Coleus "Painted nettle" plus violas

[cpl1307]

Hi,
I grow all my own plants and have grown some Violas and Coleus painted nettle plants. I plan on keeping them out of reach, as my fella likes to play games with me and shred every plant I put it. I put 3 spider plants in and he didn't just tip them over, no he literally shredded them. The plants ive grown are in fantastic condition from my grow light. Will the uv strip destroy the quality of them? He can have a few I pick myself once a week, but I'm worried the Viv is going to ruin the quality. Its more for the aesthetic look of them. I cant even put cactus plants in without him uprooting them. Any ideas?

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Maybe @Alex and the Redfoot can help. What would be the distance between the plants and the UVB strip? Is the light T5 or T8 and what strength? (12% or 6% UVB)

 

[cpl1307]

Maybe @Alex and the Redfoot can help. What would be the distance between the plants and the UVB strip? Is the light T5 or T8 and what strength? (12% or 6% UVB)

It's between 19" and 20". Its a arcadia t5 12%. I feel really bad on @Alex and the Redfoot. He always gets tagged in my posts. He wouldn't believe how much he's helped me tranform my Vivarium. Such a nice guy! And don't think I dont appreciate the help you have also given me in the past. Ive put my new Vivarium on the ground, so I can build onto it. The first viv I had I didn't even seal, so you can imagine how much the moisture and humidity damaged the wood. I'd only just started out then though, so I was still learning. I researched everything, but only on my tortoise! Divvy I know! Sorry if your in the US Divvy is practically an idiot. My new one is much longer and sealed and sealed again, plus I've lined it with pond liner and I sealed that in. Hopefully I will get more life out of it. Sorry for the essay!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hi,
I grow all my own plants and have grown some Violas and Coleus painted nettle plants. I plan on keeping them out of reach, as my fella likes to play games with me and shred every plant I put it. I put 3 spider plants in and he didn't just tip them over, no he literally shredded them. The plants ive grown are in fantastic condition from my grow light. Will the uv strip destroy the quality of them? He can have a few I pick myself once a week, but I'm worried the Viv is going to ruin the quality. Its more for the aesthetic look of them. I cant even put cactus plants in without him uprooting them. Any ideas?

Hi!
Thank you your kind words!

I'm not a green thumb, so limited experience here. In my vivs coleus grows ok, but instead of broad colorful leaves I mostly see longer stems with smaller leaves and pale colors (I will try more aggressive pruning and see if it helps, but likely grow lights aren't bright enough). Any stems and leaves getting too close to UVB lamp or touching grow light fixture turns brown and desiccate (at 3-4" from UV lamp UV index is twice higher than in Mediterranean summer noon). I've heard that ZZ plant thrives under UVB lamps.

Spider plants are growing exceptionally well (with minor browning of leaf tips when grow too close to light sources). Boston and "maiden hair" ferns seem to be fine too. Golden pothos can grow fine but my tortoise prunes it to the ground. Callisia repens, wandering dude (Tradescantia zebrina) and prayer plant can grow fine but only out of tortoise reach. I haven't had any success with "ground cover" plants like dichondra, clover or irish moss (they are being trampled and chomped to death before have a chance to establish).

At the moment I think that the best way to keep any plants in the enclosure is to use hanging or wall pots or plant wall pockets. And choose plants tolerable to low light.

I've attached two photos - one is the plant wall example and the second is how coleus looks after some time in viv (spider plant is 2 ft tall now with lots of plantlets and leaves). Would be glad to hear any advice on plant keeping

 

[cpl1307]

Hi!
Thank you your kind words!

I'm not a green thumb, so limited experience here. In my vivs coleus grows ok, but instead of broad colorful leaves I mostly see longer stems with smaller leaves and pale colors (I will try more aggressive pruning and see if it helps, but likely grow lights aren't bright enough). Any stems and leaves getting too close to UVB lamp or touching grow light fixture turns brown and desiccate (at 3-4" from UV lamp UV index is twice higher than in Mediterranean summer noon). I've heard that ZZ plant thrives under UVB lamps.

Spider plants are growing exceptionally well (with minor browning of leaf tips when grow too close to light sources). Boston and "maiden hair" ferns seem to be fine too. Golden pothos can grow fine but my tortoise prunes it to the ground. Callisia repens, wandering dude (Tradescantia zebrina) and prayer plant can grow fine but only out of tortoise reach. I haven't had any success with "ground cover" plants like dichondra, clover or irish moss (they are being trampled and chomped to death before have a chance to establish).

At the moment I think that the best way to keep any plants in the enclosure is to use hanging or wall pots or plant wall pockets. And choose plants tolerable to low light.

I've attached two photos - one is the plant wall example and the second is how coleus looks after some time in viv (spider plant is 2 ft tall now with lots of plantlets and leaves). Would be glad to hear any advice on plant keeping

Hi!
Thank you your kind words!

I'm not a green thumb, so limited experience here. In my vivs coleus grows ok, but instead of broad colorful leaves I mostly see longer stems with smaller leaves and pale colors (I will try more aggressive pruning and see if it helps, but likely grow lights aren't bright enough). Any stems and leaves getting too close to UVB lamp or touching grow light fixture turns brown and desiccate (at 3-4" from UV lamp UV index is twice higher than in Mediterranean summer noon). I've heard that ZZ plant thrives under UVB lamps.

Spider plants are growing exceptionally well (with minor browning of leaf tips when grow too close to light sources). Boston and "maiden hair" ferns seem to be fine too. Golden pothos can grow fine but my tortoise prunes it to the ground. Callisia repens, wandering dude (Tradescantia zebrina) and prayer plant can grow fine but only out of tortoise reach. I haven't had any success with "ground cover" plants like dichondra, clover or irish moss (they are being trampled and chomped to death before have a chance to establish).

At the moment I think that the best way to keep any plants in the enclosure is to use hanging or wall pots or plant wall pockets. And choose plants tolerable to low light.

I've attached two photos - one is the plant wall example and the second is how coleus looks after some time in viv (spider plant is 2 ft tall now with lots of plantlets and leaves). Would be glad to hear any advice on plant keeping

Hi Alex,.firstly I cant apologise enough for not replying. Ive just clicked a link on Google about a different subject on the forum and just seen your reply in my notification box. I feel really rude not replying, especially after you writing all that for me. The coleus in your second picture is exactly the same as what I've just grown from seeds under my lights. Your right though, as I think I'm going to have to attach them to hang on stick on pots, then have them slightly above his reach. He just wants to dig and tip them upside down. I put a spider plant in and within 24 hours it had been purposely destroyed. Any artificial plants he just destroys. He genuinely enjoys doing it . Ive got about 30 tropical plants growing, that wood look stunning in there, but ive just spent the winter keeping them alive. I done the same with the clover. They were all grown fresh and he just walked all over them. I will send you a picture when I've put some in.
Sorry again for replying so late!
The second picture is a banana plant, but its not given me any banana yet!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hi Alex,.firstly I cant apologise enough for not replying. Ive just clicked a link on Google about a different subject on the forum and just seen your reply in my notification box. I feel really rude not replying, especially after you writing all that for me. The coleus in your second picture is exactly the same as what I've just grown from seeds under my lights. Your right though, as I think I'm going to have to attach them to hang on stick on pots, then have them slightly above his reach. He just wants to dig and tip them upside down. I put a spider plant in and within 24 hours it had been purposely destroyed. Any artificial plants he just destroys. He genuinely enjoys doing it . Ive got about 30 tropical plants growing, that wood look stunning in there, but ive just spent the winter keeping them alive. I done the same with the clover. They were all grown fresh and he just walked all over them. I will send you a picture when I've put some in.
Sorry again for replying so late!
The second picture is a banana plant, but its not given me any banana yet!

Don't worry, it's a forum and I don't expect immediate reply

And, yes, I know about tortoises "appetite for destruction" Mine feels so proud of herself when manages to break stuff

Banana and papaya plants are on my long-list for outdoors enclosure... And maybe a watermelon both for indoors/outdoors...

 

[Maggie3fan]

I'm probably not as smart as Alex...but I put plants in my with my tortoises, by leaving them in a 6 or 4 inch pot...I put the pot in the soil...my guy mostly destroys them but eats some..He continues to mess up the plants, and I continue to put new plants in...you also might put in cholla cactus, pothos, some ferns, there are many plants that are edible and easy to grow...

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I'm probably not as smart as Alex...but I put plants in my with my tortoises, by leaving them in a 6 or 4 inch pot...I put the pot in the soil...my guy mostly destroys them but eats some..He continues to mess up the plants, and I continue to put new plants in...you also might put in cholla cactus, pothos, some ferns, there are many plants that are edible and easy to grow...

With pothos I like to have a bigger mother plant put of tortoise reach to take new cuttings from.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think Maggie meant to say opuntia cactus, not cholla. Too many bad spines on the cholla.

 

[cpl1307]

Don't worry, it's a forum and I don't expect immediate reply

And, yes, I know about tortoises "appetite for destruction" Mine feels so proud of herself when manages to break stuff

Banana and papaya plants are on my long-list for outdoors enclosure... And maybe a watermelon both for indoors/outdoors...

You've just set me a challenge to grow a watermelon plant

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

You've just set me a challenge to grow a watermelon plant

I grew zucchini plants last year that I cut leaves from to offer to my tortoise.

 

[Maggie3fan]

I think Maggie meant to say opuntia cactus, not cholla. Too many bad spines on the cholla.

I knew that was wrong but I couldn't come up with the correct name...lol