I would snip down to a node as described above. I loved the way u explained. Thanks for the shares! Mature plants are not only easiest to get good cuttings from (since they have lots of strong apical stems from which to choose! By Tim Johnson Chicago Botanic Garden. A node is a place on the stem where a bud or a leaf is growing. Answer: You're more likely to be successful if you dip the cuttings in rooting hormone first. Growing Coleus Using Water. Would it be because it was easier for them to thrive in warm climates? Remove the bottom leaves of each cutting and insert the cut ends into damp potting soil, peat moss, or sand. 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. Answer: Did you place the plants in direct sun? Once you see roots grow, you can transplant the coleus cuttings into soil. Thanks for commenting! Fill up pots with premium potting mix and place in a shallow saucer of water Make holes in the mix using a dibber (a pencil or a stick) Place cuttings in the holes, you can put multiple cuttings in the same pot. Coleus is very sensitive to even the mildest of frosts. When you set it out depends upon where you live. We think alike! Under different circumstances, I would much prefer to stick cuttings right into pots. Is there any way that a new plant could grow from the roots if I planted the leaves? 1. If you want to keep trying with the potting, make sure it's moist and don't let it dry out. Remove the Lower Leaves From the Stem. Hi there! An easy way to get the plants to establish a root system is to place the cuttings in water and be sure to change the water frequently. They are in clusters all over the stems and mostly under the leaves. You have been very lucky! Benjamin R Montgomery Do I just let my coleus die with the cold weather? cuttings prior to cold weather by potting them up and moving them indoors. All the best, Jill. 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! Jill Spencer (author) from United States on March 22, 2018: Hi Meerab! Some of my Coleus have grown great, but others just immediately die overnight. At that point, I was not having mealy problems with my houseplants, so I was worried that they would get mealies from the coleus cuttings. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on October 26, 2017: The stems only have one leaf? You don't need a fancy soil mix or special rooting liquid. You might want to add a little charcoal to keep the water clear. I placed them in each pot, added water, and waited. Cut off a 2 to 6-Inch Apical Stem Below a Node. My Coleus I planted in the Potting Mix is still alive and kicking, so I figure we must have found the answer. After transplanting our Gardening Angel James has moved the Coleus into our Vitopod Heated Propagator to keep warm and avoid moisture loss while the roots establish themselves. The cuttings I took were generous, about 10” or so, because I want the plant to have a jump up on the season. Question: I don't want to put my coelus plant in soil as it looks lovely in the bottle, can it survive in water for long? Jill. Thank you for your kindness. Place cutting in water. This cutting began to form roots in under a week without the aid of rooting hormone. Step 8 Keep a Warm & Humid Growing Environment . , I stick it in the flowerbed with the others and it does just fine. Coleus are one of the easiest to propagate. I figured perhaps transplanting shock. 60 to 75 degree room temperature is ideal. Be sure you're not overwatering the others and be sure they are not too close together. Answer: Your plant might need fertilizer. These starter plant liners are the best royalty-free varieties we've collected over the years. What am I doing wrong? Tip: Cut off the leaves on the part of the stem that will be submerged in the water. Question: Another question: I was instructed on rose growing from the stem by inserting them into potatoes. The Coleus needs to be started slowly with more of a Peatmoss style. The roots will appear in a matter of days. Do you have any ideas? It would be good to plant one per pot, so they have a chance to grow full and balanced. You will know it is rooted when you see new growth on the coleus cutting. Posted 3/29/2020 7:00 AM. 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. From Seed. To grow Coleus from cuttings using the water method simply take cuttings as mentioned above. They said one could use honey and Cinnamon as a substitute for the rooting hormone. Transitioning the coleus cuttings from water directly to soil can be a shock to the plant sometimes and you may not get the best results. on May 15, 2013: Very interesting, Jill. Pinching with your fingers works just fine to remove the lower leaves. So I took a couple cuttings recently- larger ones with 4 or 5 leaf sections. It's so pretty for fall. So, I shall attempt using it. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on May 15, 2013: Awesome, RTalloni! Coleus stems are square by the way. When selecting an apical stem from which to take a coleus ... 2. Thanks for stopping by! Question: I took cuttings from coleus plants several weeks ago and stripped off the lower leaves. Susan Zutautas from Ontario, Canada on August 19, 2014: I just love Coleus and have found your hub so very useful. Her column appears Fridays in Homestyle. Solenostemon varieties to try. Coleus is the traditional name for a genus of popular landscape plants that have now been reassigned to the genera Plectranthus and Solenostemon. 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. Well, Jill, I tried the potting mix and planted a Coleus from a water bottle to it, (the Coleus had gotten some roots on it,) and since yesterday it has not drooped over. Coleus can't take frost, so wait until all chance of frost has passed. I transplanted the cutting into fresh potting compost with added bone meal and left them in the shade. How are you doing? The potting mix should be moist when the rooted cutting is planted and kept continuously damp, but not sodden. May 14, 2015 - Dividing and multiplying coleus cuttings in water couldn't be easier. Love when that happens (and they're not weed). I used a liquid fertiliser and they are showing a bit of an improvement. Answer: Yes, you could allow frost to kill the plant or pot it and grow it indoors as a houseplant. I'm always careful to use it out of the wind. I do feel that it is easier to root plant cuttings in water than doing so in soil because you don't have to worry about the cuttings wilting with lack of water or drying up from the direct sun outdoors. Putting cuttings of anything in water would rarely be my first choice, but it happens to be, to me, the easiest way to save Coleus since I have a ton of house plants and want to save massive quantities of stems in only the space on windowsills. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on March 07, 2017: Hi Catherine. If plants become leggy, take cuttings and begin again. And the good news is it’s pretty easy to do. But all is not lost because Coleus are tender perennials that root easily in water and can be propagated from tip cuttings. I decided to plant them in pots, and used some Miracle Grow Garden Soil. I did purchase some Miracle Gro Potting mix, as she said it was a lot of peat moss. Be sure to firm the medium around the base of the cutting by pressing your fingers down and around all the sides of the cutting. If the heat goes on in the house, tenting the plant with a large clear plastic bag to make a sort of greenhouse or placing it on a pebble tray filled with water will help keep the air humid and help the cutting to thrive. Now, it is time to take cuttings from these indoor plants, continuing the cycle of growing coleus indoors and out each year. The soil method below works just as well. Among other plants that can be rooted in water are fancy leaf geraniums, Boston ivy, Swedish Ivy and many herbs. I love coleus, but they can be expensive if you want to fill a bed with nursery pots of them. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on May 16, 2013: Hi rajan jolly--Yes, it's a good plant for beginning propagators as they're almost certain to be successful. May 27, 2015 - Article on how to root coleus in water to make more free plants. Coleus cuttings not rooting in water? Coleus Facts. This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. The cuttings root easily in water and produce plants identical to the parents. 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! Place them somewhere they'll get indirect light. Jill Spencer (author) from United States on May 18, 2013: Hi livingsta! When roots are thick on the stem, it's time to plant the cuttings outdoors. When using rooting hormone, always follow the directions on the label. Is there anything I can do to save the rest of the stem left. It's a great time of year to start coleus. I am just wondering how long roughly to wait until planting it in the garden? 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