Garden Care Guide

Coleus Care

Plectranthus scutellarioides

An easy-care, fast-growing plant grown for its colorful leaves. For vivid colors it needs plenty of bright but not scorching direct sun, moist soil and regular pinching of the tips.

Frost-tender (protect from frost) · 2 °C / 36 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Watering: Reduce the frequency; water when the top 2-3 cm of soil has dried (every 10-15 days).
  • Pruning: Keep its form by cutting the tips of elongating branches (pinching).
  • Plant protection: In the dry indoor environment created by heating, check the undersides of the leaves and the joints for the risk of spider mites and mealybugs.
  • General care: Place it in the brightest possible spot. Be sure to protect it from cold drafts.
  • Pests & diseases: Spider mites and mealybugs are the biggest threats in winter.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 2 °C.
February
  • Watering: Continue watering when the soil is half dry (every 10-15 days).
  • Pruning: Continue pinching.
  • Plant protection: Continue checking for spider mites and mealybugs.
  • General care: It gradually begins to wake up. At the end of the month, you can start sowing seeds indoors or propagating from cuttings.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 2 °C.
March
  • Watering: Increase watering as the weather warms and keep the soil constantly slightly moist (once a week).
  • Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer or well-rotted organic fertilizer once when it wakes from dormancy.
  • Pruning: For a sturdier, fuller plant, regularly pinch out the terminal buds (pinching).
  • Plant protection: Check the newly emerging leaves for pests.
  • General care: It is the best time for repotting or for propagation by taking new cuttings.
  • Pests & diseases: Check for mealybugs (cottony white patches).
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 2 °C.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Fertilizing: Continue fertilizing every 15 days.
  • Pruning: Be sure to cut off the top buds and any emerging flower buds. Allowing it to flower weakens the plant.
  • Plant protection: Be watchful for aphids, whiteflies and mealybugs.
  • General care: After the danger of frost has passed (usually mid-month), you can move the pot outdoors to a semi-shaded area.
  • Pests & diseases: Removing flower buds preserves the beauty of the leaves.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Fertilizing: Continue fertilizing every 15 days.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: The riskiest period for spider mites. Use neem oil or a suitable miticide if necessary.
  • General care: Spread a 5-7 cm layer of mulch over the root zone; it retains soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not pile mulch against the trunk.
  • Pests & diseases: Check for spider mites and mealybugs.
June
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • Fertilizing: Continue fertilizing every 15 days.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: Continue checking for spider mites and whiteflies.
  • General care: Protect it from the direct airflow of an air conditioner or fan.
  • Pests & diseases: Wilting of the leaves is usually a sign of thirst; water immediately.
July
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • Fertilizing: Continue fertilizing every 15 days.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: Continue pest control.
  • General care: Keep it in a position sheltered from midday sun; scorching at the leaf edges is a sign of burn.
  • Pests & diseases: Against the risk of root rot, take care that water does not collect in the pot saucer.
August
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • Fertilizing: At the start of the month, make the last fertilizer application and stop.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • General care: Growth slows; prepare the plant for its dormant period.
September
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Fertilizing: Stop fertilizing completely this month.
  • Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
  • Plant protection: Before bringing outdoor plants indoors, check them carefully for pests.
  • General care: **TIME TO CHECK:** This is the best and final time to take 10-15 cm tip cuttings from the plant to root them in water or soil and overwinter it. Bring outdoor plants indoors before nights get cold.
  • Pests & diseases: Before bringing it indoors, check every part for mealybugs, spider mites, and whiteflies.
  • Frost risk: None, but bring it indoors.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Pruning: Prune lightly only to maintain its shape.
  • General care: Place the plant in its winter position. The cuttings you collected should have rooted.
  • Frost risk: Plants left outdoors will die with the first frosts.
November
  • Watering: Reduce watering; water when the top 2-3 cm of soil has dried.
  • Plant protection: Check for the risk of spider mites in dry indoor conditions.
  • General care: The plant is in dormancy. Try to keep humidity high.
  • Pests & diseases: Check for spider mites.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 2 °C.
December
  • Watering: Every 15-20 days, or water when the top of the soil is dry.
  • Plant protection: Check for spider mites.
  • General care: Evergreen leaves continue to lose water in winter. Water thoroughly once before the soil freezes.
  • Pests & diseases: In dry, warm indoor spaces, spider mites can be a problem in winter as well.
  • Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 2 °C.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

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