sedumzz said: Help!~ My coleus will not grow.
They just keep sending out flower stalks, no new leaves.... Why is this happening? They aren;t pushing out flower stalks constantly, too...

Do I see a complaint about a plant only flowering ? Usually it's the other way around. Save the seeds …

With Tiffany…it's that time of year for blooms and ,"Ya can't fool Mother Nature". and mabe the cuttings already had the bloom bud on the leaf node.

Ah, I see. Seed collection time it is!

Thanks, Bea and Tiffany. Bea, the heuchera and coleus is a good mixture. I have to mostly grow heuchera in pots anyway so it is something to consider doing.
Tiff, I got a few coleus seedlings growing this year. I will have to take a few pics. It is more than usual and they got bigger than usual. Nothing great, but seedling surprises are always fun.
Sedumzz, for me, once a coleus gets to that point when it wants to flower, the stems get thicker and closer to woodier, the leaves get smaller and the plant will insist on flowering no matter what. I suppose you have to get cuttings before you get to that point. I find those cuttings keep wanting to flower. If they overwinter, they may leaf out again the following year so I guess it is as Tiff describes.

Here are the self-sown seedlings. Any self-sown coleus I had in the past never even made it past transplant size. I am guessing a few of you in warmer zones and longer seasons have better experiences with that.

This first one came up in the cracks of the sidewalk and looks a lot like what grew in that pot next to it. The rest came up in pots of overwintering perennials. All look like something else I grew last year, and I can guess who the parent was.



Two different ones in the same pot here.





And lots of shiso with a self-sown buddleia that came up last year. Have a good recipe for Shiso?

I never thought of winter sowing coleus but I guess it can be done.

LorettaNJ-there's a lot of my favorites in those pretty foliage colors in your pics.
I haven't had winter seed from coleus germinate over winter either. That's awesome 👏
Going to pay more attention to seedlings popping up next season.

Beautiful, Loretta! Cracks of the sidewalk... of course! So many plants LOVE to sprout there. LOL!

Thanks, Bea and Tiff. You are right, Tiff. I have been meaning to start a nursery bed lined with bricks and pavers, with a little space between for seeds. I figure the soil will stay moist and the squirrels will have a hard time digging them up. I guess the birds can still pull them out. Maybe a few chopsticks could deter that. When watering, I could direct the force of the spray on the paver and then it could drip into the cracks.

Hmm... I'm not sure if all of the attention will be appreciated. Maybe you can do it very casually and the seeds will not realize the attention is for them.

Not really attention. Just prevention and strategic placement. Plants like columbine will love it. It is not unlike a crevice garden.

Actually, now it feels like a challange, Tiff. Haha! Now I have to try it!

Alrighty …something to consider…maybe I can encourage seeds from my columbines to grow in a couple cracks in the driveway…sides of course…sides not down the center. The weeds grow just fine in the cracks that look like a earthquake happened. I Sprayed all the cracks with a herbicide and will collect Columbine seeds and attach horticulture glue to poke in a couple spots.

Actually come to think of it last spring a seed from a peony grow in a tiny opening in the black top driveway. It's still there 5" tall. It's next to the flower bed. Interesting how seeds find there way into a space to germinate.
So let's see what happens next spring.

I grew this cool random colored one from seed.


From a mix of many, but the random splashes of red remind me of a fancy expensive daylily called Whiskey Glasses.
Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Whiskey Glasses')
This is as close as I will get.

I like that spirit, Loretta!

Let us know how it goes, Bea!

Orion, that is really very nice!!

plasko20 said: I grew this cool random colored one from seed.


From a mix of many, but the random splashes of red remind me of a fancy expensive daylily called Whiskey Glasses.
Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Whiskey Glasses')
This is as close as I will get.

That is a cool color combo to lighten up any dark shady corner in the garden..
Now I'll be reminded to look for a seed packet of coleus almost called whiskey glasses catchy name. The Soft redish pink color is outstanding in a background of white. Never seen one like it. Coleus are easy to take fall cutting for the next season.

Sounds like a plan. I guess I just have to worry about ants carrying them off as they sometimes do. I have found seedlings on the opposite side of the house from where I planted them in the past.

Peony is not an easy plant to germinate. At least I never was successful. Congrats on that!

I left my screen on so long, I missed the last few posts.
Orion! I especially love cream colored coleus. They mix so well in the garden. That is a beauty. I hope you can keep it going. 'Orion' is a great name for it if it isn't taken.

Thanks for the acorn, Tiffany!

My pleasure! I always get excited when someone says they're going to do some kind of experiment.

Thanks for the acorn, Frenchy21.

That photo made me think of a watercolor. Beautiful!