When I list this as a growing guide, I want you to understand that I am going to give you information about how I grow Coleus. This will not be a textbook definition, or information I’ve pulled from online somewhere. It is my experiences in growing this plant.
Six Tips For Successfully Growing Coleus
- Plant In Well-Drained Soil.
- Mulch To suppress weed growth and decease water evaporation.
- Water Regularly.
- Place in Partial Sun Or Dappled Shade.
- Fertilize Every 7-10 days.
- Remove flowering seed stocks as they appear.
How Do You Grow Coleus?
I have found Coleus to be a plant that gives a lot to the garden without a lot of fuss. Although they do produce long, spikey flower stems, I grow Coleus for its foliage. It is beautiful and comes in a wide range of colors and patterns. It is easy to plant, maintain and propagate by cuttings. I usually buy a couple of 8 packs from Walmart in the early Spring. If you’ll look carefully, you’ll find that there will often be more than one plant in some of the plugs giving you more value for your purchase. I also check the local garden centers in my area because they will often have colors and patterns that the Big Box stores do not.
During the summer gardening season, I frequently create new plants from cuttings and place them in locations where my borders are looking thin. I also give them away to my family and friends. I have used them in garden borders, individual pots, patio pots with other plants, and in hanging baskets. The Coleus has always been a solid, dependable performer for me. It has worked well in full sun as long as I keep it watered well, and it has worked well in full shade. In a new border I started this past year, I combined it with Caladiums and Cannas for a rich presentation of colors, shapes and textures.
Do Coleus Grow Well In Pots?
I have found that old tea kettles make great pots for plants like Coleus. The old kettles are iinexpensive and whimsical. The large white one I found in the shed when I moved in to this house. The smaller green one I bought at a Good Will store for $2.00. I am now on the lookout for interesting looking old kettles at flea markets, garage sales, and other Good Will stores. I did drill holes in the bottom of these for drainage so they’ll not be boiling water for tea any times soon, not that I would now want to use them for that purpose. These are sitting on a glass table in a shaded area of my back yard. The color of the kettles as well as the Coleus brighten the spot and make it inviting to guests. And for those who are interested the winged pig was found at a garage sale. All items serve as conversation starters and never fail to receive a chuckle or at least a smile.
I have placed Coleus in pots in the full range from full sun to full shade and they have been successful. The main thing is to make sure they are watered regularly, particularly in hot weather.
Can You Grow Coleus As A Houseplant?
At the time I am writing this post, I have never grown Coleus as a houseplant. It is a winter experiment that I have started and am documenting. You can follow my progress with success or failure here>> https://wildbullfrog.com/2021/09/growing-coleus-as-a-houseplant/l. After this experiment is completed, I will add more information in this location.
My Tips For Successfully Growing Coleus
Water Your Coleus Regularly
First Priority is to water them regularly. Coleus can handle full sun but only if they are watered well. And believe me, they will let you know when they need water. The leaves wilt and the plant becomes droopy. However, Coleus are very forgiving. Once you water them well and they have had time to drink, they will perk back up. See pics below.
Both pics above are of the same plants. The pic on the left shows how I found these Coleus plantz one hot summer afternoon. I immediately watered them. The pic on the right shows the same plants 20 minutes after being watered well.
However, there may be a cost for watering neglect. If in full sun, and allowed to dry out over and over, the leaves will fade and you’ll lose one of the main reasons to grow the plant – the bright colorful foliage.
I have found that if I water them well every morning during peak summer temperatures, they tend to stand up to the baking sun of the afternoon. Of course, they do grow well in shade but I find they are most happy in dappled shade and part sun. The main bed where I grow them at the back of my house is in full sun during the morning, and shade starting around mid-day.
If your area receives temperatures in the 90s that stay around for a few weeks, I recommend that you water the Coleus twice each day, once in the morning and again in the afternoon.
Pinch Back The Stems For Better Looking Plants
If you do not pinch back the Coleus, they will grow one tall stalk. Pinching them back at the top will encourage the plant to branch out creating more of a small bush like appearance. When the side shoots began growing out, pinch them back as well, to encourage more branching out. I place the pieces that I have pinched off in water and create new plants.
Pinch Off Blooms
The Coleus will send up long bloom spikes (pic above). For me this happens in late summer. I pinch these off as soon as they appear. This will keep the Coleus focused on the leaves. If you allow the blooms to grow out, the plants tend to become thin and leggy. Or at least this has been my experience. In late September I will often let them go as my first day of frost approaches in October. The pollinators do like the spikey flowers.
Limit Full Sun Exposure
It gets very hot in my area of Arkansas (Zone 6B). We had several weeks during July, August and September with temps in the 90s. If watered well, the Coleus will stand up to the heat. However, I noticed that some of the plants that I was growing in full sun had leaves that had faded as though bleached out. The plants grown in partial shade or full shade did not have faded leaves.
Recommended Resource For Growing Coleus
I recommend the following YouTube channel as a great resource for growing Coleus.
What type of soil is best for Coleus?
I can only tell you what type of soil has worked best for me. For planting Coleus in pots, I create a soil mix for most potted plants that is 1/3 potting mix, 1/3 compost, and 1/3 filler which might include leaf mulch, perlite, or even added from previous used pots, particularly if they had perlite or vermiculite in them. Do not use soil where diseased plants were growing, or if you notice an insect infestation. If all I have available is potting mix then that is what I use. I most often purchase a 40lb. bag from Lowe’s to keep in my garden shed. When I am planting Coleus in the borders around my garden, I plant the Coleus directly into the existing soil. Every Spring and Fall, I add 2-3 inches of compost to my garden beds. When I am planting Coleus, I add slow release granular fertilize in the hole. I use whatever slow release fertilizer I have on hand.
How Do you Propagate Coleus?
As mentioned above, I take Coleus cuttings and create new plants to fill empty spaces in beds and borders. I also place them in pots if I want them somewhere that isn’t a bed or border, such as a patio. To propagate a Coleus, take a cutting from the longest stem on the plant. I like them to be around 4″ long. Place the cutting in a container of water. Roots will form where the leaf nodes were. I usually leave them for 2-3 weeks to allow a strong root system to grow. Sometimes they are ready in a week to 10 days. Once they have grown roots, I either dig a hole and place them in an empty space in a bed or border. Or I fill a container up to 1/2-1 inch from the top with potting soil mix. In either case, water well and continue to keep the water level high. The water will evaporate quicker than you might think.. The container doesn’t have to be very big. I’ll often start cuttings in a Solo cup with holes punched in the bottom, then as needed, I can pop them out and into a flower bed or a larger container that I feel looks good for a specific location.
This winter I will be starting Coleus from seed which I have never done before. I will update this information here to let you know of my success or failure.
When Do You Fertilize Coleus?
During the Spring, Summer and Fall, I fertilize all my plants every 7-10 days. That isn’t a hard rule, it depends on what is going on in my life and if there are other more important priorities, then fertilizing may not happen for 14 days. But somewhere between 7-14 days I will fertilize all the plants that I am growing except those where the growth pattern prefers that they not be fertilized. But that is a topic for another day. I do not select a specific fertilizer for Coleus. I feed them whatever I am feeding the other plants in the same area. In early Spring that will be a water soluble fertilizer with a high nitrogen number. I use the cheapest I can find at Walmart. In Summer, I most often feed with a product called Tiger Bloom. I buy it at a local nursery. You can find out more about Tiger Bloom here>>> https://foxfarm.com/product/tiger-bloom-liquid-plant-food . This liquid fertilizer is lower ini nitrogen, higher in phosphorus, and lower in Potassium.
I stop fertilizing in mid-September. The first average frost in my area is around October 15. Since Coleus is not cold hardy, it will die with the first frost.
Is Coleus Safe For Pets?
According to the ASPCA,Coleus is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. You can find out more here.>>>https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/coleus.
Summary
I will always have Coleus in my garden, pots or hanging baskets. They provide so much color with very little effort. I especially like blending them in a bed or border with Caladiums and Cannas. Add a water feature and you have a tropical oasis in your yard. If you grow Coleus, please tell me about your experiences in the comment section below.