When can I put my coleus outside?
You can buy coleus as 'plug plants' (young plants) in early spring. Grow them on indoors until the weather warms up. Plant them out in the garden in May, once there are no more frosts forecast.
Can coleus handle 40 degrees?
So, what's the lowest temp for coleus plant livability? Cold nights in the 40-degree Fahrenheit range can damage the coleus. This is true even if there is no frost. Generally speaking, coleus plants are too tender to survive temperatures at the literal freezing point, which is, of course, 32 degrees.
Will coleus come back after a freeze?
Do Coleus Come Back After a Winter Freeze? The short answer is that coleus are not frost-tolerant plants. While not impossible for them to regrow after a frost, most will likely die if they are exposed to colder temperatures and are hit by frost. They will not survive in areas that get below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
When should I bring my coleus inside for the winter?
Coleus is very frost-sensitive, so bring the plants inside if cold nights threaten. By mid-May, the plants should be ready for your garden or containers. Cuttings may also be taken from a large, healthy plant in late spring.
How long will coleus live outside?
Coleus will quickly die if they're exposed to freezing temperatures and frost. Overall, expect outdoor plants to last about a year, and indoor plants can keep you company for up to 3-5 years if properly cared for.
Will coleus come back every year?
Do coleus come back every year? In tropical climates and in their native environment, Coleus is a perennial plant that can come back every year. During the cold season, the stems die back but the roots don't. This allows perennials to regenerate the following year.
Should I cut back my coleus for winter?
During the winter, coleus will lose its color. The plant that you brought indoors will lose some leaves and get straggly. This time of year the plant is entering its dormant stage and as tempting as it is, do not pinch it back. The goal at this point is to keep it alive by watering and monitoring for insects.
Should you cut back coleus?
Only prune mature Coleus plants that are at least 6 inches tall. The best time to prune Coleus is when the plant is actively growing, during the spring and summer. Both leaves and flowers can be removed when pruning Coleus, and you can prune the plant as often as necessary to maintain the desired look.
How do you take care of coleus in the winter?
Coleus should be kept rather dry over the winter to avoid rotting their roots. Remember, these are tropical plants that prefer sun and heat. They don't take kindly to cold, wet soil, so water only when the pot seems fairly light and the soil surface is completely dry. (You'll get the hang of it with a little practice.)
Can coleus survive winter indoors?
Overwintering coleus plants is actually quite easy. They can be dug up and overwintered indoors, or you can take cuttings from your healthy plants to make additional stock for next season's garden.
Can coleus live indoors year round?
Coleus Care Although the growing guidelines described here make it possible to grow coleus indoors year-round, coleus is often grown as an annual and discarded once it becomes leggy (a problem that can often be contained by pinching off new growth).
Can coleus survive indoors?
Can I grow coleus indoors? Sure, why not? Although coleus is typically grown outdoors as an annual, its vibrant leaves provide many months of enjoyment indoors if growing conditions are just right. In fact, coleus plants respond well to potted environments.
What temperature can coleus stand?
Coleus as an indoor plant performs best in temperatures between 60 and 75 F. (16-24 C). Winter temperatures should be cooler, but don't expose the plant to temperatures below 50 F. (10 C).
Can coleus survive winter indoors?
Overwintering coleus plants is actually quite easy. They can be dug up and overwintered indoors, or you can take cuttings from your healthy plants to make additional stock for next season's garden.
Can coleus live indoors year round?
Coleus Care Although the growing guidelines described here make it possible to grow coleus indoors year-round, coleus is often grown as an annual and discarded once it becomes leggy (a problem that can often be contained by pinching off new growth).
Can coleus survive indoors?
Growing coleus indoors is not particularly hard. It is a forgiving plant for the casual indoor gardener so long as you take care of these fundamental growing techniques, including: Light—The biggest problem most indoor gardeners have is a lack of light, but this is not a problem for coleus.
What climate does Coleus thrive in?
As a tropical plant, coleus thrives in hot, humid conditions. In temperate climates, the barest hint of frost will spell the end of the plants. Make sure to take cuttings of any favorite plants before the weather turns cold.
How to grow coleus in a container?
To grow coleus in a container, start with a large pot that the plant can grow into; otherwise, you'll be repotting this fast-growing plant before you know it. In mixed container plantings, coleus usually serves as an upright "thriller" plant in the center of the container, surrounded by "fillers" and "spillers.".
Is Coleus a part shade plant?
Coleus is a classic part-shade to full-shade plant, but light exposure depends on the variety. The old-fashioned seed-grown coleus does best in part shade to full shade, but the newer cultivars have their best color if grown where they can receive more sun. However, it also depends on your climate.
Can coleus be used as a bedding plant?
Coleus is normally used as an annual bedding plant or in outdoor container gardens and baskets. In colder zones, container plants are sometimes moved indoors to overwinter. Warmer zones can grow coleus as garden perennials, where they can grow to resemble small shrubs with thick woody stems. When planted in the ground, coleus plants are often massed for dramatic impact; they can also be used as edging plants.
Is Coleus a mint plant?
Coleus plants are in the Lamiaceae, or mint, family, characterized by square stems and opposite leaves . However, the foliage can vary widely in shape, style, and color.
Is Coleus a low maintenance plant?
These lovely foliage plants give us all-season color in full sun, shade, and everything in between, and are the ultimate in low maintenance. Coleus is a tender tropical plant, native to areas bordering the equator. It loves the heat but will happily grow as an annual in just about any garden.
Is Coleus a perennial or annual?
Botanical Names. Plectranthus scutellarioides. Common Name. Coleus. Plant Type. Herbacious perennial (usually grown as an annual)
How hot can a coleus plant survive?
Ideally, the coleus likes it nice and hot – temperatures up to 95 degrees, according to the National Garden Bureau – but it can survive temps in the 60s, 50s and even 40s.
How to help coleus grow?
To help your coleus develop a strong root system when it's young, harden off the plant to ease it into outdoor temperatures and conditions like wind and direct sunlight. Wait until average overnight temperatures are above 60 degrees before hardening.
What is the best cover for coleus?
For coleus planted outdoors, the best protection against freezing is covering. The University of Florida IFAS Extension advises the use of an old sheet, blanket (nothing too heavy for tender coleus) or painter's drop cloth. A clear plastic sheet or opaque plastic cover, such as a tarp, will do the trick too.
How to grow coleus in Rosy Dawn Gardens?
Wait until average overnight temperatures are above 60 degrees before hardening. When starting your young coleus in a pot – before transferring to outdoor soil permanently – place the plant outdoors for about three or four hours every day in a location where it receives partial or full shade and shelter from the wind.
How to protect coleus from freezing?
If you've covered your coleus in clear plastic to help protect it from freezing, remove or ventilate the plastic covering to prevent too much heat from building up under the cover when the sun reappears. If you're expecting cold temperatures for another night, it's OK to simply ventilate the cover rather than remove it completely. Opaque covers can typically be left on for a few days at a time, as they won't amplify the heat from the sunlight as much as a clear cover, notes NOLA.com.
How to keep coleus plants covered?
Enclose the entire plant with the cover, being careful not to crush the foliage and securing the cover to the ground with stakes, pins or weights to cut off the flow of cold air. For young or particularly delicate coleus, encase the plant with a tomato cage or other breathable wire structure and then enclose that structure with the drape. Keep the plants covered until temperatures reach at least 55 degrees.
What zone do you plant Coleus?
How to Care for a Coleus. The coleus plant (Plectranthus scutellarioides) is a herbaceous tropical perennial that flourishes in sultry USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. Even in mild, warm or balmy climes where coleus care is a relative breeze – regions like Texas, Louisiana and Florida – occasional temperature ...
