This is the time of year to unwind from gardening: our gardens are under their winter blanket of snow, plants we are wintering-over are safely in the house, and we can sit back and breathe a sigh of relief. Another gardening year completed!
But admit it; aren’t you starting to think, just a little bit, about next year? If you want to do some research and planning for 2018, why not visit the University of Saskatchewan site at www.fruit.usask.ca/extension and read up about the new research in fruit trees and more. There is information about haskap, dwarf sour cherries, apples, grapes, and coleus. That’s right, coleus!
I had to click on this tab to see what is was all about, and guess what, the U of S has a coleus breeding program where they are working on developing interesting leaf shapes in new coleus. The line is called “Under The Sea”, and there are eleven new and beautiful coleus to choose from. The leaves are stunning, not only because of their color, but with the unusual shapes of leaves that indeed look like foliage from a mystical and magical place! The names themselves are fascinating, like the abstract, green-and-burgundy toned leaves of “Red Coral”; the symmetrical spiny-looking leaves of “Bone Fish”; the lacy lime-punch leaves of “Yellowfin Tuna”; or the burgundy-purple leaves of “Lion Fish”. It’s fascinating to see the diversity!
I know many gardeners love the coleus, and who can help it? Coleus is like foliage and flower all rolled into one —the beautiful leaves more than make up for the minimal flowers. I remember the dark burgundy coleus with the velvety leaves that Sweet Pea always used to grow. It flourished every year for her, a knack that I did not inherit!
Coleus are mostly shade plants, enjoying well-drained soil. While they like moist soil, they don’t like wet feet, so if we are planting them in a container, we should be sure it drains well. From what I read and hear from other gardeners, that’s it! Coleus are easy care, and if we want them to become fuller over the summer, we should pinch off the flowers. I am told that they are very easy to root, and thanks to this method, you can add the good-natured coleus to assorted planters in your yard very easily! The many bright colors will bring a pop of light to an uninteresting shady spot. And as we have talked about many times, unusual leaf shapes add interest to your garden!
Coleus are very tender and cannot tolerate any frost, so they have to be brought in for the winter as soon as the fall weather begins to change. Whether you brought in your coleus in its planter, or took cuttings, just place them in a bright location, and water them just enough so that the soil is not very wet.
So now, we learned about new gardening gems… and if you are looking to add to your coleus collection, read more at the U of S site, make some notes, and then be watching for these fascinating plants next spring when we start planting again!
The next meeting of the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society will be on Wednesday, November 22. This is our AGM for members and their guests only. It’s a time to get together to share gardening experiences, and look forward to the coming year! All horticultural members are encouraged to come out for a great evening! Members, for more information or tickets please call Liz at (306) 782-2830.
Be sure to visit us at www.yorktonhort.ca, and have a great week! Stop in at the library for some gardening books, perfect to curl up and read on a stormy winter evening!
