Coleus

Okay, this is going to be a post with pictures of coleus. But I have to go and take all my pictures over again, because I forgot to set the camera to macro. Grrr.



So the two I am saying have small leaves are the ones on the outside of the pinky-purple plant (that would be Black Dragon coleus) in the top photo. They started out really small in June, but without my realizing it they have grown to epic proportions over the summer. The two coleus in the bottom picture were bought much later in the year as large plants. They need constant watering and look pretty dreadful if they wilt.

I never thought of growing coleus from seed, but maybe I should do that. That way, I can control the type of soil they root in and make sure it's something that stays moist longer than that dry, peaty stuff plants at the nursery are usually grown in. (Oh I know there's probably a really good reason for using that stuff, but I haven't ever had a problem putting container plants in dark heavy soil rather than light flyaway material that won't hold water.)