The botanical name of Coleus / Chinese potato is Coleus parviflorus L.; Syn :
Solenostemon rotundifolius; it belongs to the family Labiatae
Varieties: CO 1, Sree Dhara
Soil: Red, loamy and well drained soils. Comes up well in shade with warm humid climate.
Season and planting: Harvest the tubers in January and store under room temperature for two months. Plant the sprouted tubers in the nursery beds in March – April. Use herbaceous cuttings of 10 cm length taken from the nursery beds and plant in the main field during July – August at a spacing of 30 cm.
Preparation of main field: The field is ploughed 4 to 5 times to a fine tilth and form ridges and furrows 60 cm apart.
Irrigation: At weekly intervals.
Application of fertilizers: FYM at 25 t/ha as basal and NPK at 30:60:150 kg/ha. Apply 30 kg N 30 days after planting at the time of earthing up along with 2 kg of Azospirillum.
After cultivation: 2 or 3 weedings and earthing up 2 months after planting.
Yield: 15 to 20 t/ha in 120 days.
