Why Coleus Is A Must-Have For You
Coleus is a plant known for its incredibly colorful and vibrant foliage. While many out there think visual beauty is all that coleus offers, it’s also heat-tolerant and can thrive in a variety of different weather and soil conditions.
For gardeners looking to add an uplifting and appealing aura to their gardens, coleus is a must-have! It will draw positive attention to your garden and charm anyone who lays eyes on the landscape.
I’ve never said this before but I think coleus might be my favorite vibrant annual out there; the extraordinarily large number of coleus in my own garden is proof that I’m not lying.
Choosing The Perfect Coleus Variety
A large percentage of coleus plants are shade-loving varieties, meaning they prefer to be grown and kept in shaded areas rather than under direct or indirect light.
Shade-loving coleus varieties include fishnet, kong, black dragon, and dark star. If you take a look at these varieties, they all offer different leaf colors and hues, making each and every one of them unique.
Unlike shade-loving coleus, sun-tolerant coleus varieties thrive in full sun and require a considerable amount of sun exposure every day to grow to their fullest potential.
What this essentially means is that you can’t keep these varieties hidden indoors or in shaded areas because they most likely won’t develop vibrant foliage. They’ll appear dull and less bright if the lighting requirements aren’t met.
Sun-tolerant coleus varieties include ColorBlaze Golden Dreams, Wasabi, Inferno, and Redhead.
How To Plant Coleus?
Starting From Seeds:
The process of starting coleus from seeds is rather simple.
- Step 1: Get your hands on a seed tray and fill it with a high-quality potting soil. Make sure the soil is loose and not overly compacted as that can limit seedling growth.
- Step 2: Put your seeds in the potting soil and water them lightly to kick off the germination process.
- Step 3: Place the seed tray in a bright location that receives plenty of indirect light. This could be on your window sill, front porch, or behind the thin curtains of your room. Retaining humidity is essential for effective germination so try covering your seed tray with a plastic wrap of some sort.
- Step 4: When the seeds turn into seedlings over the next few weeks, transplant them to your garden or larger pots that can accommodate proper coleus growth. However, before you transplant, you can optionally harden them off by slowly exposing them to outside conditions in small doses.
Propagating From Cuttings:
- Step 1: Start with fresh and healthy coleus cuttings. You can either get them from someone you know who has coleus or, if you have a plant at home yourself, cut off a stem and use it for propagation.
- Step 2: Fill a pot or container with potting soil and add some water to it to get the soil nice and moist.
- Step 3: Bury the cut end of the coleus stem in the potting soil, ideally having all the nodes on the stem buried deep. Ensure you provide the freshly propagated cuttings with enough water to help with the stress that can dry them out quickly.
- Step 4: Place the pot with the cuttings in indirect light and leave it there. Roots will begin developing in a few weeks and, before you know it, your vibrant coleus foliage will surprise you.
Growing Conditions For Healthy Coleus
Because coleus is a tropical plant, it typically prefers slightly warmer temperatures 68ºF to 86ºF (20°-30°C) for optimal growth.
Plant it too early in winter and you’ll definitely experience problems like stunted growth or even complete plant death. Springtime planting is ideal for a tropical plant like the coleus.
If you’re planting a sun-tolerant coleus variety, ensure it receives some light during the daytime. Make sure it’s indirect light though, as prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can lead to scorched leaves.
In case of a shade-loving variety, keep it in a shaded area as it’ll typically thrive in such an environment.
Keeping Your Coleus Thriving: Essential Care Tips
Personally, I HAVE to prune my coleus plants every once in a while or, otherwise, they start to look extremely untidy. In my opinion, it’s a plant that needs to be maintained properly if you wish to use it to beautify your garden or any space for that matter.
If you want fuller, bushier foliage growth in your coleus, definitely consider pinching back the tips of your plants. The best time to do this is typically when the plants are in their growth phase.
A balanced, high-quality fertilizer that has a mix of all the important nutrients is what your coleus needs. Be diligent with the feedings but ensure you don’t overdo the fertilization as it may ruin or change leaf color.
