Indoor Coleus Care How To Grow A Coleus Houseplant

Indoor Coleus Care

Water regularly to keep the soil slightly moist – never bone dry and never soggy.
Feed the plant once every week or two during spring and summer, using a water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half-strength.
Place the pot on a tray with a layer of wet pebbles if the air in your home is dry.

Can a coleus be a houseplant?

Coleus is a petite houseplant grown almost exclusively for its bold, colorful foliage.

How much sunlight does a coleus plant need?

Coleus thrive in cool, evenly moist, well-drained soil. Consistent moisture is good, but soggy conditions cause root disease. Watering should complement available sun. Some modern coleus varieties handle full sun, but most still flourish with at least dappled shade and direct sun limited to morning hours.

How do I start coleus indoors?

Sowing Seed Indoors:

Keep the soil moist at 65-85 degrees. Coleus can benefit with bottom heat. Seedlings emerge in 12-21 days. As soon as seedlings emerge, provide plenty of light on a sunny windowsill or grow seedlings 3-4 inches beneath fluorescent plant lights turned on 16 hours per day, off for 8 hours at night.

Can coleus plants grow in water?

As coleus plants have grown in popularity their prices have increased accordingly, but coleus plants are easy to propagate and grow in water, allowing you to create a colony of the handsome houseplants. Take a six-inch cutting, and remove the leaves from the bottom four inches.

Do coleus like to be misted?

Unlike other tropical houseplants that require daily misting, you should avoid spritzing your coleus leaves. The water can leave marks on the velvety foliage and spoil the plant's appearance.

How do I make my coleus bushy?

Pruning. Without regular pruning, coleus plants can become "leggy" and unattractive. If you prune and cut them back faithfully, your coleus should stay bushy and full. Shear the tops of plants that grow too tall to encourage outward growth and denser foliage.

How long do coleus plants live?

In a frost-free area, coleus normally lives for several years. In USDA zones 10 through 11, the winter is mild enough to plant coleus in the ground. Coleus appreciates moist soil that drains well. Keep it out of intense sun, as it easily scalds.

Why are the leaves falling off my coleus plant?

Coleus Problems

Several things can cause the leaves on the Coleus to drop off suddenly. This is normally a result of not watering enough, cool draughts or cold temperatures in general. Moist soil is essential for a healthy Coleus, but this is not the same as wet soil which will encourage the roots and stems to rot.

Can coleus be grown from cuttings?

The coleus cutting should root in two to three weeks. ... After taking your cuttings, place them in a small glass of water and place this in bright indirect light. Change the water every other day. Once you see roots grow, you can transplant the coleus cuttings into soil.

Is Coleus an air purifier?

Try asparagus fern with ivy, coleus, or philodendron plants anywhere you desire the air-purifying properties of a low-care houseplant.

Should I cut the flowers off my coleus?

Pinch just above a set of leaves or branching junction for the best appearance; don't leave a stub. Some gardeners leave the small flowers, but it's best to pinch them off to direct more energy into stem and foliage growth. Coleus left to flower may lose vigor as the plant puts energy into seed production.

Is Coleus poisonous to dogs?

Causes of Coleus Poisoning in Dogs

The cause of coleus poisoning is exposure to or consumption of any part of the coleus. The essential oils are toxic to dogs and other small animals and children and are quickly absorbed through the skin, causing intense irritation and central nervous system abnormalities.

How do you propagate coleus in water?

How to propagate coleus from cuttings

Step 1: Take a coleus cutting. Take a cutting from a mature coleus plant: Look for stems that are 4 to 6 inches in length. ...
Step 2: Remove extra leaves. ...
Step 3: Put coleus cuttings in water. ...
Step 4: Watch the coleus root. ...
Step 5: Plant rooted cuttings.

How long does it take to root a plant in water?

Be sure to add fresh water as needed until the cuttings are fully rooted. Rooting will generally occur in 3-4 weeks but some plants will take longer. When the roots are 1-2 inches long or longer the cutting is ready to be potted up. This plant has heavy rooting and is ready to be moved to a pot with potting soil.

What plants can you propagate in water?

Propagation for many plants is best done in potting soil, but some plants can be propagated in water. This is because they have evolved in an environment that allows it. Most Aroid plants can be propagated in water, including pothos plants, philodendrons, monsteras, and ZZ plants.

How do you care for potted coleus?

Fill your container with well-draining soil and fertilize moderately. Be careful not to over fertilize, though, or your coleus in pots may lose their brilliant color. Water regularly, keeping the soil moist. Keep them out of the wind to avoid breakage.

Does coleus need a lot of water?

Care for Coleus Plant

They need to be kept moist, especially newly planted coleus. Container plants also require more frequent watering than those grown in the garden.

How do you revive a coleus plant?

You can actually revive the plant by cutting away the clearly dead portion of the plant, and then plopping the plant into a new pot. Water the new plant thoroughly. No need to apply a fertilizer; coleus is very hardy.

Does coleus grow back every year?

Coleus is a perennial, a tropical shrub, that is not hardy except in warm, frost-free zones.

How big do coleus plants get?

They were originally a shade plant, but hybrids have been developed that can tolerate partial and even full sun. Coleus comes in three forms: upright, rounded and trailing. They range in height from 6 inches to 3.5 feet and grow 1 to 3 feet wide.

Why is my coleus losing color?

Too much sunshine can make the colors fade, but older leaves tend to lose their colors, as well. Pinching your coleus plants back to encourage healthy new leaf growth will help you maintain that bright, vibrant color. To test this theory, pinch out several of the oldest leaves on the backside of the plant.