Lookn' good!

They're just so slow. I started another APS-12 yesterday of Big Red type. With the growth rate I'm seeing on the first tray, I'm thinking maybe it's kind of late for these. Assuming they sprout and grow, they might still be tiny at plant-out time in May!

Karen

I think they will be fine. I started bada bing & boom in March and they were a nice size in May. They are a slow grower, but they will take off. If you increase the lights to 16 hours, they will grow faster.

I have the lights on about 15 hrs|day now.

Karen

Hi Karen: That was interesting about your using the APS-12 system, which I immediately looked up. (I usually start seeds in the BioDome system with the little sponges, but I have learned here that the tiny begonia seeds need seed starting mix.) I'm going to try the APS system, and I had a question regarding the "Germinating Mix" that Gardener's Supply sells with the APS system, which is a mixture of sphagnum peat moss and vermiculate, with some trace minerals. I discovered two different bags of seed starting mix in my basement, and I wondered if you or the others seed-starting mavens on this thread could recommend which would be better for general seed starting? They seem very different in composition.
"Hoffman Seed Starter": sphagnum peat moss (50-60 %); vermiculite; limestone (PH adjustor); wetting agent
"Natural Beginnings Seed Starting Mix": coir; perlite; worm castings; mealworm guano

whatever you use in an APS... make sure it has enough perlite.. don't want the mix to be too soggy

Emily, I have to say, I'm not a fan of seed starting mix. I think they're too fine and they compact too much. I use regular potting mix for everything, including seed starting. I like ProMix a lot.

I'm experimenting with piece coir mixed into the ProMix for some things. I used it on my coleus cuttings which I just potted up to bigger pots about a week ago.

Karen

Thank you, Onewish, for the recommendation to use a mix that won't get too soggy.
And Karen, I tend to agree with you in my distrust of seed-starting mix, which is probably why I have two unused bags in my basement that I bought, and then didn't have enough faith in to try! I like Pro-Mix or Fafard for 'most everything.

What is "piece coir"?

Thanks!

It's a larger kind of coir. Kind of chunky. The pieces resemble pine fines .

Karen

Thanks, Karen!
Actually, your begonia seedlings (photographed Jan.11) look like they're dong very well considering they grow so slowly!
Keep us posted on how they are doing.
Do begonias of that type grow well from cuttings? I'm pretty ignorant about begonias.
--Emily, who has more coleus plants from cuttings than she knows what to do with.

I don't know, Emily, I never tried cuttings from them. But I'd think they would, just guessing by the stem type. Maybe someone else can answer that.

Emily, how many coleus cuttings do you have? Pictures please!

Karen

Hi Karen:
Here's a not very good picture I just took of my heated sun-room light system, with 31 coleus cuttings that I took from some Rosy Dawn plants in September, rooting first in water and then transplanting into potting mix (ProMix). (There are a few pelargonia cuttings mixed in.)
Since then they've been growing gangbusters--I see I have to pinch them back some more! I'm not quite sure what to do with them as they get bigger and bigger!
You can see the yellow sticky white-fly traps hanging up--I discovered an infestation about five days ago; sprayed them off, cleaned off the trays, etc., with a bleach solution. Hope this defeats them.

love that shelving unit Emily... I am hit & miss with tuberous begonia cuttings... but more good ones than bad... learned not to try and root cuttings in cow pots.. in plastic bags... bad moldy idea.... as long as the container didn't mold up... life was good.. I rooted a bunch of begonia bonfire cuttings last year... just outside in the shade... dipped em.. stuck em... and kept em moist... no dome no nothing.... I hope my momma tuber wakes up and I can get more.... I cut it back.. brought it in... the rest of the foliage died back.. and I don't see signs of life... it's planted with some salvia & a geranium ... minimal watering... not having high hopes for it since it does not show signs of life.. wish I didn't give away all those cuttings

Wow, Emily, they look great. I see lots of new cuttings in your future!

I hope your whiteflies don't do any damage. I've been using some systemic pesticide in mine, and no bugs yet.

Karen

Thanks, Onewish, for the begonia-comments. I do have 13 rex begonia cuttings growing on the lowest shelf of my light set-up (not visible in photo) that I started from leaf-cuttings in water and then transplanted into Pro-Mix. Several of them have got new leaves growing out--I think that these must be a lot easier to root than tuberous begonias.

Karen, are you suggesting that I take more coleus cuttings and grow these on, rather than keeping my rapidly-growing current plants around, which admittedly are going to take over completely very soon!! I've thought of giving family and friends some of the plants--I could make nice little combinations--but don't really know how coleus will do as houseplants in most people's relatively dry and warm indoor environments during the winter. My little plants are kept at about 50% humidity in my sun room, which is heated but stays between 50 - 65 F in the winter. I hate to give people plant-presents that won't do well for them.
I've never had a real whitefly infestation before. I note that I still have a few of the little white things on the leaves, but have also "caught" a lot of the little winged insects that I assume are responsible.
What systemic do you use?

Good heavens no! I didn't mean to get rid of your current coleus! But they're plenty big enough to take another round of cuttings (or 2 or 3 rounds of cuttings) and end up with 2 or 3 times as many. Keep the old as donor plants and keep starting more. You can use your current, big plants for lots of coleus. Have more for yourself. Give some to friends as gifts. Donate some. Whatever.

Karen

And I missed your question about pesticide. I've been using this
http://www.backyardstyle.com/s...

Karen

Thanks for the helpful link, Karen!

Begonia progress:
The tray on the left is impatiens, just sown yesterday. In the center APS12 is begonia Big Red. They've germinated, they're just too tiny to see here. Right front is begonia Illumination (6 cells) and behind them Bada Bing (6 cells), barely visible. But, they're making progress.



Karen

Wow, Karen, they are making progress! Slow but steady wins the race. Keep us posted on their growth.
I haven't started any seeds yet but I'm beginning to have that itchy feeling. . .
--Emily