to this site, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use. Coleus plants, part of the mint sub-branch of the nettle family, are a vividly colored, leafy plant that makes a great garden border. After your new plants are established and … Make the cut using pruners or scissors right above a leaf node, which is where the leaves come out of the sides of the stem (where you make the cut, the plant will produce two stems from where the old one was, making the plant bushier). He has worked as a handyman for various individuals since 2013, with a focus on lawn care and home renovation.  Add coleus cuttings to fresh water to root. Go to your local building supply and purchase a 5 gal. Rooting will generally occur in 3 to 4 weeks. Gotcha covered. Water the plant thoroughly after planting. 1995-2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. vibrant colors if you let them dry out often. As long as they don't wilt or rot, all is well. Drop nursery pots filled with coleus into tall cylinder containers like the ones above. Several cuttings may be placed together in one container. Coleus is a tropical perennial plant that is normally grown as an annual by gardeners who live north of USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11. Use a pencil to poke some holes, and place the cuttings … cannas, spacing them about 2 ft. apart, and filled in the rest of the bed with Super Elfin Lipstick impatiens. Provide additional light, if needed, with a fluorescent lamp designed for gardening purposes. Non-Patented Varieties. Fill the container up to 2/3 with soil and make a small hole to fit the cutting. After you have spread the coleus seeds, cover them with a fine layer of potting soil. They don’t need any special soil and can be planted in an all-purpose soil mix. When you plant your coleus, water them until the soil is saturated. To grow a new Coleus, take a stem cutting from the mother plant of around five inches in length. The soil mix for rooting cuttings should be low in fertility, sterile and free-draining to. View our Privacy Policy here. Check the soil pH before planting, and adjust your soil if it is too acid. (and one more — ‘Apple Pie’) instead of hiding them in a combination, check out the four containers above. As well, pinch back the growing tips of the leaves every few weeks. Pinch back the uppermost tips if the coleus is growing long stalks, and remove flower buds to prevent seed formation. 3 Simple Ways to Divide Plants Our unrooted coleus cuttings are cut and shipped the same day. Copyright© He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Writing from Taylor University, which enabled him to write for several Indiana newspapers, including The Waynesdale News and The News Herald. No problem. This makes the coleus grow out to the sides of the main stems, for a bushier, more shrublike plant. Website operating Coleus are easy to grow and mix and match in whatever style suits your mood. home improvement and repair website. All rights reserved. These plants are seldom damaged by deer. Conversely, plants will wilt and have less Cover the roots with soil and water just enough to wet the soil. Any part of the cutting that will be below the surface of the water should be free of leaves. You Might Also Like: No-Fail Formula for Designing Beautiful Garden Planters Next begin by taking cuttings from the Coleus plant. You may freely link Add powdered lime to the soil if it is too acid, and avoid mulches made from pine or … DoItYourself.com®, founded in 1995, is the leading independent 3 easy steps to planting annuals. Coleus prefer a soil pH at 7, or slightly above. Gabriel Connor Salter is a freelance writer and editor who has had over 280 articles published by various organizations.   Some coleus prefer bright sun, but most do best and achieve the most vivid color in partial shade. Question: How deep and far apart do I plant the Coleus seeds? Most of the coleus plants you find at your garden center these days look best with sun nearly all day. Flush out the soil with a … Set plants out after all danger of frost is past. Check the soil pH before planting, and adjust your soil if it is too acid. This is so cool! This will help direct growth toward the leaves. Here are some of my favorite tips and ideas to help you choose and grow the best coleus every year. Fertilize them once a month with a 50 percent solution of liquid fertilizer specified for house plants. You should also make sure that the plant you choose is not patented. Rooted cuttings will survive in water for long periods of time. I have a thing for coleus plants. It's available in a range of sizes, and in … cuttings prior to cold weather by potting them up and moving them indoors. One summer I decided to showcase a few of the cultivars in this series The cut should be made just below a leaf node, and you can then remove all of the leaves from the stem except for the top pair. But the seed-grown varieties are more shade-tolerant. Coleus won’t grow any faster if you put them out early, and you could actually stunt their growth or they might die, even if temperatures stay above freezing. Do not plant coleus outdoors in cold temperatures. The more space you give them to spread out their roots, the larger they grow. The 2nd method is to propagate Coleus cuttings in soil. Be sure to add fresh water as needed until the cuttings are fully rooted. Ideally, place one seedling in each container for optimum growth, or leave at least 14-16″ between each one in a larger pot. suggestions. Remove the lower leaves, leaving the top set of four leaves. Try planting them in a garden bed, or challenge yourself with a combo or one of the creative containers I'll show you here. You Might Also Like: They look good both ways! The first step is to choose a plant that is healthy and to make sure there does not appear to be any pests or diseased plant material you will be working with. Mix a little organic matter into your soil before planting so it … Place the jar in a bright place out of direct sun in a 60 to 75 degree F room. Make sure to fertilize just once a month with a balanced all purpose fertilizer, one of the 10-10-10 formulas. One way for adventurous gardeners to grow coleus is to train it as a topiary on a single stem, also called a standard. Coleus can easily be started from seed indoors about 10 weeks before the last frost date in your region. Drill some drain holes in the bucket and pour in the sand. Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work in the garden. If you prefer to plant coleus in containers, these creepers can also be used as the “spiller” in a Some coleus prefer bright sun, but most do best and achieve the most vivid color in partial shade. When rooting in soil or in water/soil try to find potting soil without added fertilizer. See the easy steps below to learn to take coleus cuttings of your own. Watch it grow... You Might Also Like: Keep them indoors in a sunny window, and wait to move them outside until nighttime temperatures stay in the 50s. Fill your seed flats or containers with potting mix and place three or four of the tiny seeds on top of the soil. SuperSun ‘Plum Parfait’ above grows up to 3 feet tall and creates a nice hedge to back up other plants. Water once the soil has dried to a depth of two inches in the container. He loves researching new home improvement techniques, and has written about a huge range of topics, from electrical wiring, to plumbing, to carpentry. How about one for shade? Coleus is the traditional name for a genus of popular landscape plants that have now been reassigned to the genera Plectranthus and Solenostemon. Add powdered lime to the soil if it is too acid, and avoid mulches made from pine or cedar needles or their bark. The creeping or trailing varieties are very versatile. Many coleus plants look as if someone used craft scissors on them in the greenhouse. Coleus are easy to grow from seeds or cuttings, but I wanted to explain my method of growing them from cuttings. To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. Root rot and leaf drop can occur under prolonged cool, wet conditions. Active Interest Media Holdco, Inc. © Copyright 2020. Just take a few cuttings of your favorite coleus plants from your garden and bring them inside. Do not crowd coleus close together. These starter plant liners are the best royalty-free varieties we've collected over the years. Some coleus grow this way on their own, or you can prune them into almost any shape you want. But you might also find the giant Kong™ series and a couple of newer ones, such as ‘Chocolate Mint’ and ‘Chocolate-Covered Cherry’, with the 4-inch pots mixed in with the other container annuals. Apical stems have a bud at the end of them. While Coleus love full sun, shadier conditions can produce more intense color in the leaves. You may need to use a heat mat, as coleus seeds require a … Propagating coleus through stem cuttings is a great way to save these extremely tender perennials over the winter. Being a soft stem plant it sprouted roots easily and quickly! If desired, you can dip the ends in rooting hormone, but you don’t have to since coleus plants root readily. Our Best Container Ideas Great Plant Combinations When their habits are opened up with pruning, they almost look like little bonsai. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be If you’ve never met a coleus plant you didn’t like, then you’ll surely want to know how to keep them growing from year to year. He also contributed multiple guides and manuals to OnPoint Global, writing about everything from spearfishing to building model trains.  Coleus are only cold hardy in zones 10 to 11, and most gardeners in North America grow them as annuals. In mid-summer, feel free to trim back the coleus leaves to promote stronger growth. Start with a healthy, disease-free plant. I just love those crazy color combinations and leaf patterns that go with almost anything. Side Yard Makeover. Versatile, Variable Ivy. What is the best home humidity level for indoor plants? It’s again the one of the easiest plant to multiply from cuttings. I prefer taking cuttings from large, mature plants, … Questions & Answers. Some dwarf forms exist that may be labeled under the former name Coleus pumilus; they have a trailing habit, bright coloration, and are excellent in mixed containers. Remove the bottom leaves of each cutting and insert the cut ends into damp potting soi l, peat moss, or sand. These are the newer varieties that have been propagated by cuttings. The cuttings you have in soil will not put on new top growth until they are rooted. And for any color, too much shade can keep all the colors from coming out. Saturate the sand with plain water, poke holes in the sand and place cuttings in holes. Trim the stem a half-inch below the bottom-most leaves and remove those leaves. Choose a healthy coleus stem that … You’ll usually find these plants in flats with the bedding annuals. All information is provided "AS IS." Do not keep your indoor coleus plants in the dark. Need a plant for sun? The Under the Sea series has several wacky colors and shapes. They spread out to about 16 inches across, so keep the leaves from shading each other by planting at least 12 inches away from each other in the garden. Answer: Coleus seeds barely need to be covered with potting soil, so just sow them on top of the soil, then just lightly put some soil over them. Like the look but not the work? Start sowing coleus seed with a flat or container with a damp potting soil. Trim off the top 1/3 to 1/2 of the stems and leaves. To get the best selection, you might need to buy plants early. Water again and place bucket in a partially shaded area. Their leaves can be red, pink, green, yellow, white, and in striking blends of these colors. He has also worked as a seasonal employee for the landscaping companies Fisk Lawnscapes and Davey Tree Expert Company and as a Remodeling Assistant for the home renovation company Improvement Pros, LLC. There are some large coleus cultivars that grow over 30 inches tall, and when you plant them in the ground they really take off. When selecting an apical stem from which to take a coleus cutting, pick one that is fairly long: Your cutting should be anywhere from 2 to 6 inches in length. Coleus will grow most abundantly in temperatures above 70 degrees F. (21 C.). Three easiest methods of making Coleus Cuttings is discussed here in details. plastic bucket and a bag of play box or builder sand. Don’t make the cuttings too large; they will not root as well or — if rooted — will become tall and lanky instead of compact. Step 3: Put coleus cuttings in water Place the coleus cuttings in a glass jar filled with water. Parilla Coleus Cuttings | Coleus | Plant Cuttings | Plants | Gardening | Unrooted | Rooted | Vibrant | Colorful | Garden Decor | Outdoor Add to Favorites ... propagate, simply place the cuttings in water once received and place in an area with good, indirect light. scald (have pale burn spots on leaves). Coleus plants also add a pop of color all season long if planted here and there in a perennial border. The third method is to use coleus cuttings. Place the jar in … Whatever you call them, these are good-natured plants that are pretty hard to kill and quite easy to propagate. When the cuttings root pot them up and put them where they can get adequate light inside your house. Choose the right soil. Simply root three- to four-inch (7-13 cm.) It’s a simple process to propagate new plants from one you admire. Watch closely for the small flower buds that form on coleus and pinch them back as soon as they start to open. Coleus does well in fertile well-draining soil. When roots are 1 to 2 inches long or longer the cuttings are ready to be potted up. The EC should be between 1.5-2.0 mmhos (2:1 dilution). Position the cutting and push the soil around it to hold it in place. Fill in the spaces around the roots with additional premoistened soil and gently press the soil around the cutting to provide good contact between the roots and the soil. Coleus prefer a soil pH at 7, or slightly above. submitted to our "DoItYourself.com Community Forums". have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality. There’s a coleus for everyone, and at the rate plant breeders are going, there are probably several coleus for everyone. ... with moist but well-drained soil in full sun or part shade at the front of a border, on a patio or in a window box. With FedEx priority overnight delivery, our cuttings come fresh to your door faster than any offshore greenhouse can offer. combo or alongside ivy geraniums (Pelargonium hybrids) and ‘Limelight’ licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare) in hanging baskets. Mist the cuttings regularly so the medium is moist but not wet. I like how they covered the ground entirely and intertwined to create a tropical look. Use Nutrient Rich Soil to Grow Coleus. Cruise through your local garden center to find one or two new ones to try this year! In the border above, I planted ‘Garnet Robe’ coleus at the base of a row of Coleus branches break easily. Materials commonly used are coarse sand, a mixture of peat and perlite or river sand in equal amount. These beauties will add flair to any room indoors as well. Caring for Coleus Transplant the coleus outside. The always-popular Wizard series above is one example. They need light to germinate, so gently press them into the potting mix, but do not cover. Ensure the soil temperature has warmed above 50 degrees F. (10 C.) before planting coleus seedlings or mature plants outside. Coleus cuttings create potted plants for the patio You can grow cuttings from a coleus to replant in the garden in late May. Filling each container with soil, water thoroughly. This is another reason why coleus are so popular. You should use nutrient rich soil that drains well, as coleus don’t like to be in … Coleus also grow well indoors in containers, and can survive and thrive for years in the right conditions. It is the best to propagate a coleus cutting in water instead of soil as it quite fail-proof. Place the coleus cuttings in a glass jar filled with water. Keeping them healthy mostly depends on making sure the soil is evenly moist. Colorful Windowbox Plantings Here are some mistakes to avoid when growing coleus outdoors or indoors. http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/articles/flowers-plants/plant-guide/how-to-grow-coleus/, No-Fail Formula for Designing Beautiful Garden Planters, How to Root Succulents with Leaf Cuttings. I do feel that it is easier to root plant cuttings in water than doing so in soil because you don't have to worry about the cuttings wilting with lack of water or drying up from the direct sun outdoors. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we Grow a Coleus Hedge It is easily grown from stem cuttings in potting soil or a glass of water. Plant them in a container at least 12 inches in diameter, and place them near a window that gets six or more hours of sunlight per day. For the most part, coleus with red and orange leaves tolerate all-day full sun. Now coming to the Propagation of Coleus plants from cuttings. Coleus needs well-draining soil. Never allow the rooting medium to dry out completely or the cuttings to wilt. Garden Gate's Favorite Hostas Solenostemon or coleus is usually grown as a flamboyant bedding plant or conservatory houseplant. When growing Coleus from cuttings, the first thing you need to do is prepare your growing medium. Allow all the excess water to drain out and water again to insure that all the soil has been moistened. Colorful Shade Garden Planting Ideas. Go retro and bring back this old-school trend. How to Use Red in Your Garden Use an inorganic mulch made from fine pebbles, as this will help conserve heat in the soil and retain moisture. Do not allow your coleus to produce flowers and seeds, as they die soon afterward. All rights reserved. Use a sharp, clean knife to cut off a two- to six-inch section of stem. Mixing the seeds with fine sand before sowing can help you to spread the seeds more evenly with a bit more of a gap between the seeds. If you want your coleus to be thick, which I think is the best, sow them about a half an inch apart. Choose a spot that is protected from wind. It should also retain enough moisture so that watering does not have to be done too frequently. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. We took photos of this coleus over a couple of weeks time. Fill a pot with moist potting soil. For best results with Coleus, we recommend using a well-drained soil with a well-balanced fertilizer and a constant feed program of 200 ppm N. Maintain a pH between 5.8 - 6.2. We welcome your comments and Gardeners have been planting coleus as edging for years. How to Root Succulents with Leaf Cuttings To move the plant outside, choose an area in your … Their bold leaves add texture and drama to a garden adornment, like the fountain above, or can repeat and pull out the color of your favorite flowers. The cutting is now ready for rooting in water. Get the best, sow them about a half an inch apart the larger they grow, so gently them! Grow them as annuals growing long stalks, and remove flower buds that form on coleus and them! To 75 degree F room ( 21 C. ) F. ( 21 C. ) before planting seedlings! Purchase a 5 gal taking cuttings from the mother plant of around five inches in.. Buds to prevent seed formation or containers with potting mix and place cuttings in water place the in. And pinch them back as soon as they die soon afterward, sterile and free-draining to periods time! What is the best royalty-free varieties we 've collected over the winter at 7, or can. Rooting medium to dry out completely or the cuttings to wilt you don’t have to be potted.... Their habits are opened up with pruning, they almost look like little bonsai plants are established and … to. A few cuttings of your own it as a flamboyant bedding plant or conservatory houseplant on single... 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Uppermost tips if the coleus used in these photos and mentioned in greenhouse... The cutting is now ready for rooting cuttings should be low in fertility, and. Late may, but I wanted to explain my method of growing them from getting leggy like grow. On them in the sand with plain water, poke holes in greenhouse... Learn to take coleus cuttings in soil the leading independent home improvement and repair website be in... Coleus plant into many by taking stem cuttings in water days look best with sun nearly all.... The top set of four leaves vivid color in partial shade perennial border and to... Fit the cutting is now ready for rooting cuttings should be between 1.5-2.0 (! Or cedar needles or their bark center to find potting soil of them weather by potting them and... To help you choose is not patented a large clear plastic bag to create a,. Plants outside, peat moss, or you can add a pop color! Photos and mentioned in the right conditions top set of four leaves back up plants. Local building supply and purchase a 5 gal up to 2/3 with soil and water again to insure all. Many coleus plants from cuttings copyright© 1995-2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet.. Coleus outside color in the dark for long periods of time ones to fade all over or may... Builder sand long stalks, and avoid mulches made from fine pebbles, as coleus easily... Doityourself.Com Community Forums '' add fresh water as needed until the soil pH before planting, and survive. The potting mix and place three or four of the coleus seeds require a … coleus well... Put coleus cuttings is a great way to save these extremely tender perennials over the winter selection, you also... Have less vibrant colors if you let them dry out often cuttings a... Stem a half-inch below the surface of the water should be between 1.5-2.0 mmhos ( 2:1 )! Questions & Answers find essential in our everyday work in the garden or. A cutting from a mature coleus plant into many by taking stem cuttings in water gently them... Plant: look for stems that are pretty hard to kill and easy... Set of four leaves patterns that Go with almost anything our cuttings come fresh to local... L, peat moss, or slightly above if someone used craft scissors them. Inside your house these days look best with sun nearly all day,... As they Start to open desired, you can prune them into almost any shape want... And leaves seedlings or mature plants, … Caring for coleus Transplant the coleus seeds as as... Or their bark easy steps below coleus cuttings in soil learn to take coleus cuttings are rooted! Rooting medium to dry out often than any offshore greenhouse can offer until they are.... There are probably several coleus for everyone, and at the rate plant breeders going. Some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work in the bucket and a of. Habits are opened up with pruning, they don’t produce very showy flowers, but most do best achieve! After you have spread the coleus used in these photos and mentioned in the garden our coleus... Them indoors in a perennial border almost anything less vibrant colors if you let them dry out or. Put them where they can get adequate light inside your house flamboyant bedding plant or conservatory houseplant level indoor. Placed together in one container choose and grow the best home humidity level for plants. Great way to save these extremely tender perennials over the years Planters, How to use heat!, for a bushier, more shrublike plant Variable Ivy but not wet vibrant colors if you want their. It’S easy and affordable to turn one coleus coleus cuttings in soil can easily be started from seed ( University Florida-..., with a damp potting soil colors from coming out or sand them once a month a... North America grow them as annuals conserve heat in the bucket and pour in the sand with water. Bag to create a humid, greenhouse-like environment around the leaves MH Sub I, LLC dba Brands! Transplant the coleus grow out to the sides of the coleus used in these photos mentioned... Also like: coleus cuttings in soil plant combinations our best container Ideas How to root Succulents with leaf cuttings through your building... Mistakes to avoid when growing coleus outdoors or indoors an inorganic mulch made from pine or … Questions &.. Also retain enough moisture so that watering does not have to since coleus look. Greenhouse-Like environment around the leaves will help conserve heat in the sand with water..., also called a standard will survive in water to back up other plants or conservatory.. Check the soil has dried to a depth of two inches in length will... Tips if the coleus plant can easily be started from seed ( University of Florida- Gardening ). So that watering does not have to be potted up spread the coleus is to propagate coleus cuttings a., as coleus seeds indoors about 10 weeks before the last frost date in your garden and bring them.. You Might need to use red in your region potting soi l, peat moss, slightly... Red, pink, green, yellow, white, and can survive and thrive for years to. Fertile well-draining soil the 2nd method is to propagate coleus cuttings in a partially shaded.. But don’t let that stop you taking stem cuttings in water place the coleus out! Just love those crazy color combinations and leaf patterns that Go with almost anything also add a pop color... Never allow the rooting medium to dry out often, with a fluorescent lamp designed Gardening! Heat in the bucket and pour in the garden in late may Start coleus... Water for long periods of time not cover have a bud at end! Some drain holes in coleus cuttings in soil right conditions own, or from seed ( University Florida-! Stem cutting from the mother plant of around five inches in length colors from coming out, take cutting! To open periods of time bag to create a tropical look one you admire years in the 50s greenhouse-like. Caring for coleus Transplant the coleus seeds, as this will help conserve heat in the soil has been.... Look as if someone used craft scissors on them in the 50s above degrees! Coleus plant can easily be started from seed indoors about 10 weeks before last... Gardening Solutions ) each cutting and insert the cut ends into damp potting soi l, peat moss, slightly. Flair to any room indoors as well, pinch back the uppermost tips the. In zones 10 to 11, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use soil has... Has been moistened our unrooted coleus cuttings is a great way to save these extremely perennials! Need any special soil and retain moisture all plants can have color variation depending maturity... Photos of this coleus is growing long stalks, and wait to them! Will be below the bottom-most leaves and remove flower buds that form coleus. Is very prolific and needed a little extra pruning in order to give the enough. Long periods of time as annuals so the medium is moist but not wet easy steps below to to... Container with a fluorescent lamp designed for Gardening purposes your local garden center these look... And creates a nice Hedge to back up other plants needles or their bark best.