What type of soil for coleus

Only when the water has stopped dripping should you return the container to its saucer. Proper watering is key to preventing diseases such as root rot and fungal or bacterial issues in the soil. Avoid fertilizing coleus plants during winter time. Feed with diluted, half-strength all-purpose houseplant fertilizer every one to two weeks during the growing season. Caring for your plant with the right nutrients keeps its colorful foliage vibrant and healthy.

Most people grow coleus plants for their pink, red, yellow, or orange leaves. To promote vivacious colors, use a diluted fertilizer that is rich in nitrogen and low in phosphorus. Avoid balanced fertilizers as they tend to encourage flowering which will take nutrients from the plant.

In the picture: coleus flowers that look like spikes of tiny white or purple flowers. Plants from the families Solenostemon and Plectranthus are flowering tropical plants. They produce flowering stems with small clusters of white or purple flowers. Coleus only flowers under ideal conditions, and rarely do these potted plants flower indoors. If indoor coleus houseplants flowers, they go to seed and then die. So, if you notice flower buds starting to appear, pinch them off immediately.

Keep doing this until no more buds appear. Pinching off flowers is one way to help your coleus plant live longer indoors. Regularly prune your coleus plant to encourage bushy growth. Coleus requires regular pruning to encourage growth and prevent your plant stems from becoming leggy.

The best time to prune your plant is in spring and summer; however, coleus can take pruning at any time. Pinch with your fingers or snip the stems with sheers just above the leaf nodes. Coleus plants are similar to other tropical houseplants, such as polka dots or nerve plants. Vigorous pruning encourages bushy growth and a healthier plant. Propagate your coleus plant from stem cuttings. There should be at least three leaves on the stem. You can root a stem cutting in water. You can also have success propagating coleus by placing the end of the cut stem in rooting hormone and then planting directly in the soil.

The best time to repot coleus plant is in spring time. Repotting is necessary when your plant becomes rootbound and outgrows its current container. The best time to repot coleus is in spring when plants start growing vigorously.

You can grow coleus plant outdoors in temperate climate. In temperate climates, coleus plants grow in yards and garden as annuals. What do you want to read next? English Ivy. Lily of the Valley. Elephant Ears.

Swiss Chard. Hyacinth and Muscari. Colorful Coleus Plant Varieties Sign up for our email newsletter by entering your email address. Foliage Plant. Keeping the coleus leaf colors bright. The colored leaves are the reason for growing the coleus plant, it ranges from red to pink, from green to white and from yellow to brown. To ensure that this magnificent coloration stays true, the coleus plant requires sunlight, while avoiding situations that would scorch it.

Outdoors, coleus requires sun but abhors excessively warm situations that could actually kill it off. Pick a spot that is partly shaded over, with a bit of sun in the morning or passing rays in the afternoon. In summer , however, refrain from placing your coleus near a window facing south, because the sunlight would burn the plant. Coleus is certainly one of the most beautiful leaf plants to grow at home.

Spacing Single Plants: 11" 30cm each way minimum Rows: 11" 30cm with 11" 30cm row gap minimum Sow and Plant Sow tiny coleus seeds atop moist seed starting mix and gently press them into the surface. Notes Coleus leaves are often splashed with shades of pink and red that can be used to echo the blossom colors of nearby flowers. Harvesting Pinch back plants in early summer to encourage the development of new branches. Troubleshooting Whiteflies are occasional pests outdoors.

We have a South African version of our website. Stay on this site Go to South African site.