Coleus plant care and propagation is relatively easy compared to other plants. The plant is not only beautiful but also easy to maintain. Coleus has beautiful leaves making the awesome plants because you don’t have to wait for them to flower, they can beautify any space with their leaves alone. There are many varieties of coleus plants including Coleus Hybridus commonly known as painted nettle. There is also the Rainbow Mixed Colors which is a very vibrant Coleus.
Coleus is some of the forgiving plants. They can tolerate a little regret, unlike some plants that will just die on you.
Coleus Water Propagation
The plants are easy to propagate. Plant owners can multiply coleus fast and end up with many plants in no time. The best way to propagate coleus is through cuttings. Propagation should be done during the growing season. After the plants have produced pretty foliage, you can make cuttings.
Select healthy branches and make cuttings that are about 6″ long. Trim 4 to six lower leaves on the cuttings. Fill a glass or a jar with water up to about 1/3 full. Put the coleus cuttings in the water and make sure the nodes are submerged in water
It is perfectly fine to place several cuttings in one jar or glass. They will produce roots just fine as long as they lower root nodes are all covered in water. If you decide to place several cuttings in one jar, check the water level closely because the coleus can drink up the water fast.
Keep the setup in a medium-light area and just let the roots develop at the nodes. For best results when transplanted into soil, let the cutting develop new roots that are about 1″ long.
Transplanting Coleus
Coleus does well in fertile well-draining soil. They don’t need any special soil and can be planted in an all-purpose soil mix. Fill the container up to 2/3 with soil and make a small hole to fit the cutting. Position the cutting and push the soil around it to hold it in place.
Coleus plants also need re-potting when they outgrow their pots. The process is similar, you just use a larger pot. Coleus is also perfect bedding plants.
Watering Coleus Plants
Coleus plants need to be kept moist. Especially for the newly established plants. Container plants also require more frequent watering compared to plants established directly in the ground.
Pruning Coleus Plants
Coleus plants produce spiked flowers during summer. The blooms can be trimmed back. If you want to promote your plant to produce more foliage and become bushier, you can pinch the shoots.
Check this post on 30 low maintenance houseplants or this one on 25 flowering indoor plants.
Conclusion
Coleus plant care and propagation steps are easy. The plants produce really beautiful leaves. It’s important to note that the plants are susceptible to cold temperatures. I hope you liked the post, please share it and also follow me on Pinterest.
I enjoyed your article about caring and propagating coleus plants. I don’t think I’ve ever come across an article about coleus plants before. Thank you for sharing it.
Coleus are super easy to propagate like your article mentions. I have been growing them quite successfully for years. I skip the whole part of rooting them in water. When my coleus gets too bushy, I snap off some stems, shed a few leaves off the bottom and poke it right into another planter or right into the dirt in the garden. Water thoroughly daily for like a week and it just grows on its own. Doesn’t get much easier than that. Give it a try. I have had great success for years. Works wonderfully in planters if a plant in there dies down or isnt doing so well. The newly poked in coleus stem will flourish in no time in the planter. Good luck.
Thank you I didn’t know that was possible will follow the instructions.
I discovered Coleus several tears ago while I was attending our State Fair one summer. I was the most stunning arrangements of plants/flowers I had ever seen in so many different array of colors. I fell in love with the plant there and then. From that point on to this day Coleus is my favorite plant. Besides it’s beauty, it’s longevity, ease of maintenance, money well spent more than any other flowers or plant with the exception of ferns. That is my go to plant every year from Spring to late late Fall in my garden and flower pots. Thanks for the article. Best investment in a plant each summer one can make.
Gostaria de comprar semente de Coleus azulado
Thank you for your help in growing Coleus plants. This is my first year in growing one. I started from a seed packet and its absolutely beautiful and about 3 ft tall. Love it! I didn’t know I could take cuttings and restart another one plant from it. I live in Colorado and the temperatures change from hot summers to very cold winters. So far its looking great! Thanks for the education on Coleus plants!!
Thanks for sharing.i have Loved these flowers for years from afar because i didn’t know that they
are so easy to grow.i will be growing some this year
I fell in love with the coleus plant when I was in the 5th grade. My teacher at that time had a big pot of the red and green coleus, ever since then I have wanted to try and grow one or some. I tried last summer, I think something got to them and ate them. So I will try and again this year. I found the purple looking ones that I would like to try.
I plan to take some cuttings & grow them inside over the winter. I love all the different colors they have.