DENVER — If you kept tender plants indoors over the winter, you'll notice that they're anxious to go back outside. Longer days and more intense sun are promoting new growth. Get them ready to go back outside.
I'm cleaning up, pruning and pinching my favorite container plants such as geraniums, begonias, plectranthus, coleus and bloodleaf. It's usually a matter of cutting back straggly growth and pinching out growth tips to promote new growth. You may also want to start fertilizing.
If you rooted coleus cuttings last fall to make new plants, you can probably start a new batch. Take cuttings about three inches long. Strip off the lower leaves and dust the stems with a rooting powder. Insert them into cells of fresh, pre-moistened potting soil. Cover with a plastic cover. They'll root in a week or so.
After a week, give them a gentle tug. If they resist, they've rooted. Remove the plastic dome and give them a sunny spot.
Remember that these tender plants can't go outside until night temperatures stay reliably at 45 to 50 degrees at night.
And don't even think about planting tomatoes.
More Proctor's Garden:
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