5 accessory tips for coleus

1. A clay pot with a drainage hole and saucer

The most important accessory of all. Coleus thrive in airy, well-drained soil and cannot stand having their roots sitting in water – overwatering is one of the most common reasons why the plants die. A clay pot breathes, and the hole in the bottom lets excess water run down into the saucer.

Inexpensive clay pots can be found at IKEA, for example – the Brunbär and Muskotblomma models.

Want to use a nice outer pot without a hole? Then put the plant in a smaller pot with a drainage hole and set that inside – that way you can lift it out and pour off any excess water. If you plant directly in the outer pot, a layer of Leca balls in the bottom is a must.

2. Plant food – the secret behind large plants

Coleus grow fast and quickly drain the potting soil of nutrients. So feed them liquid plant food about once a week during spring and summer – the dose on the bottle is plenty. Better slightly too little than too much: overfeeding actually dulls the leaf colors.

We use Formulex ourselves, a plant food that builds a healthy plant without focusing on flowering – exactly what coleus want, since the flower buds get pinched off anyway. But any liquid plant food will do just fine.

In the winter, dormant plants need no plant food at all – the exception is plants that sit under a grow light and keep growing.

3. Perlite

Perlite is a volcanic material that turns white and porous when heated – almost like crumbled styrofoam. Mix about 20% into ordinary potting soil and the soil becomes airier, the roots get more oxygen, seeds germinate faster and young plants root better.

Perlite can be bought separately or ready-mixed into soil. Exactly how to mix the best soil for coleus – we've gathered it all here: soil for coleus.

4. Spray bottle and mini greenhouse

Seeds need an evenly moist environment to germinate. With a spray bottle that gives a soft, fine mist you can moisten the soil as needed – for example every morning and evening – without damaging the fragile little plants.

A mini greenhouse – or a piece of plastic wrap with breathing holes – holds the moisture between sprayings and gives your seeds an even, protected environment. The full sowing guide is here: how to grow coleus plants from seeds.

5. Grow lights

If you want to grow plants from seeds when there is not enough daylight, a grow light is a must. In Northern Europe that applies roughly from September to March–April. It does not have to be a special grow light. An ordinary fluorescent tube works fine – like the kind often mounted above the kitchen counter. Keep the lamp close, about 10 cm above the seedlings. With a grow light you avoid leggy plants, and they grow faster. Turn it on when you get up in the morning and off when you go to bed – and give them a spray of water while you're at it.

Coleus get through the winter just fine in a bright window. They turn a little pale and drop some leaves, but that is just dormancy – they perk up again when the light returns. However, if you want your favorite plants to keep growing and hold their colors through the dark months, a grow light is what makes the difference. How to overwinter your coleus – we've gathered it all here: coleus in winter.