coleus

Coleus can be overwintered as a houseplant, right? If so, how long do the plants last? I know you can take cuttings from them...do they need rooting hormone or can you just stick them in the ground? I just bought some wizard mix coleus...I looked it up on the plant files, but all those pics were of spear shaped leaves...this is oval/heart shaped leaves. Is it still the same?

Also, do they like to be root bound, have a lot of room, mass planted, or have a pot to each plant?

This message was edited Apr 30, 2007 6:20 PM

One more question, would MG african violet soil be good for them?

Coleus can be overwintered indoors.I have 2 (at last count I have 73 different ones)that I have overwintered for 3 years.I use a rooting hormone,But I know some that just stick it in good soil.yes they are still the same their are thousands of varietys of Coleus.They can be massed out or single,they are a very tolerant plant.Any good soil will be fine for them.For more info you can go to www.Coleusfinder.com It has alot of information and some amazing photos.wselcome to the Coleus addiction..LOL
Pheadra

This message was edited May 3, 2007 9:30 AM

Thanks so much! Yes, I can tell this may lead to addiction....*sigh....I was worried about the AV soil because I was afraid it might be too acidic....thanks for the link,gonna check it out...

Kristie

Sorry I just realised its .org not .com
www.coleusfinder.org

lol...thanks...I was beginning to wonder what was going on....

I've planted a little succulent in a little glass jar with rocks on the bottom, dirt, then the plant. I really like how it looks, and was thinking the coleus would look good in something like that....but if they have massive root systems that are sensitive to light, maybe not a good idea?

Most of them get pretty big and bushie (if pinched back)
But the best way to find out is to try it.We have tried all sorts of things some work out some don`t.Remember Coleus are one of the most forgiving plants and they root very easily.one plant and you can have entire yard or house full in no time .Plus if your lucky
you can have it sprout a sport(an entirely different plant from the mother).also the amount of sun it gets will give you a new look to the same plant.

Thanks...I guess I'm mainly worried that I'll put them in the right size pot...I don't want them to be root bound(unless they like it that way) and I don't want to put them in too big of a pot either. How large do their root systems get?

The cuttings produce roots in water pretty quickly, too!

how long of a cutting does it have to be?

they will root in water,but truthfully water roots have a bad habit of rotting after putting them in soil,it is best in Coleus to learn how to root them in soil it is very easy.Strip(most of the leaves leaving at least 2),dip(in rooting powder),stick(in good potting mix or perlite).as for as the size we recently did a co-op for Coleus cuttings from N.C.Farms
and they where 2inches or less as long as you have 1 leaf noid and 1-2 leaves mist daily you should do fine.When i started I had a stick of a cutting(I was afraid that it wouldn`t take without a big enough piece.and after having to pinch back half of them for branching I learned my lesson.......

I am in zone 9 and not warmer enough without bottom heat to really stick coleus yet....

Gail: It's not warm enough for Coleus in your area yet??? We have been in the upper 80's here the past two weeks, but had some rain yesterday ... FINALLY! And, today and tomorrow are only in the mid-upper 70's! But, it's been warm enough here for the past few months to plant Coleus. Some that I've had in the ground last winter died down and began sprouting back up a few weeks ago.

Isn't it strange how we can be in the same zone (9a) but different states, and the weather can be so different? I thought Texas was having very warm weather like us for over a month now.

Thanks for the help guys....I will try to keep my cuttings short; I know I'd make the same mistake and take like 4 inch cuttings. Oh, I was also wondering if someone would mind taking a pic of their coleus before they cut the blooms/buds off so I can see what to look for. I've read that the blooms are small/insignificant...and that if you don't cut them before they bloom, they die. Now I'm worried I won't notice the buds and kill them all! lol.

Kristie

Texas is having a heat wave, but I am learning that unless you live in town with protection from the wind, nothing can stand these searing winds everyday.......
I am going to be forced into putting up awnings on the front porch on the south east and east sides...even my wonderful can begonias are suffering greatly from the terrific winds we get.
Once June gets here, the winds die down but things have had so much damage to them....I am not even planting seeds for zinnias, etc. until June 1....
gail
PS. Patty, a DG friend of mine lives in a small town near here and her yard is magnificent....the answer??? she has a high high fence around her property to block the wind....

Ok, I have a bit of a problem with one of my coleus. Its starting to wilt. This one was a little different from the rest, it had a darker green out line with red and orange marbled in the middle..and possibly green veins. Any, I have it in a container with two impatiens and another coleus. The other one is doing fine. I think it may be because the potting soil I used was heavy(had to rely on Dollar General potting soil). I think its just dirt and peat, kinda heavy and doesn't drain well. But, everything else in the container looks fine, even the other coleus(although its different, mainly all red). This one's my favorite, I can't kill it! Should I just take it out and put it in better soil? Thanks.

Kristie

always root in a very light medium....like 1/3 Miracle grow soil and 2/3 perlite or they will rot on you.....
I keep very very large containers of perlite for everything......it is not expensive......then you can mix with most any soil (except dirt outside).....try to put some kind of tent for humidity over a big group of plants you have in the shade are trying to root (sometimes I use a dry cleaning bag but don't let the bag to hold in moisture touch the leaves of the plants)......(be sure that you have short cuttings with only two nodes on coleus and other plants without much foliage....the meristem can't support all that foliage and still make roots)
good luck
gail

Thanks...yesterday I moved it out of the pot it was in into better soil. I haven't yet checked it to see if it perked up. What about the other coleus still in the bad soil? It seems to be doing fine...so are the impatiens.....

Kristie

Well, since I've moved it, it hasn't wilted any more. This being said, it hasn't perked up much either. I watered it about 12 hours after I transplanted it(the root ball was still wet from the bad soil, and the potting soil I put it into was a little damp, I wanted it to dry a little). Its been 24 hours since I watered it, and I'm not seeing much change. Is this ok, or should it have perked up by now?

Kristie

Oh yeah, and I've read that they need to be pinched back to keep the full and bushy....right now mine are maybe 4-6 inches tall....if I pinch new growth off, won't they stay the same size? Do I wait until they get bigger first?

This message was edited May 24, 2007 1:15 PM

Well, an update...I have now taken 14 cuttings....still none dead yet! I can totally see how you can have a houseful in no time! Looking back, it was said that sometimes they produce a sport....I have a deep red one that had a little plant growing a bit away from it....its a lot paler than its "mom". It looks like its been bleached out or something. Is this normal for new plants to look like, or could it be a sport? Thanks for all the help guys!

Kristie