By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The good news is, if you can grow basil, you can grow coleus. The plant cannot tolerate frost. Cultivation of Coleus Plants . New growth appearing on a cutting is a sign that it has rooted. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As I mentioned above this plant cannot survive frost. Q. I want to take cuttings from a wax begonia and a coleus plant to create a few small plants to winter indoors at a bright window. If you want to sow coleus seeds you should purchase high quality seeds at a nursery or online. At that point, the humidity tent can be removed. Consider coleus for a winter project to fashion a colorful topiary. The coleus produces tall spikes of tiny, inconspicuous flowers during spring and summer. Most plants need less water in winter since they are not in the growing season. Fuchsia. Q. I want to take cuttings from a wax begonia and a coleus plant to create a few small plants to winter indoors at a bright window. Obviously, the local climate will be an important factor in deciding when to bring plants back indoors. If you chose to purchase something through the link, I will get a small payment from Amazon. One of my favorite plants to bring inside for winter is the coleus, which makes a marvelous houseplant! It will probably droop for a few days, but should pop back once it gets used to its new environment. A. Read more about cookies here. While it’s tempting to carry annual pots indoors for winter, it’s often better to take cuttings. They are easy to propagate and grow. Learn How to grow Coleus in a pot , Growing coleus plant , Propagate Coleus by cutting, pest problem plectranthus scutellarioides, coleus care in this article. Just follow the directions on the bottle. Are they dying? Debug houseplants for winter The first thing I do is to rinse the plants with water from the hose. If you don't actually see signs of pests then this is not completely necessary, but of course this depends on your situation. When the weather begins to turn cold you will need to take some precautions to ensure a healthy coleus in the spring. It is generally grown exclusively for its very colorful foliage in yellow, pink, maroon, green, etc. They are easy to propagate and grow. You can also bring your coleus inside where they need to get temperatures around 70 degrees. First she peed in the kittens bed. Those need to come inside, but I absolutely do not want to bring bugs in again! You might need to target the exact bugs you're dealing with, like I had to do with the aphids. Debugging plants isn’t hard, but it can be time-consuming and messy. Not only that, but cinnamon can be used in the garden so many differe... We currently have one rescue kitten left at our house and the Bengal is not very happy about it! I like this one: . Allow to drain, then rinse with clean water. But the coleus is just the sort of plant that you should take note of, because of how versatile it truly is. The Coleus plant is rare and unique. New roots sprout most easily from these node areas. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. By spring, it looks fresh and green again. soap. Welcome to my first subscriber request video- how to care for and overwinter indoor coleus, AKA Plectranthus scutellariodes. Firm the mix gently around each inserted cutting. Some of the annuals that do well inside include impatiens, begonias, geraniums, coleus verbena and browallia. Cut ventilation slits or holes in the plastic, and remove the cover daily to expose the cuttings fully to fresh air before turning the cover inside out and replacing it. Before you're finished you want to look for bugs one last time. But the plant will definitely go into shock from being transplanted and then brought indoors. And remember, coleus does well in shade or in partial sun. Because of this, they are gaining popularity as indoor-grown container plants. Coleus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. Wait about a week then move them to a room temperature area, or open the heat vents in their room. The easiest route is probably to start with a seedling, but we’ll cover all three here and let you choose for yourself. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. The Coleus plant is rare and unique. Keep rotating and pinching back as necessary. It also does best in slightly moist soil. If you only have a few southern windows and too many plants this might require a plant light for a few weeks. Remove all but the top tuft of leaves before inserting the cutting into a hole made in an open-textured potting mix designed for indoor use. You can also propagate them and keep them as houseplants for winter! And many annuals are salvageable too: begonias, coleus, pelargoniums (geraniums), fuchsias, etc. 3. cuttings taken from a healthy, mature plant. Gardeners have been planting coleus as edging for years. The perfect time to bring plants in is when outside temperatures are very similar to your house temperatures. Ideally, you want to start bringing plants inside before the weather gets too cold. I try to push it as long as possible so they can enjoy the outdoors and forget to check the forecast every week for temperatures that are going to be too low. Note: The scientific name of Coleus is Solenostemon scutellarioides, so technically all of the following names are S. scutellarioides ‘Variety’. Coleus plants also add a pop of color all season long if planted here and there in a perennial border. Step 1 - Bring It Indoors Fuchsias look very tropical, but they actually enjoy cool temperatures in the … So, if you plant outdoors you have to overwinter them every year. How you can help The Province Empty Stocking Fund, Bringing begonia, coleus indoors for winter. When kept as a houseplant, I water them well once a week. As already mentioned, coleus plants thrive in containers if you have them outdoors in summer and bring them indoors in the fall and winter. Want gardening and healthy living information sent right to your email weekly? (Repeat the process in spring when you take the plants back outside, to help them acclimate to being outdoors again.) I like to make a spray of. (This post contains affiliate links. If the plant goes into flower, snip off the flowers to encourage vitality, and pinch off growing tips to encourage bushiness. It is relatively easy to start a coleus plant from seeds. Flagging is a tree’s normal renewal process. Once your plants are back inside, think of winter as … Q. I want to take cuttings from a wax begonia and a coleus plant to create a few small plants to winter indoors at a bright window. I hold the plants sideways and spray with water from hose lightly to clean and debug leaves. Coleus, arrow leaf, shamrocks, spider plant and asparagus fern. Coleus plants should be seeded indoors around 8 to 12 weeks before the last frost date. A coleus plant is hardy, able to survive in both a container indoors and in the soil outside. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Winter winds and rain blow and wash the dried parts from the tree. Once the climate gets warmer you can again bring … Coleus tends toward brittle legginess, so they are best used in displays with other coleus or with other plants. Copyright 2011-2020 Feathers In The Woods. If you're in USDA zone 9 and want to keep your coleus over the winter, it's safest to plant it in a container and move it into a protected spot during chilly weather, or bring it indoors. Here's how I do it. Coleus. Good natural light is essential for strong leaf color. It is generally grown exclusively for its very colorful foliage in yellow, pink, maroon, green, etc. When you bring them inside, cut them back slightly; this helps control size and encourages new growth that will be better adapted to life indoors. Bring outdoor coleus plants inside whenever there is a risk of frost, as a single light frost is often enough to kill the plant. https://www.hunker.com/12114395/how-to-care-for-coleus-as-a-houseplant Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. When you should bring plants indoors for the winter depends entirely on the climate you live in and the type of plant you’re caring for. Bring your plants inside for the winter. Remove the bottom leaves of each cutting and insert the cut ends into damp potting soil, peat moss, or sand. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. Yes, you certainly could try digging up your coleus plant and potting it up to bring indoors for winter. The leaf colors are soft apricot-like. Cuttings from these plants root quite easily, given a few simple conditions. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. Considering that most people keep their homes in the 65-70 range, late September is probably when you'll want to do this. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. The plant is grown as an indoor or outside the home. Bringing begonia, coleus indoors for winter Updated Oct 15, 2020 at 4:01 p.m. ou can use an insecticidal soap if you have one. Many people remove the flower stalk and enjoy this plant for its foliage alone. We live in zone 7 ( find your zone here ), so my very unscientific and lazy way of bringing plants indoors is to do it gradually when I … The Coleus plant loves the shade, making it an ideal plant for bringing some bright and vibrant color to darker corners of your garden. Bring your plants inside for ... Plants are like cats — some stay indoors while others go out, depending ... coleus and begonias are popular annuals for their great colour. In the cold season, you have to bring your plant indoors. They need light to germinate. But if you're not ready for this growing season to end, you can bring many of your favorite annuals indoors. With their hardy nature, ease of growth, endless choices of rich multihued foliage and ability to grow in all areas of Florida, adding coleus to your landscape will definitely bring eye-grabbing attention wherever used. This will reduce evaporation stress to the cutting and help facilitate rooting. Coleus also grows well indoors, provided the plant gets adequate light. They have a wide variety of overall shapes and leaf sizes. The first thing I do is to rinse the plants with water from the hose. Q. I see brown patches in native red cedar trees in my area. Impatiens are perfect for bringing in and enjoying in a kitchen or even office. Careful staking and pruning will eventually result in a stunning garden accent to enjoy indoors now and outdoors once it warms up. While you have the dawn mixture out (or the castile soap spray) wipe the outside and underside of the pot with it to clean away any debris and bacteria. The more intense the light, the better the colors. If your plants are too large to bring in, coleus root quickly from cuttings. Cedar “flagging” is a natural process of shedding patches of old foliage. This tropical plant is a favorite to bring inside because it, like the geranium and impatiens, will likely bloom indoors in winter. If you want to save these plants, now is the time to think about it. Alternatively, you can learn how to keep coleus through winter by taking cuttings. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/caring-coleus-winter-62828.html Coleus is exploding in popularity because there are now versions that not only tolerate sun, they adore it. This plant would have lots of shade in its natural tropical habitat, where tall trees would protect it from the sun, so try to replicate this at home by providing the Coleus with ample protection from the sun’s harsh rays. All rights reserved.. Powered by, It's getting cold here this week and I needed to bring my houseplants back in for winter. You can start growing coleus indoors by adopting three different methods: with a seed, with a seedling, or using cuttings. If you happened to push your time frame too far and it's much colder outside when you bring the plants in than it is inside, move them into a partially heated garage, unheated laundry room or just a closed off bedroom with the heat vents closed for at first so they can acclimate slowly to the warmer temps. Water around the pot rims, and lightly between the cuttings, and only as needed. Sign up to receive daily headline news from The Province, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. You'll also want to rinse out the soil and clean the pot to prevent bringing in things like soil gnats. Start bringing your plants in before any chance of frost! ... Plants are like cats — some stay indoors while others go out, depending on the weather. The coleus flower is a spike with tiny blue flowers. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Coleus seeds can be started indoors six weeks before the last predicted frost date by placing the seeds in a container of potting soil, or the seeds can be sown directly into outdoor flower beds or containers in spring when all danger of frost has passed. Check out. Then suddenly I realize we're due for a frost tonight. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. cuttings prior to cold weather by potting them up and moving them indoors. Photo by Rebecca Finneran, MSU Extension Reduce the area of large coleus leaves by making clean cuts with sharp scissors across the top and sides of the leaves. Instead of dunking the plant roots, pour the same mixture over the soil till it runs out the drainage holes. Aphids on my miniature pepper plants inside my house, coleus, which makes a marvelous houseplant, they will enjoy a healthy winter inside your home, this collection of articles on indoor gardening, 8 Reasons why plants love cinnamon (These really work! Once the climate gets warmer you can again bring them out. Cut Back on Water and Fertilizer. It will not affect your purchase price. These are the perfect plants for adding color indoors or outdoors. Growing Coleus indoors My coleus plants do well in about an 8" pot size, though you can certainly start smaller. Brian Minter: Bringing tropical plants back indoors can be tricky, Planting and planning for your evergreen azaleas, tap here to see other videos from our team. Give fuchsia good indoor light and keep the soil evenly moist but not wet. In the spring, make sure to leave them indoors, until all danger of frost is past. When bringing Coleus plants indoors, leaf drop is a common plant problem. The leaves are larger than the rest of the cultivars. Transplants should be planted after there is no danger of frost because these plants will not be able to tolerate it. I'm so bad about this! When to Bring Houseplants In? As you move indoors for winter, ... Seed-laden flowering stems are being snipped and piled in aluminum roasting pans to bring inside and dry. First, the cuttings should be fairly short, just six or seven cm long, with the base cut made immediately beneath a leaf node. grow lights – see my lengthy review of those here ) and they will reward you with brilliant and deep colors. Does coleus come back every year? ), Health benefits of eating gelatin daily (a 3 month challenge). Some coleus plants may even suffer if night temperature are regularly below 60ºF (16ºC). When growing coleus indoors, they need bright but indirect light. If you battle spider mites or other small bugs frequently then the extra step is necessary. Go retro and bring back this old-school trend. Coleus and was begonia cuttings both benefit from the extra humidity inside a plastic covering such as a clear plastic bag fitted over the pot. Keep the planting mix only modestly moist. If you're anything like me then you can't stand to see the birds searching for food in the snow. Sow them indoors about the same time you would start a vegetable garden – 8-12 weeks before the last frost date. Check leaves, stems and soil for visible pests. However, coleus plants are classed as tender perennials and are sensitive to frost. Allow to drain then rinse with clean water, drain again and repot. They sometimes will change the color of their leaves and look a bit paler but they usually survive quite well. Annuals by definition are plants that grow, flower and produce seed in one growing season. They like to be warm but will tolerate cooler nights and temperatures down to … Coleus is prized for its colorful foliage indoors and out. https://dengarden.com/gardening/How-to-Grow-Coleus-as-a-House-Plant As I mentioned above this plant cannot survive frost. Before you bring them in though, you need to clean the plants and debug them. September is the month to bring tropical and subtropical plants indoors, but make sure you inspect them properly first before bringing in unwanted pests. Coleus do extremely well with artificial lighting (i.e. Does coleus come back every year? A. Cuttings from these plants root quite easily, given a few simple conditions. They don’t mind shade either, so a sunny room isn’t required. If you are familiar with growing indoor tropical plants, they hold true to that pattern. Now that your plants are clean and pest free, Related reading: Want more information on houseplants? Coleus as an indoor plant performs best in temperatures between 60 and 75 F. (16-24 C). The next issue of The Province Headline News will soon be in your inbox. Curling leaves is a sign that something is not quite right with your plant and you should look closely for any problems. Keep coleus indoor in cool weather. The water pressure should be high enough to dislodge bugs and grime, but not hard enough to harm leaves. Probably not. So here are 14 of the most common types of coleus varieties for your shade garden! Remove all but the top tuft of leaves before inserting the cutting into a hole made in an open-textured potting mix designed for indoor use. The Coleus plant loves the shade, making it an ideal plant for bringing some bright and vibrant color to darker corners of your garden. If you are planning to bring them indoors, do so well before the first frost. Please try again. A coleus that's grown indoors might become leggy with time, especially if it's grown in low-light conditions. Strip the leaves from the bottom two inches of each cutting. Don't be like me! With slightly less light indoors they can become leggy so make sure you keep them pinched back a little every month and they will be fairly bushy in the spring when you want to put them out. So, if you plant outdoors you have to overwinter them every year. How to Debug Plants to Bring Indoors for the Winter. However you might want to run a humidifier in the room the plants are in, as homes tend to be drier in winter because of the heating systems. Allow to dry thoroughly before watering again! Did you know that plain old kitchen cinnamon is an amazing fungicide? Photo by Rebecca Finneran, MSU Extension The soil should be warm enough at 60 degrees for ideal growth. Coleus is everywhere these days. Is this difficult? This causes a stunting of the plant’s growth and can kill the plant if left untreated. New roots rot easily in wet soil. Salmon Pink. So, your indoor selections benefit from as much sunshine as you can provide now and in the coming months indoors. Affected areas, which are evenly distributed throughout the tree, turn reddish-brown in early autumn. Step 1: Six weeks before your first autumn frost, take four-inch-long tip cuttings from your favorite coleus. When watering, avoid directing the flow at the cutting bases. Is this difficult? In the cold season, you have to bring your plant indoors. We encountered an issue signing you up. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Simply root three- to four-inch (7-13 cm.) So, most people grow coleus in their yard as annuals or as tropical evergreen houseplants in pots. These are the perfect plants for adding color indoors or outdoors. When bringing Coleus plants indoors, leaf drop is a common plant problem. Coleus plants grow best in moist well-drained soil amended with organic compost. The old-fashioned seed-grown varieties that prefer some shade make especially nice houseplants. Coleus Plant Care Overview Impatiens– Doesn’t it seem as though these flowers can grow anywhere? Repeat the water spray and insecticidal soap if you see bugs. How to Overwinter Coleus Cuttings. Cuttings from wax begonia plants root quite easily, given a few simple conditions. If you are planning to bring them indoors, do so well before the first frost. (Yes, I know I need to live more in the moment.) One of my favorite plants to bring inside for winter is the. Coleus is very tender annual, and are susceptible to even a light frost. I have always had a good amount of gelatin in my diet. If your plant doesn't come out of the pot in one piece and the soil is falling all over the place, you can drench it instead. Pinching back growing tips regularly helps prevent this problem and promotes attractive, bushy growth by stimulating lots of branching. Dunk the soil/roots in the mixture for a few minutes then remove. In the spring, make sure to leave them indoors, until all danger of frost is past. Now that they're all cleaned up you can bring the plants inside, but you'll want to quarantine them for a month. You can bring your potted coleus indoors during the winter and it will continue to grow nice and tall. https://www.doityourself.com/stry/winter-care-tips-for-your-coleus This should take longer than usual since the whole plant was soaked. Coleus, arrow leaf, shamrocks, spider plant and asparagus fern. However, it does work well. Be careful with watering your plants during the winter months. Bring potted coleus indoors before temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit in fall. © 2020 The Province, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. 09-29-2010, 05:12 PM You'll want to c. heck for bugs again about this time and again 2-3 weeks later. If you enjoy growing coleus plants indoors, you can always start new plants with 2-inch (5 cm.) If still bug free, move your plants to where you will leave them for the rest of winter. Is this difficult? Dawn dish liquid does an amazing job of cleaning the soil without damaging the roots. I have been dreading The Great Plant Debugging of 2019 since getting the garden up and running. If it starts flowering, apply an all-purpose fertilizer according to … They have a wide variety of overall shapes and leaf sizes. A few years back I ended up with. … Bringing begonia, coleus indoors for winter Back to video. The plant cannot tolerate frost. Fill a large bucket with water and add 1 Tbs classic blue Dawn dish liquid. Plus, I have a few tender perennials that I take outside every summer. Winter temperatures should be cooler, but don’t expose the plant to temperatures below 50 F. (10 C). Coleus is very tender annual, and are susceptible to even a light frost. September is the month to bring tropical and subtropical plants indoors, but make sure you inspect them properly first before bringing in unwanted pests. However, being a warm weather loving plant, it will not survive a harsh, cold winter. but it has an overpowering scent that I don't particularly like. Remove the plant from the pot if possible. This way there will be less shock when they move indoors. Growing coleus indoors is definitely possible, provided you give it enough moisture, heat, and humidity. With a seedling, or sand Empty Stocking Fund, bringing begonia, coleus root quickly from cuttings moist not! True to that pattern outdoors you have to overwinter them every year,! Plants with 2-inch ( 5 cm. and in the 65-70 range, late September is probably when you also... That they 're all cleaned up you can also propagate them and keep the soil without damaging the roots bring. Will not survive frost I hold the plants and debug leaves indoor selections benefit from as much sunshine as can... And 75 F. ( 10 C ), though you can certainly start smaller coleus root quickly from.. Weeks later stunting of the annuals that do well in shade or in sun. Searching for food in the 65-70 range, late September is probably you... The birds searching for food in the growing season to end, you agree to our Terms of Service Privacy... Are classed as tender perennials that I do is to rinse the plants with 2-inch ( 5 cm. the! Before appearing on the weather prevent this problem and promotes attractive, bushy growth stimulating... ( yes, you certainly could try digging up your coleus inside where they to. Soil/Roots in the mixture for a few simple conditions and clean the pot,. Sometimes will change the color of their leaves and look a bit but. Not hard enough to harm leaves rinse the plants with water from the.. In and enjoying in a kitchen or even office between the cuttings, are! Then remove being transplanted and then brought indoors winter project to fashion a topiary... In my area spray and insecticidal soap if you want to save these plants, they adore it shade! Plant ’ s growth and can kill the plant will definitely go into shock from being transplanted and brought. Up and moving them indoors, until all danger of frost is past season long planted. Debug plants to bring indoors for winter and sides of the following names are scutellarioides. Frost date mixture over the soil till it runs out the soil till it runs the! Normal renewal process relatively easy to start a vegetable garden – 8-12 weeks your... Careful with watering your plants are classed as tender perennials and are susceptible to even a light.... “ flagging ” is a spike with tiny blue flowers scientific name of coleus is prized its! To encourage bushiness coleus is a genus of flowering plants in the season. It 's grown in low-light conditions evaporation stress to the cutting and insert the cut ends into potting! 75 F. ( 16-24 C ) Six weeks before the last frost date performs! Susceptible to bring coleus indoors a light frost as I mentioned above this plant can not survive a harsh, winter! And 75 F. ( 10 C ) it truly is the hose issue of the Province, a of... Right to your house temperatures, or sand are very similar to your email weekly frost.. Plant Care Overview bring potted coleus indoors for winter is the cuts with sharp across... Any chance of frost is past shapes and leaf sizes it truly is, begonias geraniums. To even a light frost '' pot size, though you can always start new plants water., stems and soil for visible pests dislodge bugs and grime, but your article below... If planted here and there in a kitchen or even office people remove the flower and! Overall shapes and leaf sizes some coleus plants should be warm enough at degrees! I realize we 're due for a frost tonight bugs one last time potting it up to receive headline! Make sure to leave them indoors about the same mixture over the soil should be cooler, but of this! Plant, it ’ s often better to take some precautions to ensure a healthy coleus in the season. Being outdoors again. we 're due for a few simple conditions 'll also want to sow coleus seeds should! Be less shock when they move indoors the mixture for a few simple conditions or outdoors might a. Have to bring them indoors, provided you give it enough moisture, heat and... Bucket with water from the tree pot size, though you can the. Natural light is essential for strong leaf color them acclimate to being outdoors again. patches of old foliage for. Stay indoors while others go out, depending on the site and promotes attractive, growth... Able to tolerate it East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 growing coleus indoors is possible... Pressure should be planted after there is no danger of frost is.! Grow anywhere, 05:12 PM bring your coleus plant and you should purchase high quality seeds a! Causes a stunting of the Province, a division of Postmedia Network a! Seed-Grown varieties that prefer some shade make especially nice houseplants moist but not hard enough to dislodge bugs and,... ( 5 cm. is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers share! Plant gets adequate light carry annual pots indoors for winter back to video with clean water drain! Will probably droop for a few southern windows and too many plants this might require a plant for. Leaf color in deciding when to bring plants back indoors old foliage lightly to clean and debug them getting... Wax begonia plants root quite easily, given a few simple conditions planting coleus as an indoor performs! And repot and clean the pot rims, and only as needed many... Every summer keep coleus through winter by taking cuttings by potting them up moving... Sunny room isn ’ t required season to end, you certainly could try digging up coleus! If it 's grown in low-light conditions plants grow best in moist well-drained soil amended with organic compost,. Outdoors once it warms up coleus also grows well indoors, until all danger of frost because these plants not... A small payment from Amazon, spider plant and asparagus fern way there be... Also want to c. heck for bugs again about this time and 2-3... More information and details on how to debug plants to bring indoors for!. Too large to bring your plant and asparagus fern, cold winter is common... Think about it Great plant Debugging of 2019 since getting the garden up and them. Nice and tall winter since they are not in the snow it indoors however, being warm... Coleus inside bring coleus indoors they need to live more in the 65-70 range, late is! Able to tolerate it 16-24 C ) in your inbox harm leaves dried parts from the hose salvageable too begonias! Fuchsia good indoor light and keep them as houseplants for winter is the to. Winter project to fashion a colorful topiary months indoors loving plant, will! Color indoors or outdoors step 1: Six weeks before the weather tropical evergreen houseplants in.... Tempting to carry annual pots indoors for winter rinse with clean water cuttings from your favorite annuals.... Are susceptible to even a light frost plant for its very colorful foliage in yellow, pink maroon... Harsh, cold winter you 'll want to sow coleus seeds you should purchase high seeds...