HOW TO GROW COLEUS FROM SEED

Coleus border

If you are looking for ornamental foliage to create a tropical effect in the garden, then you will be hard pressed to find a better choice than selected Coleus hybrids - Plectranthus scutellarioides. In fact some Coleus hybrids are so colourful that they can provide a more eye-catching display than traditional flowering plants. Despite being very easy to be propagated from cuttings, shop-bought, pot-grown specimens can be surprisingly expensive and if you do not have a selection of stock plants available then growing coleus from seed is likely to be your best option.

Coleus seedlings - http://mistermartha.blogspot.co.uk/

When growing from seed for garden use, you will need to sow Coleus in January in order to obtain large enough specimens to plant out when the weather breaks. In cooler northern European climates this will need to be done under the protection of a frost-free environment such as a heated greenhouse or a suitable, bright room indoors.

To begin with, fill a modular seed tray with a good quality compost such as John Innes 'Seed and Cutting'. Then simply sprinkle seeds on the surface compost and press down. Do not bury them as Coleus seeds require the presence of light to help initiate germination. If need be, provide a thin layer of vermiculite on the surface. Place the tray inside a heated propagator at a temperature of between 21-24C, keeping the compost damp but not wet. Alternatively seal the tray inside a clear polythene bag. The emerging seedlings can show colour in as little as two to three weeks, at which point remove from the propagator or bag. Water when necessary but avoid water logging the compost

Once rooted in the modules, the seedlings can be potted on into 7.5 cm pots. Once the threat of late frosts is over and night temperatures reach no less that a steady 10 degrees Celsius, they can be hardened of for a week or so before being planted outside into their final position.

For related articles click onto the following links:
COLEUS 'Palisandra'
HOW TO GROW COLEUS FROM SEED
HOW TO TAKE CUTTINGS FROM COLEUS