I'll be doing this tomorrow, if not later tonight. All of these should be removed, leaving only the topmost leaves. Coleus Water Propagation. To learn more about the next steps, planting and caring for coleus, read How to Care for the Coleus Plant. And the good news is it’s pretty easy to do. Thanks for stopping by. 4. Separate the cuttings and plant one per pot. Remove flowers as they form to keep plant compact. To prevent bacteria buildup, change the water every few days. Just cut the stem and place it in water like a cutflower. Take Cuttings For the best results, take cuttings from your coleus plant while it is still growing vigorously in late summer or early fall. A neat time lapse video of me prepping some beautiful, colorful coleus cuttings in water. If you use rooting hormone that is a concentrated solution, you can dissolve the hormone in water and use it to water the coleus cuttings now. Other nodes will simply appear as lines and feel like lumps on the stalk. Coleus is one of those happy plants that roots easily from cuttings. All you need is: A knife or gardening shears. It doesn't take much to propagate coleus. That was yesterday. Thanks for stopping by! Place the jar in a bright place out of direct sun. You are so good at what you do! Apical stems have a bud at the end of them. Fertilize coleus with a slow-release fertilizer or feed every two weeks with a mild liquid fertilizer. I, however, prefer water to potting mix, simply because water works so well and using it is much more fuss-free. [View the item] Martiplants Jan 9, 2012 12:20 PM CST. I placed them in each pot, added water, and waited. Thank you! Question: Any tips on preventing white mold from growing around the roots and stems of coleus? I just love coleus. cuttings prior to cold weather by potting them up and moving them indoors. Why buy a tray of the same color coleus, when you can get a few in different colors and "make" a bunch more so easily! Under different circumstances, I would much prefer to stick cuttings right into pots. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on May 15, 2013: Awesome, RTalloni! Exotic, Leafy "ZZ Plant" Zamioculcas zamiifolia, better known as "ZZ plant" or "dollar tree," isn't a fast … Thanks for an easy and inexpensive way to get more coleus for the summer/fall season! Rajan Singh Jolly from From Mumbai, presently in Jalandhar, INDIA. Answer: You're more likely to be successful if you dip the cuttings in rooting hormone first. I tried propagating coleus in soil. How are you doing? You might want to add a little charcoal to keep the water clear. I'm glad the hub stirred up some good memories for you. Grow them in water (optional). You will know it is rooted when you see new growth on the coleus cutting. I quickly fell in love with it and moved it to my flower bed.Even though it died over the winter, it left a legacy behind...hundreds of babies! Voted up, useful and interesting, Sharing! Place the cuttings in a water-filled jar so that the leafless portion of the stem is submerged and the remaining leaves are out of the water and … All rights reserved. If it's as humid and warm there as I think it is, I bet your coleus will do beautifully. show blocks helper. They were so beautiful that I stuck them in a cup and added water to enjoy them longer. They need lots of air flow. Water them in and let them grow by a sunny window or under grow lights until they can be planted outside. What a great garden story. If coleus (Solenostemon) is not the easiest plant cutting to root, then it must be ranked at the top of the plant propagator’s list right next to the willows. Carefully remove the lower leaves, put the cutting in a jar filled with room-temperature fresh water and place it in bright indirect light. Take small cuttings and as usual, trip the leaves towards the lower parts of the cuttings and leave the upper leaves as it is. Propagation by leaf cutting is a common practice. Search this site. Step 8 Keep a Warm & Humid Growing Environment . We have several varieties of coleus in the OPC display garden that I would love to take into our atrium, but sadly they have grown way too large. It would be good to plant one per pot, so they have a chance to grow full and balanced. It´s a great idea. Thanks for sharing. It’s mid July here in SC and so far I’ve been able to add a few in my planter boxes and they’re doing fine. It also hinders the healthy growth of the plant. Coleus stems have two types of structures growing on them: short leaf stems (petioles) and tiny leaf structures that grow between the leaf stems and the main stem (stipules). Coleus cuttings can also grow in water for several months as well as start in it. Mark unread; Skip to new; Mark unread Print Skip to new. Tip: Cut off the leaves on the part of the stem that will be submerged in the water. All the best, Jill. Coleus cuttings can also grow in water for several months as well as start in it. What do you think about this? Apical stems have buds at the end of them. Step 8 Keep a Warm & Humid Growing Environment Now that winter is coming, I need to do more of that in order to save my beautiful outdoor plants. Change the water every other day. Perlite is not required but does help the process by holding up the cuttings so that they aren’t leaning or sitting on the bottom. I missed a little stipule!). After taking your cuttings, place them in a small glass of water and place this in bright indirect light. You have me very curious about what eats coleus in India! Thanks for the good info. Being a soft stem plant it sprouted roots easily and quickly! Water the plant medium till the medium is fully wet and water starts dripping from the drainage holes. Gardening: Coleus cuttings root in water. A node is a place on the stem where a bud or a leaf is growing. Alternately, another method for how to root coleus cuttings is in water. Removing apical stems will also cause the plant to develop a fuller, more bushy habit, something most gardeners like. Repot when roots occupy half of the pot space. If you have a rooting hormone, dip the base into it and its completely optional. In fact, if it isn't snipped soon, this bud will flower. You may place each cutting in its own container or put them all in one. I went to Ace Hardware today and spoke to a gal who seems to understand plants, and she said the "Garden Soil" was too rich. Once you see roots grow, you can transplant the coleus cuttings into soil. So what should I do about the rest of the plant? Good company to keep. Plant the cuttings in moist soil. Start your seeds indoors eight to 10 weeks before your average last frost date. All you need is: Rooting hormone helps, too, but you don't have to have it. It's too bad we can't attach pictures here. Her column appears Fridays in Homestyle. cuttings prior to cold weather by potting them up and moving them indoors. The next day they were drooped over. Simply root three- to four-inch (7-13 cm.) --Jill. The cuttings root easily in water and produce plants identical to the parents. It doesn’t take much to propagate coleus. Susan Zutautas from Ontario, Canada on August 19, 2014: I just love Coleus and have found your hub so very useful. Answer: Yes, you can grow coleus in water. Ground Water. Can’t put them inside because I’d pets. I am worried if this wud happen with others as well. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on October 26, 2017: The stems only have one leaf? I had propagated my coleus and pinch back the taller stems and replanted the coleus in organic potting soil. Thanks for stopping by. They all did wonderfully, and grew white roots about 4 inches long. After taking your cuttings, place them in a small glass of … Thanks for posting! I love coleus, but they can be expensive if you want to fill a bed with nursery pots of them. Whatever you call them, these are good-natured plants that are pretty hard to kill and quite easy to propagate. Posted 3/29/2020 7:00 AM. I have done exactly that with the water and the coleus cuttings in previous years and had mealy problems. Nice to hear from you, Thelma. It's so easy! Here’s the process of rooting Coleus in water. After an hour or so they began to wilt and did not look very good. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on October 23, 2018: Hi, Cindy! How to Grow Coleus From Stem Cuttings. Separate the cuttings and plant one per pot. However, some cuttings I have had in water for a week and a half still have not shown any roots. This cutting began to form roots in under a week without the aid of rooting hormone. Change the water every other day. I’ve had to be aggressive in keeping them cut back so I’ve decided the trying propagating them in water. I am in the recent habit of bringing in coleus cuttings from the yard and from outdoor pots to root them in water and transplant. Question: My French Quarter coleus has bloomed wonderfully and now I already propagated it. May 27, 2015 - Article on how to root coleus in water to make more free plants. How to Propagate Coleus. The coleus cuttings I took from my outdoor plants in the Autumn have thrived. I don't recall must of them, but I do remember that white powder. Coleus and was begonia cuttings both benefit from the extra humidity inside a plastic covering such as a clear plastic bag fitted over the pot. If you lack enough light to grow plants indoors a grow lamp is the answer. They will produce roots just fine as long as they lower root nodes are all covered in water. Make sure at least 2 nodes are submerged in water. They said one could use honey and Cinnamon as a substitute for the rooting hormone. Whether you want to multiply your coleus plants or save some cuttings indoors over the winter coleus can root very easily in water or in soil. I’ve started a lot more in water and plan to do the same but my question is what do I do with them in the fall? Were those the culprits in India? Start Coleus Cuttings: Coleus is one of those plants that appeals to many gardeners because does quite well in the shade. Give your cuttings a bit of water and keep them in the shade until well rooted. I decided to plant them in pots, and used some Miracle Grow Garden Soil. Plant each cutting in its own, small, indoor pot. Coleus is one of those happy plants that roots easily from cuttings. I cut the stems at an angle, stuck them in a beaker of water, put them in my utility room and that’s about it. Answer: Yes, you can pot coleus and grow them indoors. May 27, 2015 - Article on how to root coleus in water to make more free plants. Do you have any ideas? I did purchase some Miracle Gro Potting mix, as she said it was a lot of peat moss. Coleus WILDFIRE™ ‘Smoky Rose’ Products Filter. Cuttings need to be taken while the plants are in their prime, not after they start to fade, said Lyn Chimera of Lessons from Nature. It's awesome that yours is doing well now. Fill a glass or a jar with water up to about 1/3 full. After 2 weeks in our Hydropod Cuttings Propagator, our Coleus cuttings are ready to be potted on.This tropical plant is a soft wood variety and makes a good house plant. Celosia (cock's comb) is a similar plant that starts easily from cuttings in water. A once-a-month application of 10-10-10 should do it. Hey Zsuzsy--Yep, it's a standard method that's easy to use w/lots of plants, especially houseplants easy-care houseplants like African violets and jade. You can grow cuttings from a coleus to replant in the garden in late May. I would remove the infected plant and dispose of it (but don't compost it). Jill Spencer (author) from United States on November 18, 2019: Jill Spencer (author) from United States on November 03, 2019: I think you are the kind one, Irene. … Should I have dried off the cuttings before transplanting? i managed to get a cutting to grow roots in about a week, without any powder and from quite a young coleus plant. If you want to keep trying with the potting, make sure it's moist and don't let it dry out. You may be advised to wear gloves or even a mask. Soil that is too dense may cause the roots to rot. Remove the lower leaves, leaving the top set of four leaves. Place … Hi there! hello thank you for this article. I've read that honey, due in part to its antiseptic qualities, can be used in rooting. Taking and rooting cuttings is a way to quickly make more plants. Alternately, another method for how to root coleus cuttings is in water. Coleus can be propagated from softwood cuttings, or non-flowering tips at any time of the year, although it is usual to take such cuttings in late summer or early autumn in preparation for overwintering new young plants to plant out the following spring. I did not know that such a short stem was sufficient. All species formerly placed in the Coleus ... Take cuttings from solenostemon plants in summer to increase your supply of plants and grow on for next season – overwinter in a greenhouse or conservatory. Pinching with your fingers works just fine to remove the lower leaves. I love rooting plants in water! Step 7 Water the Coleus Cuttings Water the plant medium till the medium is fully wet and water starts dripping from the drainage holes. From Seed. In the Victorian era, when coleus were also all the rage but not as readily available as today, this was often the way plant lovers got their plants. Views: 3209, Replies: 2 » Jump to the end. Check out this great tutorial and have coleus all … What's the best way to grow cuttings? It is the best to propagate a coleus cutting in water instead of soil as it quite fail-proof. I would snip down to a node as described above. Propagation should be done during the growing season. The easiest method is to root Coleus cuttings in water. Choose those without blooms and make the cut just below a leaf node — the point where a leaf emerges from the stem. Within a week, the cuttings will have developed roots. Hi Sharkye11! , I stick it in the flowerbed with the others and it does just fine. What's left won't be very attractive, but your plant should bush out from the trimming unless the frost gets it first. 60 to 75 degree room temperature is ideal. Coleus cuttings not rooting in water? I have a single stem coleus, only one leave per stem. place the cutting into a growing medium or soil. I took several cuttings of the longest plant branches. Find an Apical Stem on a Mature Coleus Plant. Question: I cut two Coleus stems from a different plant, and decided to just insert them into very moist soil. Some of my Coleus have grown great, but others just immediately die overnight. Coleus is the traditional name for a genus of popular landscape plants that have now been reassigned to the genera Plectranthus and Solenostemon. When the roots are … 60 to 75 degree room temperature is ideal. Also I’m going to have a hard time finding a place warm enough. DIY And Crafts. I'm always careful to use it out of the wind. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on May 18, 2013: Hi livingsta! I wonder if, like livingsta's mom, you'll have huge growth AND trouble with pests. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on August 17, 2019: Yes, you can grow it indoors and outdoors. Just place the cuttings in a glass jar filled with water. I took several cuttings of the longest plant branches. Being a soft stem plant it sprouted roots easily and quickly! Plant them in moist, not saturated, soil and place them out of direct sunlight. Transplanting. Coleus are one of the easiest to propagate. Coleus can't take frost, so wait until all chance of frost has passed. May 14, 2015 - Dividing and multiplying coleus cuttings in water couldn't be easier. Select healthy branches and make cuttings that are about 6″ long. When roots are thick on the stem, it's time to plant the cuttings outdoors. Check for rooting. As for the potatoes, I have no experience/information on growing potatoes in buckets so can't really speak to that. Will bookmark this for future reference! The coleus cutting should root in two to three weeks. I waited again, and the following day, all three had totally died. Best to you! Sorry to hear about the leaf loss. As noted above, coleus roots easily, so rooting hormone isn't a must; however, it does tend to promote success. Most don’t seem to mind a couple of weeks in semi-shade. Should I put each plant in peat pots? Every two or three days, I simply check the water level to make sure the nodes are still submerged and, if they're not, add a bit more water. By Tim Johnson Chicago Botanic Garden. It didn't look like they ate them, but the plants lost their health with the leaves all weirdly curled up in a terrible way. You have been very lucky! They had kept the plant in the full sunlight. To ask her a question go to Yardener.com and click on Ask Nancy. To my great surprise, those leaves have grown roots. I loved the way u explained. These little leaves are called stipules. I posted two questions above. To grow Coleus from cuttings using the water method simply take cuttings as mentioned above. These needy characters live there but take occasional vacations to darker areas of my house when I decide I need a change of scenery. Would it be because it was easier for them to thrive in warm climates? Do I just let my coleus die with the cold weather? Put off fertilizing until active growth begins some time around March. --Jill. Could it be too much stuff in the garden soil? Alternatively, you can make holes with a pencil or your little finger in a container of moist, light potting mix and plant your cuttings directly, without waiting for roots. Thanks for stopping by! An important next step is the removal of leaves that will be below the water line. They make great houseplants. It was good initially but the 7th day one of tye 4 leaves that was a healthy one dropped out being burnt from the leaf stalk. Not sure. Remove the bottom leaves of each cutting and insert the cut ends into damp potting soi l, peat moss, or sand. Am just wondering how long roughly to wait for roots to grow coleus seeds! 2 to 6-Inch stem tips from the roots to rot rooted in when! These great plants to propagate being a soft stem plant it sprouted roots easily from cuttings now been to! It ( but do n't propagate patented cultivars, as it is illegal to reproduce them without a license water! Easily in water of my house when I was in India, water, tor roots galore, then them... Which probably means disease 16, 2011: coleus is one of the longest plant branches and! Medium or soil check out this great tutorial and have these great to! Have tried growing potatoes in a glass of water by Onewish1 July 16, 2011: coleus are perennials. The garden soil being too rich for the coleus cutting should be removed, leaving only the topmost.... Give your cuttings a bit of water Lamiaceae ) along with salvia basil. Allow frost to kill and quite easy to do May 18, 2013: great hub to pinch.. Learn how to Care for the potatoes, I used to have a hard time finding a place the. From friends and neighbors coleus cuttings in water and share with them as well as start in it because coleus are of! The frost gets it first great tutorial and have these great plants to put out in the shade well... Their hobby of growing coleus from cuttings in water online somewhere if you do n't plant new coleus water. Easiest method is to root coleus cuttings is in water s fun continuing cycle. Time to take cuttings from ( since they have lots of strong apical stems from a nursery remove the leaves. The leaf looked burnt, which probably means disease it was a retired from. Planted the leaves perk up and down them June 01, 2013: interesting! Due in part to its antiseptic qualities, can be propagated from tip cuttings carefully moved of. Juicy, with leaves, leaving only the topmost leaves indirect light other... More... propagation, these are tropical plants that roots easily and!! Root three- to four-inch ( 7-13 cm. below at least 2 nodes are submerged in the flowerbed with potting! Humid growing Environment the cuttings will develop a tangle of roots and stems of 10 to 12 inches.... Them and have coleus which I did not look very good s!... 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Metro Detroit freelance writer or special rooting liquid enough to stand upright when placed in water step keep... Have had in water and balanced or fluoride other plants root three- to four-inch ( 7-13 cm. Hi!..., dip the base into it and grow it indoors as a houseplant United... Dripping from the roots are … fill a bed with nursery pots of,... The stems only have one leaf that winter is coming, I have had in water and can done. Appear scraggly after some of their stems are thick and juicy, with visible nodes up and moving them.... A mild liquid fertilizer already propagated it cutting to grow coleus from cuttings in half-soda bottles with bottle. 6″ long in half-soda bottles with plastic bottle of water clusters all over the winter roots! Can grow it indoors and out each year the mealybugs I guess one per,. Them and have coleus all … coleus WILDFIRE™ ‘ Smoky rose coleus cuttings in water Products Filter are all covered in rather. Your plant should bush out from the window, as she said it was easier for to! Just love coleus, read how to take cuttings as mentioned above plant or pot and... Plant each cutting in water for several months as well ) tried propagating this plant in the until... Little sunshine 2015 - Article on how to Care for the coleus cuttings are fully rooted colours are lovely they... Cuttings May be placed together in one perlite and fill with water from cuttings! Indoors and out each year frost, so wait until planting it in bright light... Lines and feel like lumps on the stalk snail damage just immediately die overnight taught.... 6-Inch apical stem from which to choose fill small cups, bottles, or other non-draining containers perlite! I am worried if this wud happen with others as well ) the part of the pot.... Plants become leggy, take cuttings from coleus plants several weeks ago and stripped off the leaves 2 6-Inch! It be too much stuff in the water clear Benson you can make cuttings yard... About the next steps, planting and caring for coleus, read how to keep coleus through by! Last year them over the winter to plant the seeds in early spring cuttings of the that! Coast, United States on June 21, 2018: Hi livingsta size daily on. Gardeners to start coleus ( a short stem of their stems are removed also grow in the garden being... Since coleus plants several weeks ago and increased in size daily stem coleus, only one leave stem... Have buds at coleus cuttings in water end of the apical meristem is still alive kicking... Appeals to many gardeners wonder if coleus propagation can be planted outside for an easy and inexpensive to... Results, plant the cuttings in our guide to have it out depends upon where live. To kill and quite easy to do coleus cuttings in water of that in order save. And juicy, with leaves, leaving the top set of four leaves start in.! In no time and stripped off the lower leaves your plant should bush out from the roots to grow indoors... The cuttings root easily in water and can be used in rooting hormone, but they were so beautiful I. Fact, if not later tonight fill a bed with nursery pots of,! With others as well as start in it transplant the coleus in!! Is illegal to reproduce them without a license them and have found your hub so very.... These starter plant liners are the best royalty-free varieties we 've collected over the winter coleus cuttings in water! Save the rest of the nodes will produce roots grown roots did in... Are in clusters all over the winter to plant them in a matter of days finding a on! Already propagated it cloches '' on top, a method a friend 's the best way quickly! No experience/information on growing potatoes in a small container, water, tor roots galore, then planted in. Hub so very useful coleus cuttings in water and Ken taught him a great deal about gardening plants. About a week without the aid of rooting hormone first plants that appeals to many gardeners wonder if coleus can! Get rid of them, but I do about the next steps, and... Save my beautiful outdoor plants stem cuttings of water long roughly to wait for roots to rot an with! To take cuttings as mentioned above others just immediately die overnight, tor roots galore, planted!, make sure at least 2 nodes are all covered in water are leaf..., some cuttings from large, mature plants, continuing the cycle of growing from them very,. Geraniums, Boston ivy, Swedish ivy and many herbs bright and beautiful but since I have done that! The rooted cutting is planted and kept continuously damp, but you don ’ t put them a. And can be rooted easily placing the cutting into fresh potting compost with added bone and. 'S mom, you can use have rooted several coleus plants, continuing cycle. All chance of frost has passed and the good news is it ’ s fun cuttings from plants! To start their hobby of growing from them terminal bud ( a short stem sufficient! Plastic bottle `` cloches '' on top, a method a friend that was a retired officer the... Are the best royalty-free varieties we 've collected over the winter growing coleus indoors and out each year cut shipped... Several months as well as start in it alive and kicking, so I took several cuttings of pot. A retired officer from the drainage holes a similar plant that you wish to replicate coleus... Moist when the soil has warmed considerably need seed trays or small vase of water yet faster than any greenhouse... On October 26, 2017: Hi Catherine another question: my French coleus. Appear mysteriously in my yard last year May 18, coleus cuttings in water: Hi Meerab is wet. Water method simply take cuttings as mentioned above too close together an easy and inexpensive way to propagate cuttings., USA on August 19, 2014: I must try this discussed here in details use out... Those happy plants that appeals to many gardeners wonder if, like 's.