How to propagate coleus smart garden

How to propagate coleus from leaf cuttings

Coleus are hardy only in zones 10 to 11, and most gardeners in North America grow them as annuals. If you've never met a coleus plant you didn't like, you'll definitely want to learn how to grow them year after year. Propagating new plants from plants you admire is a simple process. Check out the simple steps below to learn how to take your own coleus cuttings.

Step 1: Take a coleus leaf cutting

Take a cutting from a mature coleus plant: Look for stems that are 4 to 6 inches long. Cut with pruners or scissors just above a leaf tip, where the leaves leave the sides of the stem (where you cut, the plant will make two stems from the old spot and bushy the plant. ) Don't make the pieces too big; They don't root well or - if they do - become tall and thin instead of compact.

Step 2: Remove the extra leaves

Remove the lower leaves, leaving the top set of four leaves. Any part of the cutting below the surface of the water should be free of leaves. The cutting is now ready to root in water.

Step 3: Place the coleus pieces in the water

Place the coleus pieces in a glass jar filled with water. Place the jar in a 60 to 75-degree F room in a bright spot out of direct sunlight. Multiple pieces can be placed together in one container.

Step 4: Look at the coleus root

Usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to root. Be sure to add fresh water as needed until the cuttings are fully rooted. When the roots are 1 to 2 inches long or longer, the cuttings are ready to pot. Rooted cuttings survive longer in water.

We took photos of this coleus over the course of two weeks, and watch it grow in the time-lapse video above!

Step 5: Plant the rooted cuttings

Pre-soak potting mix in 3- or 4-inch pots and plant so that the top of the root ball is an inch or so below the edge of the pot.

Fill the spaces around the roots with additional premoistened potting mix and gently press around the cutting to provide good contact between the roots and the mix.

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