I have a pot that I have a lot of different house plants that I keep over the winter and they have done very good for 5 yrs inside.

This year I put some coleus in the pot and it looks so pretty I am considering just leaving them in the pot for the winter.

Would you leave them in the pot and winter them in the pot?
Take cuttings and dispose of the main plant?
Take the coleus out of the pot and put them in pots alone to winter them separate from the houseplants?

I posted a pic of the pot here....
The thread "Purple" in Houseplants forum

I have only tried to overwinter one large coleus in the house. It was in a 14" pot and got very leggy and bad looking by late winter, so I ended up taking cuttings from it to root for new spring plants. Since then, I just take cutting and pot them up this time of the year. I know there is a green house here in town that keeps large coleus going for years inside in pots, but they have much better conditions then most homes do.

If it looks healthy and isn't crowding the other plants, what can it hurt to try leaving it? Might get leggy like Susan says, but that's when you can take cuttings. Be a fun experiment.

Thank you. Yes I do not mind if it gets leggy. I just want them to survive the winter.

You could also take a cutting or two and make a comparison between how the potted one and the cuttings do over winter.

backup is always good.. a cutting or two wouldn't hurt.. but I have brought plants in ... in the same container.. they did get leggy but all fine the next year.. I did pot them up when I brought them back out

I okay thank you. I am going to do cuttings and leave them in the pot. You all have a point. back up is good.

The green one I think might do good. I had that one before and kept it in the same pot for 3 yrs. The red ones I am not sure of it did not flower so it might do good. I notice the ones that flower a lot do not do good over the winter for me. These did not get one flower all summer.

always a keeper then!!

Not much to base an opinion here, from the cuttings camp traditionally, but can't stop myself from sticking cuttings of Coleus in various 'house plant' pots the past few yrs. Mostly from the angle that "this will be cool this summer... wonder if it'll stay alive over winter with the rest of the plants?" The results of this have been great. The past few weeks, I've done a few cuttings just for that aim, in particular now. Moving into the realm of doing it SO they can survive winter w/o any extra effort from me, or using any more space than what will already be devoted to the pots I have.

Tiffany I think the only one I remember that I was able to keep in the pot and lived was the green one I have in my combo pot this year. I kept that one until it grew a trunk. David in Container garden forum have a couple pics of coleus trees and the green one was one that survived long (3 yrs) enough to grow a trunk.

I am not sure about the ones I have in the combo pots this year.

Have never heard of a coleus developing a tree-like trunk. How nifty!

Mine develop trunks but after a few years one gets the impression that one has squeezed all the leaves out of them that you are going to get.

lovemyhouse said:Have never heard of a coleus developing a tree-like trunk. How nifty!

Check out this discussion. A few pics down David posted a pic of his coleus tree.

The thread ""Whats going on in David of DeLands containers?"" in Containers forum

That of David's is impressive.

it really is

That tree of his IS awesome! It may be 'India Frills.'

Found this pic from Oct. '02. It had just come inside for winter for the 2nd time, but I overwatered it while inside, finally (LOL!) I don't know its' name.

Gosh!

My yard is full of coleus. I am letting any seedling that comes up stay. It is quite amazing the new patterns I have.

purpleinopp said:That tree of his IS awesome! It may be 'India Frills.'

Found this pic from Oct. '02. It had just come inside for winter for the 2nd time, but I overwatered it while inside, finally (LOL!) I don't know its' name.

Yes that is a pretty coleus tree purpleinopp. I love it.

just awesome!!!!