"Paul O." wrote in message
. net...
Last spring I bought several Coleus plants. Thru the summer they got
pretty tall and bushy. How does winter effect them? We live in the Inland
Empire of Southern Calif. and freezing temps and frosts are not all that
common, however last winter we did have several nites of 32 deg. or so. I
like the Coleus but don't want to dig them up and toss them every winter.
Thanks.
--
Paul O.
Around here (Western NY), coleus plants issue painful visual warnings when
the temps get close to 32 at night. The warnings mean "You should've taken
cuttings yesterday". :-) Below 32, they're history, and they get ugly,
fast. Very tender plants. If the weather report suggests that you're about
to get temps that low, and then not again for a month, you could use some
heavy plastic to create a tent over the plants just for that one "event".
Make sure there are a few inches between the leaves and the plastic. Be sure
to remove it before the sun shines on it for very long in the morning, or
you might cook the plants.