Begonias are tender perennials , grown for their colourful efflorescence and foliage . Most begonias can be grown outside in pots , in the soil , or in hang handbasket in filtered light and moist , but well drained soil . Where not hardy , produce as annuals or indoors as houseplant . Most begonias can be propagated from leaf , stalk or rhizome press cutting in gain to being sown from cum . Begonia bowerae variety show nigramarga develop from a creeping rhizome . The foliation is very attractive , have little , unincised leaf . Flowers are profuse , white to pink in color , and bloom in winter . This plant enjoy filtered Inner Light but can take some sun in wintertime . Soil should ideally be dampish . Begonias develop very well in peat - found compost also . Likes humidness . Hardy . Does not care dusty weather . Pinching tips and pruning outer stems in the growing time of year gives a bushier works , good for hang baskets . bump off deadened foliage to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that Sunday and nicety patterns alter during the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . The westerly side of a house may even be umbrageous due to shadows cast by big trees or a structure from an side by side holding . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your old home , take clip to map out Sunday and nuance throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that favor partly shady condition , filtered lightis nonesuch . Good planting situation are under a mid to large sized tree that lets some light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : Moisture - have a go at it HouseplantsHouseplants that require sizeable water , or those labeled asmoisture - sleep with houseplantsrequire that they be watered exhaustively until the grunge is saturated and then drain freely from hole in the bottom of pot . Re - piss when pot soil becomes dry to the touch an inch or so below the soil aerofoil . shape : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants opt light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not direct , is of import to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as strong as afternoon sunshine , can be debate part sun or part shadowiness . If you survive in an area that does not get much intense Sunday , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sunshine photo may be ok . In other sphere such as Florida , plant in a fix where afternoon ghost will be received . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an easterly or westerly exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern picture window . condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor good plant functioning , it is desirable to gibe the correct flora with the available light conditions . Right plant , right place ! plant which do not find sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leaf and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plants to produce tiresome and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is possible to provide auxiliary lighting for indoor plants with lamp . Plants can also receive too much lighting . If a spook loving plant is exposed to direct Lord’s Day , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The winder to tearing is water deeply and less frequently . When watering , piss well , i.e. leave enough H2O to thoroughly saturate the root ballock . With in - priming coat plant , this means soundly soaking the soil until water has penetrate to a deepness of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , apply enough body of water to set aside water to course through the drainage holes .
render to water plants early on in the day or later on in the afternoon to conserve water supply and cut down on works stress . Do H2O early enough so that water system has had a prospect to dry from plant leaves prior to nighttime fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t hold off to piss until plants wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plant will die if they wilt too much ( when they pass on the permanent wilting point in time ) .
Consider water preservation method such as dribble irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip system which slowly drip wet immediately on the root scheme can be buy at your local dwelling and garden plaza . mulch can importantly cool the antecedent geographical zone and economise wet .
Consider adding water - saving gels to the radical geographical zone which will sustain a modesty of water for the industrial plant . These can make a Earth of difference of opinion especially under stressful condition . Be sure to observe label directions for their usance .
experimental condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept equally moist and watered on a regular basis , as conditions demand . Most plant like 1 column inch of water a week during the develop season , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a flora is put in , regular watering is important for establishment . The first year is critical . It is better to piddle once a calendar week and water profoundly , than to water frequently for a few minutes . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % pee so it important to append them with adequate water . Proper watering is crucial for estimable plant wellness . When there is not enough body of water , roots will shrink and the works will wilt . When too much water is applied too oft , roots are deprived of O and disease come such as root and fore putrefaction .
The key to watering is frequency . Water well then hold back long enough until the flora needs to be re - irrigate concord to its wet necessity .
When watering , H2O well . That is , ply enough water to thoroughly impregnate the etymon orb . With containerized plants , apply enough water to let water to flow through the drainage hole .
Avoid using cold water especially with houseplants . This can shock tender root . filling watering can with tepid urine or provide dusty water system to sit for a while to follow to room temperature before watering . This is a good fashion to leave any harmful atomic number 17 in the water to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are best irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing water on the leaves of sensitive plants . but place the pot in a shallow pan make full with tepid water and allow the plant sit for 15 minutes to allow the root ball to be thoroughly besotted . Take out and appropriate sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water large pots . bond it into the grunge ball & expect 5 minutes . The dowel pin will take in wet from the soil and turn a dark color . force it out and examine . This will give you an musical theme of how cockeyed the soil root ball is .
theme need oxygen to intimation , do not provide plants to sit in a saucer filled with body of water . This will only upgrade disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , total 2 to 4 inch of aged manure or compost and workplace into the planting site to improve fertility and increase water retentivity and drain . If soil composition is weak , a layer of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is sand or the Great Compromiser , it can be better by add the same affair : organic matter . The more , the better ; work deep into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a wondrous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off afterward . Besides , this is not something that is easily done after , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will delight years of maintenance - free horticulture . Perennials require to be cared for just like any other works . One matter that distinguishes perennials is that they tend to be active agriculturalist that have to be thinned out once in a while or they will loose vigor .
As perennials give , it is important to prune them back and thin them out once in a while . This will prevent them from completely take over an area to the censure of other plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many mintage also flower extravagantly and produce ample seed . As flower slicing it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove pass flowers before they form seed . This will prevent your flora from seed all over the garden and will economize the considerable vigor it postulate the plant life to produce seed .
As perennials maturate , they may organise a obtuse root stack that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally melt off out a stand of such perennials . By dividing the root system , you could make novel plants to implant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will excite newfangled outgrowth and restore the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or fall . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is small or no soil to establish in , or for plants that require a dirt eccentric not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If develop more than one plant life in a container , check that that all have alike ethnic requirements . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow root growth and emergence as well as relative residual between the in full developed plant and the container . Plant heavy containers in the place you specify them to stay . All containers should have drainage holes . A mesh topology covert , broken clay stack pieces(crock ) or a theme coffee filter placed over the hole will keep filth from launder out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate premix for the plant you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) engulf moisture promptly and evenly when wet . If water break away off land upon initial wetting , this is an index number that your soil may not be as skillful as you recollect .
Prior to fill a container with soil , wet pot soil in the bag or place in a bath or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a stratum that will allow for plants , when planted , to be just below the flange of the pot . Rootballs should be even with land line when task is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by consider Lord’s Day and shade through the solar day , photo , water necessary , climate , ground makeup , seasonal color desire , and position of other garden plants and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
The good fourth dimension to plant are outpouring and fall , when soil is workable and out of peril of frost . Fall plantings have the reward that roots can modernize and not have to contend with developing top development as in the outflow . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet conditions or for colder areas , leave full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless plant a more established sized plant .
To plant container - grown plants : Prepare embed hole with appropriate depth and space between . Water the plant thoroughly and let the excess water drain before carefully remove from the container . Carefully loosen the root ball and place the plant in the hole , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the industrial plant is extremely root bound , separate roots with fingers . A few slits made with a pouch knife are all right , but should be keep to a minimum . Continue filling in soil and water good , protecting from direct sun until static .
To set bare - tooth root plant : Plant as shortly as potential after purchase . make suitable planting holes , unfold base and shape soil among radical as you fill in . Water well and protect from direct sun until static .
To engraft seedlings : A number of perennials produce self - inseminate seedling that can be transplanted . You may also begin your own seedling bed for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting holes , spacing befittingly for works development . lightly raise the seedling and as much surrounding soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming land with fingertip and water system well . Shade from direct sunlight and water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake certain that the plant you have select is suitable for the atmospheric condition you are able-bodied to provide it : that it will have enough light-colored , space , and a temperature it will like . commemorate that the arena powerful next to a window will be colder than the sleep of the room .
Indoor flora require to be transplant into a declamatory container periodically , or they become pot / root - bound and their ontogeny is slow . irrigate the plant well before starting , so the soil will hold up the root bollock together when you remove it from the locoweed . If you have bother getting the industrial plant out of the crapper , try out running a leaf blade around the edge of the pot , and softly whacking the side to loosen the soil .
Always use reinvigorated soil when transplanting your indoor industrial plant . Fill around the plant gently with soil , being careful not to tamp too tightly – you desire melodic phrase to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the fresh pot , do n’t fertilize right aside … this will boost the rootage to sate in their new home base .
The sizing pot you opt is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 column inch greater in diameter . think , many works choose being somewhat pot bound . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is rule in most soils and enters the plant through the roots or the stem at soil spirit level . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , diminish lachrymation . If a plant is too far go ( all the leafage from the bottom up are wilt ) , remove it . If your flora is in a container , chuck out the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water solution . Fungicides can be used , agree to recording label direction . look up a professional for a effectual recommendation of what fungicide to expend . Pest : ThripsThripsare pocket-size , winged louse that attack many type of works and boom in hot , teetotal condition ( like heated houses ) . They can multiply rapidly as a female can dwell up to 300 eggs in a biography span of 45 daytime without coupling . Most of the damage to plant is triggered by the young larva which feed on cranky leaf and flower tissue . This leads to distorted emergence , injured efflorescence petals and premature flower drop cloth . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep Mary Jane down and use screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plants , keep them aside from non - infested industrial plant . Trap with yellow gummy lineup or take advantage of natural enemies such as predatory mite . Sometimes a good unbendable shower of piss will wash out them off the plant . Consult your local garden centre professional or county concerted extension office for sound chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - similar brute which prosper in red-hot , juiceless conditions ( like heated house ) . Spider mite eat with piercing lip parts , which cause plants to appear yellow and stippled . Leaf drop and plant death can pass with heavy infestations . Spider mites can breed quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 ballock in a life couplet of 30 24-hour interval . They also produce a web which can deal infested leave and flower .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested industrial plant . Dry line seems to worsen the problem , so verify plants are regularly watered , specially those preferring high-pitched humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or Lycopersicon esculentum . Always contain new works prior to play them home from the garden center or nursery . Take vantage of lifelike enemy such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and follow all recording label directions . pore your exertion on the undersurface of the leaves as that is where spider mites broadly live . gadfly : MealybugsSmall , wingless , ho-hum - white , gentle - bodied insects that make a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth voice that take up the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton fiber and they tend to congregate where leave of absence and stems outgrowth . They attack a wide orbit of industrial plant . The untested run to move around until they find a suitable feeding fleck , then they hang up out in colonies and feed . Mealybugs can de-escalate a works leading to yellow foliage and leafage drop . They also create a sweet-smelling substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black airfoil fungous growth called sooty mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infest plants from those that are not . confer with your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office staff in your county for a sound insecticide / chemical substance testimonial . Encourage instinctive foe such as lady beetles in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that look like tiny moths , which attack many types of plant life . The vanish adult stage choose the undersurface of leave-taking to feed in and stock . Whiteflies can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 500 nut in a life-time straddle of 2 months . If a works is infest with whitefly , you will see a cloud of fleeing insect when the flora is disturbed . Whiteflies can subvert a industrial plant , eventually leading to plant death if they are not jibe . They can transmit many harmful works viruses . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can run to an unattractive disastrous control surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Possible controls : keep gage down ; manipulation screening in window to keep them out ; take away infested plants away from non - infested plants ; use a pondering mulch ( aluminum transparency ) under plant life ( this repels whitefly ) ; cakehole with yellow sticky cards , utilise labeled pesticide ; encourage raw enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steadfast cascade of water will rinse them off the flora . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climate and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly odorous . They may eat hole in leave of absence , strip entire stems , or completely devour seedling and tender transplants , leave behind tell - tale silvery , slimy trail .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as unclouded as potential , extinguish concealing places such as leafage junk , over - turn pot , and tarpaulin . Groundcover in suspicious spot and backbreaking mulches offer protection from the component and can be favorite hiding places . In the spring , patrol for and put down eggs ( clusters of small translucent spheres ) and adult during dusk and dawn . Set out beer traps from late spring through evenfall .
Many chemical controls are useable on the market , but can be poisonous and pestilent for fry and favorite ; take forethought when using them - always show the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis ordinarily found on plants that do not have enough aura circulation or tolerable light . problem are bad where night are cool and day are warm and humid . The powdery bloodless or gray fungus is commonly found on the upper surface of leaves or yield . leave will often flex yellow or brown , curl up , and drop off . Modern foliation emerges crinkle and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : found resistant varieties and place works the right way so they incur equal igniter and air circulation . Always H2O from below , keeping H2O off the foliage . This is paramount for rosiness . Go easy on the nitrogen plant food . utilize fungicides according to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow directions exactly , not miss any required discussion . Sanitation is a must - pick up and absent all leave of absence , flowers , or debris in the dip and demolish . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf place are make by kingdom Fungi or bacterium . Brown or black smirch and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soak or yellow - butt on appearance . Insects , rainfall , filthy garden prick , or even people can avail its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected farewell when the plant is ironical . Leaves that collect around the foundation of the plant should be raked up and disposed of . avert overhead irrigation if potential ; weewee should be directed at soil level . For fungal leaf spots , expend a recommended fungicide accord to label directions .
pestilence : Scale InsectsScales are insect , touch on to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a across-the-board form of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scale crawling until they rule a upright feeding site . The grownup females then suffer their legs and remain on a smear protected by its knockout shell layer . They appear as bump , often on the lower sides of folio . They have pierce mouth theatrical role that soak up the sap out of flora tissue . Scales can weaken a industrial plant leading to yellow leafage and leafage drop . They also bring forth a sweet substance bid honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black open fungous growth called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are gruelling to control . Isolate infested plant life away from those that are not overrun . confer with your local garden centre professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual recommendation regarding their control . advance natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is happen on the surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy microbe , scale , or ant . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the foliage and stems of the plant . The best way to control sooty mold is to moderate the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can usually be wiped from leaves with a damp cloth or washed away with a hosiery - end sprayer .
