A friend gave me this cutting. He doesn't know what it is and says keep it indoor, but I am not sure. Can anyone tell me what it is so that I can grow and look after it properly? Is it an indoor or outdoor plant?
Coleus are quite easy to grow from seed and the leaves can be all sorts of lovely colours. Remove the blue flowers when they appear (best to remove the buds before they open). The plant dies when its finished flowering, so the idea is to stop it flowering, and keep it growing.
If you like this little plant have a go yourself next year. You can also take cuttings from your plant. If you break off a shoot that's 3-4" long and pop it in a glass of water, in about a week, you'll see little roots and you can pot it up.
3 coleus in a pot last year -
Last edited: 21 July 2016 09:26:34
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Thanks wakeshine. They're easy to grow, but frost will kill them.
They like a bright position, but not keen on being in full sun all day. It'll be fine outside, but may get attacked by beasties until it gets bigger, so a bright windowsill is an alternative. Thy're not long lived plants (half-hardy annual) but lovely while they last.
Good luck.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
With a bit of luck you could keep it going for a few years, but they tend to get weaker and look a bit naff after a while. Their sole intent is to produce seed, so they will keep trying to flower and put more energy into flowering than growing (during autumn), then tbh it's time to chuck them out as they'll start loosing leaves and not looking so pretty.
They are classed as tender perennials, but most people treat them as half-hardy annuals.
If you're able to take cuttings then that's a better bet, but I usually start afresh each year with seed as it's difficult keeping them happy over winter, but I have kept cuttings in water on the window sill over winter and they were ok the following year.
Give it a go.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Verdun but it's so small - just one stalk. I already moved it form a yoghurt container it was given to me in, into this pot. Do you really think I need to put it into an even bigger pot? I don't remember seeing many roots on this...? In fact even at my friend's house when he had it - it's been the same size for ages. You think it needs to go into the ground?
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Looks like coleus, not winter hardy.
Coleus are quite easy to grow from seed and the leaves can be all sorts of lovely colours.
Remove the blue flowers when they appear (best to remove the buds before they open). The plant dies when its finished flowering, so the idea is to stop it flowering, and keep it growing.
If you like this little plant have a go yourself next year.
You can also take cuttings from your plant. If you break off a shoot that's 3-4" long and pop it in a glass of water, in about a week, you'll see little roots and you can pot it up.
3 coleus in a pot last year -
Last edited: 21 July 2016 09:26:34
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
That's really beautiful Pete8. Thanks for all the advice. Shall I keep this cutting outside now and then bring in later?
Thanks wakeshine. They're easy to grow, but frost will kill them.
They like a bright position, but not keen on being in full sun all day. It'll be fine outside, but may get attacked by beasties until it gets bigger, so a bright windowsill is an alternative.
Thy're not long lived plants (half-hardy annual) but lovely while they last.
Good luck.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
They do look lovely in summer bedding. That potted one looks superb. Such colour.
When you say they don't last very long, how long do they actually last? A few years? Thank you.
With a bit of luck you could keep it going for a few years, but they tend to get weaker and look a bit naff after a while. Their sole intent is to produce seed, so they will keep trying to flower and put more energy into flowering than growing (during autumn), then tbh it's time to chuck them out as they'll start loosing leaves and not looking so pretty.
They are classed as tender perennials, but most people treat them as half-hardy annuals.
If you're able to take cuttings then that's a better bet, but I usually start afresh each year with seed as it's difficult keeping them happy over winter, but I have kept cuttings in water on the window sill over winter and they were ok the following year.
Give it a go.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I will give it a go, thank you
Verdun but it's so small - just one stalk. I already moved it form a yoghurt container it was given to me in, into this pot. Do you really think I need to put it into an even bigger pot? I don't remember seeing many roots on this...? In fact even at my friend's house when he had it - it's been the same size for ages. You think it needs to go into the ground?