My coleus look like Jack and the Beanstalk!

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DaleP6 Sarasota, FL(Zone 9b) Aug 04, 2004

I just can't figure it out! How to prune coleus to keep them bushy. I plant them...fine...a couple of weeks later I nip the terminal bud...fine....I clip a branch and it forks out, but then all of a sudden I have a tall leggy plant with leaves at the top. What am I doing wrong??? If I cut back the one with two leaves at the top it would then become a stub...would it grow out? How oh how can I keep them within reason size wise and not scraggly? The plants I got from Rosy Dawn were great...a bit skinny, but great. I planted them and tended to them...not much fertilizer and I end up with coleus with beautiful tops but nothing down below. HELP!! Some are in pots, some in the ground.

This message was edited Aug 4, 2004 7:49 PM

This message was edited Aug 4, 2004 7:50 PM

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julie88 Muscoda, WI(Zone 4b) Aug 04, 2004

DaleP6...you might want to ask your question in the Annuals forum. In fact, take a look at this thread. We've had a lot of questions answered over there.
http://davesgarden.com/t/438505

~julie~

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Debby Milo, IA(Zone 5a) Aug 04, 2004

DaleP6: I have the same problem with most coleus.
Thanks, for posting this question.
Will be watching this thread to see if someone knows why.

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julie88 Muscoda, WI(Zone 4b) Aug 04, 2004

I was thinking...and trust me, I'm NO expert on coleus by any means. But I've had similar problems with my coleus this summer. Luckily, I planted mine in pots so I could move them to different locations in my yard. Some, I found lost their color in full shade...I moved those to a spot where they get morning sun. Some got leggy on me and I found by moving them where they could get more light helped them, too.

I guess I've always taken for granted that Coleus were meant only for full or mostly shaded gardens. This year I learned differently. Thanks to the folks on DG!

~julie~

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daryl vernon, BC(Zone 6a) Aug 05, 2004

Dalep6,I am also no expert but have grown mixed coleus in pots and soil for the last ten years with good results.They are located facing north getting only morning sun until approx 10 a.m.,I keep them quite moist,daily watering it gets very hot here in the summer,the only thing I think I do differently than you is I nip the terminal bud immediatly after purchase.I also nip again the new growth that branches out from that,if it becomes too large I become ruthless and pinch the whole thing back about 6 ".Hope that helps you a little.
Daryl

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