I've just planted some of the new Kong coleus. I have the Mosaic and Rose ones and just love them. They are starting to put up bloom stalks. Do you let your colues bloom or do you pinch the bloom part off, like with caladiums? I kind of like the blooms, but wondered if the rest of the plant would do better if they were pinched. Opinions?
Coleus Blooms
I pinch my coleus constantly to achieve bushiness. I also remove blooms as soon as I see them.
Hey, you're both in my area! How do your coleus do here? I just planted some a few weeks ago that I got from Rosy Dawn Gardens. They seem healthy, but they don't seem to be getting any bigger. They're just kinda staying exactly the same. How fast do they grow for you?
Also, do you find that you have to replace them every year, or do they make it through the winter for you here?
Yes, I buy new ones each year because they do not come back and 'cause I find it cheap to do so. However, many people overwinter 1-2 cuttings of their favorites indoors and then bring them outside in the spring.
The frequent and recent rains we've had seem to have put a damper on growth, but they should be taking off for sure pretty soon
I had not planted mine last fall so into the HH they went. They totally died down.
I always water things for a while after they come out of the GH or HH, hoping they will get a little sun & come back out fr the roots on any of my plants.
Out of 6 - 2g pots, I have 4 now that are growing back.
Cking ya'll's location, I'm colder than ya'll. Just what happened in Magnolia.
Mother has a mind of her own!!!
:~)
None of mine have ever made it through a winter, but then I don't do any of the dragging pots in or rooting cuttings and trying to overwinter things. My stuff has to either be cheap enough to replace or tough enough to survive on it's own. My only concessions are that I weed as needed, mulch twice a year, feed with osmocote 3 or 4 times a year and water with a sprinkler system. I don't want anything that has to be pampered or nursed along. I do love the coleus though, and they're pretty easy plants. The only problems I've had is snails munching on them with all our recent rain. Like Vossner, I replace these each year becuase they're cheap. Mine were 1 quart pots, fairly large healthy plants. They've about doubled in size in 2 weeks. They're is a bed that has morning and evening sun, but some protection from midday sun for about 2 hours. I threw down a handful of osmocote when I planted them.
Yeah, that's pretty much my plan as well. I don't mind basic maintenance, but I don't want to have to baby things, especially when it's so hot and humid in the summer! Gardening was nice this Spring, but it's already starting to get uncomfortable to be out there working for any length of time.
So now I'm thinking I should be something evergreen in that bed with my coleus so that when they die out, I don't have an empty bed. Any suggestions of things that look good with them that'll last through winter? My bed is partially shaded by a Mulberry tree - not dense shade, but pretty consistent, spotty shade. They get a little bit of morning sun, but not too much.
My coleus are in a similar spots. I have geraniums in fuschia and white with them and a large bunch of tiny everygreen iris. I need to post a pic of those to get an ID. There are also some of the dwarf pentas in the lavender/purple color there. They may lose a bit of the top in a hard freeze, but the other stuff is always green.
Ooh, perfect Crowellli! I was interested in those pentas and I love geraniums and iris, too. I'll give those a try!
don't let them bloom. If they do they die. Wait until seasons end and let them bloom. Collect the seeds and start again next year. I love Coleus plants. So wonderful in a shade garden.
jester, that is exactly what I do except I don't collect the seeds. They have reseeded themselves in past years. I also take cuttings before the first freeze. This year, due things that kept me busy with other duties, I did not take care of my cuttings so I lost most of them. I am waiting for some sunny days hoping that they will reseed themselves. I haven't noticed any coming up yet.
crowellli, I love the dwarf pentas.