They are looking good.

yes they are.. mine are close to the same size as yours .. looking good

I also started some coleus from seed this year. Actually, I have been for the past few years, just more economical but they sure seem touchy and very slow to grow until it warms up. (My house isn't very warm so they don't really like it! LOL!)

I went a little crazy this year with seeds but didn't have very good germination. I did get some Rose to Lime and Marbles that are looking really pretty.

New babies!!!!!!

love when they start showing color.. they look great!!

Looking good!!!

I have a terrible germination rate though. I use bottom heat, fresh seeds from Swallowtail. Any suggestions? I didn't get a single Black Dragon to germinate!

Have you used a plastic dome cover?
I like them because the soil stays moist longer. I also spray with chamomile tea with the hand pump sprayer to wet the soil. Thats just my way.

I do use a dome cover. Oops, I just told someone they could keep their chamomile! What does the chamomile do? LOL! I have used cinnamon for damping off but I haven't had many problems since I started using seed starter mix.

I have a sprayer I used also. I had to get one. Last year I made the mistake of planting all my coleus in one plug tray, albeit labeled very well -- hmm, I didn't have a sprayer. Flushed those tiny seeds all over the place. Needless to say, the tags were useless! So this year I got a sprayer!

It helps with damping off and I think it helps with germination. I grow Dragon Wing Begonias and since i started using Chamomile tea much better success rate.
I make the tea with four cups of water to 2 tea bags. Then use about a cup and a half of the tea and fill the sprayer up the rest of the way with water.

good to know, and probably cheaper than cinnamon! I have never had ANY luck with begonias. they are so pretty though.

other than the dome and seed to soil contact.. sounds like you did good.. maybe a bum batch of seed?

Maybe, but it may have been my house is too cold. I'll just try again!

you surface sowed them right?

Yep. But I had a lot of things that didn't germinate. Happens sometime when you do too much at once.

oh well.. next time

Absolutely, next time!

Did you use bottom heat? That helps a lot.

Karen

What should the soil conditions be for Coleus?

I want to create some foliage containers this year and am just getting to know the soil/environment needs for succulents.
They must be different for Coleus? Is there a post somewhere I should look to?

Thanks,
Marilyn

Karen,

I do use bottom heat. With domes. Possibly the seed starting medium got packed too tight. I do have more seeds so I will plant again on the next flowers day. Or maybe I sould be doing on a leaf day since it's really the foliage...