Growing Coleus In Containers

 

Photo source:  Gina Alfani

"If you are looking for an eye catching plant to fill your containers this year with big color and interest, then you need to be growing coleus! 

Not only can coleus fill your pots with long lasting beauty – it also happens to be incredibly resistant to pests. Adding to its allure, the uniquely bright and patterned foliage doesn’t take a lot of effort or nutrients to maintain. In fact, coleus is one of the lowest maintenance plants around."  Comment from This Is My Garden

Photo source: Gina Alfani

I used to grow coleus in containers all the time and it was so easy to take care of them.  Give them what they want and they will respond, they are a perfect plant to grow in containers.

Click here to go to the This Is My Garden article and they will let you know what these plants need to make them happy.

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17 Easy Beautiful Plants That Grow in Water: No Soil, No Mess

 

Photo source:  Garden Betty

"Do you often have trouble remembering to water your houseplants? Or would you rather not deal with the mess of potting soil? Then you should try growing plants in water! If you want to start your own houseplant hydroponics, these are the best species to try."  Comment from Garden Betty

Haven't grown plants in water in decades.  I forgot how easy it is, but they need to be watered too.  You can also root plants in water.

Click here to go to Garden Betty's article.

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My thriving garden - back in the day

 Photo source:  Gina Alfani

This is an older post from 2010.

Photos are from my garden and what I call The Carport Jungle

The calissia fragrans are still thriving, although the
unusually cold winter knocked them down a bit this year.

I'm currently propagating them from runners and cuttings

in containers and will start another "farm" in the ground.

I love these plants!!

They are multiplying and blooming for the first time . . .
they must love acid since I have been feeding them coffee.

Calissia fragrans is an unusual and tropical semi-epiphyte (grows mainly in trees, but will root in soil). Individual leaf rosettes may be 8" wide at the center stalk. Snaking out from the stalk are runners that trail as much as several feet to find a new place to root. Fragrant white globular flowers on upright spikes bloom in summer, then fade and lose their fragrance, then perk up and become fragrant again on and on.

Flowering or not, it is a spectacular plant that would look awesome hanging from a tree in a shady spot in the greenhouse or in a hanging basket as a houseplant. I plan on lining my carport jungle with hand painted hanging containers loaded with these gorgeous plants.

This is where the plants in the carport jungle began . . . I cleared out a few of these plants that were growing in the pathway and placed them in this container that I use to start plants or experiment with my propagation projects.

At the moment, I am experimenting with the calissia fragrans in my carport jungle, planting the runners into individual containers. I've been doing this for several months and those babies are already putting out their own runners. I left the runners intact in this container and they are growing another rosette. How cool is that? You can see some of the runners in the above photo.

I have a few spots in the yard where I planted a few here and there and now have my "farm" of mass plantings. Hopefully, they will be one of the plants to start my mail order plant business.

It all started about 7 years ago when I had a gardening group on MSN and made some local gardening friends that I swapped plants with. These came from Sally in St. Petersburg . . . she is very much into native plants and I have some other plants I got from her that are still thriving through neglect. There is something to be said about native plants!

All my container plants in the carport jungle have been getting a regular dose of watered down coffee and water that I boiled vegetables in (without salt) . . . the calissia fragrans are especially responding successfully and I have never seen them looking so healthy and big. Keep in mind that I have not used commercial fertilizer on them at all.

These are my new perfect plant . . . as you can see from the following photos taken from previous seasons, I have them growing in my "trash to treasure" book rack lined with moss. They went through one winter night freeze, neglect, no watering, no fertilizer with minimal damage. The ones in the carport jungle look much better since they are being pampered and I will soon transfer some of them to renourish the rack. I'll take some recent photos soon.

I'm getting the gardening bug again . . .
it makes me smile!

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11 Fascinating Poinsettia Facts You Should Know

 

Photo source:  Birds and Blooms

"Everyone’s favorite Christmas flower has an interesting history. Read up to learn interesting and fun poinsettia facts."  Comment from Birds and Blooms

Love this plant!  If  you do too, check out the article from Birds and Blooms and learn more about this beautiful plant.

Click here to go to the Birds and Blooms article.

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Top 10 Trailing Houseplants to Grow in Hanging Pots

 

Photo source:  Birds and Blooms

"From classic spider plant to heart-shaped pothos, take your indoor garden to new heights with these easy-to-grow hanging houseplants."  Comment from Birds and Blooms

Philodendron is the plant that I have had the greatest success with as an indoor and an outdoor plant as well.  Living in Zone 9 Florida climate, it goes as grown cover and up the trees.  Love this plant and highly recommend for indoor gardening. 

Click here to go to the Birds and Blooms article.

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Holiday Cactus Growing Guide UPDATED

 

Photo source: Birds and Blooms

"A holiday cactus is a festive treat for gardeners. This easy-care houseplant is the gift that keeps on giving." - comment from Birds and Blooms

This beautiful cactus can also be grown outdoors in a subtropical climate.  We used to grow them in hanging pots for the carport jungle.

Click here to go to the article page on Birds and Blooms for everything you want to know about Christmas Cactus.

Click here to go to an article on Garden Betty's blog entitled "How to Care for Christmas Cactus Year-Round So It Can Live 100 Years (Seriously!)

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16 Indoor Vining Plants That Instantly Add a Tropical Touch to Your Home

 

Photo source:  Better Homes and Gardens

"From delicate creeping figs to hefty monstera, indoor vining plants bring a touch of wildness into your home. “Vining plants trailing out of a container or climbing up a wall bring a wow factor to a space,” says Emily O’Gwin, medicinal and tropical plant gardener at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C."  Comment from Better Homes and Gardens

In my opinion, there is nothing like live plants in the home to bring the outdoors in.  

Click here to go to the Better Homes and Gardens article.

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The Easiest Houseplants To Grow – 8 Plants Anyone Can Keep Alive!

 

Photo source:  This Is My Garden

"If your searching for a few houseplants that practically take care of themselves, you’ll love today’s list of the eight easiest plants to grow and maintain indoors. In fact, these wondrous houseplants are so low maintenance that even those with the “brownest” of thumbs can keep them alive with ease!"  Comment from This Is My Garden

The snake plant has been the easiest plant to grow indoors in my experience.  Nothing like living plants in the home.

Click here to go to the This Is My Garden article.

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What to Do With Amaryllis After It Blooms for More Flowers Year After Year

 

Photo source:  Martha Stewart

"Amaryllis are spectacular flowers with red, white, and pink blooms that appear right around the holidays. These tropical blossoms develop on tall, thin stalks, giving them a unique, lively appearance that's the perfect addition to your Christmas décor.

These show-stopping blooms will fade after New Year's. However, you don't necessarily have to toss them—they can thrive for many years if you follow the right steps."  Comment from Martha Stewart

Gorgeous blooms!  For some reason I have been intimidated by bulb plants like this one.  Looks like they are not difficult to grow.

Click here to go to the Martha Stewart.com article.

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The 5 Best Herbs To Grow Indoors

 

Photo Source:  This Is My Garden

"Looking for some of the best herbs to grow indoors on your windowsill or counter for delicious winter cooking?"  Comment from This Is My Garden

Learn all about the herbs you can grow indoors with great detail in this excellent article.

Click here to go to the This Is My Garden article.

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How To Keep Your Bushes Blooming!

 

Photo Source:  Simple Garden Life

Six Bushes To Avoid Pruning In The Fall

"Did you know that there are six bushes and shrubs that you should always avoid pruning in the fall?

While fall is the perfect time for cleaning up your flowerbeds and cutting back many perennials, when it comes to the chore of pruning and shaping bushes and shrubs, fall is not the ideal time to be cutting them back. Especially for bushes and shrubs that require old wood in order to bloom."  Comment from Simple Garden Life

Since I live in Zone 9, where there are subtle changes from one season to another with occasional drastic changes that usually last a few days.  In this climate, I have been able to prune anytime of the year, but avoid winter months.  So I don't know the rules of pruning and look forward to learning how to do it the correct way.

Click here to go to the Simple Garden Life article. 

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How to Grow Green Onions Indoors (and Keep Them Producing Year-Round)

 

Photo source:  Martha Stewart

"Green onions are one of the easiest and most rewarding vegetables to grow indoors. They require very little space, and they grow quickly, even from kitchen scraps. These plants can also be harvested repeatedly, so they're perfect for the colder months when outdoor gardening is often a challenge."  Comment from Martha Stewart

I have a container full of green onion roots ready to be planted.  Growing them indoors is something I have never done.  Looking forward to growing them in my kitchen.

Click here to go to the Martha Stewart.com article.

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5 Ways to Get Rid of Weeds in Your Lawn—Without Killing the Grass

 

Photo source:  Martha Stewart

"Weeds are more than just an unattractive nuisance. Certain weeds can exacerbate allergies, attract unwelcome pests to your yard, and compete with desired grasses for sunlight, water, and nutrients. These fast-growing plants quickly take over your lawn, weakening the turf, creating bare patches, and reducing your lawn's curb appeal. The longer they’re left unchecked, the harder weeds are to control."  Comment from Martha Stewart.com

Weeds in the lawn have been a major problem for me.  As an organic gardener, it is difficult to kill the weeds without killing the grass.  Martha Stewart always has good solutions to these gardening problems.

Click here to go to the Martha Stewart.com article.

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How To Compost Used Potting Soil

 

Photo source:  This Is My Garden

"Did you know that you can easily compost your tired, old, used potting soil from this year’s container plants and bring it back to life to use again next year?"  Comment from This Is My Garden

Composting is one of the best things you can do for your garden.  Not only do you get free soil, but it is also a natural fertilizer.

Click here to go to the This Is My Garden article.

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Want to Grow Peppers Inside?

 

Photo source:  Better Homes and Gardens

"Growing peppers indoors can be challenging but entirely achievable with the right approach. These plants are native to Central and South America, flourishing in warm, sunny, and humid settings. To keep them indoors, recreate these conditions in your home as closely as possible. 

With a few key supplies and practical tips, you can excel at the art of indoor gardening and enjoy a bountiful harvest of both mild and hot peppers, even during the winter months."  Comment from Better Homes and Gardens

Before a hurricane destroyed my back room that was all windows, I was able to grow peppers successfully in Central Florida, zone 9.  It is possible!

Click here to go to the Better Homes and Gardens article to find out how you can do it.

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12 Things You Should Never Compost, According to Gardening Experts

 

Photo source:  Martha Stewart

"Compost is often called "gardener's gold," and for good reason. It enriches the soil, making it a rich source of nutrients that help plants thrive. While composting food scraps and other organic waste is an easy way to create nutrient-rich fertilizer, there are some items you shouldn't add to your compost bin. Knowing what to avoid is vital to making the safest and most effective compost. Ahead, experts outline the items that should never be composted."  Comment from Martha Stewart

Some of the items surprised me and I have made these mistakes but didn't know I made them.

Click here to go to the Martha Stewart.com article.

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