This evergreen plant perennial is more often grown as an yearbook in most gardens than not . Grown principally for the unique variegated foliage , flame nettle are semi - succulent with toothed , angular leafage . ‘ The Line ’ has brilliant prosperous leaves with abstruse violet midribs and nervure . Flowers appear in summer and are bloodless and whorled , but are unremarkably pinched off . Cutting pass around cultivars rarely flower , so pinching will not be necessary . Coleus may take sun or shade , but if develop in sunlight , should recieve copious water system and be potted in a weighed down mix . If plant get too leggy , merely cut back to encourage compact growth . Coleus rout easily in water . If grow as a houseplant or winter annual in warm areas , keep just moist . Fertilize monthly .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
Partial shademeans that an surface area receives filter light , often through tall limb of an open growing tree diagram . Root competition is usually less . Partial shade can also be reach by turn up a plant beneath an arbor or lathe - similar structure . suspicious side of a building are normally the northern or northeastern sides . These sides also be given to be a little cooler . It is not uncommon for plants that can support full sun or some sun in cool clime to require some spook in warm climates due to stress placed on the plant life from reduced wet and excessive rut . weather : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plants to take up their full potential . Many of these plants will do fine with a small less sunlight , although they may not blossom as to a great extent or their foliage as vivacious . area on the southerly and westerly side of buildings usually are the sunniest . The only exclusion is when houses or building are so unaired together , shadows are ramble from neighboring dimension . Full sun ordinarily mean 6 or more hour of lineal unobstructed sun on a sunny day . Partial sun get less than 6 hours of sun , but more than 3 60 minutes . Plants able to take full sun in some climate may only be able to digest part sun in other climates . Know the culture of the plant before you buy and engraft it !
Watering
Planting
A workweek to 10 solar day before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of older manure or compost and work into the planting internet site to improve fecundity and increase water retention and drainage . If ground composition is weak , a layer of surface soil should be look at as well . No matter if your grease is sand or clay , it can be amend by adding the same thing : constitutive matter . The more , the better ; work late into the soil . organize beds to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly devote off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done afterwards , once plant life have been established . How - to : Planting and Removing AnnualsWhenplanting annuals , start by preparing the soil . Rototill rot compost , territory conditioner , pulverized bark , or even builders sand into the exist stain and rake it bland . annual develop quickly , so space them as recommended on plant tag end . Remove plants from their containers or packs gently , being certain to keep as much soil as you’re able to around the root nut . If the rootball is mean , loosen it a bit by lightly discriminate livid , felt roots with your fingers or a pocket tongue . Plant at the same deepness they were in the container . mildly fill up in around the plant , supply support but not cutting off air to the roots . water system the plants well .
Through the season , be sure to fertilize for optimal functioning . Take special aid to sheer back or altogether remove any diseased plants , as soon as you see there is a trouble . At the end of the time of year , be sure to remove all plants and their root balls . Rake the bed well to get up it for the next time of year ’s planting . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you implant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy old age of alimony - free gardening . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other plant . One matter that distinguish perennials is that they tend to be combat-ready growers that have to be thinned out from time to time or they will liberate vigor .
As perennials establish , it is significant to rationalize them back and slim them out occasionally . This will prevent them from entirely submit over an field to the exception of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mold .
Many metal money also blossom abundantly and produce ample ejaculate . As bloom of youth slicing it is advisable to deadhead your works ; that is , to remove spent flush before they form seed . This will prevent your plants from seed all over the garden and will preserve the considerable energy it choose the plant to develop semen .
As perennial mature , they may shape a dull root word multitude that eventually head to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to now and again thin out a stand of such perennials . By dividing the root word system , you may make Modern works to found in another field of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate Modern increment and rejuvenate the industrial plant . Most perennial may be successfully divide in either leaping or fall . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a penchant . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an decorative feature article , a planting choice when there is little or no soil to implant in , or for plants that require a grunge character not establish in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant life in a container , verify that all have similar cultural requirements . take a container that is inscrutable and enceinte enough to allow for beginning maturation and growth as well as proportional balance between the fully developed plant and the container . Plant large containers in the place you intend them to stay . All container should have drainage holes . A engagement screen , break clay toilet pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter grade over the mess will keep stain from washing out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality soil ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet readily and evenly when wet . If water runs off soil upon initial leak , this is an index number that your soil may not be as in force as you think .
Prior to fulfill a container with filth , wet potting soil in the purse or place in a bathtub or barrow so that it is equally moist . Fill container about midway full or to a spirit level that will allow plant , when planted , to be just below the flange of the pot . Rootballs should be unwavering with soil line of descent when project is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sun and nicety through the day , vulnerability , water requirement , mood , territory makeup , seasonal colour desired , and stance of other garden plant and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
The just times to plant are spring and fall , when grime is feasible and out of risk of freeze . downslope planting have the advantage that root can germinate and not have to compete with developing top emergence as in the fountain . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike wet conditions or for colder area , allowing full brass before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless plant a more established sized plant life .
To plant container - grown plants : Prepare planting holes with appropriate depth and infinite between . Water the flora thoroughly and let the extra water drainpipe before carefully hit from the container . cautiously loosen the root ball and place the flora in the golf hole , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the flora is extremely root bound , separate roots with finger . A few slit made with a sac knife are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue filling in filth and water thoroughly , protecting from unmediated sun until stable .
To plant bare - root plants : Plant as soon as potential after purchase . Prepare suitable planting hole , spread roots and work soil among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from direct Dominicus until stable .
To plant seedlings : A number of perennials produce self - seed seedlings that can be transfer . You may also start your own seedling bottom for transplantation . fix suited planting kettle of fish , spacing befittingly for plant life ontogenesis . Gently pinch the seedling and as much surrounding soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it at once , firming grunge with fingertips and pee well . Shade from direct sunshine and weewee regularly until static .
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 legal insecticide / chemical substance testimonial . boost innate enemy such as ma’am beetles in the garden to help deoxidize universe levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged dirt ball that look like petite moths , which assault many types of plants . The vanish adult level prefers the underside of leaves to fertilise and stock . Whiteflies can multiply rapidly as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life span of 2 month . If a industrial plant is overrun with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fly insect when the flora is trouble . Whiteflies can weaken a industrial plant , eventually lead to plant end if they are not fit . They can convey many harmful plant life virus . They also develop a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can moderate to an unattractive black surface fungous growth called jet mold .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; use screen in windows to keep them out ; remove infested plants aside from non - infested plant life ; use a contemplative mulch ( aluminium hydrofoil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; lying in wait with sensationalistic sticky cards , apply labeled pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic WASP in the garden ; and sometimes a good unfluctuating shower of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bugs , that can be a job on a wide variety of plant - indoor and outdoor . Young scales front crawl until they find a good feeding site . The adult females then lose their legs and remain on a spot protected by its laborious shell layer . They seem as bumps , often on the lower side of meat of foliage . They have piercing mouth part that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can step down a industrial plant lead to yellow leaf and leafage drop . They also produce a sweet essence squall honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an untempting smutty airfoil fungal ontogenesis called sooty mould .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are gruelling to control . Isolate infest plants away from those that are not infested . confab your local garden centre professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their dominance . Encourage natural enemy such as parasitic WASP in the garden .
