I've never sterilized potting soil. The problem I've found with the roots of store-bought plants the past few yrs is the chunks of styrofoam in the soil masquerading as perlite.

If the roots are filling the pot, you can chop off the bottom and give it a bigger pot. The only way to have a big Coleus for those who don't live in a tropical location is to let them become a few years old. They're not much different from other potted woody entities, except that they grow really fast in weather and conditions they like. Manipulate their shape the way you would any other shrub/tree, to determine its' bushiness and overall shape. Wherever a leaf is removed, a new branch should grow. Wherever a growth tip is removed, the remaining tip should bifurcate at the node directly below.

Your plants don't look leggy (etiolated, excess distance between nodes,) just older and lignified at the base. Most woody entities don't make foliage where the stem/trunk has lignified. If what you want is short mounds of foliage, by all means take new cuttings. If what you want is a "Coleus bush," you're off to some great starts!

tiff in z8 is so much different than us in the cold white north ... i am sure her furnace isnt running 8 hours a day ... causing my skin to chap ... static electricity, and making the watering of houseplants kinda tricky ...

and its that watering trickiness.. that leads the way to the gnat problem ...

otherwise.. as usual .. shes spot on ... ken

The first one is called Alabama Sunset. They are both Sun coleus. They can take full sun. I'd put yours in partial shade until they adapt to being outside. I see no problem with potting them in larger pots. I would just squeeze the middle of the soil gently when you take it out of the pot. Weird habit of mine, but it works. Then loosen up any roots that are wrapped around at the bottom. One plant nursery I worked in about all I did was repot plants and take cuttings.

Ken, I have made notes on sterilizing soil. Sounds easy enough.

Yes, I was really thinking the ones I saved were the ones that would go out to the garden! I was counting down the days left before they went out. As you will know, along with fungus gnats, there are sometimes issues with spider mites. So I was patting myself on the back to have gotten them as far as I did.

I have cut down two, thinned one and left one alone. I guess that will be an experiment of mine. Started new cuttings too! You must have had quite a production going there when you used to take cuttings each month.

And I thought this was going to be easy---take a few cuttings and then plant out in the garden next season. Ha! LOL

__________

Tiffany, you've made some great points! I will continue to grow two of my coleus and see if I like the "bushy" look. Probably if I take them outside for the summer, they will be much happier too.

"Most woody entities don't make foliage where the stem/trunk has lignified." I didn't know that either! Duly noted!

__________

Hello zzackey! "One plant nursery I worked in about all I did was repot plants and take cuttings." Sounds like the job I would like to have! Then you have lots of experience! I shall try your method of squeezing the middle of the soil gently.

I looked up Alabama Sunset, but it appears to look different than mine. Can you double check the name?

__________

With all the different varieties of coleus, I am feeling another addiction coming on! I might have to find a new name for the forum---newcoleuslady---or oldhostabutnewcoleuslady---or hostacoleuslady---or. . . . . . . . . . .

You Haven't Chopped The Cut Leaf Have You?????

I REALLY Like The Look Of It!!!

Thanks For Sharing Your Plants!

Hi ninecrow! No, I haven't chopped the cut leaf one. I just love that one! But between the two varieties that I overwintered, that one is a much slower grower.

I got both as cuttings from my hairdresser's garden last year. I thought the cut leaf one was fantastic! It seemed to have several colors, and it had a delicate look to it. Unfortunately only one of the cuttings took. At first my cutting was merely yellow and green. As more time went on, the red become apparent. I thought I remember it having some white also. I am wondering how it will do outdoors this season---I would love to have the opportunity to start a couple of new cuttings of it. You know, for---"just in case!"

Here's a closeup of the leaf.

Sorry! I guess it's just the regular shade coleus. It really made me think of Alabama Sunset.

No problem!

I MUST See IF I Can Get One Like That!!!!

You can revive the original plants by root pruning. Sounds scary but it is an enormously rejuvenating procedure which will result in a big flush of new roots for the plant. Slice some of the root/soil mass from the sides as well as the bottom before replanting into the same container. Use fresh potting mix and scrub the pot, of course.

Between the root pruning and top pruning, your coleus will really respond nicely.

I've never baked or nuked my potting medium, either. Once I started using a very coarse textured mix about 30 years ago, excess water retention became a non-issue.

The typical potting medium is simply too fine textured, too peaty. It doesn't matter where you are, who you are, or how experienced you may be.....fungus gnats are likely to appear.

Root Pruning and Top Pruning Works Well on Poinsettias as Well.....

Sorry About That.... LOL

Don't Suppose You Have a Name For Mr Cut Leaf?

Rhizo_1, thanks for the tip about root pruning. I want to try that! Could you elaborate on the coarse textured mix you are talking about?

Ninecrow, I have tended to throw out the poinsettias at some point after Christmas. I am going to try and focus on my hostas and coleus. I don't think I can handle much more! LOL

I wish I could give you the name of the cut leaf. I'd like to know too! I did some googling and the closest I could find to it is Kingswood Karnival. I'll have a better idea if it is a match when I bring it outdoors and it has more time to grow. Sorry!

Hi

How is Cut Leaf Doing Now?

Thanks

Look up "Under the Sea" series of coleus.

WOW!!!!

I WANT!!!!! re Under the Sea Coleus...

I don't believe that it is one of the Under The Sea® coleus from Hort Couture. Other plant breeders have come out with similar varieties, though.

It's important to remember that some of the newest introductions in the plant world are protected by plant patents. That means that it's against the law to reproduce them by cuttings. Yes, that means us, too.

It becomes a real issue when unscrupulous retail growers clone a few thousand of a glamerous plant variety and market it under a different name or even use the trademarked name without a license.

SO! I'm crazy about coleus and splurge on a couple of plants every year, as well as buy some seed. I'll help look around to see if I can find this particular cultivar, but it doesn't match up with any of the Under The Sea® specimens.

Here's my favorite online catalog for Coleus, Rosy Dawn Gardens. You can search through the alphabetical listings and drool, that's what I do! New Hosta lady, you may find the name of the other hosta, too. It may look quite different from one that has been grown outside, though. Colors really, really fade.

The Rosy Dawn collection includes the Under The Sea collection. Spectacular....beware, lol.

My sun coleus varieties got huge and bushy last year. Also note that plants in full sun do change colors. One plant turned a deep burgundy from the shading of yellow, burgundy, brown of the original plant. Another plant turned a dark black, still nice but I bought it for the bright red and bright yellow markings.

I sterilized my soil once, it stunk up the house and wasn't worth the effort IME.

IME fungus often come from watering too much and white spider from letting soil get too dry. Although some plants are white spider magnets and I no longer grow them inside, ie tropical hibiscus, peppers.

Re. Gnats: I buy mosquito dunks in season and keep them to add to my watering pot for indoor growing. I have a five gallon bucket that I fill with water to let chlorine escape and put the dunk in a small netting bag and throw it in. Each dunk lasts a long time as use only 1/2 dunk until it disintegrates. Rarely have gnats anymore. This is not my idea. Got it on a GW posting years ago. Sorry name of poster forgotten.

I'm back! I didn't know that this thread had continued after my last post. Great resource that Rosy Dawn Nursery, rhizo_1. I want them all!!!!!

Interesting about the gnat control by mnwsgal, don't you think?

So if anyone is still here . . . what has happened to the cut leaf coleus of mine? I struggled along last year with two pots of it and brought it inside to winterize. Currently they are quite leggy so I cut some in order to propagate and left one pot as is. I am thinking of doing what rhizo_1 said: root prune and prune the plant. I just didn't want to do that until I felt I had successfully been able to root my cuttings.

I am aware of plant patents. I was of the understanding that you could propagate but only for your own use. It is prohibited to sell plants under patent. I don't know if this cut leaf is under a plant patent as I got it from someone else. And I don't know its name to find out.

Not a good picture but took it this summer.

I have realized that this coleus needs sun to bring out its coloring. That's what I intend to give it this summer! Even though it didn't perform to its full potential, I still love this coleus.

My cuttings.

So lucky! I had that variety but I had to move and leave it behind. :( its called 'mint mocha'

Thank you so much for posting that picture and naming the coleus! Yours is sooo pretty!!!!!!! What conditions did you keep yours in---partial sun? moist media? Here are my cuttings now. They are under a grow light:

So cute. I'm jealous I hope I can find it again this year! I kept mine on an east side porch so it got morning sun. I had one on the back porch on the west side and it did just as well. The one in the picture was from a cutting from the back porch!

I hope you can find it again too! When googling one can see so many gorgeous pictures of coleus. But it is difficult to find them at the local nurseries. I will be going to a larger nursery in a few weeks. It will be interesting to see what I can find there.

Next week I will be seeing the friend that gave me the original cuttings. I will have to ask him where he purchased it. Maybe they have some other nice ones there?

Any Updates Please
I Have a Deep Burgundy Now That I Got From a Green Grocer So It Has No Name.....
But STILL Would LOVE To Have a Cut Leaf Like Yours New Hosta Lady....
Thanks

HI! I didn't see your post until now. My cuttings survived but became somewhat leggy. I planted them outside putting three together in a pot. But I was able to find it in a garden nursery and so I bought a couple more! It did turn out to be called "Mint Mocha" just as Kelli had mentioned above. Seems to be a slow grower.

I also found another variety I thought was very pretty. It is not as vibrant as it was when I purchased it, but I have now moved it to a sunnier location. I will work on taking some pictures of them and report back!

are you going to mess with them over winter again???... ken

If I would have known I could find the same coleus, then I wouldn't have done it in the first place. But darn I love that coleus so I just might over winter them again!

A picture of my over wintered coleus:

That's actually three plants together. Very slow growing.

Here is the same coleus plant that I found in a nursery this year:

Seems a bit too light in color. Probably needs more shade.

And a new one I found that I also love!

so I just might over winter them again!

==>>> lol ... Cs are one of those plants .. where next years versions seem to be so much better than last years .... there are always more to NEED ...

besides.. its great to have something in the house over the cold snowy winter ... eh ...

just try to remember my comments about cycling them to keep the plants young and vibrant ... while the furnace is trying to suck the life out of them ... and that you dont need a million of them ... be a bit more devious in culling old ugly plants .. after you have rooted a new piece ....

all you need come april is one smallish plant with 3 or 4 pieces for cutting and rooting .... to get out of the house after last frost/freeze.. some time in may .. your goal this winter season.. is not have have ugly leggy plants to take outside ....

yadda.. yadda.. yadda... im sure you committed everything i previously said to memory .. lol ..

have fun ...

btw .. come sept.. i would root some pieces for the house.. i would not take in these huge plants ... and i would use sterilized media in clean pots.. so i didnt take bugs into the house for winter ... talk about something to drive you insane in winter ...

ken

Looking GOOD New Hosta Lady!!!!
Please Bring Them In For The Winter As They Are Too NICE To Loose To Frost and Snow!!!!

Still Looking For Mine
***SIGH***
Might Have To Get Seeds and Only Sow a Few and The Whittle it Down To One For Two As I Don't Have an Outside To Put Them In Summer As I Need Some of The Space For My Poinsettia Projects .....

Your right Ken about there being more and more coleus one just has to have! Just like hosta! I hope there aren't any other plants I am going to love!

Okay, so the goal is to take a few cuttings by September for rooting. And then in March(?) take new cuttings from leggy overwintered plants. And use sterilized media! Yes, those fungus gnats will drive you nuts! ( I had to laugh when I read that part in your comments. You are so right about that Ken! )

It is a lot of work to keep plants going throughout the winter. It's not really worth it if you don't need that many. Problem is that you can't find the plant you want. So I will try again this winter, but I really want to keep the numbers down. Winter is just so long and dry.

I wish you luck in finding some ninecrow! Your "poinsettia projects" sounds interesting.

Another option to try, if you are considering trying to overwinter a large plant might be to try to induce a "dormancy". Have never tried it with a coleus, but you have little to lose.

Once it is too cold for it to remain outside, put it in on a windowsill in a room where the winter temps will stay in the upper 50s--60s (lower if coleus can handle it). Restrict water keeping the soil just barely moist. No fertilizer or deep thorough waterings until spring. The objective is for the plant NOT to grow during this time.

As to fungus gnats, they aren't an issue for me, but I also grow carnivorous plants... I would recommend buying a pack of mosquito dunks. These are "donuts" folks with pounds or rain barrels will use to kill mosquito larvae. The bacteria contained in the dunk, will kill off the gnat larvae but not the adults. Put a quarter of a donut in a gallon of water and let sit overnight or longer. Give the jug a few shakes the. Water your plants with it. Do not dump out the dunk chunk. Instead, leave it in the jug and repeat the process. Eventually, the chunk will completely disintegrate, at which point a new chunk can be tossed into the jug.

I agree that I would have nothing to lose if I try to create a period of dormancy for my coleus plant. I do have a location in my home that is cooler and still has some light. I can give it a go!

I am not aware of the mosquito dunks and do not know whether we have them in Canada. But I do travel to the U.S. a couple of times a year so I should be able to find them.

So if one uses the mosquito dunks, it will kill the larvae in the soil. The adults will not be killed but eventually there will be fewer and fewer adults until they will be eliminated. Is that correct? Thank you Paul!

Wow! Look at all those coleus you have Tiffany! That is so pretty! And you have elephant ears too! I need to live closer to you so I can see them in person! LOL You are amazing to keep all of those!

I did acquire a couple of new coleus cuttings from a friend this summer. They are the smaller sized coleus plants which I did not see for sale in the garden nurseries that I visited. I think I will try to overwinter them too. These two smaller sized coleus were in potted plant arrangements my friend purchased. Sometimes you can't find the individual coleus you want, but will find lovely ones in a potted arrangement with an assortment of various plants. I am looking forward to see how they will do.

I have been struggling to keep my common elephant tubers over the winter. I don't find a lot of information on the internet about potting media, planting depth, when to remove the elephant ear from its pot in fall etc. Many times I have removed my lovely elephant ear from its pot in the late summer just to find the bulb is rotting! Last year I removed the bulb earlier in the season and was able to save a few over the winter. I also purchased a new beautiful variety last year, and when I removed it from its pot, I didn't know where the tuber was! It seemed like there wasn't one. That was a surprise since it looked perfectly fine above the soil line! So I just threw it away!

This thread has taught me a lot! Thanks all for your contributions!

You are correct, NHL. (Amusing side note ... with you being Canadian that my abbreviation of you handle also could stand for the "National Hockey League." Heh)

TYVM, NewHostaLady! :+)

NewHostaLady
How Is Your Gut Leaf Coleus Doing?
STILL Looking For Mine........

Thanks for asking ninecrow. Sorry you can't find one. I currently have two cuttings of it growing on my kitchen window along with three other varieties. All are just small plants. I have a couple of pictures I took of it last summer if you are interested in seeing them.

Yes PLEASE I'd LOVE To See Them!
I AM Going To Find This Plant I SWEAR!!!
LOL

Yes you will find this plant one day ninecrow. I believe you! LOL

I don't really find Mint Mocha that photogenic, but here it goes:

and a bit closer:

Did you find other nice varieties of coleus last summer ninecrow?

Am I supposed to be posting coleus in annuals or perennials?

STILL NO Luck Finding Any of The Above Coleus, Think The Problem is That I'm In England and Not The US....
***SIGH***

Ninecrow you could try Dibleys or Halsway Nursery (they don't have a website as far as I can tell).

Some jars of Coleus cuttings that have not been able to be in much direct light over winter. I did not do anything but water these. No interest in their form until it's time to take new cuttings & stick the mass of roots & stumps in the ground somewhere soon.

It does not matter that they are faded & leaning. New cuttings stuck in the ground when it's warm enough will yield the same lovely plants.

I'm sorry Ninecrow, that you have not been able to find Mint Mocha. Perhaps floral_uk's suggestion might help.

Tiffany, it is great that you have had so much success with your coleus. You have a green thumb! Your zone 8 gives you a longer growing season than would have. I'm envious!

I have two Mint Mocha's I have overwintered. One is doing well and the other not so much. They don't have the lovely coloring currently, but they will once outdoors. If interested, I could take a picture.

Yes Please NHL and Thanks Floral, Looks Like I Might Just Have To Do That But re Dibleys it's a Shame That They Sell ONLY In Bulk.....

I am so sorry Ninecrow! I was having technical (photo) difficulties.

You may have thought I brought the whole plant in last summer since I said I was overwintering them. I actually just took cuttings last summer. I wanted to ensure that I had at least one Mint Mocha for the 2018 season. Here is the one that is growing better. I still find it to be a slower grower than many other coleus. But is sure is pretty.

The intensity of the sun is stronger now so the plant is getting more red in the leaves (rather than just the yellow and green coloring).

Thank You NewHostaLady
Are You Going to Be Taking Cutting of That One To Shape Him Up a Bit More and Has the Other Plant Survived?

I've Started My Own Coleus Journey, But Just With Some of off The Rack Mix Seeds.....
Want To See How I Go Before Starting My Black Dragon Seeds Off....

Yes I was thinking that I should cut off some of the top of the coleus to give it a better shape. (Can I say---great minds think alike?) Of course, I would try rooting it also. The other one I have has survived but is half the size. I also have two other cuttings I have overwintered. They are a small sized coleus. I don't seem to be able to find the smaller coleus type to purchase. That's why I tried overwintering them. I got them from a friend last summer who purchased a ready made planter that had the two kinds within it.

Good luck with your "coleus journey!" Sounds exciting.

I've saved 3 Coleus cuttings, "Saturn", "Lord Voldemort", and a "Coleussaurus" volunteer seedling. I know hybrid seedlings will not be true but I saved it because the shape of the leaves seemed different.

I'm just going to keep the cuttings in water bottles all winter by a window, then pot what hopefully survives in April as a fresh plant. I can reroot cuttings from the water bottle plants if the stems get too etiolated. Does this seem like it is worth doing?

If you have the space and really like those particular plants, why not? :-)

i like the idea of your plan ... but i think growing in water only will be making it much harder than need be ...

root them.. pot them ... and just keep starting new ones.. as they etoliate .... all winter long ... until its a 4 to 6 weeks before they can go back outdoors .. and then start good version to go outside ...

in essence ... they are not aquatics.. so the water alone system.. might just be making something easy.. hard ...

i would also create duplicates.. asap ... and not rely on trying to save one single specimen ... in one water glass ... odds of failure are just to high ... spread your risk ...

ken