Coleus: rules of care

Coleus: rules of care
 Coleus originates from tropical Africa and Asia. The main decorative value are the leaves, the shape of which resembles nettle leaves, so the people of this beautiful plant called Krapivko. The leaves are smooth or corrugated at the edges, dissected and fringed, have light and dark green, red and red-brown color.

More recently, believed that Coleus - it's only indoor plants, but in recent years they are quite accustomed and in the open field, especially in outdoor containers. Coleus can often be seen on beds of urban gardens and parks.

In his flower bed planted as a border plant, as its unusually beautiful colored leaves create a band that blends well with flowers that have delicate buds and young leaves, for example, Kermek, baby's breath, or plants that have long leaves, for example, daylilies, lilies or Liatris.

Coleus need protected from drafts, sunny or lightly shaded place and light, fertile, permeable soil.

The plant is propagated by seeds and cuttings. Coleus seeds are small, so they are sown on the soil surface and lightly sprinkled with sand. Then moisten the crops by spraying, and put in a warm place. Seedlings should appear in a couple of weeks. As soon as the seedlings grow stronger enough, Make them sit for a variety of pots with a diameter of 7-8 cm. When the seedlings reach ten centimeters, prischipnite top, so they started the bushes. In the open ground, boxes or containers planted in June, when the threat passes the return of frost. Coleus will delight you with its unusual decorative view to the autumn frosts.

Some plants, dig and plant in a pot with a lump of land, all shoots shorten by about a third and enter the house. Watering should be reduced, but did not allow drying. In late February - early March, put the pot in a sunny place and Feed the plant. Soon it will go into growth. Appeared shoots use for reproduction.

Cut them clean sharp knife, a little air dry and landed in pots. Moisten the soil and put a plastic bag on top. A week later the cuttings take root, and now need to prischipnut top and grow as normal seedlings. Young plants are grown in this way develop better and faster than the old bushes, so planting is updated annually.

Caring for older plants is abundant irrigation and spraying. In addition, periodically cut shoots stretched out, or coleus lose its decorative effect. Every two weeks, do fertilization.

Tags: care