Hot Days and 'Forest Fire' Celosias

This year, instead of buying Celosia seed, I used saved seed from my 2020 'Forest Fire' Celosia plants. I had bought the 'Forest Fire' variety from Fedco Seeds in 2019. (Although Fedco didn't carry 'Forest Fire' seed this year, they do offer a similar Wheat Celosia variety, 'Ruby Parfait.')

Wheat Celosia plants thrive during our hot summers in north Florida. I love growing them!

Celosia's light-dependent seeds are easy to start when the weather is warm, and Celosias make great fresh cut flowers and dried flowers for fall arrangements. They can also be added to potpourri for a touch of color.

Celosia plants are big, and they grow somewhat loosely in the garden, so they can look a little wild. But, when the flowers are cut, they can be grouped closely together in a vase for a fun, dramatic look. 

To dry the flowers, I bundle several stems together with a rubber band.

I slip an opened paper clip under the rubber band to make a hook for hanging the bundle. 

Then I put the bundles inside paper lunch bags to keep them dust-free until they're dry. The bags also catch any seeds that fall off the flower heads.

Now I can enjoy my Celosias when the hot days of summer are done!

Ashwood Homestead Plants and Products

Our plants and products become available for you throughout the seasons. 

Here is an updated list of what is ready now. (pdf available for easy viewing and printing)

(edited for changes to plant availability 8/22/22)

Coleus

Growing up in south Florida, I liked coleus plants. Having coleus there is easy - just root the plants you like in water when you want more. But in West Virginia, having coleus plants was a bit more of a problem. Even though they were inexpensive to buy, choices were limited to local sources, and keeping them over a long winter was a bit of a challenge for me as a new gardener.

When I read about buying coleus cuttings from mail-order sources in The 20-Minute Gardener,
I was intrigued and I kept the idea at the back of my mind to do later. I wondered whether I could grow coleus from seed but thought it would be difficult since I had tried once without success. That time, I probably waited too long before I tried planting my seeds.

This year, I bought 'Wizard Mix' coleus seed from Burpee and did not wait to get them started. As soon as the seeds arrived, I planted them in a 6" self-watering pot. That was on January 7. By January 11, tiny dots of green started to appear on the surface of the soil and by January 13, little leaves had started to form.

They are so cute! Now, I'm inspired to do more with coleus. Here's what I turned up from a search for mail-order coleus suppliers.

Seeds:

• Burpee Seeds and Plants (has 9 varieties of coleus seed)
• Swallowtail Garden Seeds (has 43 varieties of coleus seed)

Cuttings:

• Glasshouse Works (has 126 varieties of coleus cuttings)
• Rosy Dawn Gardens (specializes in coleus - offers many varieties organized by types and colors)