Wizard Mix Coleus Seeds

Wizard Mix Coleus Seeds

The Best for Bedding and Small Containers!

3 Reviews — Write a Review
(P) Pkt of 40 seeds
Item # 02986-PK-P1
Instock - allow 2-5 business days for processing prior to shipment.
$1.50
Buy 3+ at $1.25 ea
Buy 6+ at $1.15 ea
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If you like your Coleus compact, bushy, and full of vibrant color, let me introduce you to Wizard Mix, the best for bedding and containers! These seedlings will never need pinching, but will grow naturally into close-to-the-ground, beautiful little plants just waiting to show off in your shady garden and best indoor and outdoor containers!

The Wizard Mix consists of 8 varieties (with an equal amount of seed of each -- what's called a "formula mix") that all reach the same size at the same time. Terrific for a large planting or for the sheer variety of houseplants, outdoor containers, and bedding combos you will enjoy! From brilliant apricot Sunset to red-veined Velvet Red, each of the varieties in this mix is a distinctive work of art. Here are all the Wizard varieties in the mix:

Rose

Jade

Golden

Mosaic

Coral Sunrise

Sunset

Velvet Red

Scarlet

What all the Wizards do have in common is compact size -- 10 to 12 inches high, 8 to 10 inches wide -- and neatly serrated edges, giving even an informal planting a trim, stylish look! They are just right for containers of all kinds, edging, and the front of shady beds and borders!

The Wizard Mix does best in part to full shade and moist, well-drained soil enriched with organics. (If growing in containers, give the plants a light feed every few weeks.) It shows its color early, NEVER NEEDS PINCHING to reach that bushy, symmetrical, low-growing form, and keeps its hues right through the worst summer heat and humidity! You can't go wrong with this showstopper!

Coleus germinates readily and grows eagerly. To extend the lush color into fall, remove any stray flower spikes that emerge -- they take energy away from maintaining the gorgeous foliage, and the flowers are not particularly attractive. And although Wizard is a formula mix, remember that you might not get all 8 colors from every packet. The seed is mixed before it is packaged. The more you buy, the greater the chances of the widest range of varieties!

To grow Wizard Mix in the garden, sow the seeds about 6 to 8 inches apart or begin them indoors in your Bio Dome or seed flat. The seeds need light to germinate, and will sprout in about 7 to 10 days. Transplant them when the seedlings have at least 2 sets of true leaves (about 8 weeks after sowing). If growing indoors for houseplants, sow at any time, and place the plants in bright, indirect sunlight. Pkt is 40 seeds.

Review Summary
(Based on 3 Reviews)

Overall Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

Reviews

pretty seedlings
sandy from pa from PA wrote on May 07, 2016

This is the first year I bought this mix. I got four different varieties in the seedlings. It was great fun waiting to see what they would be and all four varieties are very pretty. I did have a low germination rate which surprised me. I usually have very high rates with Park's. In general, however, I am very happy with the mix. Next time I will just plant two packages. I am planning on growing them in pots with the Black Dragon coleus. I think that will be a very nice combo.

Nice standard size coleus
Greg - Dallas from TX wrote on July 02, 2012

I planted spring 2011 and overwintered a couple of my favorites indoors and they're doing great in the garden and pots in 2012. These are not the giant size and consequently have a better shape to plant well spaced apart. I too failed to get the full spectrum of colors that another reviewer mentioned but intend to reorder as I tried a packet from a local garden center and it completely lacked variety of colors.

Love this product, but image is not accurate
Hubby calls me plant crazy = ) I teach science. from CA wrote on June 06, 2012

I buy these seeds every two to three years. The vast majority sprout and I have so many seedlings I do not know what to do with them all (I only have an apartment balcony). The plants do well in partial shade to practically full shade. Indoors they even do well under the grow lamp which is practically full sun. I cut them back slightly each year and they come back for quite a number of years. I do not let them flower which takes energy away from the plants. I have many compliments for these plants. My only issue is that I never get all the color varieties pictured in the photo. I get dark red, dark pink edged in lime green, lime green with spots or streaks of red, medium pink centers with wide lime green border. Sometimes a yellow centered seedling sprouts but I have yet to have it grow to maturity. Therefore I have never seen the orange or black leaves with red centers that are in the photo. I will continue to buy this item, but do not count on orange, yellow, or black leaves.

Solenostemon Germination Information

Solenostemon is the botanical name for Coleus
Solenostemon Seed Germination How to Sow Solenostemon:
  • Best sown indoors 6-8 weeks before planting out or at any season for indoor use
  • Sow at temperature of 70-75° with NO cover as light aids in germination
  • Expect germination in 10-15 days
  • It is not recommended to sow the seeds outdoors

How to Grow Solenostemon:
Transplanting: Transplant when there are at least two sets of true leaves

Spacing: Space 10-18 inches apart in full sun or light shade

Soil: Site in any good moist garden soil

Temperature: Site in bright light, provide warmth at 65° nights and up to 80° days Additional Care: Grown for its attractive foliage; the flowers detract from the good looks and should be removed. Keep well watered

Appearance and Use:

Grown as house and conservatory plants, used in containers and hanging baskets, and planted out in beds and borders. These upright, rounded plants grow from 6-36 inches tall, have square stems, and produce non-showy blue or lavender flowers in late summer. Grown for the showy foliage that comes in an imaginative array of variegated colors: chartreuse, green, white, bronze, gold, copper, yellow, pink, red, and purple. The leaf margins are smooth, fringed, toothed, wrinkled, ruffled, or deeply lobed


About Solenostemon:
Pronunciation:  sol-e-no-stem’on sku-te-la’re-oy-dez
Lifecycle:  Annual*
Origination: Iridaceae, native from British Columbia to California
Common Name: Coleus

*Grown as an annual, but plants will overwinter in Zones 10 and 11

Superior Germination Through Superior Science

Park's Superior Seeds Park Seed's humidity- and temperature-controlled seed storage vault Park Seed offers some of the highest-quality vegetable and flower seeds available in the industry, and there are a number of reasons for this.

First of all, we have humidity- and temperature-controlled storage, and we never treat any of our seeds with chemicals or pesticides. Nor do we ever sell GMO's (genetically modified seeds), so you always know the products you're buying from us are natural as well as safe for you and the environment.

Superior Standards - University Inspected

Testing seeds against minimum germination standards To make sure we are providing the best seed product possible and that our customers will get the highest number of seedlings from every packet, we conduct our own germination testing and have quality-control measures in every stage of our seed-handling operation. We hold ourselves to standards that are at or above federal and state standards, including testing specific crops more frequently than recommended by federal guidelines. And in order to maintain our organic certification, we welcome Clemson University to inspect us annually to make sure our organic seeds, which are stored and processed separately, are being handled properly.

Hand Packed By Experienced Technicians

Park Seed has been handling and packing vegetable and flower seeds for 145 years, a history that has given us a great understanding of how each variety should be cared for and maintained throughout every step of theprocess, from collection to shipping.

When packing our seeds, the majority are actually done by hand (with extreme care!), and we often over-pack them, so you're receiving more than the stated quantity.

The Park Seed Gold Standard

Park Seed's exclusive Fresh-Pak gold foil seed packets And many of our seeds are packed in our exclusive Fresh-Pak gold foil packets, which are lined to keep moisture out, so the seeds stay fresher for longer. We carefully pack very tiny or fragile seeds in crush-proof vials to ensure safe delivery to your home. Some of the small seeds are also offered as "pellets" (have a clay coating) to make sowing and growing easier.

When it comes to the kinds of seeds we offer, we are constantly seeking something new and provide many unique and hard-to-find varieties from all around the world. Our on-staff horticulturists are ready and available to share their expertise to help you with the success of these seeds, so you can grow a beautiful and productive garden!
Does Park sell GMO's or treated seeds?
GMO freeIt is important for our customers to know that Park Seed does not sell GMO or treated seed. We do buy a small amount of traditional hybrid seed from Seminis, a division of Monsanto Co., but that is all we purchase from them.

What are the differences between organic, heirloom, and hybrid seed?
Basically, organic seeds are seeds that are produced without the use and exposure to artificial/chemical fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and other chemicals. They have to be grown, harvested, stored, and handled under very strict organic rules and procedures. All of our organic seeds are USDA 100% certified organic through Clemson University and the certificate has to be renewed yearly.

Heirloom Seeds are open-pollinated -- they are not hybrids. You can gather and save heirloom seed from year to year and they will grow true to type every year, so they can be passed down through generations. To be considered an heirloom, a variety would have to be at least from the 1940's and 3 generations old (many varieties are much older -- some 100 years or more!).

Hybrid seed are the product of cross-pollination between 2 different parent plants, resulting in a new plant/seed that is different from the parents. Unlike Heirloom seed, hybrid seed need to be re-purchased new every year (and not saved). They usually will not grow true to type if you save them, but will revert to one of the parents they were crossed with and most likely look/taste different in some way.

What are pelleted seeds? Why do you use them? How do I handle/sow them?
Pelleted pentas seedsExtremely small seed such as Petunias and Pentas are shipped as pelleted seed to make them easier to handle and sow. Pelleted seed are coated, usually with clay, to make them larger in size. After sowing, the coating will dissolve when wet and the seed will germinate. Pelleted seeds are shipped in vials placed inside seed packets, which protects them from being crushed. When sowing, be certain to use thoroughly moistened soil, to be sure that the clay coating absorbs enough moisture to dissolve. For sowing pelleted Petunia seeds, place the seeds directly on the soil surface and do not cover with soil, as light aids in the germination.

What is ideal temperature to germinate most seeds?
The ideal temperature to germinate most seeds is approximately 70 degrees F; give or take 1-2 degrees either way. This would be a good germination temperature for most flower and vegetable seeds and would be the most practical and feasible temperatures achieved for gardeners starting seeds in the home. You will notice for some seeds that it is recommended to use alternating day (warmer), night (cooler), temperatures, which is fine if one can provide such conditions. But most people are unable to provide those temperatures in a home setting, so just use the overall 70 degree F recommendation and the seeds should germinate well.

How long should grow lights be kept on per day and how close to the plants should the light be kept?
For germination and seedling/plant growth, you want to simulate the natural day-night cycles, and as a general rule, grow lights should be on 8-12 hours per day and off at night. You can vary this timing, as some seeds such as tomato, pepper, petunia, impatiens, and others, benefit from 14-17 hours of light per day (and the remainder of the 24 hour period in darkness). The most common grow lights used are fluorescent; using cool white, warm white, and wide-spectrum fluorescent tubes. These lights work well for germination and for growing plants up to a transplantable size. Fluorescent lights should be kept close though, 3-6 inches above the soil or the growing plants, adjusting the height as the plants grow.

How long will seeds keep in storage?
Park Seed stores seed in a special temperature- and humidity-controlled storage facility, which keeps seeds in excellent condition. Our seeds should be good for at least 1-2 years on average. Seed viability and storage time will vary depending on the seed item; some will keep a shorter time and some will keep longer. Seeds should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place. A basement will do (if not too humid), or a cool, dark room or closet. We recommend the best way to extend seed storage life is to store them in something air tight, such as a plastic zipper storage bag or canning jar, and place it in the refrigerator. This will extend the life of seeds for many years.

What is the best way to store seeds over a longer time period?
We recommend the best way to extend seed storage life is to store seeds in something air tight, such as a plastic zipper storage bag or canning jar, and place it in the refrigerator. This will extend the life of seeds for many years.

What depth should I sow various seeds?
When sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed. When sowing seed indoors, the planting depth can be less, depending on the seed being sown, so it is always best to check specific directions. Here are some general guidelines concerning planting depth in relation to seed size: Tiny, dust-like seeds need to be sown on the surface of the growing medium or soil, uncovered, as they need light to germinate. The planting depth for small seed can be anywhere from barely covering, to 1/8-inch deep, to possibly 1/4-inch deep, depending on the recommendation. Medium seed should be planted at 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep, depending on the recommendation. Larger seeds can be planted 1-inch or deeper, depending on the recommendation.

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