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Photos & Q&A of my plants (Av's, Coleus, Herbs, Roses & Jade)

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006
by FlowerNewbie on March 01, 2006 04:49 AM
Hi Everyone,

My camera came in today [clappy] !!! So I took pics of all my plants. For those of you who were helping me prior, THANKS SO MUCH [kissies] !! I hope this helps to clear up any questions and for new people thanks for any input.

I made this post to ask questions regarding my plants and to help people who might have similar problems. I love reading posts that use photo's so much, so I thought it would be great to show mine.

So, I'll start from where it all happens...

My Garden Room - or it seems it's turned into that.

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This room has 4 windows - SE, S, SW and W facing. The windows let in a bit of draft when it's windy and cold and I am in zone 6. Cute huh?!

I'll start off with my roses (or lack of) since it has the fewest pics.

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Here is my store bought re-potted plant. Isn't the pot cute! Since re potting I've lost all but 1 roses and am about to snip the one to. I go over to it every few days and pull-off any yellow or dead leaves. Speaking of that...

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...anyone know what it means when the leaves do this?

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Next is my coleus.

Heres my coleus in its domes environment. This is where the seeds sprouted from...

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Here's a view of the coleus without the dome after I've picked off a moldy spot. Do you think my others will survive?

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Here's a close up of the moldy spot after I picked off the visible mold...

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by FlowerNewbie on March 01, 2006 04:58 AM
Now for the chia herb garden.

Here it is sitting pretty above my fridge with the dome on...

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Some sprouted;

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That ones doing great!

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Some didn't;

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Is that mold?

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I wonder, if they didn't sprout yet do I get rid of that one and try again?

How do they look [critic] ? Any tips?

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by FlowerNewbie on March 01, 2006 05:10 AM
... and last but not least my av's

Here's where they grow (well actually none have grown yet) All the leaves are for my babies when they have fallen of so none were really great to start. Just thought it would be worth a try... (yes, there 4 jade leaves in there also - did I do that right?)

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with its dome

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Here's where they hang out all day. Not so sure they like it though

My south facing window

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My wicker plant hang out ...

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This is the group that I got from ebay first re-potted but never seperated... Should I seperate them now? I'm affraid I'll kill them

Whirligig Star  -

S. Grandifolia  -

Rebels Splatter Kake  -

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by FlowerNewbie on March 01, 2006 05:32 AM
These came in the same batch. I seperated these into individual plants. A lot of the seperated plants died but I at least saved one from each type...

Irish Whisper  -

Ness Coral Sunset  -

Ness Coral Sunset 2  -

Anastasia  -

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Here the ones I just bought. Haven't re-potted or anything yet...

teen kiss  -

Do I pull the flowers off these?

designer star  -

ramblin dots  -

Are those white leaves normal? Should I pull them off?
ness cool breese  -

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by ShirlS on March 01, 2006 05:36 AM
Hi Newbie,

It is great having a camera isn't it?! Cute little nook you have put together.

Your mini roses actually look really good. I would cut off the leaves that are yellow.

The soil you have those coleus sprouts looks very wet. I guess it could be the picture, but if it is wet, leave the dome off for a couple of days to dry it out some. The plantlets will drown with to much water. the mold is likely due to the environment being to wet.

Your chia garden looks ok too. Sometimes chives take awhile to sprout. give them some more time before giving up on them. Also where are they getting their light from? With them being on top of the fridge.

You have a beautiful spider plant!!!

The Av's look very dry( the first set of pics). You can actually see the seperation between the original root ball and where you added new soil when transplanting, due to shrinkage.

Your leaves look ok too. Except once again they look pretty wet in there. I think it would be a good idea to leave the AV's you bought in the containers they came in for awhile. Until they are strong enough to make the transplant.

Oh one more thing! I LOVE your trunk!

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Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
by FlowerNewbie on March 01, 2006 05:44 AM
Fredrettes Moon Flower  -

Strawberry Bites  -

Strawberry Bites 2  -

SHould I pull the end leaves off that are wilted or could they come back?

Rollalong Pink  -

Tomboy Blue  -

Little Sweetheart  -

I lost most of the leaves on this one, it's got the big leaf and a couple tiny baby leafs. Should I just leave it or would I be better of trying to start the one leaf by itself?

L'heure Bleu  -

Does this plant look healthy? It's a trailer, but is it supoosed to look like that?

Sky Trail  -

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by FlowerNewbie on March 01, 2006 05:49 AM
Well that's all of them! If you have anything to add please do!!!! I'd like this topic to be on fire!! lol.

So what do you think of the plants are they as bad as I fear?

My camera awesome! The pictures are like looking under a microscope. On my computer I can blow them up huge and the just look cleared the closer I get. It's a Kodak easy share C340 5.- mp. Easy share software not great. and batteries run out so fast. just got it today and within 2 pics the batteries from the manufacturer died. Put brand new duracels didn't even last through taking the pics today. and already had to put in new ones!!! and I only can take 7 pics before my memory is out.

Guess I have to buy a memery card and re-charge batteriesd. Darn... just when you thought you got a good deal! By the way it was $100 including shipping on ebay new.

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by FlowerNewbie on March 01, 2006 05:52 AM
quote:
You have a beautiful spider plant!!!
[Big Grin] It's fake!!! lol. But it does give those tiny av's some flair on the trunk.

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by FlowerNewbie on March 01, 2006 05:58 AM
quote:
Also where are they getting their light from? With them being on top of the fridge.

There are two west facing windows in the kitchen. I had them up there originally cause it said the did not need light. and now I'm affraid of moving them to the sill for fear of freezing them out (due to my drafty windows). Which is better more cold with extra light or less light with more warmth?

quote:
The Av's look very dry( the first set of pics). You can actually see the seperation between the original root ball and where you added new soil when transplanting, due to shrinkage.
When I water the soil seem to obsorb it weird. Like it's all shrunk to the middle. Should I worry about this? I actually water them pretty often (about 3 times a week)...

I don't soke them and have been watering from the top... maybee that's a problem.

Some of the new ones came with wicks. How does that work how long do I set the wicks in the water?

Also, the wicks have green on them. Will this kill the plant?

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by ShirlS on March 01, 2006 06:24 AM
It is definately not a good idea to freeze them. With lower light they will get leggy but will at least be alive. Warmer weather is just around the corner. You know what you coudl perhaps do, is buy a grow light bulb and stick it in one of your lamps. Then place the babies under that lamp.

When you water the next time push the soil that has pulled away back into place. No you do not have to worry about it. you can push it back into place and add more soil on top if you want to. I don't know how much water you give them, but 3 times a week seems excessive to me. Most plants do very well with once a week watering. My Av's have never had an issue being watered once a week. I have never wick watered, maybe Sarah can answer about the wick watering for you. the green is likely alge and not likely to hurt anything.

I water my Av's by putting some water(about 2 inches) in the sink ( tepid). I then sit the pots of Av's inot the water and let them suck what they need up through the holes in the bottom of the pot. I leave then for 15 minutes of so, drain the water out and let them sit for a few minutes to let out the excess. Viola! I have never had an issue with over watering this way. I do sometimes water from the top but not often.
Those brown edges on the leaves are likely from being shipped during the cold weather. It looks like they got frost bitten. I would cut them off ( thr brown bit)

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Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
by comfrey on March 01, 2006 08:10 AM
Yes I agree the av's should be watered from the bottom, and the one with the white leaves...I think it is part of the way the leaves are, since they are variegated. Also the one with the bent leaf I would leave where it is, every time you remove a leaf, repot or move av, it "can" shock them, So when you get a new one don't repot right away allow it to get use to the climate in your house first and then you can repot. Your plants really look pretty good. Water is the key...Too Much or Not enough, and each plant is different and needs different moisture requirements. Keep up the good work! [thumb] [thumb] [thumb]

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by ChristinaC on March 01, 2006 08:31 AM
Hi Flower [wavey]
Do you keep the dome on your herbs still? Once they've sprouted you no longer need to keep them in there. All they want now is light and water as needed. Same with the coleus...u still keep the dome on even though they've sprouted? Most plants just need that heat and moisture in order to germinate..once they've sprouted, you can take that lid off.

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by Triss on March 01, 2006 11:54 AM
Newbie, I am certainly not one to give advice on plants cuz I am a novice myself, but I have to say your room is beautiful. Love all of the light you get!!!

One thing I would suggest for the draftiness is to head to the hardware stoore and ask them for clear window sealer and reseal all of the windows to ease up on the incoming wind.

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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
by FlowerNewbie on March 01, 2006 09:49 PM
Yea, I was still doming both the coleus and the herbs until my mold outbreak on the coleus. Now I just dome the 3 un-sprouted herbs.

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by FlowerNewbie on March 01, 2006 09:50 PM
That's prob. why it had mold to begin with.

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by melcon6 on March 02, 2006 12:59 AM
I agree, I've had that problem in the past. Once the seeds have sprouted, TAKE THE COVER OFF!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY CINDY!!!!!!!
by SpringFever on March 02, 2006 09:58 PM
The room looks great!! Wish I had all the windows. You should get the plastic I think it would help alot!!!

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Tonight I am having friends for dinner... Hanibal Lector My Album
by FlowerNewbie on March 02, 2006 10:03 PM
YEa, I know it's just that it's march now and feel like it's kind of a waist, I mean springs almost here. I have plastic on some windows but ran out. None in there though cause I put them up before a started all this and this room wasn't really used that much.

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by barleychown on March 02, 2006 11:24 PM
FlowerNewbie...your Av's look like they are settling in well! [grin] The ones closest to the window may be getting a little too much light...keep an eye on the new growth.

I would wait another week or two to separate the babies. The white leaves are suppose to be there...easiest way to know is to google the variety name and look for the plant description. [thumb]

Water them from the bottom, they prefer it that way. The ones with wicks, if you wish to keep using the wick method, need to be set on something that is constantly full of water...many use those new gladlock containers and poke a hole in the lid, thread the wick down into the water, and set the pot on the lid.

Did I cover all your questions? Do you have more? [grin]

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We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
by FlowerNewbie on March 03, 2006 12:47 AM
Just a couple...
quote:
Do I pull the flowers off these? If so at what point do I cut?
quote:
Should I pull the end leaves off that are wilted or could they come back?
quote:
I lost most of the leaves on this one, it's got the big leaf and a couple tiny baby leafs. Should I just leave it or would I be better of trying to start the one leaf by itself?
quote:
Does this plant look healthy? It's a trailer, but is it supposed to look like that?
You are so helpful Barley [teacher] ! I told a couple of the hostesses that I am following in your footsteps and hope to one day be named "AV Princess [angel] !!" Guess I have a bit to go. But a girl can dream can't she [flower] ... Do you think it's time to use any fertilizer on these guys? Also, I found this place where I can buy "Pat Hancocks" soil. It would cost about $17. Do you think it'd be worth it, or should I just stick to what I'm using now - which is 1/2 perlite 1/2 potting soil?

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Kitten in Life  - , Tiger in Love  -
by barleychown on March 03, 2006 08:50 AM
quote:
Do I pull the flowers off these? If so at what point do I cut?
I let them bloom, and then when the bloom starts to fade, I pinch it off.

quote:

Should I pull the end leaves off that are wilted or could they come back?
Wilted, but not brown? Leave them to see if they recover. Trim off any brown or mushy leaves or parts of leaves.

quote:
I lost most of the leaves on this one, it's got the big leaf and a couple tiny baby leafs. Should I just leave it or would I be better of trying to start the one leaf by itself?
Hmmm, I would leave it, unless it starts to look worse. Keep an eye on it.

quote:
Does this plant look healthy? It's a trailer, but is it supposed to look like that?
It looks okay to me...as it gets older, it will start to make new crowns, sort of like a sucker on a normal one, and then trail from there. Give it some time.

quote:
You are so helpful Barley
Thank you! I want others to get as much enjoyment from them as I do! [flower] [flower] [flower] [flower] [flower]

quote:
Do you think it's time to use any fertilizer on these guys?
I wouldn't yet. Fertilizer doesn't make the plants stronger. It just makes them grow. We want strong, heathly plants more than we want big wimpy plants, right? Fertilizer helps already strong, healthy plants a little.

quote:
Also, I found this place where I can buy "Pat Hancocks" soil. It would cost about $17. Do you think it'd be worth it, or should I just stick to what I'm using now - which is 1/2 perlite 1/2 potting soil?
Well, here's my opinion, since you ask! [grin]

There is no miracle soil, fertilizer or method. You have to play around and find what works for you. Remember, everyones water is different in what it contains. Humidity levels vary from house to house. Strength of sunlight varies from northern US to southern. Everyone is different in the time they spend on their plants.

My methods work for me, and my plants. [thumb] I would suggest you start from them, and then adjust one thing at a time, several weeks apart if something isn't working for you.

Any more questions? [grin]

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We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.

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