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Pinto Mix Coleus in a Kitchen AeroGarden Harvest

Grow log by maskedsonnet · Original thread

10 visual updates12 photos30 replies
View recap
CropColeus
VarietyPinto Mix Coleus
MethodAeroGarden hydroponics
EquipmentAeroGarden Harvest, supplemental watering systems
Plants-
AudienceBeginners

What you can learnA useful ornamental AeroGarden diary covering pod mold, peroxide treatment, rapid vertical growth, light adjustment, and pruning.

Actions:2 Equipment1 Planting1 Nutrients1 Pests1 Pruning1 Finished
Useful practices
  • treating pod mold with hydrogen peroxide
  • adding peroxide to the reservoir
  • raising the grow light as plants gained height
  • cutting back coleus before it reached the light
  • placing cuttings in water after pruning
Problems encountered
  • mold developed on one grow pod
  • plants grew into the fully extended light
  • dense growth required pruning

*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.

Day 55
UPDATE#10
Grower update

Update #10

M By maskedsonnet

One last shot before I end this! Coming into my days off and finally back on a semi-normal sleep schedule. I'll be moving a lot of things around this "weekend", which will including ending the coleus mix. It's really lovely, and I'm sure I'll be growing it again some day, I absolutely loved the colors and patterns here!
Conversation
S
Shawn

Very nice. With you ending this, what will you plant next?

M
maskedsonnet

I’m going to transplant my kratky herbs into the machine, I like the thought of having fresh-grown herbs right there in the kitchen

Day 38
UPDATE#9
Grower update

Update #9

Actions taken

PruningCut all coleus plants back after they reached the light.
FinishedPlaced the removed coleus cuttings in water.

M By maskedsonnet

Thank you for that!! The article was very helpful. When it comes to ornamental things like this I have a bad habit of just planting with zero research. I've cut them all back and put the cuttings in some water like flowers! I couldn't stand the thought of throwing them away yet. Cutting them back revealed a delightful assortment of patterns that I hadn't noticed before!!
Conversation
S
Sher

They are gorgeous! Also, they need to spread. They tend to get tall and skinny when they are crowded instead of full and bushy. I predict that you will have coleus taking over your house soon! What a lovely dilemma, huh?

S
Shawn

They are very pretty and look good on the shelf

Day 38
UPDATE#8
Grower update

Update #8

M By maskedsonnet

I've now extended the light all the way up and the plants are growing up into it! It's very pretty, but should I be trimming these? Or just let it do its thing?
Conversation
S
Sher

maskedsonnet , they would have benefitted from being pinched back when they were small. Now they need a drastic trimming. I would pinch the stems back to the lower leaves and let them start over. Anytime you pinch a stem or leaf off, it will bush out. Coleus need continual trimming to shape them. Here's an article that may help.

Day 34
UPDATE#7
Grower update

Update #7

Actions taken

EquipmentRaised the light twice during one week as the coleus grew taller.

M By maskedsonnet

These are getting tall!! I've had to raise the lights twice in the last week
Day 28
UPDATE#6
Grower update

Update #6

M By maskedsonnet

The colors and leaf patterns in this thing makes me so happy
Conversation
S
Sher

They are beautiful!

S
Shawn

Never two exactly alike

Day 22
UPDATE#5
Grower update

Update #5

Actions taken

EquipmentSet up the remaining watering systems.

M By maskedsonnet

Got the rest of my watering systems in and set up tonight
Conversation
S
Shawn

It Reminds me of Macy's. Many decades ago when I would go to Macy's their handbags would be in shelving like that with plants or decor next to each handbag LOL....OMG am I dating myself

Day 20
UPDATE#4
Grower update

Update #4

M By maskedsonnet

These are growing really well, and I'm in love with the colors showing up!
Conversation
S
Sher

I am in love with them, too! The colors will continue to develop and change. Always so exciting to watch!

Day 15
UPDATE#3
Grower update

Update #3

Actions taken

NutrientsAdded hydroponic nutrients.
PestsAdded hydrogen peroxide after an earlier mold problem.

M By maskedsonnet

Added nutrients! And a bit of peroxide. The plant in the pod that molded is growing nicely, with no sign of the mold returning
Conversation
S
Sher

They are beautiful little babies!

S
Shawn

Looking good. Why do you not use labels? It does help keep algae away.

M
maskedsonnet

I feel like the labels give me more trouble than benefit. The algae dies out on the sponge once the plants get big enough to block the light, and until then it can be controlled well enough for me by peroxide. Doing that annoys me a lot less than trying to unstick the label from plant leaves without damaging a delicate sprout that got stuck to it instead of pushing past the opening. Maybe it's just the lot of labels I got, but the entire thing is sticky, not just the edge where you stick them to the grow basket, and the first (and last) time I used them I had a bunch of sprouts stick to the labels instead of pushing past.

S
Shawn

I actually have a ton of the labels before they were sticky backed. I cut a slit in one side so I can easily take them off and on with no damage to the plant. I even reuse them.

Day 9
UPDATE#2
Grower update

Update #2

M By maskedsonnet

Got lots of growth!!r
Conversation
E
ERR0R1755

Is that bottom left pod forming mold? Might be a good idea to toss it if so (if it's the standard hair-like AG mold then it's fine)

M
maskedsonnet

Yeah it looks like the same stuff that grows on AG pods but the pods are a different brand, don’t remember which one. But there’s nothing sprouting in it with the mold either so I was thinking about chucking it and planting something else there. I used all the coleus seeds so was trying to decide what to put there, or if I should just put a cover over that hole.

S
Sher

That pod might just be a late starter. I hope. You can put hydrogen peroxide on a q-tip and touch it to the mold to slow it down.

M
maskedsonnet

I took the pod out today ready to replace it with a lemon balm and it was just a late starter! The mold may have kept it from getting as much light as all the others. Swabbed it off with some peroxide as recommended, and added some peroxide to the water for good measure! Excited to have all the pods germinate, and some of them are starting to show spots of color! Having this in my kitchen to fawn over after work is already improving my mood

S
Sher

That's great news! It's so much fun to watch the colors develop.

S
Shawn

Great news!

Day 1
UPDATE#1
Grower update

Update #1

Actions taken

PlantingStarted a Pinto Mix Coleus garden in a kitchen AeroGarden Harvest.

M By maskedsonnet

Decided to put the new harvest in my kitchen and grow something pretty to look at Pinto Mix Coleus, from Baker's Creek (their website is down for now, but should be back sometime tomorrow).I've never grown Coleus before, I look forward to seeing how it goes!
Conversation
S
Sher

I love coleus! I grew some indoors last spring, then when they got too big, I planted them outside. They delighted me all season until cold weather killed them.

S
Shawn

I love having flowers, it makes me smile when I see them.

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