Coleus Fairway Ruby Seedling Tray

For best results with Fairway Ruby, plant one seedling plug per 1801 cell or 4-inch container. Use well-drained soil with a pH of 5.8-6.2, EC of 0.9-1.3 mS/cm (2:1), temperature of 70-75 daytime and 60-65 nighttime, and light feed (100-150 ppm N). Be sure to provide sufficient Potassium in your fertilizer program to promote good color. Grow this plant under 13+ hours of light at 5,000 fc. Don't pinch, but use daminozide to control height if needed. Watch for spider mites, leaf miners, aphids, and whiteflies. You may see pythium, rhizoctonia, and botrytis.

Most gardeners prize Fairway Ruby for its colorful, unique foliage. While Coleus does produce small white flowers in summer, we recommend pinching off flower spikes to encourage the plant to develop its foliage. 

Pinching this plant will cause smaller foliage and delayed crop times. 

We recommend spacing 4-inch containers 12-18" on center for sufficient airflow and sunlight penetration around the base and foliage of each plant. 

PGRs may be unnecessary with proper cultural controls. Provide appropriate light, irrigation, and fertilizer. If needed, apply Daminozide (B-Nine) at 2,500-5,000 ppm two or three weeks after transplanting. Ethephon may increase branching as well as controlling height. Don't pinch to prevent legginess.

Watch for spider mites, leafminers, aphids, and whiteflies. Implement an Integrated Pest Management plan in your commercial greenhouse to protect your crops from damage and preserve your resources.

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that cause damage by sucking sap from plant tissue. They reproduce quickly and are particularly attracted to young growth. Curling and yellowed leaves, stunted growth, and stickiness on leaves are signs of an infestation. These insects also spread diseases and reproduce rapidly. Use biological controls or horticultural oils to discourage and kill aphids.

Leafminers are small, fly-like insects that lay eggs on plant leaves. Larvae burrow into the leaves and create tunnels, damaging plant foliage. Address leafminer infestations with insecticides like spinosad or imidacloprid or with biological controls like parasitic wasps. Prevent them by maintaining a sanitary greenhouse free of debris and removing and destroying infested plants as you regularly scout for pests. Carefully follow label instructions for any insecticides.

Spider Mites are tiny pests that cause stippling, yellowing, and webbing on foliage by feeding on plant sap. They flourish in warm, dry environments. Use correct water and fertilizing practices; over-fertilizing can attract spider mites. Proper humidity levels, predatory mites or ladybugs, and insecticidal soaps or oils may prevent or address a spider mite infestation.

Whiteflies are small, winged insects that eat plant sap and cause yellowed leaves and stunted growth. Severe infestations can lead to plants dying. Prevent infestations by sanitizing surfaces and tools and removing debris. Introduce natural predators and use sticky traps to control populations. Insecticidal soaps and oils are also effective against this pest.

You may see pythium, rhizoctonia, and botrytis. Scout for pests and disease and act at the first sign of infection to prevent extensive damage to your crops. 

Pythium and Rhizoctonia are fungal diseases that cause stunted growth, yellowed leaves, and plant death by eating away at the plant's roots. Use well-draining planting media and provide good airflow and spacing in your greenhouse. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings and apply fungicides with active ingredients abamectin, spinosad, or imidacloprid to combat these diseases.

Botrytis is a common fungal disease that causes brown spots on stems, leaves, and flowers. Remove and destroy affected plants, maintain appropriate humidity levels, and apply fungicides with boscalid, fenhexamid, or iprodione to control the spread. Water plants in the morning and allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings.

We recommend planting one seedling plug per 1801 cell or 4-inch container. Use well-drained soil and center the ellepot in the container. Cell packs finish in four or five weeks.