Kate's Gardening Tips

Easy At Home Propagating Tips for Coleus

Overlook these gems, and you are missing out!

I must admit I was not always a big fan of Coleus. When I was first introduced to this plant, they were just another inexpensive and boring plant. Red geraniums and pink and cream coleus with pale green edges were a standard for all of the grandmothers in this world. My grandma Lois led the charge! They seem to have become a tradition that in the gardening world can be compared to good ol' American apple pie!

The great thing is that many growers have taken the time to change the face of our coleus plants and wet our pallet with a wide variety of bold and beautiful color combinations! My hat goes off to these beauties!

Now that we have a wide variety of cultivar choices to pick firm, it is time that we learned how increase our coleus crop by propagating this plant in our very own home!!!

"But I don't know how to propagate plants!"

Do not let the word "propagation" scare you! We can all enjoy the benefits of plant propagation with little practice!

Seed Propagation

Coleus can be easily raised by seed. In early spring sow seeds into pot containing a light sandy soil. Cover the seed lightly with soil and place glass over the top. Keeping the pots exposed to temperatures of 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Once seedlings have emerged, transplant them into a flat of well-water soil. Keep these guys in the shade until they are established. You can then transplant your larger seedlings to their very own pot!

Propagation with Cuttings

Obtaining cuttings from your favorite mature coleus plants can result in the yield of many healthier coleus for you to give to friends and family!

Rooting a Coleus Cutting

Step 1, snip off the top 4 to 6 inches of a

healthy stem, just above a set of nodes.

Step 2, break off the lower leaves flush with

the stem. Leave only two sets of leaves at the top.

Step 3, dip the stem into a rooting hormone

powder (IBA powder). Make sure to cover all

of the exposed areas of the bottom of the stem

with a light powder cover.

Step 4, fill a 3 to 4 inch pot with potting soil, lightly

moistened. Stick a pencil or your index finger into the

center of the pot to make a planting hole. Place the coleus

cutting in the hole. When doing so, make sure that all of

the powdered area is below the soil level. Gentle firm the

soil area around the cutting. Place the potted cutting in

a bright place and mist it daily to maintain a high humidity level.

Enjoy Your New Plants!