I’ve begun potting up plants for my 2014 garden. These plantlets, Witch Doctor Coleus and Dragon Wing Begonia will grow together and fill out over the next few months.

The coleus has an excellent root system and should have no problem adapting to the soil. The begonia is a little fussier about rooting in water, hopefully, it also will feel more at home in the soil.

My first step was to cover the bottom of the pot with a coffee filter. This keeps dirt from spilling out but allows water to run through the drainage hole.

The plants look terrific together. The chartreuse and maroon coloring of the coleus will enhance the pink of the dragon wing begonia. The coleus will grow upright and the dragon wing begonia will spill over the sides of the front porch flowerpot.

The last step, before watering and placing the pot in a location that receives bright morning sun, was to pinch out the growing tips of the coleus. This will cause the plant to send out more side shoots and give me a bushier and heartier plant in the Spring.