Coleus Blumei

Coleus Blumei

Here's a comprehensive guide on growing Coleus Blumei indoors or outdoors, including propagation methods and their suitability for the Indian climate, specifically Villupuram:

Plant Selection

Light: Coleus Blumei thrives in bright, indirect sunlight. They can tolerate some direct sun in the morning hours, but too much harsh afternoon sun can scorch the leaves. In Villupuram, where the sun can be intense, provide them with filtered shade during the hottest part of the day.

Size: The mature size of Coleus Blumei varies depending on the variety, but they typically grow between 20 to 60 centimeters (8 to 24 inches) tall. They are perfect for adding splashes of color to containers, garden beds, or borders.

Toxicity: Coleus Blumei is considered non-toxic to humans and pets, making them a safe choice for homes with children and furry friends.

Basic Care Needs

Watering: Coleus Blumei prefers consistently moist soil but not soggy. Water the plant deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. Avoid overwatering, as this can lead to root rot. Villupuram experiences a tropical climate, so be mindful of increased watering needs during the hot summer months.

Soil: Use a well-draining potting mix for container-grown Coleus. A mixture of potting soil, perlite, and compost will provide good drainage and aeration.

Temperature and Humidity:

Coleus Blumei thrives in warm and humid environments. Ideal temperatures are around 60-80°F (15-27°C). Villupuram's tropical climate with warm temperatures and high humidity is perfect for these plants.

Propagation

There are two main ways to propagate Coleus Blumei, both of which are well-suited for the Indian climate:

Stem cuttings: This is the most common and easiest method. Take stem cuttings that are 4 to 6 inches long, just below a leaf node. Remove the lower leaves and dip the cut end in rooting hormone (optional). Plant the cutting in a pot with moist potting mix and place it in a warm, brightly lit location (indirect sunlight). Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Roots should develop within a few weeks.   I do this any time of the year with good results.  Alternately, you can also put a stem cutting in a glass of water. You can plant it in a pot once it roots. It takes a while to root and the plant definitely survives and remains healthy.  While I do both stem cuttings and rooting in water, the second method is more effective.  The reason being, if you over water the cutting in a pot, it rots and dies.

Seeds: While less common, Coleus Blumei can also be propagated from seeds. Sow the seeds on top of moist potting mix and press them gently into the soil. Cover the pot with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect and keep the soil moist. Seeds should germinate in 7 to 14 days. Once seedlings emerge, remove the plastic wrap and provide them with bright, indirect sunlight. I've tried this. But it did not work for me.  So now, I've stopped buying seeds

Maintenance

Fertilizing: Coleus Blumei is not a heavy feeder. A balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength applied once a month during the growing season (spring and summer) is sufficient. I apply either a tsp of seaweed extract or NPK 17:17:17 once a month. I loosen the soil and add the feed near the rim of the pot and cover it up with soil.

Pruning and Pinching: Regular pruning and pinching will encourage bushier growth and prevent your Coleus Blumei from becoming leggy. Pinch off the growing tips of the stems whenever they reach a desired length. You can also prune off any leggy or unwanted stems. Pruning also helps maintain a compact shape and promotes more vibrant foliage color.

Repotting: For container-grown Coleus, repotting might be necessary every year or two as the plant grows. Choose a pot that is one size larger than the current container and ensure it has drainage holes. I just take cuttings and once I am sure the new plants are flourishing, discard the old leggy ones.

Types of Coleus

Coleus Blumei comes in a wide variety of colors, textures, and leaf shapes and all of them are stunningly beautiful. Here are some of the most popular types:

Solid Color: These varieties boast stunning foliage in a single, vibrant color, such as red, burgundy, chartreuse, or purple.

Variegated: These Coleus have multiple colors on their leaves, creating stunning combinations of green, yellow, red, pink, burgundy, and cream.

Scalloped or Fringed: These varieties have unique leaf edges that are scalloped, ruffled, or fringed, adding another layer of interest to the foliage.

Additional Tips

Coleus Blumei is a fast-growing plant, so don't be afraid to prune it regularly to maintain its shape and size.

Deadheading (removing spent flowers) is not necessary for Coleus Blumei as the flowers are not very showy. However, deadheading can help the plant focus its energy on producing more colorful foliage.

Gardening - The Bare Basics V - Dealing with pests

ANTS:

1. Spray kerosene on ant lines

2. Sprinkle BHC 10% dust

MEALY BUGS:

Hibiscus plants are particularly vulnerable to mealy bugs especially when under watertered during the dry season. 

You can use Nuvacron to combat these pests. Mix 1.2 ml of Nuvacron in 1 liter of water and spray on the affected plants. 

I prefer not to use this in my edible garden

BANDIGOATS:

1. Roll Zinc Phosphate in dosa and keep within a 20 feet radius.

2. Keep RATOFIN tablets in barrows.

Caution: Keep all chemicals away from kids and pets

Gardening - The Bare Basics IV - The Role of Nutrients

 Why are some gardens lush and heart-stoppingly beautiful while others look as if they are struggling for existence? Gardening is not just about watering your plants but also about understanding their basic needs. And nutrients are one of a plant's basic needs. Let's take a look at what each nutrient does for your plants.

PHOSPHOROUS: Ensures good root formation and speeds up the formation of flowers.

Signs of Deficiency: slow growth - very thin stems, low yield of flowers.

Sources of Phosphorous: Superphosphate, bone meal

POTASH: affects roots and leaves and plays a huge role in facilitating photosynthesis thereby resulting in a healthy and disease resistant plant.

Excess: an excess of Potash can lead to increased water content of the plant and stunt maturity.

Signs of Excess Potash: Curled leaves, lower leaves burn and fall off. If this happens you and add nutrients that contain Phosphorous and Nitrogen and zero Potash.

Sources of Potash: Potassium Sulphate or wood ash.

SUPERPHOSPHATE/BONEMEAL: are good sources of calcium. These improve the texture of the soil and chemically react with the other manure to enhance overall well-being of the plant.

PREPARING YOUR OWN ORGANIC MANURE: 

1. Soak 2-3 Kg of cowdung or oil cake in 5 liters of water for 3-4 days.

2. When applying to plants, dilute 1 cup of this solution with 4 cups of water. 

Note: the plants should be watered immediately after application.

FOR ROSES: 

 Use local rose mix. I use Stanes. Alternately, you can make your own rose mix using the following.

- 2 parts urea

- 1 part Potassium Nitrate

- 1 part dihydrogen ammonium phosphate

- 1 part Potassium Phosphate

15 gms of this mixture should be mixed in 5 liters of water and sprayed on the foliage on a sunny day before 9 am.  This is done once a week and should be stopped as soon as the buds start opening for this will damage the flowers.

Every year remove 5" of soil from the top layer and replace with new soil mixture.

Never spray chemicals on edible plants from 20 days before harvest time.

Gardening - The Bare Basics II - How to Prepare the Ground for Sowing Seeds/Planting

To prepare the ground for gardening, you'll have to get rid of weeds, till (as in dig) the ground and remove stones, plastics etc. and finally manure the soil.

Weeding

• The first and obvious step is to remove weeds.  But there is often a conflict about exactly what kind of plants constitute weeds. So, I'll use the often used gardening quote to describe it. 

"Any plant out of place is a weed"

• This means, a Tulsai plant in your tomato bed is a weed; or if it is co-habituating with your potted rose, either the tulsai or the rose is a weed.
• When you hire someone to do the weeding for you, they merely use a spade to chop it off ground up. This is not going to help in the long run. Because, when you manure your plants, you end up manuring the weeds as well. They happily lap up the nourishment and flourish better than your plants. To avoid this, take the time to remove them from the root level. 
• To remove weeds from a totally neglected gardening space, thoroughly water the grounds twice a day for 3-4 days. This will loosen the soil and make your job easier. 
• Once the weeding is done, water the beds thoroughly for another week. Remove any new weeds along with the root.

Tilling and Manuring

The purpose of tilling is not just to loosen up the soil but also to help you free the soil of plastics, stones and other material that might hinder the healthy growth of your plants. For optimum results, dig and loosen 8" to 10" of soil. Break and level clumps. This and the leaf manure you add along with the manure will allow water to sink in rather than run.

After weeding your garden, water it thoroughly once or twice a day. Use your discretion to decide how many times you need to water it. This will encourage weed growth. Once again remove it from the root level. Your ground is now ready for some serious manuring.

For a 10' x 10' Plot, You'll Need

Dried leaves/vegetable compost - 2-3 bags

Dried cowdung - 2 bags

Red soil - 2 bags

Sand - 1 bag

Super Phosphate or bone meal - 1 Kg

Neem cake - 3 Kg

Mix these together to ensure even distribution. Spread the mixture on your plot and mix it into the soil with a spade or a hoe.

Cowdung, as I've explained in a previous article has the ingredients needed to encourage healthy flowers and fruits.

Super Phosphate and bone meal are excellent sources of calcium. They improve the texture of the soil and act chemically on the manure you add to the soil enabling plants to better absorb nutrients.

Sowing

Seeds can be sown either in seed pans and then transplanted or directly into the soil. Very fine seeds (as in கீரை விதை - greens) should be mixed with fine sand for even distribution. Some seeds are very light in weight and tend to fly away. Mixing with sand before sowing and covering the area with moist leaf manure prevents this. If you plan to use a seed pan, use 1 part sieved leaf manure and 1 part sand as your sowing media.

Plants need at least 8" - 10" of private space.  So, if you are sowing seeds directly into the ground, take this into account.

How Deep Should You Sow?

The depth of sowing should be about 3 times the diameter of the seed.

Notes:

1. The best location for your kitchen garden is a sunny spot with restricted access to outsiders.
2. While plants in general add a lot of warmth and joy, flowering plants endow a positive ambiance to space they grace. I frequently remember the story of how flowers served to reiterate Solomon's wisdom.

Gardening - The Bare Basics - III - Taking Care of House Plants

Taking care of plants is a time consuming hobby but well worth the effort. One of the side - benefits of planning some quality time with your plants is you tend to get introspective. Often, when you're done with a session, you'll find that you are more at peace with yourself... your mind is clearer. For me it always has the effect of an hour's meditation and I am better equipped to handle the day.

How To Take Care Of Your House Plants -

1. Water Thoroughly Only If The Soil Appears To Be Dry: We are talking about house plants here; not just any plant. How much of water a plant needs depends on various factors like the weather, the potting media and the pot itself. Mud pots for instance are porous but the poracity keeps keeps it cool. Cement pots generate a lot of heat and the rate of moisture loss is faster than in mud pots. I haven't figured out how it works with plastic pots. 

Remember: Watering all your house plants the same way is equivalent to giving your diabetic father-in-law plenty of sweets every time you give your teenager some. It's harmful to your FIL's health.  He might eat it because you are offering it (maybe because he loves it too)... Get the idea?

2. Give Them the Benefit of Indirect Sunlight: Indoor plants too need a bit of sunlight albeit indirectly. So, if you keep them inside the house for a week, put them where they can catch either the first or the last rays of the sun each day for the next 4 days. If you expose them to direct sunlight, the edges of the leaves will first turn yellow and then brown. With a bit of trial and error, you can figure out the favourite locations of your plants.

3. Turn the Pot Around Frequently: Ever noticed bent and twisted houseplants? If you remember some of your botany lessons, you'll also remember that plants exhibit phototropism; meaning they tend to grow towards light. Turn the pot around every couple of days if you don't want to see your plants leaning to one direction.

4. Height of the Plant: I keep plants inside my house for 3 reasons.

1.  I love plants
2. They give my house a well cared for and aesthetic appearance
3. Some indoor plants (according to a NASA report) are considered air cleaning machines.

To maintain the well cared for aesthetic look they give my rooms, I have to ensure that they don't grow too tall. The general rule is if a plant is more than 1/3 the height of your room, it belongs outside.

5. Colourful Plants: For obvious reasons, colourful plants need more light. Keep them near a well-lit window or give them the benefit of indirect sunlight more often.

6. Moss-stick: Some plants like Philodendrons, money plants etc, need a moss stick support for their aerial roots. In that case you have to water the moss stick as well while watering the plant.

7. Misting: Mist leaves frequently with a sprayer to remove the dust that inevitably settles settles on them. Some plants like Begonia and African Violets don't take well to misting.  Leafy plants like Dieffenbachia (also called dumb cane), palms, money plants etc. love misting.

8. Food for Plants: Indoor plants are poor eaters. If you have the potting mixture right, you don't have to worry about regular feeding. 15-15-15 or 17-17-17 (also called NPK - Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potash) once a month is good enough. 

Here's the dosage: 1 tsp of 15-15-15 + 3 liters of water. Use this for watering. 

Plants love tea leaves. So don't throw them away. Use them for feeding your plants minus the sugar of course. You don't want a colony of ants taking up residence in your pots.

9. Indirect Watering: How do you water your plants when you plan to be away for a few days? In my experience, the best way is to thoroughly soak a couple of gunny bags and put them under a very very slightly dripping tap. Put your pots on these bags. They should be good for a week or so. But the general health of your plant would depend on the location of the tap. Alternately, you can request someone to water them for you. I've found that general health suffers anyway. Plants like kids and pets know when you are not around.

10. The Watering Hour: The best time to water plants is the evening. There is enough time for the plants to absorb the water and nutrients. When you water them in the morning, the rate of evaporation is faster.

A final word - keeping an already potted plant in decorative container without drainage holes is fine as long as you remember to drain the water frequently.

Gardening - The Bare Basics I - Potting a Plant and Potting Media

Most of us make do with the same potting mixture for all kinds of plants; and we wonder how places like the Lal Bagh Garden in Bangalore manage to showcase such lush green plants.

I attended a Course in Home Gardening conducted by the Government of Karnataka in 1993. The then director of Lal Bagh Gardens conducted the course; which was supposed to be a 10 day course but was extended to nearly 20 days because of the eager beavers who attended. It was here that I learnt that different plants need different soil compositions.

Bangalore has a race course; so, you'll find that almost all compositions listed below use horse manure. Fact is horse manure is better than the usual cow manure for roses.

1. Soil Composition for Sowing Seeds

1 part sieved leaf manure (by weight)

1 part sand

Leaf manure is nothing but dried leaves fallen from trees. Allow it to decompose to a stage where it crumbles when you touch it. The logic behind using this combination is, sand does not absorb moisture while leaf manure does. Combining the ensures that the compost is damp, yet not soggy enough to rot the seeds.

2. Soil for Vegetables

2 parts red soil

1 part dried horse manure 

1 part dried (மக்கிய) cowdung (don't make the mistake of using raw cow dung or horse manure - your neighbours will start complaining)

1 part ordinary soil

1 part leaf manure

You can use 2 parts of cow dung if you can't get horse manure.Some people use goat manure in place of cow dung or horse manure. In that case use only 1/2 part well pounded goat manure in place of horse manure + cow dung. This is because goat manure generates too much of heat that might kill the plant.
Note: Fruit trees and vegetable plants respond well to donkey manure.

3. Flowering Plants

2 parts red soil

1 part horse manure or cow manure or 1/4 part sheep manure

1 part sand

1/2 part leaf manure

4. Foliage and Indoor Plants

1 part red soil

1 part leaf manure

1 part sand

1/2 part horse manure or cow dung

5. Bonsai - For a Container that is 2"-3" Deep 
1 part red soil
2 part leaf manure
1 part sand
1 part charcoal powder
1/4" stones and pebbles
1/4 part broken pots

Notice the proportion of horse manure and cow dung is very high for vegetables, slightly lower for flowering plants and very low for foliage and indoor plants. They apparently play a vital role in yielding good flowers and vegetables.

Blocking Drainage Holes

All containers meant for plants should have drainage holes to drain out excessive water. But, you have to block it with broken pieces of old pots to prevent the soil from going out through it as well. In spite of your best efforts, a bit of soil does go out anyway. The pictures below demonstrate how to block them.

The image above shows just the soil. I plan to use this pot for a foliage plant. I don't have access to red soil where I live and as I live in an apartment, I don't have access to sand either. So, I'll make do with dried cow dung and leaf manure (our watchman so kindly swept up for me from a nearby government building) and a handful of neem cake powder.

Note: If you can somehow get the dung of a milk cow, your garden will simply bloom. Milk cows are usually fed better. Therefore the quality of the dung is better.

Why Organic Gardening?

We use new inventions and discoveries to modify the way things are done. When we start out we hope it is for the better. But too often the modifications have undesirable blow backs. The use of pesticides to improve crop production is no different. We have ended up with pest free crops that contain a high percentage of unwanted chemicals. Though the history of organic gardening as we know it today goes back to the post World War II era, it was not a new concept even then. Natural Gardening or good husbandry tips were featured in  gardening manuals both in the 16th  and the 17th centuries.

Modern Organic Gardening

The modern concept of natural farming is all about sustainability. In their book The Organic Gardener, Christine and Micheal Lavelle describe organic gardening as, "the marriage of good horticultural practice to an awareness of our impact upon our surroundings". Yes we need pest free food. But we don't have to poison the food itself and the environment to achieve that. Adapting wholly natural methods is not easy. But it is possible. We need to change the way we think and cultivate habits different than we are used to. With time and patience, we can definitely re-establish natural balance.

Organic farming standards vary from country to country. As a thumb rule artificial pesticides are avoided. Instead the aim is to improve the quality of the soil by recycling organic (anything that decomposes easily) waste. 

Why Should We Go Organic?

I would ask why shouldn't we? Over the years we have slowly but surely initiated the means to self-destruct ourselves and we call it development. Most of us simply refuse to see what is right in front of our eyes. We have introduced too many artificial products that are upsetting the eco-balance.  We are too short-sighted and selfish to curb the indiscriminate use of the conveniences of technology. Besides, we are at a stage where it is often simply not possible to go back to the way we were. There is a desperate need to offset the domino effect of years of disregard for the environment. Organic gardening is but one of the answers.

From Barren to Fertile

My gardening efforts are finally bearing fruit. My first hurdle was to improve the soil texture and quality. That took me almost a year and a half. Unfortunately, due to the basically bad soil, improving soil quality is going to be a continuous and time consuming process.

I don't know what this flowering plant is called. But it flowers profusely and it attracts a lot of lady birds.


Balsam Double


Coleus



Hibiscus- lovely tiny pinkish red flowers.

Anthurium

Alamanda

Cosmos

Also known as Mexican aster- Spiritual significance of cosmos. 

A native of Mexico, this plant belongs to the sunflower family. There are about 20-26 varieties.

In India, in the plains, the most common varieties found are the yellow and orange flowers. The pink and white ones are found in hill stations.

Double flowered cosmos varieties have been evolved at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, by induced mutation using X-rays. 

These plants grow up to 6 ft in height. Though most varieties are perennials, after a certain stage they become very shabby and you may want to replace them with newer plants.

.

The seeds scatter everywhere and you'll find baby plants just about everywhere you look. If you are not careful, they'll take over your garden.  So replace old plants when they start getting leggy and ruthlessly thin out the seedlings before they get out of control.  They start flowering 2 1/2 to 3 months from sowing.

Manuring: Not required as manuring produces excessive vegetative growth.

Location: Full sunlight or semi-shade.

Uses: Cut flower.

Lantana

Lantana depressa

This is a species with yellow flowers. The semi-trailing plant is sometimes used in bonsai. It is hardy and withstands any amount of pruning. The flowers as you can see are borne in attractive clusters.

When you look at the flowers from afar, they look like a cluster of roses; probably due to the shape of the leaves.




I don't know the species name of the lantana in the picture below. But of the 5 species of lantana in my garden, I love this best. I love watching the colour changes the clusters undergo from the time the buds appear until they wither and finally fall off the plant. The play of colours is truly intriguing. I'd like to think that I've captured all the hues you can see during the various stages of blooming, but I very much doubt it.







I also have lantana with lavender and white flowers. Both the white and the lavender are trailing plants ideal for hanging baskets.

WIKIPEDIA
Provides further information about these plants.

A Banana Tree in Your Home Garden

The bunch seems to be diminutive and the fruit shriveled – reason I forgot to cut the flower as and when my mother told me to.

Growing a banana tree that produces a health yield is very easy if you know how to go about it…
Here are some tips from my farmer uncles. Before you plant -

1. Dig a pit 1 ½ to 2 feet deep – the pit has to be really deep - otherwise the tree is not sufficiently anchored to bear the weight of the heavy fruit.
2. Leave the pit open for a couple of days. Let it have a good sun bath.
3. Select a healthy sucker – one that has a well developed rhizome.
4. Plant the sucker. Half fill the pit with well rotted manure (FYM – Farm Yard Manure or cow dung), leaf manure or wood ash. Fill the other half with the soil you dug out of the pit. Use the excess soil left from the pit to build a small bund around the tree.
5.Dig a ridge all around about 2 feet away from the tree and the soil thus removed can be kept on the side of the ridge away from the tree – to be used for further banking the tree when it bears fruit.
6. The plant has to be watered on alternate days.
7. You can apply more Farm Yard Manure after 6 months and again after 8 months.
8. Bank the tree some more after each application of manure.
9. As a general rule, your tree should yield fruit in about 10 months.
10. Once the bunch has formed and the flowers start falling without more bananas forming, the flower has to be removed – this ensures bigger fruit and fuller bunches.
11. You get only one harvest from each banana plant. After the bunch is harvested , cut down the tree leaving a stump about 1 feet above the ground.
12. The tender stem in the middle layer of the trunk is used in cooking.


Note:
Each tree bears fruit just once.
1. Frequently harvesting leaves from the tree will result in poor flowering and fruit setting.
2. If you must harvest leaves, then do it from only one of the daughter plants that shoot up around the mother plant letting the others grow unhampered.
3. Don’t let more than 3 daughter plants (tillers) grow around the mother plant; this will impede the growth of the main plant. One of these daughter plants can be the new mother plant after the mother plant is harvested.
4. The tree might start leaning to one side with the weight of the fruit. Bank the base of the tree with some more soil and support the fruit with a sturdy pole.

This particular tree took its own sweet time (about 20 months) to bear fruit. But then, the soil condition is really bad and this is my first banana tree. I am hoping to do better next time.

Fruitful Banana Tree

My banana tree has finally decided to reward my efforts. After 1 year and 8 months of work and patience or should I say gestation, the tree is finally bearing fruit - literally.

Hibiscus Collection

I am battling not just against bad soil, but also against pests and bandicoots, that take pleasure in eating up all my leaves and uprooting my plants. Here's some of what is left of all that destruction - My Hibiscus collection.