Caring for Coleus in the Winter

General Care

• Coleus prefer to be in a location that receives indirect light. They will burn or wilt if exposed to direct sun or intense heat. The soil should be kept evenly moist, but not overly soggy. If the soil dries out, your coleus will wilt dramatically, but will recover if you water right away. Pinching off the tips of stems will encourage the coleus to become bushier, and will also control the size and shape of the plant. Fertilize monthly with a water-soluble all purpose plant food.

Bring it Indoors

• Bringing the coleus indoors for the winter is the easiest way to care for it during cold weather. If your coleus is planted in the ground, carefully dig around the root ball, which will generally extend out as far as the foliage. You can trim away some roots, but try to remove as little as possible. Place the plant in a pot large enough to contain the root ball and surrounding soil, and bring inside to a warm, light location. Keep the soil moist through the winter. Once warm weather arrives and all danger of frost is past, replant the coleus outdoors.

Protect at Night

• If you live in an area that does not drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit at night, your coleus will probably survive outside for the winter. You can provide extra protection by trimming the plant back by at least half and covering it on cold nights with a paper bag, a small towel or a sheet of newspaper. The plant will quickly fill out again and be bushier than ever once the warmer days of spring arrive.

Take a Cutting

• It is easy to propagate coleus from a cutting taken off the original plant. Take a cutting that has two sets of leaves at the top, and four to six inches of stem. Place the clipping in a jar or cup of water so the stem is half submerged. Keep the water level maintained so the clipping does not dry out. You will soon see roots forming on the submerged portion of stem. In the spring, after all danger of frost, plant the new coleus back in your garden.