Coleus: growing from seeds at home, planting and care in the open field, photo. Planting and caring for Coleus in the open field, methods of reproduction, photo

The adorable Coleus is a nettle, but not one that stings, but a decorative function. This culture is considered both indoor and garden, so you can enjoy the colorful and colorful appearance of the plant both indoors and outdoors.

It will not be difficult to grow a Coleus with your own hands, and there will be no problems at all if you know how to properly care for it. More on this later.

A little about Coleus

Nettles came to us from the island of Java Coleus. The name from the Greek "kleos" - case, scissors, possibly because of the structure of the flower. It has about 150 species, the leaves are somewhat similar to nettles, therefore it is popularly called "nettle".

Has a varied color - light lemon, velvety black and purple, burgundy and many others up to four color combinations, while pleasing with extremely beautiful patterns that are not similar to any other plants.

The leaves of some species can reach 15 cm in length, so such coleus cannot but amaze with their beauty. Moreover, some varieties are quite hardy, others are injured from the slightest draft.

Popular varieties

As mentioned above, there are about 150 varieties of Coleus, the most popular are the following:

According to the colored leaves and the variety of patterns on them:

Blum's coleus hybrids;
dwarf coleus hybrids, the height of which does not exceed 30 cm;
hybrids of Coleus Fershaffelt - has large and very colorful leaves.

By the shape of the leaves:

split - Inky Fingers, Wisley Tapestry;
crumpled - Pineapple Beauty;
the most popular of the standard varieties is Paisley Shawl, with large leaves, wide white borders, and rose-crimson strokes;
elongated, cut and wrinkled leaves are of the Wisley Flame cultivar.

By the shape of growth:

upright;
ampelous - hanging. The most popular cultivar is Wisley Tapestry, which has small split leaves that turn red-yellow in the sun. An interesting hanging variety is the Royal Scot, which pleases with its bright color of leaves throughout the year.

Growing nettles

Nettle can be grown in the following ways:

rooting cuttings;
sowing seeds.

The first method is uncomplicated, but still, most people prefer growing by seeds.

Growing rules from seeds

The most favorable period for sowing seeds is March. The optimal planting capacity is wooden box, the depth of which should be approximately 10 cm.

After choosing a container, it is important to prepare the soil for planting, its composition should be as follows:

three pieces of leafy land;
one piece of sod land;
one piece of sand.

Important!
Carefully consider the choice of seeds, they must be fresh.
The low price indicates poor quality, so it is better not to buy such seeds.
Before sowing, decontaminate, thereby you will facilitate further cultivation, the instructions on the label will help you with sowing.

The preparation of seeds is as follows - soak them for a quarter of an hour in potassium permanganate diluted with water. After that, the seedlings must be thoroughly dried, if they crumble, then they are already dry. The material is now ready for planting.

The soil is placed in a container and slightly moistened. The seeds are evenly spread over the surface of the soil, then slightly pressed. After that, you can sprinkle it with a 4-5 mm layer of soil.

When the seeds are planted, they must be covered with foil or placed under glass to create a greenhouse effect. For capacity you need to find warm place, where the temperature regime of 22-25 degrees will be observed. It is important to open the soil daily for ventilation and to moisten it as it dries.

If everything is observed, then in a week you will notice the first shoots.

Subtleties of seedling care

When the plant just rises, it must be carefully looked after, long-term lighting plays an especially important role in the early days. It is better if you transfer the containers with seedlings to a light windowsill, where there will be diffused light.

It is imperative to carry out a picking of the sprouts, do it for the normal future development of the plant. As soon as you notice that the first full-fledged leaves have appeared on the sprouts, immediately dive them in separate containers, for this they are suitable.

Growing coleus in the garden is a pleasure, and the result will delight for a long time

Coleus seedlings are very fond of bright diffused light, which is vital for them. Be sure to observe the temperature of 21-23 degrees. If these conditions are not met, then the sprouts will begin to stretch, from which they only weaken.

Important!
Start feeding seedlings a couple of weeks after diving.
It is better to choose complex fertilizers.
The quantity should be 3-4 times less than indicated in the instructions.
Be sure to moisten the soil before spreading.

When the seedlings get stronger, they can be transferred to a well-lit balcony, but only on condition that it is warm there, the best time June - when there will be no more frosts. For permanent residence - in a garden, it is better to relocate in mid-late June. It is important to choose a well-lit place, protected from wind and drafts.

Plant care

Care is an important component when growing Coleus. There are no difficulties. First of all, it is important to remember that the plant is very fond of warmth and bright light, which means that it needs to provide exactly these conditions for growth. If everything goes well, then as a result you will get perfect bushes - lush, colorful with bright correct shape leaves.

However, do not forget that Coleus absolutely does not like direct sunlight, which is even harmful to the plant. If the weather is very dry, try to water the nettle abundantly and create shade if possible.

V summer time, especially on dry days, moisture from the soil is actively evaporating, so be sure to replenish the water balance of the soil. The best method- spraying with water at room temperature, but there is also a nuance here - if the weather is sunny, create a shade before spraying, because the droplets in the sun play the role of a lens, which can even lead to the burning of leaves by the sun's rays.

Trimming Coleus is a very important procedure

Feed Coleus regularly - since this plant is a fast growing fertilizer, you need to apply at least once a week. In the cool season, it is necessary to reduce watering, as this can begin to rot. root system, and it is better to exclude spraying altogether.

Note!
If the coleus blooms often enough, it means that the plant grows in unsuitable conditions for it.

Outcomes

Everyone can grow this pretty plant. Simple maintenance rules - watering, a place protected from drafts, light, warmth and pruning will help you achieve excellent results... Coleus will transform your garden by bringing a variety of colors to it. The video in this article will supplement the information on caring for Coleus.

All indoor Coleus descended from the Coleus Scutellarioides species, including the Coleus Bloom hybrid, on the basis of which numerous forms and varieties were bred, including the popular Coleus red and Coleus purple.

Coleus (indoor nettle): flower description. Complexity, whimsicality, availability of cultivation

Coleus leaves have an oval shape, resembling an egg. The edges are serrated, there are varieties with wavy, fringed, curly edges and a wide variety of colors. Leaves of varieties that are decorative, grow up to 15 cm. Stems are tetrahedral.

Most of the Coleus resembles nettle in appearance, for which they received the popular name - nettle.

Flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences, have white, bluish and yellowish shades. The pistil at the base is closed with stamens, which grow together into a tube: hence the "coleus": translated as "case".

Features of growing a plant

Breeding Coleus is not a problem. The plant is available to everyone due to its ease of propagation. Because of this, he is called the "poor man's croton."

Coleus- a houseplant, but it is successfully grown in flower beds.

Coleus are grown both at home and in flower beds, on balconies and loggias.

Planting methods

If coleuses grown from seeds are planned to be placed in the garden, then they are hardened before that: they begin to take them outside during the day, when at this time of the day the temperature starts to hold at 10-15 degrees. This is also the case with coleus grown from cuttings. In the flowerbed, a distance of 10 to 15 cm is left between the seedlings, depending on the variety.

If the coleus are grown for boxes on a balcony or loggia, then they are planted there in 10 cm increments. If the coleus are different in color, then a planting system is developed to achieve maximum decorativeness.

Coleus grown in rooms are planted in small pots. In order to achieve greater bushiness in short time To make it easier to form a bush, several plants are planted in one planter at once, both of the same color of leaves, and different.

Coleus plants are tropical, so they do not tolerate the slightest cold snap. You can plant them in open ground only when the nights are warm enough, usually in early June.

Boxes with coleus on the balcony can be displayed already at the beginning of May, if warm days have come, but they are brought into the house at night.

Coleus for indoor growing planted in pots as soon as they reach 15 m in height when propagated by seeds or take root during vegetative propagation. This is done in March or early April and, as a result, they have beautiful plant summer.

In a pot intended for planting, good drainage is arranged: coleuses love abundant watering, but do not tolerate liquid stagnation.

Soil for planting

There are no specific recommendations for soil composition for this flower. But do not take the poor and heavy. It is better to grow the plant in sod or leafy ground, and a light garden one will do. You can pour humus into the pot, which will help build up the leaf mass.

Important! It is ideal to plant in a mixture of equal parts of sand, peat, humus and turf or leafy soil.

Although caring for Coleus is considered easy, there are still some subtleties and nuances that should be known and taken into account.

Location and lighting for the plant

This flower loves light and sun. At poor lighting he begins to stretch out and throw off the leaves. But with an excess of sun, it stops growing and loses the brightness of the leaves.

To place it, they choose light, but slightly shaded places in the garden and keep it on the eastern or western window sills in the room. It is recommended to turn the pot sometimes so that the bush is even.

Advice! You should also know that green coleus requires less sun than specimens with variegated leaves.

Air humidity

Like all people from the tropics, coleus do not tolerate dry air... But with frequent spraying, they grow well in the room.

Temperature regime

Coleus do not like temperature changes. They grow successfully at 20-24 degrees.

How to properly water the plant

Coleus loves moisture. It should be watered with warm soft water, in summer the soil should always be wet, in winter you can wait for the top layer of the earthen coma to dry out before watering. Coleus loves frequent spraying and warm showers. In the garden, it is watered from a watering can with a fine strainer so that water is constantly on the leaves. This watering is done only in the evening.

Fertilizing and fertilizing a flower

Plants planted in a sufficiently fertile soil in the garden do not require feeding, but they respond gratefully to watering with mineral fertilizers with a high potassium content. It is useful to water coleus both growing on the street and in the room with nettle infusion.

A home flower is fed weekly with complex fertilizers in the summer, and less often in winter, twice a month, and the nutrient solution is made twice as weak. This helps the plants not to stretch.

The plant needs regular pruning for different reasons:

in order to stop growth: such pruning is done as the plant grows, as soon as it reaches the right size, it is cut off, thus forcing it not to grow in height, but to actively increase the green mass;
two to three weeks after picking for more tillering;
to form a bush: coleus can easily be given the required shape, but pruning for this purpose is done when the plant is lush enough;
seasonal pruning: carried out in the spring in overwintered Coleus, since due to a lack of light, most of them stretch out and lose their decorative effect, they are cut off dramatically, leaving two or three buds on the trunk;
for the purpose of cuttings for planting: young shoots are not suitable for this, old ones are cut out, it is best to take those located closer to the crown.

Coleus transplant

Coleus do not require frequent transplanting, their root system does not differ in power.

Transplant methods

Most often, the plant is grown as an annual crop, so it does not come to transplanting. But if the flower is preserved in winter, then in the spring it should be transplanted into a larger pot, because the roots are already getting cramped, it is impossible to achieve intensive growth.

Coleus easily tolerates a transplant; it should be done after the seasonal pruning of the plant.

The plant is also trans-shipped. If the flower pot is large enough, but the plant is in it more than a year, it is necessary to renew the soil. Coleus is removed, the roots are lightly shaken off and placed in a pot of the same size, but all the empty space is filled with new soil.

Subtleties of reproduction

Coleus reproduce so easily that many growers prefer to leave one or two plants for the winter with the aim of vegetative propagation, and sometimes they throw everything away with the onset of autumn and in the spring they get new plants from seeds.

Seed propagation The easiest way. Seeds of even rare varieties have almost one hundred percent germination.

First, a sowing substrate is prepared, usually peat mixed with sand. The substrate is laid out in shallow bowls, moistened and the seeds are sown. Considering that almost all of them will sprout, the seeds are laid out at some distance from each other, it is enough to do this with a step of 2-3 mm. Sprinkle them thin layer soil and sprayed from a spray bottle.

You can cover the dish with glass or put it in a plastic bag. Further care will consist in watering, and if the bowl is covered, then also in airing. Seeds sprout almost simultaneously in 10-12 days.

At first, shoots of any variety will be green. Coloration appears later. A container with young shoots is placed on a light windowsill, it is desirable that there are no drafts and the temperature does not drop below 20 degrees.

Seedlings grow quickly, and it is important not to hesitate with a pick, otherwise the plants will stretch out. Therefore, after the appearance of two or three leaves, they are dived in increments of at least 3-4 cm. The seedlings tolerate this procedure easily. When the plants grow up to 15-20 cm, they are planted in a permanent place.

Propagation by cuttings carried out both in the fall, when the plant is provided with good lighting, and at the end of winter, in order to have a full-fledged plant by spring. Cut the cuttings, put them in water. Roots appear quickly. Can be dissolved in water and phytohormones. Coleus is planted in the ground after the roots appear.

Reproduction by sheets not common.

Coleus bloom. The shape of the leaves can be seen in the photo.

The flowers of this plant are small, often white, with a bluish tinge. The ears are complex in shape. They are not decorative. It is very difficult to get high-quality seeds at home, therefore practical application flowers have no. It is recommended to cut them: they take food and strength from the Coleus - flowering takes place at the expense of decorativeness. They can bloom from March to September.

Coleus problems, diseases, pests

Insects are found on the back of the leaves. A signal that the Coleus is possibly infected is discoloration and deformation of the leaves. For treatment, it is necessary to cut out the affected parts of the flower and treat the plant with an insecticide.

The main cultivation and disease problems are associated with defects in care:

decay of the lower part of the stem: stagnant moisture due to lack of drainage;
the ends of the leaves become brown: dry air, little watering;
leaves fall off the coleus: low temperature, drafts;
light spots are visible on the leaves: direct sunlight;
leaves lose brightness: lack of lighting;
coleus slows down growth: too poor soil.

Popular species (varieties)

To date, more than 100 varieties of Coleus are known in indoor floriculture.

There are bush and ampelous forms, dwarf varieties however, the latter are still rare.

The most popular types:

Dark Chocolate: leaves are dark brown;
Black Dragon: almost black leaves with strongly fringed edges;
Fantasy: the leaves have many colors and shades, they are strongly twisted, cut almost in half;
Velvet of the night: dark reddish brown leaves with heavily jagged edges;
Jade Wizard: leaves of two contrasting colors: bright green and bright yellow.
Blume: variety with a huge variety of leaf colors;
Vershaffelt: this coleus has the largest leaves;
Pomilus: dwarf form of coleus;
Coleus Scarlet: characterized by an intense, mostly monochrome color;
Coleus Henna: interesting coloring, green with specks;
Coleus Wizard: has velvety leaves with different colors.

As a rule, the leaves of the Coleus have a bright variegated color, so that it plays with all the colors, it is necessary that the leaves of neighbors on the windowsill or flowerbed are monochrome. In the garden, it looks great in the neighborhood with gray fescue and cineraria.
In winter, it is better to put Coleus on the kitchen windowsill.
In order to calculate the planting time of the Coleus, you need to know that the plant acquires enough decorative view 5 months after planting.
If the flower is dried, it has lost tugor (the leaves have become soft), then it is necessary to water it abundantly and spray. The plant will quickly return to its original form.
The higher the temperature, the more watering.
It is better to plant small-leaved coleus in the garden: they grow faster and cover the entire allotted space.

Video

Coleus: features of care

Answers on questions

What is the lifespan of a plant?

Coleus houses can grow for several years, but no one keeps them for so long. The flower requires constant rejuvenation. Even with a cardinal "stump" pruning, they should not be kept for more than two years.

Can this plant be kept at home?

Coleus is a plant with good energy. It is ideal for indoor cultivation. The answer to the question: why it is impossible to keep at home is not.

Is this flower poisonous?

Coleus is completely harmless. They will not poison either children or pets, even if they eat it.

Why do the leaves of Coleus turn yellow (dry)?

This happens for several reasons, described in the "Diseases and Pests" section.

Why do Coleus leaves curl?

Why does Coleus shed its leaves?

Shedding of leaves can occur due to any defect in grooming.

How does the plant overwinter?

Unpretentious, hardy, able to live both indoors and in open ground, bright - coleus - a plant that can be called almost perfect.

Growing features

The only prerequisite for growing good, healthy Coleus is light. Sunlight affects the color, growth, volume of the plant. Therefore, before growing Coleus, choose a well-lit area for it.

At the same time, other important factors also affect the cultivation of Coleus:

temperature;
air humidity;
, if it comes about home growing;
priming;
fertilizer and others.

Growing Coleus at home is not difficult. There are two types of plant propagation: by cuttings and with the help of seeds. You can cut off the top with several leaves from an adult plant, place it in a glass of water and in just a week the plant will give roots, after which it can be planted in a separate pot.

For growing coleus from seeds, a not very deep pot with drainage holes is suitable. It is better to take a mixture of peat, sand, small sphagnum as a soil. Seeds are suitable both store and collected with your own hands. Coleus rises very well and quickly. The seeds are simply spread evenly over the surface of the soil, slightly moistened, and then the pot is covered with foil. The container itself is placed on a windowsill or light is artificially created for the plant. The best time to sow seeds is March.

In just a month and a half, the plant will give several good solid leaves, painted in the color corresponding to the variety. Coleus loves a lot of light, but too scorching sun will not suit him, remember this when you grow the plant at home. Coleus loves when its leaves are sprayed, but in the hot season, before this procedure, the plant must be transferred to the shade. In winter, Coleus is watered less often so that the root does not start to rot, and it is better to spray it altogether.

Coleus: planting and care in the open field

The cold weather has literally ended and the time has been read when you can sow Coleus. Find a well-ventilated and well-lit area for him. Let a shadow fall on the bushes sometimes to avoid direct rays scorching sun... Then, in the ground, you need to make small holes at the same distance, add a little fertilizer and planting the Coleus in open ground can begin. After planting, the beds need to be watered, but do not overdo it. That, in general, is all with the landing.

Caring for Coleus outdoors is very simple - the main thing is not to forget to water. Coleus does not like drought; it is also useful to spray the leaves. To make the plant grow and grow better - once a summer give it a "haircut". Coleus has no special requirements for the soil, the plant is really unpretentious, and can grow both in the ground and in sawdust and even sand. But sometimes top dressing will not hurt him. Therefore, in the store you can buy a special mineral fertilizer and "feed" the Coleus. You will find fertilizer instructions on the packaging.

Plant pests and diseases

Coleus is practically not disturbed by pests, therefore it is not necessary to spray it. Sometimes they appear, but they can be easily removed plain water... It can also appear on the coleus. It can be collected by hand.

Coleus, like any other plant, can also hurt, but proper care will avoid such troubles. For example, with constant exposure to sunlight, the plant may lose color, if it is not enough to water the coleus, it may lose leaves, and if there is a lack of light, the plant will stretch and the leaves will turn yellow. By the way, varieties with white and light leaves are perfectly tolerated by direct sunlight, but they are worse with green ones. If the coleus grows slowly, which is uncharacteristic for it, it means that the plant does not have enough feeding.

So, planting and subsequent care of the Coleus in the open field include the following:

If the Coleus is planned to be grown for only a year, then there is no need to transplant the plant. In another case, Coleus is transplanted every two or three years. If we are talking about indoor coleus, then it needs to be transplanted into another pot, larger and into new soil. For the winter, Coleus is often taken from the garden to the home winter Garden... In the spring, they are planted again in their summer cottage.

A little about the types of Coleus

As you can see, care after planting the Coleus in the open field consists literally in several points, their implementation will provide you with a beautiful country cottage area... By the way, Coleus is very often used in landscape design. The plant combines perfectly with other flowers, very easy to care for, helps to create amazing ones.

Coleus looks good with ivy, verbena, sage, cuff, yarrow and others. Its varieties, and there are almost 150 of them, help to diversify compositions, refresh them, give bright colors. Coleus species differ in plant height, color, leaf shape, bush splendor.

Original coleus "rainbow" - green, burgundy, red and yellow shades are mixed in the leaves of the plant. "Black Dragon" has fringes along the edge of the leaves, the leaves themselves are dark red, with beautiful patterns. The Renelta cultivar has a matte red leaf tint and a deep green edging.

Growing coleus , or as it is also called homemade or colored nettles, brings one continuous pleasure, let's sum up:

Coleus loves the sun;
the shrub loves moisture;
Coleus can be grown using cuttings or seeds;
the plant needs mineral feeding;
the shrub must be trimmed;
protect it from pests.

Decorative Coleus will bring a touch of positiveness and diversify your garden plot or a kitchen window sill. With the help of coleus, they create insanely beautiful flower beds, and even flower drawings. By the way, Coleus brings not only aesthetic pleasure, but is also used in folk medicine... Coleus has a positive effect on metabolism, normalizes its action, and generally improves health.

Landing Coleus in detail on the video

See the seeds of several varieties and how they are planted experienced gardeners, you can within the framework of this video:

The coleus plant has gained great popularity in the field of decorative floriculture largely due to its undemanding and ease of care. A flower grows quickly if it is warm and light enough. In just one season, Coleus acquires a lush cap of colorful leaves. In this article, we will share with you some recommendations for growing a beautiful crop at home.

Coleus varieties

Coleus is an ornamental-deciduous shrub plant, of the labiate family.

Coleus has tetrahedral stems and broadly oval opposite leaves, serrated at the edges.

The homeland of Coleus is tropical Africa and Asia.

Coleus Bluma Homeland - the island of Java. There are an incredible variety of Coleus blumei hybrids out there. Plant height is usually 35-70 cm, there are also dwarf varieties.

Coleus hybrid herbaceous perennial plant up to 50-80 cm tall. The stem is erect, branching, tetrahedral, juicy, finely pubescent. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, oval or broadly ovate with a truncated or cordate base, often wavy along the edge, crenate, less often shallowly indented.

Home care for Coleus

At home, Coleus loves loose soil with a high nitrogen content. It feels great planted in a mixture of sand, peat, leafy and sod land, taken in equal amounts. Without the required amount nitrogen, the plant will begin to emit peduncles and become smaller.

Since Coleus is tropical plant then he prefers wet air... However, being unpretentious, it can adapt to drier air at home. In this case, its leaves must be sprayed with a settled warm water... Spraying is not required for Coleus in winter.

Coleus landing

Planting and caring for the plant outdoors is simple and the landscape is stunning. During the season, the plant manages to create a bush of beautiful velvet leaves, iridescent with multicolored ornament. With the shape of a ribbed stem and serrated leaves, Coleus resembles a nettle and has received an affectionate popular nickname - “nettle”. Coleus is prized for the decorative leaves of various color combinations, fast growth and unpretentious care. In autumn evergreen coleus, will take care at home with gratitude, continuing to delight with bright foliage.

Coleus lighting

Coleus is a light-loving plant, it needs quite bright lighting and even direct sunlight. However, in hot weather, it is better to put the flowerpot in the shade for several hours during the day, this will help to avoid the appearance of burns on the leaves.

The foliage will tell you how comfortable the lighting is for the Coleus. Cultivars with red and white leaves tolerate bright, direct sun much more easily. A pot with such bushes is best placed on the south or east window. The best choice for all other varieties, the windows of the western orientation are considered.

Air humidity for Coleus

Coleus loves high humidity air. When kept dry, Coleus leaves become lethargic, lose turgor, after which the leaves may fall off. Therefore, try to spray the leaves more often.

Coleus temperature

Coleus is a thermophilic plant. In winter, room temperatures below +160 C can be considered critical. At a lower temperature regime, the Coleus will lose its foliage, and if there is also waterlogging of the soil, you can completely lose the plant.

Watering the Coleus

There is no need to water the Coleus on a specific schedule. All that is required for normal plant growth is to regularly monitor the soil. To do this, you need to try it by touch. If the soil is slightly dry, then the flower can be watered. Watering intensity in summer, spring and autumn is approximately the same interval. Spraying can also be carried out in the summer.

In winter, at a room temperature of 14-16 degrees, watering the Coleus is reduced to a minimum. In this case, you must be as careful as possible. Indeed, even with low temperatures the soil is prone to drying out. And this, in turn, can lead to diseases.

Fertilizer for Coleus

regularly from March to September they are fed with a solution of mineral fertilizers for decorative leafy indoor plants.

Top dressing: in the spring and summer (during the period of intensive growth) with organic or mineral fertilizers, preferably potash (0.3-0.5 g per 1 liter of water) once a week. V winter time the concentration of the solution is reduced by half, fertilized once every 3-4 weeks.

Pruning: it is recommended to pinch the apical shoots of Coleus to enhance bushiness. In February, the coleus should be cut into a stump, leaving 5-8 eyes for a new growth.

Dormant period: in winter. The plant is kept in a warm place in bright light, watered moderately.

Coleus pruning

Annually, in early spring coleus should be drastically cut off, and the resulting new cuttings should be transplanted into a light, nutritious flower land... In an adult plant, part of the roots is removed during transplantation and the root collar is deepened. In this case, the coleus forms new young processes on the stem. Regular corrective pruning is required during the entire growing season, which lasts in the spring and summer period. By removing the elongated shoots, you can easily give the bushes a compact decorative shape.

Coleus transplant

Coleus are grown both at home and in flower beds, in flower beds, on balconies and loggias.

Reproduction of coleus

The best time to start planting seeds is early spring. Cultivation can be carried out in plastic containers... You will need:

sand; garden land; ready-made soil for seedlings; Remember to make drainage holes in the plastic tray. The bottom of the container should be laid out with small pebbles or fine-grained expanded clay. The thickness of the drainage layer is 1 cm.

Mix the soil components in equal proportions, gently level, moisten with a sprayer. The usual number of seeds in a ready-made seedling bag is about two dozen. Arrange them evenly in the tray, planting them to a depth of 2 mm.

Better to cover the container with a transparent film. Cultivation should be carried out at a room temperature of at least 22 degrees.

Growing coleus cuttings

When you cut Coleus, you are left with cuts that you can use for grafting. The stalk should be about 10 cm long. You need to remove the leaves from its bottom and stick it into wet soil or sand, cover with plastic or plastic bottle and keep in the shade at a temperature of 18-20 ºC. The roots will appear in 8-10 days, and you can immediately transplant the cutting to a permanent place. This type of breeding is as simple as it is reliable.

Diseases and pests of Coleus

If the light is too bright, then the color of the leaves turns pale, discolored. With insufficient watering, the plant loses its leaves; with waterlogging, the leaves also fall off. Of the pests, aphids are dangerous for the Coleus, spider mites and whiteflies. Aphids feed on plant sap, which makes damaged leaves turn yellow and shrivel, and are a carrier of diseases. It is simple to deal with it: you need to treat the ground parts of the indoor wheel with soapy water.

Flowers are loved by everyone, but only the tropics give an endless wealth of green plants that create amazing landscapes in regions with unusual climatic conditions environment... Coleus is another gift from evergreen perennials from the tropical forests of Asia and Africa. Coleus quickly took root in different regions Russia, at first houseplant, and over time, as an annual, it began to be used in garden plantings... Coleus, planting and care in the open field is simple, but will provide an exquisite decor for adjoining flower gardens. The contrasting color of large leaves is excellent in landscape plantings, highlighting the originality and beauty of flowering plants of other families.

The beauty of Coleus in landscape plantings

Coleus in landscape design

The beauty of Coleus is especially evident when joint landings in mixborders, on flower beds, borders, rabatkas. The rich range of contrasting colors of variegated velvety leaves gives a special sophistication to the flower beds:

pale green with a bright yellow edge;
with a marble, fine-speckled pattern, in various veins,
with a purple center surrounded by a white border;
pink and red curly patterns;
green with a copper tint;
violet-red with white border and others.

The color scheme of the leaves distinguishes them into the group of popular decorative crops... In the people, for the external similarity of the structure of the leaves, coleus are called "colored nettle", "nettle", "colored nettle".

Reproduction of Coleus

Coleus in the open field is propagated in 3 ways:

seeds;
seedlings;
by cuttings.

Seed reproduction of Coleus

Coleus seeds

Seeds are best purchased from a licensed store or mall.

Coleus is a southern, thermophilic plant, which dies already at + 12 ° С. For the emergence of seedlings, the temperature must not be lower than +20 .. + 24 ° С. Coleus plants at proper care quickly build up the leaf cover. Plants need enough heat... So seed propagation rarely used and only in warm enough southern regions. The most common is open field planting through seedlings.

Growing seedlings

Coleus seeds are small, resemble poppy seeds, so sowing is carried out in specially prepared cassettes with a light water and air-permeable, nutritious substrate. Sowing period - March, April. The sowing time for seedlings is tied to the onset of constant warm weather in the region (not lower than +19 .. + 20 ° С).

Soil preparation

For sowing, you can buy ready-made soil or make up the soil mixture yourself. The acidity of the substrate is neutral, pH + 6-7 units. For the substrate use:

4 pieces of leafy land;
2 parts of turf or fine mature humus;
1 part sand or perlite, vermiculite.

Sowing

The prepared soil is moistened, left to mature for 2-3 days (slightly moist, crumbly to the touch). The seeds are laid out on flat surface and sprinkle with sand or a fine substrate with a layer of no more than 3-4 mm. Spray from a fine spray bottle and cover with a film. Place the inoculated container in a dark place with a temperature of +20 .. + 25 ° C. The soil is moistened as necessary. The improvised greenhouse is aired daily so that drops of moisture do not clog the sowing.

Seedling care

If the agrotechnical requirements of the Coleus for care are observed, the first shoots of seedlings appear on the 8-10th day.
In case of mass shoots, the cover is removed from the container and placed on a windowsill with sufficient but diffused lighting. The temperature is maintained at +17 .. + 20 ° С.

By the end of 3-4 weeks, the plants have unfolded the first pair of leaves. In this phase, densely sown plants dive into other containers with sufficient soil level.
The soil is kept constantly moist. Watering must be carried out with soft, settled, warm water.
At 6 weeks from germination (about 10 cm in height), the pick is seated in separate containers (cups), where it develops before disembarkation.

When transplanting, the dived seedlings are pinched so that the plants do not stretch, but form a bushy shape.

For watering, you can fertilize with flower fertilizers in a half dose (from the recommended).
Seedlings are ready for planting 6-7-8 weeks after mass germination
If warm weather lingers, and the cups are small in volume, the seedlings can be transplanted into large containers once again by transshipment.

Features of care for Coleus

Landing

When preparing seedlings for flower beds, it is better to grow several varieties, characterized by variegated patterns of the leaf blade. So it will be possible to create a bright colorful composition of ceremonial flower beds in city recreation parks, alleys of official institutions, mowed lawns suburban landscape... Transplant / planting in the open field behind the wheels is carried out at the beginning of the first summer month (June).

In the area allotted in the flower garden drawing under the coleus, break holes at a distance of 20-30 cm.
If the soil in the garden is dense, heavy, be sure to add the substrate required by the plant to the holes.
Fill the hole with a solution of biofungicides to prevent fungal diseases of the root system: planriz, phytosporin-M, trichodermin. Add root.
After absorbing moisture, plant the seedlings using the transshipment method.
Water the Coleus planting with a moderate rate of warm water.
Mulch the planting and mulch the soil each time after watering until the plants close together.
To protect the sun's rays and better survival, shade the plants for several days.

Care

Outdoor care for wheels includes:

keeping the soil moist, free from weeds;
constant loosening of the soil until the plants close into a continuous carpet;
pinching and cutting;
watering;
feeding.

Watering

Coleus are water lovers. They need regular, abundant watering with settled warm water. To water them, water is heated in barrels or other containers. When the temperature drops to +15 .. + 16 ° C, watering is carried out less often, but the moisture content of the soil is monitored, preventing it from drying out. Plants react to a lack of watering by losing the turgor of the leaves. In hot weather, the plants are additionally sprayed with clean water.

Feeding rules

Considering that coleuses quickly build up large biomass, top dressing is carried out weekly:

the first feeding is carried out after picking / transshipment while still in seedling age, with flower fertilizer in 1/3 of the dose, from the norm indicated on the package;
the second feeding is carried out with a solution of nitrophoska, kemira or a mixture of complete mineral fertilizer at the rate of 20-25 g / 10 l of water;
the third is best done with an infusion of ash, prepared from a glass of the drug for 10 liters of water. Strain the infusion and add with watering.

Remember! Watering with a fertilizer solution should be carried out under the plants so as not to burn the leaves and worsen appearance leaf mass.

The rest of the dressings alternate mineral with organic. The introduction of organic matter significantly enhances the brightness of variegated varieties of Coleus. You can buy a ready-made composition organic fertilizers or prepare yourself at the rate of 0.5 liters of cans of poultry manure or cow manure for 12 or 10 liters of water, respectively

Pinching and trimming

Planting and caring for coleus in the open field necessarily include procedures such as pinching and pruning bushes of mature plants.

Pinching and pruning of coleus bushes is necessary for better formation and regrowth of lateral shoots, which will ensure bushiness of plants. Without this procedure, plants can stretch out and lose their decorative effect.
Pinching of the central and lateral shoots is carried out, if necessary, by 1-2 cm.
Bushes 1-2 times per season (also if necessary) can be trimmed, giving them a neat, desired shape. Cut off side shoots that violate general form bush and strongly thickening it.
The thickened bush loses its splendor, and reduces the overall decorative effect of the flower garden.
Trimmed cuttings can be put on rooting and get additional material for flower gardens or home growing.

Popular outdoor varieties and hybrids

Coleus are planted not only in groups of one variety or hybrid, but also together with other plant species. Depending on the type of flower garden, plants of different heights are required. The bred varieties can be divided into 3 groups: