Will Coleus Come Back Next Year? 5 Key Things to Know Before Winter Hits

Coleus is a perennial, but it is treated as an annual in certain growing zones since it doesn’t survive freezing temperatures.

Do not let its tenderness dissuade you from growing it, though; coleus is a popular foliage plant valued for its range of colors. Many types boast multiple colors on the same leaf.

Learn how to grow coleus as an annual, how to grow it as a perennial, and how to overwinter the plant in cold regions.

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Growing Coleus as an Annual

Mostly grown as an annual outside of tropical areas, coleus, commonly called “flame nettle” or “painted nettle,” is valued for its low maintenance and versatility. It can thrive in sun and shade, though it will require a little more care if grown in full sun, where it needs more water.

Regardless of where you grow it, keep its soil evenly moist (but not soggy). As an annual, you can use it in container gardens and as a bedding plant, for example.

Coleus likes well-drained soil and profits from being fertilized. When growing the plant as an annual, you can meet these needs by, for example:

• Growing it in a container (such as a whiskey barrel) furnished with good drainage by inserting small stones into the bottom of the container before adding a potting mix.
• Feeding it with a balanced fertilizer

Growing Coleus as a Perennial

Coleus is a member of the mint family. Like other members of that family, it is very easy to grow. In its native, tropical climates, it thrives because it is heat-tolerant, loves humidity, and is not bothered by many diseases or pests.

When growing coleus as a perennial, you will want to meet its needs for good drainage and fertility differently than when growing it in a container as an annual:

• Select a site with good drainage or improve soil drainage in the desired site. Drainage can be improved over time by mixing organic matter into the soil annually.
• Fertilize your coleus with manure tea or by working compost into the soil around it annually.

How to Overwinter Coleus So It Survives

Since coleus is only a tender perennial, it will not survive the winter if left outside. Many gardeners in the North let their coleus die at the end of the year and buy new coleus the next summer. But you can overwinter your coleus by taking the following steps:

• Listen to local weather forecasts and take note when the first frost of the fall is predicted.
• Before that frost comes, bring your coleus inside.
• If you are already growing it in a container, this step is easy because your plant is portable. But if you are growing it as a bedding plant, you will have to dig it up and pot it up.
• Find a location for your coleus indoors where it is warm and there is indirect light. Mist it with a spray bottle to furnish the humidity that coleus loves. Keep the soil on the moist side but do not water the plant as much as you do when growing it outdoors.
• Move the coleus outdoors again next year after all danger of frost has passed.

How to Pot Up Coleus

If you do need to pot up your coleus, here’s how to do it:

1. Select the right pot size: The pot should be just a little larger than your coleus’ root ball so that the roots will be able to spread. But avoid planting in a pot that’s too big because it will retain too much water, which can lead to root rot.
2. Ensure good drainage in filling the pot: Don’t use garden soil from outdoors, use a potting mix instead. A potting mix drains better. For bigger pots, put small stones in the bottom to further improve drainage.
3. Install the plant: Dig a hole and insert the coleus, keeping the plant at the same level of the surface as it was while growing outdoors.
4. Tamp the soil down: Lightly press down around the plant to ensure it fits snugly into the soil.
5. Water: Water the coleus to give it a moist soil.