Last spring I bought several Coleus plants. Thru the summer they got pretty tall and bushy. How does winter effect them? We live in the Inland Empire of Southern Calif. and freezing temps and frosts are not all that common, however last winter we did have several nites of 32 deg. or so. I like the Coleus but don't want to dig them up and toss them every winter. Thanks.
Around here (Western NY), coleus plants issue painful visual warnings when the temps get close to 32 at night. The warnings mean "You should've taken cuttings yesterday". :-) Below 32, they're history, and they get ugly, fast. Very tender plants. If the weather report suggests that you're about to get temps that low, and then not again for a month, you could use some heavy plastic to create a tent over the plants just for that one "event". Make sure there are a few inches between the leaves and the plastic. Be sure to remove it before the sun shines on it for very long in the morning, or you might cook the plants.
But by far the best way to deal with tender coleus plants is to plant them in containers. Move them in when it's cold, put them back out in warm weather. Coleus cuttings root great in containers anyway, so create containerized arrays (remembering that bright coleus need more sun than dark coleus do).
Coleus is not hardy, it is very tender so temps much below 40 effect it. You can snip off some of the healthiest part of the plants and make cuttings and keep them over winter in a sunny window. Always pinch out the flowers, they drain the plant. Do a search how to root cuttings of coleus.
If you suspect it will frost coil a string of christmas lights under and around the plants. Works for me (plug'em in, of course). It's also a good way to check your lights, unless you leave'em up all year.
Coleus can not tolerate any frost. Most areas use them as annuals. I have coleus with the original cutting from my 6th grade school teacher. When predicted temperatures fall below 40 degrees, take a few cuttings indoors to root in water (or better yet, vermiculite). I never dig them up. Pot them up a month before the expected last possible frost date (Jan to March), then transfer to the outdoor garden. I like to use peat pots. Coleus do not make very good indoor plants and are sensitive to various conditions. Also, during the summer months, I frequently trim them back to avoid the leggy appearance. Cuttings root very easily.
We do the same with inpatients especially the double type. Found our kitchen sink provides a good environment.
Bill
Take cuttings. About 3-4 inches long. Remove bottom third of the leaves and stick in potting soil and keep moist. They'll also root in water. They root VERY EASILY.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.