WOW! Can't believe this is still here! Bumping it on down! nova

Nova, my favorite way to root Coleus is by cutting off a 4" stem, remove bottom leaves then sticking in water..they root fast, though I have to say, quicker in spring. I've got one rooting now, in case mom decides to kick the bucket this winter. After roots are about 3", I then place in soil..I've got mom in a west window right now, and keep outside in summer..Toni

I'm new to this forum so I hope don't offend anyone by jumping in with my two cents worth.I too take cuttings, but root mine directly in a light potting medium. I currently have 25 varieties rooted in 4 in. pots, waiting for me to transplant them into larger pots. Some will winter in my south window, some will be under lights in my basement. Most will rotate between the two.

Host, welcome..Don't feel you're offending anyone..we all have our own ways of rooting, watering, feeding, etc. What works for you may not work for me and visa versa.
I've tried rooting Coleus in soil w/o success, but it sure doesn't mean it can't be done. And you proved yourself by experimenting and finding you can root in soil.
For some reason, I find rooing plants in water is easier, except for Cactus, succulents, and African Violets..then it's definatly soil..Toni

Host, I don't visit here often but welcome anyway! As far as rooting coleus, I have no luck in rooting in water! I do just as you suggested, stick them in a little moist potting soil and they take off! nova

It's amazing how some ppl have luck rooting cuttings in water and others in soil. But, whatever works best is the way to go. I wish I had luck rooting in soil, cause I could go from step one and be set, instead of step one to step two..lol...Toni

All ways work for me. Water, soil and even directly in the garden.
This is late and you are probably done but...
When I root in water, I use a glass bottle, keep the water changed and watch the level. Also I don't crowd too much and try to keep the varieties seperate. Sometimes one type will rot quickly while others are more tolerant. They root very quickly. But it is easy to get lazy and leave them there. Eventually they will rot, some varieties more than others. If that happens, sometimes I will take a snip off the mushy tip, change the water and start again. If the roots start to turn brown instead of that nice white, you know you are really taking your time potting up your cuttings! It is easy to do because sometimes they seem like they can stay there forever. BTW, in a glass vase, the cuttings make a beautiful bouquet.
When I root in soil, I soak the soil, let it drip drain and then I put the pot inside an open baggie - opening up, and just keep an eye on it. If it is going to wilt, I might close the bag until the cutting gets going. Then I open the bag again. If it doesn't wilt after a couple of weeks, I roll it down and take it out. I leave it out as long as the leaves stay firm which they usually do.
Then sometimes in the summer, I will knock a good piece off by mistake. I just stick the whole thing in the ground and it takes hold. I suppose the soil isn't dried out but I don't pamper it either.
Finally, you should take cuttings before frost takes a bite. Once you get a little brown spotting on the stem going, the cuttings stay sickly or don't thrive. You will be lucky to save it then.

These are fresh cut BTW so they didn't show roots yet but if you click on the picture and look at the most left vase in the back row (and your eyes are good), you will see some roots floating in the water of an earlier cutting.

Mine is quite simple. Fill a shallow container with Vermiculite or Perlite and will up with water to soil level.
The planting medium will hold the cuttings upright and you can arrange them by name that way.

Does anyone know why cuttings curl up when potted in water? I just made my cuttings yesterday and the stems all curled up when I checked on them this afternoon. Each cutting was placed on a separate can of water and water was filled until it covered a little above the lowest nodes.

In addition to the curled stems, the leaves also seem to be curling a bit. Does anyone know what's happening to my cuttings? Are they wilting or dying? What should I do to save them or keep them healthy.

Please help! Thank you in advance.

Does anyone know why cuttings curl up (and out of the water) when potted in water? I just made my cuttings yesterday and the stems all curled up when I checked on them this afternoon. Each cutting was placed on a separate can of water and water was filled until it covered a little above the lowest nodes.

In addition to the curled stems, the leaves also seem to be curling a bit. Does anyone know what's happening to my cuttings? Are they wilting or dying? What should I do to save them or keep them healthy.

Please help! Thank you in advance.

Gardeningmaybe, I answered your question where you asked it in another location.

I recently learned that what Dad mentioned once was true : you can take a geranium stem and just poke it in the ground and it will grow. Haven't tried this approach with coleus yet but there are probably other plants that allow one to do this. Does anyone know about some of these? Also, why do my mother plants never survive the winter?

Hi & welcome, Velveteena! There are far too many plants that can be propagated to list. There's a propagation forum here if you'd like to check it out. Without knowing where you are, I'm guessing it's not a tropical location and your Coleus plants aren't surviving cold winters. They aren't hardy at all.

Yes, you can do this with coleus as long as the ground is damp enough. It isn't 100% but what is? I do find some coleus cuttings are harder to overwinter than others. Some rot easily and others don't. Maybe try rooting them in late summer and make sure you take them in before the nights are damp and cold for best results. The stems do start getting damaged before frost.

I just built a new home and I am still planting outside when it dawned on me that it is about time to move some plants inside. Problem is the plants are crowding me out of house and home....outside and inside. Can you mix different coleus cuttings in one container? Has anybody had any luck with them making it through winter in Zone 6 (Kentucky)? My only other option is my garage but it is detached, steel, unheated and only has 3 small windows.

Loretta, I know this is an old post but looking at your profile, I see that you are still around on Houzz. I hope you will get an email notice that something has been posted to this thread. I love your bottle collection in your photo above; I like that they all match, and they seem like the perfect size and shape for rooting coleus. Where did you get them or from what product are they? Are those vinegar bottles?

Thanks!

Carol in Jacksonville, Florida

Hi Carol!

Lol! Those are the bottle from Looza Nectars and Juices. A lot of places sell them - delis or grocery stores. My kids used to love them when they were small and I saved all the bottles because I had an idea for a project that I never did. I was going to make them into Halloween lights and paint them like Candy Corn. I forgot all about that. That was one of many projects that I never did!

Thanks, Loretta. I'll see if I can find them and drink some juice!

Carol

They are good!