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In this article I will try to answer the following questions:

1. How to propagate two beautiful annuals - Coleus and Impatiens
2. How to over winter annuals like Coleus and Impatiens
3. What are the benefits of overwintering your annuals

The Difference Between Annuals and Perennials

Have you ever wondered why your annuals always die after the winter?  Do you like impatiens or Coleus in your garden, but can’t afford the cost of buying new annuals every spring?   Maybe you chose to have only perennials in your garden to lower costs.   The difference between annuals and perennials is that annuals are plants that are usually tropical or subtropical in nature and are planted in gardens during the summer months.  

Because annuals cannot handle freezing temperatures, they will die if left outside in the winter.  Perennials on the other hand are plants that keep coming back every year.   In fact some perennials need the freezing temperatures in the winter to rejuvenate its roots and replenish itself for the following season.   For those of you who like annuals but can’t afford to buy new annuals every season, this article is for you.

Depending on the annuals you want to propagate, some are very easy to propagate and others are tricky to propagate.  This article will focus on two of the easiest annuals to propagate, such as Coleus and Impatiens.   Other annuals, such as begonias can be very difficult to over winter.  

Coleus (annuals and plants)

Other favorite annuals, such as caladiums are actually a subtropical bulb perennial that can be over wintered by drying the bulb and replanting it the next summer.  I was never successful with begonias or caladiums, however, the most popular annuals, such as Coleus and Impatiens are very easy to propagate and over winter.  They will thrive in the simplest of conditions inside during the winter.

Benefits of Overwintering Coleus or Impatiens

One of the greatest benefits of overwintering Coleus and Impatiens is that when given a little water on a regular basis, they will grow and grow.  By summer, you can have huge beautiful flowers that will be the envy of the neighborhood.  Furthermore, Coleus can give a huge variety of colored foliage.  There is an amazing variety of Coleus that has different foliage sizes as well.  Impatiens, likewise are also very beautiful and have green leaves, but their flowers can have a whole range of colors from red and salmon to white, purple and pink. 

Coleus (annual plant)

You can also pick and choose from the basic single impatient or the more elegant looking double Impatiens, some of which look like roses.   Impatiens are a bit more tricky to start than Coleus, but once started, they will grow big.

Things Needed for Propagation

Not too many things are needed for effective propagation.  The important thing is to get the plants started.  With Impatiens and Coleus, the most common method of propagation is taking a small clipping with two or three leaves and getting it to grow roots.   What is needed for that is listed below.

A.  Wet Mason Sand: Mason sand is a great rooting medium.  Mason sand is better to use for rooting purposes than beach sand because mason sand is grittier and allows the cutting to let out good healthy roots. You can buy Mason sand from Lowes or Home Depot.

B.  Rooting Hormone: Rooting hormone is actually a white powder that you can get at any home and garden store, which has a plant department.  This hormone gives the clipping the natural nutrients needed for letting out healthy roots.  Coleus can also sometimes grow roots by leaving a clipping in a glass of water.

C.  Sharp Scissors: For clipping specimens from the parent plant.

That’s all you need.  

Propagating Coleus

Propagating Coleus is very easy.  All you need to do is to find a good healthy Coleus with healthy foliage and many stems.  Clip a few specimens for propagation.  The clippings should be at least three or four inches long.   Steps for preparing and rooting the specimens are listed below.

1. Never wait to plant a clipping.  The clipping should be kept wet at all times before being planted.  If a clipping is allowed to dry, the cut end of the clipping will heal and then it will not grow roots and wither up and die. 
2. Have a flowerpot with wet mason sand ready before you make the cutting. 
3. If you are traveling for a while before you get home with the clipping, you should keep the clipping in a cup of water for the trip home.
4. Take the clipping and cut off all but two or three leaves off of it.  You do not want too many leaves, because this will take away energy from growing new roots.  Two or three leaves are all what is needed for the plant to photosynthesize. 
5. Dip the bottom of the clipping into some rooting hormone until the bottom of the clipping is white with the powder.
6. Make a hole in the wet sand with your finger to plant the clipping.
7. Plant the dipped clipping in the wet mason sand.
8. Give the clipping about three weeks in the mason sand.  After three weeks gently dig up the clipping with your fingers.  It should have a nice root ball already.  The new roots will be white in color.  Plant the new rooted clipping in some good potting soil.  Miracle-Gro Potting Soil is the best.  This will allow the new Coleus to grow fast.

Propagating Impatiens

Propagating Impatiens is also easy, but getting them started is more difficult.  Impatiens got their name because they keep producing flowers.  More flowers are coming out when others are still blooming, as if the plant is in a hurry to put out flowers — hence the name “impatient.”   The steps for preparing and rooting Impatiens are listed below.

Impatiens Walleriana (flowering annuals)

1. Find a healthy impatient plant.  A healthy plant should have many flowers on it and the leaves should look full without any wilting. 
2. The clippings should be about tree inches long.
3. Have a flowerpot of wet mason sand ready for each clipping you plan to root.   Make a hole in the sand with your finger to plant the clipping.
4. Prepare the specimen by removing all but two or three leaves, just enough for photosynthesis.  Remove blossoms or buds. 
5. Dip the bottom of the stem in rooting hormone.  Remember, just as with Coleus clippings, the Impatiens clipping should also have the cut end be kept wet.
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6. Plant the clipping in the mason sand.  Impatiens need more time to grow their roots than Coleus.  Give them at least a month to take root.  Some Impatiens might even need more. 
7. Note that with Impatiens, not all clippings will root.  Some will die.  I usually leave the clipping in the sand until the first blossom.  When the impatient has a flower or two, it has roots.  Then it is safe to take the impatient out and put it in some nutrient rich potting soil.  Miracle-Gro Potting Soil works good for Impatiens as well.

Overwintering Your Annuals

Keeping your newly propagated annuals over the winter is rather simple.  All you need to do is to keep the plants in a sunlit room and they will grow just like houseplants.  In fact, in some other countries, such as Georgia, Coleus and Impatiens are commonly kept in flowerpots as houseplants. 

Double Impatiens (flowering annuals)

When watering your plants, you should add some liquid plant food.  I use Miracle-Gro House Plant Food in the water and by early spring, my Coleus can be already over a foot high.  By the beginning of the summer, when it is time to plant your annuals, your Impatiens and Coleus will be enormous.  People, who throw out and buy new will ask you where you got that big Coleus.  When you tell them that you overwintered it, they will be in shock.

Other Unique Ideas for Annuals

For a unique garden with annuals, try using some conventional houseplants as annuals and mix them with your annuals like Coleus or Impatiens.  You can get an interesting blend of plants that will stand out.  There are all kinds of houseplants that can be very unique annuals.  Try mixing spider plants together with Impatiens or Coleus.  If you choose to have a green and white variegated spider plant and add some bright orange or red Coleus, you will have color and a flower garden that stands out.  Wandering Jew is another nice plant to grow with annuals.  Wandering Jew is very easy to propagate.  Just take a clipping and put it in a glass of water until it lets out roots.  Wandering Jew has large purple velvety leaves.  This vine-like plant will work great with Impatiens or around certain perennials.  The purple foliage of the wandering Jew would work great among Impatiens, or even along with some foliage perennials, like hostas.

Coleus (annual plant)

Varieties of Coleus

For those of you who love color, the Coleus is just the right annual for you.  The Coleus is actually a member of the mint family — the square stem is the characteristic of the mint genus.  The Coleus is actually a subtropical perennial, which grows all year in southern Florida.  In Florida Coleus are grown in yards as large hedges.  In the northern parts of the United States and Europe, however, the freezing temperatures will kill the Coleus, therefore if you live in the northern climates the Coleus is considered as an annual.

There are thousands of varieties and hybrids of Coleus available.   Some Coleus are dwarf varieties, which means that they will grow low.    These Coleus come in a whole variety of color and are great for growing as borders or in window boxes.   Other varieties of Coleus can get huge.   Some of these larger varieties, when overwintered, can get up to three feet high.  There are thousands of varieties of these Coleus as well.    Whatever Coleus you choose, they can add stunning color to your garden both inside as house plants in the winter or outside in your garden as annuals.   One great site to see only some of the varieties of Coleus available is this one, www.rareplants.com/downer/index.html.  This website has a huge gallery of pictures of all kinds of popular Coleus varieties.   In the garden, Coleus prefer shade.

Double Impatiens (flowering annuals)

Varieties of Impatiens

Impatiens also come in different varieties, however, they are not really named like Coleus hybrids are.  The most common Impatiens are single Impatiens.  These have a green heart-shaped leaf and a small four-pedal flower.  The color of the flower can vary.  The most common colors are red, salmon, pink, white, or purple.  Some can be variegated where the flower could be two colors, usually white and red.  Double Impatiens are a more expensive variety of Impatiens.  Double Impatiens have the same kind of leaves as the single Impatiens do, but the flowers are different.  The flowers of double Impatiens look like little roses.  I have not seen any variegated flowers on double Impatiens.  The double Impatiens are some of my favorites because the rose-shaped flower stands out from the foliage more accenting the plant nicely.   Both varieties of these Impatiens like full to part shade.

New Guinea Impatiens

If you really want to add exotic spice to your garden, try planting some New Guinea Impatiens.  This variety is different from the other more conventional Impatiens. 

Impatiens Hawkeri (New Guinea Impatiens)

The leaves are larger and are more of a longer spade-shape.  The flowers are larger as well.  Whereas your conventional Impatiens like full to part shade, New Guinea Impatiens like full to part sun.  New Guinea Impatiens are propagated like other Impatiens.

How Growing Annuals Together with Houseplants Can Accent Your Garden

With all the information you learned in this article, you are now ready to use your artistic license in creating the right flower garden for you.  You can keep your annuals in nice decorative pots or in the summer, you can transplant them into flowerbeds in your garden.   The picture below is a perfect example on how having annuals and houseplants together can add a nice accent to your outside sanctuary.  This arrangement consists of Impatiens, Coleus, Begonias, and a Variegated spider plant.  

Propagating Annuals - Coleus and Impatiens

All the Impatiens and Coleus in this photo I propagated myself and overwintered them as well.  I planted them in clay flowerpots bought in Tbilisi, Georgia to fit the decor of my outdoor entertaining area.   For those of you who are avid travelers, like myself, don’t hesitate to find pots or other weatherproof trinkets to add to your garden to add that special exotic look.

Benefits of Propagating and Overwintering Annuals

Propagating and overwintering your annuals can be a great benefit to you and your family for the following reasons:

1. Save Money: By propagating and overwintering your annuals, you can enjoy the same annuals for years to come without having to spend over $100 on annuals every year.
2. It is fun for the whole family:  For you parents out there, propagate your annuals together with your children.  This can be a nice activity, which can teach your children a valuable skill.  Once someone gets into one aspect of gardening, they can get into other more vital aspects of gardening later.
3. It is a great stress reliever:  Plants can have that calming effect.  Actually watching the process of the cut specimen turn into another plant can just be that activity needed to relieve the everyday stress from work or everyday life.
4. Propagation and overwintering can enhance your creativity:   For those of you who have a sunroom in your house, you can overwinter your annuals in the sunroom and create a nice winter garden by arranging your annuals in there along with houseplants that you keep in there year-round.   You can have yourself an extension of the summer months this way by enjoying an indoor garden in those cold winter months.

Thanks for reading.

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