Bringing coleus inside for winter

Soon we'll have to consider bringing in the coleus for winter. Do you use plastic pots (what sizes?) or terra cotta? Have you thought about planting cuttings in a larger pot for next year so you can just place the pot and be done with it - just display a group of pots together?

This one is Solar Shadow if I am to believe the name tag. The leaves are huge and I love it more than the photo on Rosy Dawn, where I purchased it. All summer it's been in dappled shade with more sun than shade but it's held up very well and it's one I would dig up because it's so stunning.

Not much room here for large pots. I did plant a Watermelon ,trailing chocolate and Lancelot Mocha in a 14 inch planter.
I use what ever I have.
I kept some of the 3-4 inch nursery pots to put cuttings of large plants in.
I have parents of
Envy,Kona Red,Jungle Love Kingwood Karnival,Peter Wonder.Their cuttings go in the nursery pots.
All other cuttings go in seed started peat cells.
These are the parents in the livingroom

bedroom west window

In the second photo what is the name of the plant in the right tray, at the front, on the left?

Kona Red.
Its really red in sun but a muddy red in shade.
The RD pic made it look purple.
I dont trust any website photos anymore so I have taken my own for the coleus folder. This way when I choose a pink petunia or begonia I dont end up with a bad combo because the Kona Red is really red not purple.
When ther put together the catalogue they add blue to make a plant look lavander ,purple ,mauve.
My Kona combo doesnt thrill me for that reason.
BIG MISTAK id is wrong The plant is Solar Shadow.
It drives me nuts not to have a name correct.

This message was edited Sep 4, 2009 7:40 AM

I found the same thing with Kona Red.

Solar Shadows is one they show, similar to Kona Red, but very purple at the tips but for me it isn't.

I do find all of Bill's caladiums to be true to the color shown on his site, thankfully.

On the right
This is the combo I worked out based on RD pix and Michels pix of petunias.
On the left: you can see the Kona Red is really red and your right about Solar Shadow, they do look similar.
In fact I had to compare photos to make sure they werent the same pix

wrong pix

I have so many cuttings and full sized plants now that I'm hoping Rosy Dawn doesn't have anything I "have" to have for 2010. I'll do better matching non-coleus to the coleus I already have and will just make a master list for annuals so I'll know where I could add a red petunia or a lavender/pink/yellow lantana, etc.

I see you use nevery cell.
I gave everyother sell a cutting last year.
If the cuttings will have enough root room with one in each cell all the better.
This is the bathroom trays ready for cuttings in October.
Why get ready so soon? you ask?
I hate working in cold weather and since I dont use the jacusi tub
I just put them there. North light ,couldnt be better.

I replaced anything that died with one of our own so that's why there's one in each cell.

Since I can't envision 178 pots I'd rather use 6" terra cotta pots (or larger) and get more in each pot but I want them to all color co-ordinate.

You're making good use of the Jacuzzi!

It will be a riot in March

March!? How about late October?

ha ha

that solar shadow is beautiful Pirl

Its really red in sunlight

Thanks, Allison. I'm taking a cutting and putting it in full sun to watch it change.

This is the cutting I brought in. Pic taken outside.

This was taken just now with morning shade,
I confess I didnt keep it pinched for bushyness so it' tall and lanky.
Note the more brownish red in light shade

This message was edited Sep 5, 2009 9:06 AM

Now I'm totally confused. I have that one, Jo Ann, but I think mine has a different name. Why do coleus places confuse us with so many names for the same plant?

I'll take photos later to compare the leaves (and their sizes) to show you.

Well at first I thought it was Kona Red but when I looked up the names in the combo I realized I ordered and used Solar Shadow.

I think mine with the red tips is Kona Red.

they are very hard to tell apart

pinch it now.. maybe it will be a good standard!

O K I want to clearify the Solar Shadow -Kona Red mess.
I am sure the plant I posted IS Kona Red.
I must not have changed the name in my notes after the May storm trenched the container to the point where I had to find coleus to refill it.
Things got messed up then.
Pirl is right. Its KR that I have posted.
I dont know why I keep records if I dont do it right.
Memory is Krappthese days and probably ownt improve.

who cares... they are pretty... it's all good!

It's the width of the leaves on Solar Shadows that not only surprised me but delighted me as well. This winter I'll be busy making lists of what's "big" in my eyes compared to what's more in the normal range. That Kona Red (aka Dipt in Wine) is a very fast grower - I must have five large plants of it now (and I'm not even crazy about it).