They Don't Grow in Florida

It's a shame, but of all the rooted Coleus I brought down from Georgia are very slow going. Some worthless. It has to be the soil as the ones shown below would have been at least 12-15 inches high had it been Georgia. Weather? Most days have been in the high 70's and 80's since mid October with a few exceptions. How cold? I can count perhaps two days the temps were below 45 in the early morning hours.

Can't even see these... Has to be the soil. It's real sandy in this area. I did try to improve it.

I was hoping to root these fellas for transport back up north in early April. The variegated green and white don't have the problems like my favorite has (3rd picture middle), barely making it to six inches. I've tried moving them here and there thinking they need more sun, but no such luck. The squirrels haven't been much help either as they've been mad about burying acorns where the smaller Coleus get destroyed. I certainly don't have that problem in the mountains as they have acres to roam and bury.

All in all, disappointing. But I may be able to root two or three dozen.

Half decent growth in some containers out front. Decent soil, but nothing like that stuff in the  mountains...Need cow manure!

Lousy photo of another area. The smaller burgundy colored ones really do well in Georgia clay, but nowhere around here.

How is the Impatiens disease coming along in Florida?

Where they thrived in recent years many have replaced them with Begonias and Petunias (gated communities etc) It's obvious these areas knew about the problems and didn't take chance this year. I do see some growing here and there within private residences, but it's still obvious the disease is around. Some gardens may look great in one spot and an ugly downy mildew rearing it's head here and there. There really hasn't been any perfect conditions to kill them all yet.

Perfect? Chilly, rainy, and damp. Except at the home centers during cold spells. They constantly flood plants effectively feeding the disease. I saw it back in November. I even approached a vendor about the problem. Naturally he would not admit to knowing about it, but why was he cleaning out all the affected plants at Home Depot? That doesn't happen with young Impatiens. You've been there, they always look so healthy unless it's late in the year and they look straggly.

EDIT: I didn't see the pics from October. I suppose some have done well, but others not.

Nice To Be Here

Florida that is, providing I keep in line. Only family understands that part.

Let's see how these little coleus seedlings work. I've been told it's hard to get such small stuff going down here. I also brought along some Black Eyed Susan's that seem to be taking off with the heat. One shown in white pot second picture.

About the gardens. It should be an interesting year because it looks like I have a major say in this as Mom isn't up to gardening much these days.