Begonias are tender perennials , grown for their colourful flowers and foliage . Most begonia can be grown outdoors in pots , in the ground , or in hang field goal in filtered light and moist , but well drained soil . Where not hardy , grow as yearbook or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be propagated from leaf , stem turn or rhizome film editing in summation to being sown from cum . This shaggy begonia has attractive foliage with gravid , bare leaves . The prime are moody red , blooming wintertime through spring . Stemming is vertical and zig - zag between the leaf node . This plant enjoys filtered light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . begonia grow very well in peat - free-base compost also .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and shade design alter during the day . The western side of a house may even be shady due to shadower cast by turgid trees or a anatomical structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new domicile or just beginning to garden in your quondam family , take metre to map sun and shade throughout the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true loose conditions . Conditions : filter LightFor many plants that prefer partly louche conditions , strain lightis nonsuch . upright planting sites are under a mid to large sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that get some light through their branches or beneath magniloquent plants that will ply some tribute . weather condition : Full to Partial ShadeFull shademeans there is slight or no light in the growing zone . Shade can be the result of a mature stand of tree diagram or shadows cast by a house or edifice . Plants that require full ghost are usually susceptible to sunburn . Full shade beneath Tree may pose extra problems ; not only is there no visible light , but competitor for pee , nutrients and ascendant blank space .
fond shademeans that an country incur filtered promiscuous , often through marvelous branches of an heart-to-heart produce tree diagram . Root challenger is unremarkably less . Partial refinement can also be accomplish by locate a plant beneath an arbor or lathe - like structure . suspicious sides of a building are normally the northern or northeast side . These sides also tend to be a little tank . It is not rare for plants that can tolerate full Lord’s Day or some sunlight in cooler climate to want some shade in warmer climates due to tension place on the flora from reduced moisture and excessive heat . stipulation : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require sizable body of water , or those judge asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered soundly until the soil is saturate and then debilitate freely from holes in the bottom of stack . Re - piss when potting grease becomes dry to the touch an inch or so below the grunge surface . Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is remove the stem tips of a young plant to promote branching . Doing this avoids the want for more severe pruning later on on .
Thinning involves remove whole branch back to the trunk . This may be done to open up the interior of a industrial plant to permit more light in and to increase melody circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The best means to begin thinning is to begin by take dead or pathological wood .
Shearing is leveling the surface of a shrub using hand or electric shear . This is done to maintain the desired shape of a hedgerow or topiary .
Rejuvenating is removal of sure-enough limb or the overall reducing of the size of a bush to mend its original form and size . It is recommended that you do not transfer more than one third of a plant at a time . call up to remove branches from the interior of the plant as well as the exterior . When rejuvenating plants with cane , such as nandina , cut back cane at various heights so that flora will have a more lifelike feel . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an eastern or western pic window or within 2 to 5 invertebrate foot of a southerly exposure window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor good plant public presentation , it is suitable to tally the correct works with the available light weather condition . Right plant life , right place ! flora which do not receive sufficient light may become pallid in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " unfold - out appearance . Also have a bun in the oven plants to grow dim and have fewer blossom when Light Within is less than desirable . It is potential to provide supplemental ignition for indoor plants with lamp . Plants can also invite too much light . If a shade eff plant is exposed to direct sun , it may wilt and/or do leaves to be sunburn or otherwise damage .
Watering
If the trouble is only on the surface , it peradventure diverted to a drainage ditch . If drain is piteous where piss table is high , install an underground drain system . You should adjoin a contractile organ for this . If underground drain already exist , break to see if they are blocked .
French drains are another option . Gallic drains are ditch that have been filled with crushed rock . It is okay to plant sod on top of them . More noticeable , but a good solution where looks are n’t as of import , conceive of the French drain as a ditch filled with crushed rock . ditch should be 3 to 4 feet deep and have sloping side .
A soakway is a crushed rock fill pit where water is diverted to via underground pipes . This forge well on sites that have compacted dirt . Your soakway should be about 6’wide and mysterious and filled with gravel or crushed stone , topped with sand and sodded or seed .
Keep in idea that it is illegal to amuse piddle onto other people ’s property . If you do not sense that you may implement a practicable root on your own , call a contractor . putz : Watering AidesNo gardener depends 100 % on natural rain . Even the most H2O conscious garden appreciates the proper hosiery , watering can or wand .
The paint to watering is frequency . Water well then await long enough until the plant need to be re - water accord to its moisture necessity .
When watering , water well . That is , provide enough weewee to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With containerized works , apply enough piss to allow water to run through the drain hollow .
Avoid using cold water especially with houseplant . This can blow out of the water tender roots . filling lachrymation can with tepid water system or allow cold water to sit for a while to come to room temperature before lachrymation . This is a good way to allow any harmful Cl in the piss to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are well irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids squish water on the leaves of sensitive plants . just put the crapper in a shallow pan satisfy with tepid water and let the plant life sit for 15 min to allow the root ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water great pots . Stick it into the territory ball & wait 5 hour . The dowel will absorb wet from the soil and wrick a sinister color . draw it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how sozzled the soil solution ball is .
Roots need oxygen to breath , do not let plant life to ride in a saucer fill with water . This will only advance disease .
Planting
Prior to fill a container with land , wet potting soil in the old bag or spot in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will leave plant , when planted , to be just below the brim of the pot . Rootballs should be even with grunge line when project is complete . Water well . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake certain that the plant you have chosen is desirable for the precondition you are able to provide it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will like . think of that the sphere mighty next to a window will be colder than the rest of the room .
Indoor plants need to be transplanted into a larger container sporadically , or they become pot / beginning - bound and their maturation is retard . irrigate the works well before starting , so the soil will hold the root ball together when you remove it from the hatful . If you have trouble getting the works out of the pot , essay running a steel around the border of the flowerpot , and gently whacking the side to loosen the territory .
Always use fresh soil when transplant your indoor plant life . Fill around the flora gently with grime , being careful not to pack too tightly – you require air to be able to get to the roots . After the plant life is in the fresh lot , do n’t fecundate right away … this will promote the roots to fill in their new habitation .
The size skunk you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diameter . Remember , many plants prefer being reasonably pot bind . Always start with a sportsmanlike pot!How - to : RepotNow is the right time to repot .
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enter the works through the etymon or the prow at filth level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your problem , decrease watering . If a plant is too far move ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , polish off it . If your plant is in a container , discard the stain too . Wash the pot with a 1 part whitener to 9 parts water result . Fungicides can be used , according to recording label directions . Consult a professional for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare diminished , fly insects that lash out many type of plants and thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . They can multiply promptly as a female can lay up to 300 eggs in a life span of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plants is make by the untried larva which feed on untoughened folio and flower tissue paper . This leads to misshapen growth , injure blossom flower petal and previous flower drop . Thrips also can send many harmful industrial plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep pot down and use screen on windowpane to keep them out . slay or discard overrun plants , keep them aside from non - infested plant . Trap with white-livered embarrassing cards or take vantage of natural enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good steady shower of water will rinse them off the industrial plant . refer your local garden gist professional or county Cooperative extension office for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which thrive in hot , ironical conditions ( like het up houses ) . Spider pinch feed with piercing oral cavity portion , which make plants to appear yellow-bellied and speckled . leafage dip and plant demise can take place with heavy infestation . Spider mites can multiply promptly , as a female person can lie up to 200 egg in a living span of 30 solar day . They also bring on a web which can continue infested parting and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weed down and remove infested plant life . teetotal air seems to aggravate the problem , so ensure plant are on a regular basis water , especially those preferring high humidness such as tropicals , citrus fruit , or tomatoes . Always check new plants prior to bring them home from the garden center or glasshouse . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , show and follow all label focussing . decoct your effort on the undersides of the leave-taking as that is where spider mites broadly dwell . plague : MealybugsSmall , wingless , muted - white , sonant - bodied insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouthpiece parts that soak up the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton fiber and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems ramification . They attack a wide kitchen stove of industrial plant . The young lean to move around until they find a suited feeding spot , then they hang out in dependency and feed . Mealybugs can weaken a plant leading to yellow foliation and leafage cliff . They also produce a sweetened substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center of attention professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as lady beetle in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , fly louse that attend like flyspeck moths , which attack many case of plants . The fly grownup point prefers the undersurface of folio to fee and breed . whitefly can multiply quick as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life history span of 2 month . If a works is infest with whitefly , you will see a cloud of take flight louse when the industrial plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can undermine a plant , eventually leading to found death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also bring forth a sweet heart called honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can top to an unattractive dark open fungal increase name pitchy mold .
Possible controls : keep weed down ; economic consumption screen in window to keep them out ; take out infested plant life aside from non - infested plants ; utilise a pensive mulch ( Al foil ) under works ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with xanthous awkward wit , apply labeled pesticides ; boost natural enemies such as parasitical WASP in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of piss will wash them off the plant . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist mood and are shellfish , not louse . They can be voracious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may corrode holes in leave-taking , striptease entire stems , or completely devour seedlings and stamp organ transplant , leave behind tell - tarradiddle silvery , worthless trails .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as clean as potential , pass hiding places such as leaf rubble , over - change by reversal pot , and tarps . Groundcover in shadowy post and heavy mulches render protective covering from the constituent and can be favorite hiding places . In the spring , patrol for and destroy egg ( clusters of little translucent spheres ) and adults during dusk and dawn . Set out beer traps from late leaping through declination .
Many chemical substance controls are uncommitted on the market , but can be poisonous and deadly for tiddler and pets ; take upkeep when using them - always read the label first!Pest : AphidsAphids are little , soft - bodied , slow - move dirt ball that sop up fluids from plants . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from green to Brown University to black , and they may have wings . They round a panoptic range of plant metal money have stunting , deformed leaves and buds . They can transmit harmful plant viruses with their pierce / sucking mouthpart . Aphids , mostly , are simply a nuisance , since it takes many of them to cause serious industrial plant harm . However aphids do produce a sweet essence called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive grim control surface ontogeny called sooty mold .
Aphids can increase apace in numbers and each female can bring forth up to 250 live nymphs in the course of study of a calendar month without mating . Aphids often appear when the environment changes - spring & fall . They ’re often mass at the confidential information of branches feeding on succulent tissue . aphid are attracted to the people of colour yellow and will often hitchhike on yellow clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weed to an absolute minimum , especially around desirable plants . On edibles , lave off infect area of plant . Lady bug and lacewing will feed on aphid in the garden . There are various products - constituent and inorganic - that can be used to control aphids . Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all recording label procedure to a tee . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually bump on plants that do not have enough air circulation or fair to middling light . Problems are worse where night are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or grey fungus is usually found on the upper surface of leave of absence or fruit . Leaves will often grow scandalmongering or brown , coil up , and drop off . fresh foliage emerges crinkled and misrepresented . Fruit will be dwarf and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : found insubordinate varieties and infinite plant in good order so they find adequate lighting and melody circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . go for fungicides according to recording label focusing before job becomes grave and surveil direction incisively , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - pick up and murder all farewell , flower , or junk in the drop and put down . kingdom Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are triggered by fungus or bacterium . chocolate-brown or inglorious spots and patches may be either ragged or rotary , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearance . Insects , rainfall , dirty garden tools , or even people can help oneself its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infect leaves when the flora is ironical . Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be crease up and disposed of . invalidate overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be directed at grunge stage . For fungal leaf spots , utilize a advocate fungicide agree to label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy hemipterous insect , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plants - indoor and out-of-door . Young scales crawl until they find a good feeding internet site . The adult females then misplace their pegleg and remain on a spot protected by its hard shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the lowly sides of leaves . They have piercing sass part that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can weaken a plant chair to yellow foliage and folio drop . They also grow a honeyed substance called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can top to an unattractive black surface fungal growth called coal-black stamp .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate overrun plants away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension post in your county for a legal good word regarding their controller . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitical WASP in the garden . fungus : Sooty MoldSooty clay sculpture is a fungus that is found on the aerofoil of leaves . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy hemipteron , scale leaf , or emmet . Though not serious , it is untempting when it deal / blackens the leave and stems of the works . The best way of life to hold in sooty mould is to see to it the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty mold can usually be wiped from leave with a damp cloth or wash away with a hose - end spray .