The desire for a larger number of plants is not always the trigger for cutting cuttings. In the case of the coleus, this is a common method of "rejuvenation", because old plants often become unsightly.
Coleus nettle cuttings can be cut almost all year round
Although they grow taller, they only form fewer leaves. The stem then often remains bare in the lower area. Now at the latest it is time to think about a new plant. The alternatives are buy or draw yourself. The colored nettle can only be grown from seed with a lot of patience, but propagation is very easy with cuttings.
When do you cut the cuttings?
You can cut cuttings from your garden nettle from spring to autumn, and for indoor plants all year round. Take not too tender shoots with about three pairs of leaves and remove the lower pair. This encourages the offshoot to root. If your colored nettle is just starting to bloom, you can use these flowering shoots as cuttings. However, you have to pinch off the beginning of the flower.
How to care for the cuttings?
The cuttings of your colored nettle root quite easily in a glass with water or in a pot with potting soil. This way, if you wish, you can monitor rooting before planting the cuttings in pots. The potting soil should be kept moist during rooting, but not too wet. Otherwise the tender roots could start to rot.
Only when the cuttings have rooted do they begin to grow visibly. Cut off the shoot tip from time to time, then the colored nettle will grow bushier. However, you should only start doing this when several new pairs of leaves have already formed. The plants can be put into the garden as soon as they have grown strong and it is warm enough outside.
The essentials in brief:
- Cut cuttings about 10 cm long
- with about three pairs of leaves
- remove the lower pair of leaves
- Rooting in a water glass or in potting soil
tips
If your colored nettle is slowly getting on in years and its growth is losing its fullness, then it is time to cut cuttings. You can soon look forward to vigorous young plants.