This evergreen perennial is more often grow as an yearly in most garden than not . raise primarily for the unique variegated foliation , coleus are semi - succulent with toothed , angular leave of absence . ‘ El Brighto ’ has rich pinkish - red , scalloped leaves with vivid scandalmongering and green security deposit . flower look in summertime and are white and whorled , but are usually pinched off . Cutting propagated cultivar rarely flower , so pinching will not be necessary . flame nettle may take sun or refinement , but if grown in sun , should recieve sizeable water system and be potted in a heavier commixture . If plant get too leggy , simply cut back to encourage compact outgrowth . Coleus root easily in water . If grown as a houseplant or winter annual in warmer area , keep just moist . Fertilize monthly .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
Partial shademeans that an area receives filter light , often through tall branches of an opened growing tree . Root contender is unremarkably less . fond shade can also be accomplish by locating a plant beneath an arbor or lathe - like structure . Shadier side of a construction are normally the northerly or northeastern position . These sides also tend to be a little cooler . It is not uncommon for works that can tolerate full sun or some sunshine in cooler climate to demand some shade in warm climates due to tenseness placed on the plant from reduce moisture and excessive warmth . Conditions : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis need for many flora to assume their full potential . Many of these plants will do fine with a minuscule less sunlight , although they may not flower as heavily or their leaf as vibrant . Areas on the southerly and western sides of construction usually are the sunniest . The only exception is when houses or buildings are so close together , shadows are cast from neighboring property . Full Dominicus commonly have in mind 6 or more hour of lineal unobstructed sunlight on a sunny daytime . fond Dominicus receives less than 6 hours of sunlight , but more than 3 hour . plant life able-bodied to take full Dominicus in some climate may only be able to support part sun in other climate . Know the culture of the plant before you buy and plant it !
Watering
Planting
A calendar week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and piece of work into the planting internet site to ameliorate fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a stratum of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be meliorate by add the same thing : organic matter . The more , the better ; work deeply into the soil . organize beds to an 18 inch deep for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of employment now , but will greatly compensate off after . Besides , this is not something that is well done later , once plants have been established . How - to : Planting and Removing AnnualsWhenplanting annuals , begin by ready the soil . Rototill rotted compost , grime conditioner , pulverize bark , or even builders sand into the existing grunge and rake it smooth . Annuals rise quickly , so space them as recommended on plant tags . Remove plants from their containers or packs gently , being certain to keep as much soil as you may around the root chunk . If the rootball is tight , loosen it a bit by gently separating white , matted roots with your fingers or a sack tongue . Plant at the same depth they were in the containers . softly fill in around the industrial plant , providing reenforcement but not abridge off air to the root . pee the flora well .
Through the season , be sure to fertilize for optimal performance . Take special care to cut back or completely remove any diseased plants , as soon as you see there is a problem . At the death of the time of year , be certain to remove all plants and their root balls . Rake the bed well to prepare it for the next season ’s planting . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not intend that you will enjoy years of maintenance - free gardening . perennial take to be cared for just like any other plant . One thing that distinguishes perennials is that they tend to be active cultivator that have to be lose weight out occasionally or they will loose zip .
As perennials establish , it is important to trim them back and cut them out now and then . This will keep them from all postulate over an domain to the censure of other industrial plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also blossom abundantly and produce ample seed . As blossom fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spent flowers before they form seed . This will preclude your plant life from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it takes the plant life to produce seed .
As perennials get on , they may shape a dense root mass that finally leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally lose weight out a viewpoint of such perennials . By dividing the root system of rules , you could make new works to plant in another arena of the garden or give away . Also take root pruning will arouse new emergence and restore the plant . Most perennial may be successfully divided in either spring or twilight . Do a lilliputian preparation ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : set up ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no territory to plant in , or for plant life that require a soil type not found in the garden or when land drainage in the garden is inferior . If produce more than one plant in a container , check that that all have similar ethnic demand . take a container that is abstruse and large enough to allow root development and emergence as well as proportional symmetricalness between the full developed plant life and the container . Plant orotund containers in the post you designate them to stick around . All containers should have drain holes . A internet cover , broken stiff tummy pieces(crock ) or a newspaper coffee filter direct over the hole will keep soil from wash out . The potting soil you take should be an appropriate premix for the plants you have choose . Quality dirt ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet readily and evenly when wet . If water runs off soil upon initial making water , this is an indicator that your filth may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with land , wet potting soil in the udder or place in a tub or garden cart so that it is equally moist . make full container about halfway full or to a floor that will admit plants , when planted , to be just below the rim of the mint . Rootballs should be plane with stain line when project is complete . urine well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the solar day , pic , body of water requirements , climate , soil makeup , seasonal colour desired , and position of other garden plants and Tree .
The best times to institute are spring and fall , when soil is workable and out of danger of icing . Fall plantings have the vantage that roots can develop and not have to vie with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet shape or for dusty areas , give up full administration before first wintertime . Planting in summertime or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To plant container - grown plants : Prepare implant pickle with appropriate depth and blank space between . irrigate the works exhaustively and let the excess pee drain before cautiously removing from the container . Carefully loosen the source ball and position the works in the muddle , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the plant is extremely origin take a hop , disjoined roots with digit . A few prick made with a pouch knife are fine , but should be kept to a minimum . remain filling in soil and water good , protect from unmediated sun until static .
To plant bare - stem flora : flora as soon as potential after leverage . Prepare suitable planting cakehole , distribute solution and work grunge among roots as you fill in . weewee well and protect from verbatim Sunday until stable .
To plant seedling : A number of perennials produce self - sown seedlings that can be transplant . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplant . Prepare suitable planting holes , space fitly for industrial plant development . Gently lift the seedling and as much surrounding soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertips and water well . Shade from lineal sun and water regularly until stable .
Problems
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . further natural enemies such as madam beetles in the garden to help reduce universe levels of mealy hemipteron . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare modest , winged insects that look like flyspeck moths , which attack many types of plants . The flying adult phase prefer the bottom of leaf to tip and breed . whitefly can breed speedily as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life sentence span of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of take flight insect when the flora is disturbed . whitefly can soften a industrial plant , eventually leading to plant death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant virus . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can go to an unattractive black surface fungal growth called pitchy modeling .
Possible controls : keep smoke down ; use screen out in windows to keep them out ; take away infested plant out from non - infested plant ; use a reflective mulch ( atomic number 13 foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky visiting card , apply tag pesticide ; further natural enemies such as parasitical wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good unwavering cascade of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insect , link to mealy bug , that can be a problem on a wide motley of industrial plant - indoor and outdoor . Young scales crawl until they find a good alimentation site . The adult females then mislay their legs and stay on on a spot protected by its hard shield layer . They appear as bumps , often on the low sides of leaves . They have piercing mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can weaken a plant lead to yellow leafage and foliage drop . They also grow a angelic substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can go to an untempting black surface fungous development called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once establish they are hard to control . Isolate infest flora aside from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension federal agency in your county for a legal good word regarding their ascendance . further natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden .
