with most plants, there are a lot of different ways to propagate - I am glad that rooting in water has been working so well for you!!
@@plantpropagator you put them in full sun? The die in sun at my house (so Cal). I kinda keep the cuttings inside, one big one on the front doorstep (full shade).
@@JustcallmeDebbieB Some varieties will tolerate full sun - the ones with the dark leaves cannot handle it. Most of my plants are in morning sun in southwest FL, where the sun is pretty strong.
I cannot keep anything inside - too little space. Everything grows so quickly, if it can grow at all, outside here!!
@@plantpropagator, I can never get cuttings to start in soil (I'll try your mix next time). So I always use water. I really enjoy watching the roots developing and I know exactly when to transition to pots for a week or two before going outside. I just transitioned some rosemary from water to soil. They look great and I'm even getting new growth!
The secret with water propagation is to use the green, new growth. Once the rosemary starts to turn woody (older growth) I don't have much luck in water. I've heard a lot of people that have had good luck with root hormones and soil, rooting more woody stems, but I haven't been so lucky. 💕🌞🌵😷
@@suzisaintjames Yeah - woody plants are a little more difficult to root. For my efforts with soil, it helps to use the soilless mix that I use - and, if you are growing under low humidity conditions, put a bag over the plant to maintain high humidity. It is so hot and humid here that the cuttings root quickly and the plants go so fast.... The coleus cuttings that I rooted in this video are already growing - that was so fast!!
5:22 Living in the Arizona Desert 🏜️, we get very low humidity. So I do have to trim back the leaves as well.
When I began water propagation that was my first question, how much of the leaves do you remove? What if your cutting only has one or two, long leaves or wide leaves? The answer is, it depends ...
It depends on how long you cutting is and how well it's taking up water. Great! That answers the scientists, but what about regular people? If you cut the the end off the stem under water ... after a few hours, and the leaves are starting to droop, you need to take more leaf off. Again, cut the bottom of the stem off, be sure to remove the short end. It usually floats because it's filled with air. Check the leaves after a few hours. Once I get down to 1 or 2 leaves and it's still droopy, I start cutting the length or width of the leaf off, which ever looks like it can spare. As you need some leaves for photosynthesis. If you leaves are still droopy, it could be that your stem is too long. For big plants, the maximum stem length is 6-8 inches. Or not more than 3-4 leaf nodes... One for the roots, one for new leaves and one for a spare. For monipodials like African Violets, the leaf stem going into the water has to be longer that the leaf at least 1/4" (or the leaf gets wet and rots), but I like at least 1" on violets, that way I don't have to watch the water level every day. That's how much leaf to cutoff or leave.
But with water propagation, I never had to put a bag over the top. These are all guidelines for success. Yes, I've had cuttings take with only one node or long 10" stems with no leaves, but there are more failures. And I have to mention again everything mentioned here does not apply to orchids. 💕🌞🌵😷
When you cut a stem or leaf off a plant, you should know that there is a column of water in the stem and petiole that is under vacuum as the water is evaporating from the leaves. So, when you cut, try immersing the stem or leaf in water right away. I keep a glass of water next to the plant that I am cutting. If you do not, air will get into the stem and block the flow of water. You can avoid this by recutting the stem so that the column of water in the stem is continuous. At least, that is how I like to think about it. You can propagate African violets and most other Gesneriads from leaf pieces without a petiole. I used to grow gloxinias and streptocarpus from seed and cuttings - so easy to do - maybe a video coming but I am not sure that is needed. Thanks for your comment - we have a lot of plants in common!
@@plantpropagator , often I try to trim the stem (especially roses) whilst it is under water and then try not to lift it again into the air. Also, trimming the stem on a diagonal , allows for more surface area to absorb more water. If I do have to transfer the stem from the bucket to a vase or cutting jar, I always give the stem another trim. The longer the stem, it seems like the more you have to cut to get past that air bubble so the fluids can flow again.
Something else I do if my leaves continue to droop and I've trimmed back the leaves as much as I dare is: whilst the stem is under water, I'll take the scissors and put slash marks up the stem about an inch to let more water absorb (don't try this with orchids as I've found breaks in the velem is not the best).
If I'm going to make several cuttings with one branch, I like to seal the tops. In the past, I've used black tar made for roses and trees. I tried just cinnamon on orchid spikes but like the cinnamon as an antiseptic and then sealing the cut with white school glue. 💖🌞🌵💕
@@plantpropagator, because your channel name is the plant propagator, I think that any plant propagation video is needed and that people searching for information will be drawn to your channel. I got into orchids because of a video.
Years ago I had an extensive African Violet collection. I had several that were 14" inches diameter. But life happens. Recently, I've been thinking about getting back into violets, but I only have a 4" wide window sill. So violets are out. I love violets but was never drawn to the minis.
So I happened to get a short in my feed about phals. Because of their right/left structure, I thought mini phals would be perfect for my window sill.
Because of channels like yours, my orchid journey has been made a lot easier. I've had my mini phal 16 weeks now and without UA-cam, she'd be dead now because that starter plug was killing her, even with two beautiful spikes. The main stem was black and there were lots of leaf sheaths. Her stem is now clean, nice and tan colored.
I guess I'm saying thank you for your work on this channel and you should let people know how they can get your hybrids in each video, as they are so beautiful. 💕🌞🌵😷
@@suzisaintjames Thanks so much for your comment. My orchid hybrids will all get pretty big. But, I have occasionally shared information about how to contact me to purchase flasks and grow seedlings. When you compare orchids to African violets, you have to have way more patience to grow orchids - they are slow and usually do not bloom year round. For Phals, the flowers last a long time but, if you want new flower spikes, most need low temps to induce flowering. I have a few hundred orchids and only 10-20 are blooming right now - but, if you wait a few weeks, different ones will be blooming.
If you had violets that were that big, you really know what you are doing.
Of the members of the African violet family, I really like streptocarpus - they are easy to grow from seed and propagate from leaf pieces. As with some plants, they do not do well when they get big - I find that I have to propagate them to keep young vigorous plants that will flower more often.
Have you tried growing anything other than Phals? And anything outside?
@@plantpropagator , this mini phal is my first. I would think it would be too hot (110+ in the summer and lower 30s in winter is not uncommon) and too dry (as low as 2% at times) for orchids outside in the Arizona Desert 🌵. I'm sure they would grow well, under a misting system, but that's a lot of water. I'm happy with my No-id for right now. You say they are slow growing, but she changes every day. Her blooms finished at 9 weeks (I think the last 3 blasted because it was too hot by the window). The spikes are doing something at the first nodes... Not sure of a branch or keikes, they're not growing at the moment but they haven't been abandoned either. It's been a few weeks since the blooms died and I have a new leaf... It's about 2.5 cm now. This last week, it's probably grown 1cm! The roots can't figure out what to do. They've been pretty stable until this week. One got slimy and another dried up. So I cut them off. The leaves can't figure it out either. They either want to hydrate or turn yellow. She's not happy because the window sill was in bright shade but now the sun has moved lower in the sky and I had to move her behind a curtain or risk sunburn. (Yes, less light, but since she's a bit further from the glass, she's a bit cooler now too.) I bought her for $8 (including shipping) at a mother's day sale... So I've certainly gotten my money's worth, just in the blooms! She came with a 365 return window, so I have another 6 months to try find a way to make her happy.
Right now, I'm also starting some rosemary from cuttings. They were in water for a few weeks and now I've moved them to soil that I'm keeping pretty wet at the bottom... Thinking that they'll think they're still in straight water and soil... My plan is to slowly dry it out. So far all 6 cuttings have new growth (no losses yet.) It sits in the window by the mini phal. Eventually, the rosemary will go outside. They grow well here in the heat. The landscapers use rosemary here instead of boxwood for hedges and topiaries.
Outside right now I have a few things. I saved my mulberry from black soot disease. And last summer I started some Mexican Petunia cuttings and now have a beautiful 10-foot long hedge of the beautiful lavender blooms. Mexican Petunias are very resilient. They will droop and perk right up after watering and are constantly in flower. I'm trying to propagate some creosote bushes, but they don't transplant well. They struggle for a couple of years before they establish. I want to start an oleander hedge along my back property line, but I've gotta get a temporary watering system back there as they need a couple of years before they're draught tolerant all summer. And I'm thinking of putting grapevines along my block wall, but I've got to find a good source. I'm trying to turn my yard into a field of African Daisies every January/February. This year I planted some seeds. Every year before, the self sow in one area, but I want to expand the area, so I started to supplement the seeds. I had some success, but there's a learning curve, so I'll try again this winter. My mother's passion was roses. We've always had gardens. 💕🌞🌵😷