Coleus are not only popular houseplants, but with their rainbow-colored leaves they also look decorative in hanging baskets on the balcony or even in the bed. The seeds are rarely seen. What should you know about her?
What do coleus seeds look like and when are they germinable?
Coleus seeds are tiny, rounded and dark brown to deep black in color. They ripen between July and October, should not be covered with soil when sowing and remain viable for around one to two years.
When do coleus seeds ripen?
Depending on when the coleus blooms, the seeds can ripenbetween July and October. The flowering time depends on the type of coleus and the respective location.
The prerequisite for the seeds to mature is of course that the flowers are allowed to remain and be fertilized. As a rule, the flowers are removed because they rob the coleus of valuable strength.
What do coleus seeds look like?
Due to their size, the coleus seeds are quiteinconspicuousThey are tiny at about1 mmand have aroundishand the shape varies slightly from seed to seed. Its color describes aDark brown to deep black The surface is smooth and shines a little. Overall, the seeds are visually reminiscent of onion seeds or basil seeds. Each coleus inflorescence can produce a variety of seeds.
How to harvest coleus seeds?
It is best to put abag over the seed head. Now the seeds are catapulted out byshaking of the stem. The seeds fall into the bag and can then be dried.
Harvesting the seeds can be difficult as you have to time it right. Seeds that are still immature are not able to germinate later. So check beforehand whether the seeds that are surrounded by the sepals are really dark brown to black and can be easily removed with your fingertips.
How are coleus seeds sown correctly?
The coleus seeds should not be covered with soil when sowing, as they are so-called light germinators. Covered with soil, they will not germinate. Therefore, press the seeds carefully onto the soil andspraywith waterIdeally, this should happen between February and March. At a temperature of 20 to 24 °C, the seeds germinate after two to three weeks.
How long do coleus seeds remain viable?
The seeds of coleus, like other seeds, can germinate well for at leastone year and up to two years. From the third year onwards, the germination rate usually drops, which is why harvesting or buying new seeds is recommended.
So that the seeds remain germinable for a long time, you should store them in a sealable container or bag. They are stored in a cool, dark and dry place.
Tip
Buy seeds better
The formation of seeds costs a coleus a lot of energy. Once it has produced numerous seeds, the appearance of its leaves often deteriorates. For this reason, you should cut off the inflorescences and buy the seeds commercially (€4.00 on Amazon) rather than harvesting them yourself from your own plants.
