Coleus - planting and care at home
Content:
Coleus, or as it is popularly called, nettle, grows naturally in the forests of Africa and Asia. The flower got its popular name because of its similarity to nettle, their leaves have characteristic teeth. The plant gained popularity due to its unusual color. The leaves of the flower have red, crimson and pink hues, and also have a beautiful pattern.
Coleus: planting and care at home
The indoor plant Coleus is not picky to care for, so it is suitable even for beginners. If you take care of it like the rest of the home flora, then flowers will not appear, the plant will increase its leaf mass. Lack of water causes the coleus to throw out a peduncle, which depletes it, so it is immediately cut off so that the flower grows healthy.
What does Coleus look like
Coleus Dragon can be grown in any way. He feels good in a pot, on a balcony and in an open field in a flower bed. The main thing is to adhere to the basic agricultural rules for watering, lighting, spraying, and also observe the temperature regime.
Temperature
The optimum air temperature is 18-25 ° C. In winter, due to the short daylight hours, it can be reduced to 15 ° C, but not lower, otherwise the plant will shed its leaves.
Lighting
The flower is a light-loving plant. In good light, his color becomes brighter and more beautiful. However, the black coleus should not be kept in the sun, it may die.
Watering
It is necessary to water the indoor flower Coleus with filtered, settled water, if it is possible to use rainwater, then this will only benefit the plant.
From spring to autumn, the flower is watered when the soil dries out. In winter, watering is significantly reduced. It all depends on the temperature in the room. The main thing is not to allow the soil to dry out.
Spraying
The spraying procedure for tropical nettles is very pleasant. For such purposes, soft water at room temperature is most suitable.
Humidity
Coleus loves a humid climate, so the kitchen will be the most suitable place for him. It is always warm and humid there.
Priming
Although tropical nettles are not picky, it is still better to prepare the soil for it yourself. For this, leaf and sod land, peat, sand are taken in equal quantities.
Planting plants in the ground
Top dressing
Fertilize the flower in spring and summer. Top dressing should contain nitrogen. In winter, the plant is not fertilized. Organic and mineral dressings are suitable for nettles, but it is better to use potash at the rate of 0.5 g per 1 liter of water. They are brought in once a week.
Features of winter care
Coleus is mainly grown as an annual, but perennials are also common. When preparing a flower for winter, watering is reduced to it. However, care must be taken that the earth does not dry out. Top dressing is stopped in winter and the temperature regime is not more than 18 ° C.
Coleus pruning
Pruning of these plants is carried out for different purposes and at different times of the year:
- when the nettle reaches the required size in height, then it is cut off so that the indoor Coleus begins to build up the green mass;
- three weeks after the pick for good tillering;
- pruning can be done to shape, but this is done when the plant has already become lush;
- in spring, the flower needs seasonal pruning. After winter, the plant looks completely unattractive, so you need to cut it off as much as possible, leaving only 3-4 buds;
- for grafting, you need to cut off old shoots that are located closer to the top.
Reproduction of Coleus
The plant reproduces very easily. Two methods are suitable for this: by seeds and rooting by cuttings.
Germinating seeds
Coleus seeds are very small, 1 g of them contains 3500 pieces. They are sown in a container and sprinkled with sand on top. Sowing takes place from February to April. The room should keep the temperature around 20-22 ° C. Seedlings appear in 2-2.5 weeks.
Growing from seeds
When the flowers grow up, they are seated in containers at a distance of 2 cm from each other. If the coleus has two leaves, it can be transplanted into separate pots with a diameter of 7 cm.After another month, the sprouts are planted in a container with a diameter of 11 cm.
The seeds can also be grown in peat tablets. To do this, you need to follow a step-by-step scheme:
- Before sowing, the tablets are watered abundantly so that the peat swells and increases in volume.
- Excess fluid needs to be eliminated.
- Having spread the seeds on the ground, they are slightly pressed into the peat.
- Containers with plants are placed on pallets and covered with foil.
In order not to overdo it with watering, it is better to add moisture to the pan or spray the pots with an interval of 3-4 days.
Rooting cuttings
You need to root the shoots from February to May. They are planted in trays of sand. After 8-12 days, roots appear. Rooted seedlings are transplanted into the ground. The diameter of the pot should be at least 9 cm. The sand is changed to the soil familiar to these flowers. For the cutting, the optimal temperature regime is 180-20 ° C, it also needs regular watering and good lighting. If there is not enough light for the seedling, then its leaves will curl or become light.
Then the flower develops intensively for three months, and then it is transplanted into a container with a diameter of 11 cm.
Shoot with root
Coleus transplant
If the Coleus is grown as an annual plant, then it does not need a transplant. Otherwise, it should be done every 2 or 3 years. A transplant is also needed if the flower pot has become too small.
Before you pull the flower out of the container, you need to water it well, and then gently pull out and shake off all the old earth from the roots.
There are many varieties of Coleus, so it will not be so easy to choose your favorites. However, any of them will be an excellent decoration for a garden or home.
