Why coleus? That’s a question I’ve been asked more than once. The answer is simple.

One day, several years ago, I was walking through a local garden center with Leslie, my wife (the real gardener in the family). We came across a coleus plant and I said, “Look, my mother used to have one of those. She had one for years, we ought to get one.” My surprised wife said, “Years? You think it lasted in the apartment for years?” “Didn’t she have one for years?” was my response. And then she told me the secret…my mom got a coleus plant each year. To me, they all looked alike.

We bought one coleus plant…and that was the beginning. Each year we experiment.

Coleus plants are easy to grow, come in a wide variety of colors and sizes…and did I mention are easy to grow. You can grow them from seeds or cuttings. In New York, we can only grow them in the spring through fall. Once it gets cold, it’s a good idea to take in a cutting, put it in water, and watch the roots grow. In the spring you can plant them and get a new season of coleus. It’s fun!