Coleus (Solenostemon) is one of those lucky annuals that can be saved from a merciless death by frost and freeze. Coleus, which is actually a tropical perennial, can be kept indoors as a house plant then replanted outside in the spring once all danger of frost is past.
If you don't want to mess with cuttings this time of year and the mess that ensues with potting them up later (of course if you are reading this than most likely that doesn't bother you and you are thinking "mess what mess?") collect the seed. Just let the plants go to seed and run your hand along the brown flower stalk with an envelope underneath. Lots of little tiny seeds should fall right in to the envelope. One word of warning though, don't expect the seed to come true to the coleus from which you harvested the seed. Many of the coleus plants we buy in the stores are hybrids which are a mix of other plants and will most likely revert back to one of the parent plants or become something new. Who knows, it might be worth trying just to see something different! To guarantee the exact same plant as the year before you have to propagate vegetatively and not through seed. Yep that's right, it's best to clone them!
Labels: annual, plant propagation