Coleus: A Shade Loving, Colorful, And Easy To Grow Plant. Instructions On How To Propagate Coleus

Gardeners are always looking for plants that like the shade. Most of the colorful annuals like the sun, so we are limited as to what to plant under our trees that will give us that color we love. I think the Coleus is the perfect solution. They have so many different colors, and they are what I call "easy keepers". They don't require much water or fertilizer like a lot of plants do.

You can buy these plants from your local supplier that is already big and ready to plant directly into the ground. Once you have a "Mother plant", it is so easy to propagate the Coleus that you'll have plenty of plants to enjoy and share with friends and neighbors.

I'd like to share with you how easy it is to propagate Coleus from cuttings.

The Coleus is very easy to propagate. The Coleus is native to tropical Africa, Asia, Australia, the East Indies, and the Philippines. They grow very well where I live in South Florida, as they like warm weather. The cold will kill them. If you start some in a pot, and you want to keep them year round, just bring the pot into your house for a beautiful house plant. After danger from frost is over, take them back outside. They are somewhat heat tolerant, but they do better in the shade. After the plant has grown and become "leggy" (and they will), take some cuttings and start some more.

After your first rooting has begun to grow, just cut off another cutting, put it into another pot with potting soil, and you have more plants. Share with your friends.

Small plastic or clay pots that have been thoroughly cleaned.

Good potting soil

4 inch cuttings from Mother Plant

Sharp knife

If you are lucky, and you have a friend who grows Coleus, just ask for a small cutting. You may have to go a plant nursery, and purchase a plant. I call this the "Mother Plant", because that is the one you can get many cuttings from. Cut the plant stem to about 4 inches in length. Strip off the lower leaves, just leaving a few. As always, when you are rooting a plant, cut at a 45 degree angle. You do not have to use any of the products to induce rooting on these, because they root SO easily. Using one of the small pots filled with the potting soil, stick the little cutting right down into the soil.

Water the cutting thoroughly, and keep damp until you see signs that it has rooted.

There are many varieties of Coleus. I just happen to like the color combination I use in my garden. Go to a plant nursery and just look around at all the beautiful colors. Some are red, some are variegated colors, some have color in the middle and green on the outside edge of the leaf.

These beautiful plants will make a great addition to your garden. Remember, they do prefer the shade. Plant them in the ground, or just keep them in pots and move them wherever you want some color under the trees or any other shaded area.

I think you'll be pleased you included the beautiful Coleus in your garden. These plants will reward you for a long time, because you just keep them coming by propagating them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Coleus&printable=yes

If you are really interested in reading all the technical stuff about Coleus, go to www.wikipedia,