Other Years

Celosia cristata

2022
June 8: Ben set them out.
12: Doing well.
August 20: Still doing fine.
 
2020
March 24: I started 9 cells of Coral Gardens mixed Lindenburg seeds bought in 2015, with 4 or 5 seeds per cell.
29: 4 sprouts.
30: Many colourful sprouts, except for the cells that were a bit in the shade.
April 7: Transferred to 33 cells, one seedling in each cell.
May 24: I set out 16 plants.
August 11: Most have died. Those that were touched by frost in May never really recovered. The others have succumbed to the drought, and weeds.
 
2016
April 12: I started 9 cells of Coral Garden mixed seeds from Lindenberg.
24: The seedlings are growing well.
 
2014
April 8: I started 9 cells using 10 Amigo seeds from the package.
12: Many sprouts. Moved under the lights.
June 19: Doing fine. Many narrow stalks with small flowers.
 
2012
March 29: I sowed 9 cells.
April 16: Many sprouts.
September 15: They did quite poorly in the semi-circular bed. They seemed to lack water, despite seeming to have enough.
 

Celosia cristata, 2011

Celosia cristata, 2011

2014
April 8: I started 9 cells using 30 seeds collected last year.
12: Many sprouts. Moved under the lights.
June 19: In the garden, looking fine. They have small flowers.
 
2011
April 6: I sowed 17 cells of Amigo mixed, from Stokes Seeds, with 2 or 3 seeds per cell, and brought them upstairs. I put a lot of perlite in the mix.
June 5: I set half my plants out in the raised bed. They are only about 5 cm tall but they have tiny flowers already!
September 27: They did fairly well, some plants better than others. I really like some of the flowers!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Celosia argentea

Red-leaved Celosia argentea, 2007

2013
June 23: I bought 4 large plants from Rona and set them out.
September 16: They were very showy until they started to fade in September.
 
2009
March 31: I started 24 cells, 12 using the Kimono Red seed I bought last year and 12 using seed I collected from them last year, with a few seeds per cell. The soil mix was 1/3 perlite. I scuffed the seeds into the surface and put the cells into the warming box. The basement is cooler this year than last. I will just have to see how they do.
April 3: Sprouts this morning, but not in every cell. I removed half the cells from the warming box, and left half in.
4: I brought all the cells out.
9: The sprouts are doing poorly under the lights. Most of them have developed long stems but no seed leaves.
May 24: They did not do well; perhaps they needed a warmer spot. Now there are only 3 sprouts and only 1 of those looks good. The other 2 dried out and I am surprised that they have recovered at all.
July 4: One plant only, looking good.
August 3: That one plant is still doing fine.
 
2008
February 6: I ordered seeds of Kimono Red from Stokes. This variety has red leaves.
March 23: I planted 27 seeds of Kimono Red in 18 cells and a sprinkling of seeds from pink flowers of last year in 9 more cells. I put them all on the heating mat.
March 26: Sprouts.
May 24: I set out my 18 Kimono Reds and my 9 pinks, in separate places.
27: I forgot to cover the Kimonos and parts of a few leaves were lost to frost. I went out at 5:30 a.m. and sprayed them with water. I wonder if that prevented worse frost damage.
June 16: A cutworm got one, but it is sending out new shoots from below the cut.
 
2007
December 31: I bought some bedding plants and they looked fine, especially the plants with red leaves.
 
2006
March 24: I planted 27 cells using original seed and seed from 2004 and from last year. I put them on my new seed heat mat.
28: Some sprouts, not many, so I left them on the mat. The temperature at the surface is 80°F.
29: I moved those few sprouts under the lights.
April 1: I started another 18 cells, 9 using 2004 seed, 9 using 2005. I put the seeds on top of a peaty starting mix on top of soil mix in 9-paks and put them in the warming box.
6: I discarded 18 cells. The few sprouts there were lying down or had their seed coat still on. They were not growing.
12: The new sprouts are coming along. When there was more than 1 plant in a cell, I moved the extras into the old cells. I don't know how they'll do. Celosia are not supposed to transplant well.
May 28: I set out my 18 plants, 20 cm apart.
August 1: Flowering nicely, all burgundy.
 
2005
March 30:  I sowed 18 cells with 3 seeds each, 1 from 2004, 1 from 2003, and one from the initial package.
April 3:  Sprouts.
19:  I thinned them and transplanted 1. There were plants in 17 cells.
May 28:  I set out 18 plants. Those from one pack were all flowering. Those from the other pack were not. I believe the flowering pack was kept under the sodium lamp more.
July 7:  All flowering nicely.
October 4:  Flowered well, but many plants finished early.
 
2004
March 29:  I sowed a few seeds in each of 18 cells.   In one pak I used seed from the package and in the other I used seed I collected last year.
April 1:  There are a few sprouts from the packaged seeds.
May 29:  I set out my 18 plants.   They are all showing a plume about 3 cm long.   The plumes from the seed I collected myself are all red, and of mixed colours from the other seed.
June 6:  They are doing well.   They recovered quickly from transplanting.
August 24:  They are not doing so well now.   Many are leaning over.   I do not think they like this cool wet summer.
 
2003
April 1:  I ordered seeds of Century mixed from Stokes.
10:  I started them on sandy soil under peat-sand-vermiculite mix in the warming box.
12:  Sprouts in half the cells.   I left them in the box.
13:  26 sprouts.
May 22:  I set out 6 small plants along the fence.
May 23:  I put about 7 more plants into the garden.
May 25:  I put the rest out (10) along the fence.
May 28:  They recovered after being laid prostrate by the sun and heat.
July 5:  The plants in the garden are doing well but the ones along the fence are not.   The ones along the fence in the sun have, all but one, died, usually from wind damage, and ones in the shade are still very small.
August 14:  The plants in the garden are still doing well and the ones along the fence less well, depending on the amount of sunlight they get.
 
2002
June 13: I bought about 16 plants of Geisha Scarlet from Revy, on sale for 98 cents, and set them out.
September 7:  They survived, but did not grow well.
 
1996
May 13: I bought 14 plugs at the park conservatory sale, which has given me 19 plants in 6-paks.
~June 1: Out into the garden.
15: No progress.
September 4: Large and very colourful.