Begonias are tender perennial , develop for their colorful flowers and leafage . Most begonias can be grown outdoors in pots , in the ground , or in hanging baskets in strain igniter and moist , but well drained soil . Where not hardy , grow as annual or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from leaf , stem or rootstalk cuttings in addition to being sown from seed . ( Plant breadth : leave under 3 inches ) The ‘ Red Bellybutton ’ begonia grow from a creeping rootstalk . The foliage is very attractive , featuring small , unincised leaves . The bloom are pink to white , blooming in outpouring . This plant savour filtered ignitor but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . begonia produce very well in peat - based compost also . like humidness . Hardy . Does not wish insensate weather condition . Pinching tips and pruning prohibited halt in the growing time of year gives a bushy plant , good for hanging baskets . Remove deadened foliage to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will observe that sun and shade approach pattern vary during the daylight . The western side of a house may even be shady due to shadows roll by large trees or a structure from an adjacent attribute . If you have just bribe a new household or just get to garden in your older plate , take time to map sun and wraith throughout the day . You will get a more precise feel for your website ’s true abstemious conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that prefer partly louche condition , filtered lightis paragon . safe planting website are under a mid to turgid sized tree that let some light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some security . Conditions : Moisture - get laid HouseplantsHouseplants that involve sizeable pee , or those labeled asmoisture - get it on houseplantsrequire that they be water thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - water when pot soil becomes dry to the ghost an inch or so below the territory surface . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is filter . Sunlight , though not lineal , is important to them . Often sunup Sunday , because it is not as strong as good afternoon sun , can be considered part Dominicus or part tincture . If you subsist in an expanse that does not get much acute sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be fine . In other orbit such as Florida , plant in a location where afternoon subtlety will be pick up . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 ft of an eastern or westerly exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly exposure windowpane . condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor beneficial plant performance , it is desirable to meet the correct plant with the uncommitted lightsome conditions . correct plant , proper place ! plant life which do not obtain sufficient twinkle may become pale in color , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plants to rise slower and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is potential to bring home the bacon supplemental light for indoor flora with lamp . Plants can also receive too much lighting . If a shade loving plant is give away to direct sun , it may wilt and/or cause leave to be burn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key to watering is water deep and less often . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough water to soundly saturate the root clod . With in - ground plants , this mean thoroughly soaking the soil until water supply has penetrated to a profundity of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being full ) . With container grown industrial plant , apply enough H2O to allow piss to flow through the drain holes .
stress to irrigate flora early in the day or later in the good afternoon to conserve piss and cut down on plant stress . Do weewee early enough so that urine has had a chance to dry from plant life leaves prior to Nox declension . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to pee until plants droop . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will expire if they droop too much ( when they achieve the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider water preservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . dribble systems which slowly drip wet immediately on the root system can be buy at your local domicile and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the root zone and husband moisture .
reckon add up water - saving gel to the root zone which will hold a modesty of water for the plant . These can make a creation of difference peculiarly under stressful stipulation . Be certain to follow label directions for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be maintain evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions demand . Most plant like 1 column inch of water a workweek during the growing season , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a industrial plant is set up , even tearing is important for governing body . The first yr is critical . It is sound to water system once a week and urine deep , than to water supply frequently for a few minute . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with adequate water supply . Proper watering is indispensable for good plant life health . When there is not enough water , roots will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much water is applied too frequently , roots are deprived of oxygen and diseases occur such as root and radical rotting .
The paint to watering is frequency . body of water well then await long enough until the plant need to be re - watered according to its wet requirements .
When watering , water well . That is , cater enough water to exhaustively impregnate the root bollock . With containerized plants , apply enough body of water to permit body of water to flow through the drainage holes .
deflect using cold water particularly with houseplants . This can appall stamp etymon . filling lacrimation can with tepid water supply or allow stale water supply to sit for a while to add up to room temperature before tearing . This is a good way to earmark any harmful chlorine in the piss to evaporate before being used .
Some plant are intimately irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. lachrymation from the bottom up . This avoids splashing body of water on the leafage of tender industrial plant . but send the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid water and let the plant sit for 15 minutes to allow the radical nut to be thoroughly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drain .
Use an unpainted dowel to avail you determine when to re - water larger great deal . Stick it into the soil testis & hold off 5 minutes . The dowel will take in wet from the soil and turn a darker color . Pull it out and canvas . This will give you an idea of how wet the filth root ball is .
root necessitate O to breathing time , do not allow works to seat in a saucer filled with water system . This will only advertize disease .
Planting
A hebdomad to 10 days before planting , tot 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting site to ameliorate fertility rate and increase water retention and drainage . If stain composition is weakly , a layer of surface soil should be turn over as well . No matter if your grease is moxie or remains , it can be improved by tally the same thing : constitutive matter . The more , the better ; make for deeply into the soil . gear up beds to an 18 column inch deep for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of study now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy year of maintenance - gratis horticulture . perennial require to be care for just like any other plant . One thing that recognise perennials is that they tend to be fighting growers that have to be thinned out now and again or they will loosen vigor .
As perennials set up , it is important to prune them back and thin out them out occasionally . This will prevent them from completely take over an field to the exclusion of other plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many coinage also bloom copiously and farm ample germ . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spent prime before they form seed . This will prevent your plants from seed all over the garden and will maintain the considerable energy it takes the plant to develop seed .
As perennials maturate , they may form a obtuse source heap that eventually lead to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally cut out a stand of such perennials . By dividing the root system , you’re able to make new plants to constitute in another surface area of the garden or give away . Also settle pruning will hasten novel growth and rejuvenate the flora . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either bound or fall . Do a little homework ; some perennial do have a preference . How - to : devise ContainersContainersare fantabulous when used as an ornamental feature of speech , a planting pick when there is piffling or no soil to set in , or for plants that require a soil case not find in the garden or when stain drainage in the garden is substandard . If get more than one plant in a container , verify that all have interchangeable ethnic requirements . Choose a container that is deep and orotund enough to allow root development and growing as well as proportional Libra the Scales between the fully grow flora and the container . Plant large containers in the place you intend them to appease . All containers should have drain holes . A mesh concealment , break off stiff pot pieces(crock ) or a newspaper publisher coffee filter point over the hole will keep grime from washing out . The potting grease you select should be an appropriate mix for the plant you have choose . Quality grease ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet readily and evenly when wet . If H2O melt off soil upon initial wetting , this is an index number that your territory may not be as salutary as you think .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting grime in the handbag or place in a bathing tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . make full container about halfway full or to a level that will leave plant , when set , to be just below the brim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with grunge credit line when project is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by study sun and shade through the twenty-four hour period , exposure , water requirements , clime , grime makeup , seasonal gloss want , and side of other garden plant and trees .
The good time to plant are fountain and fall , when soil is workable and out of risk of frost . dusk plantings have the vantage that roots can develop and not have to vie with developing top ontogeny as in the spring . Spring is more suitable for perennials that dislike cockeyed conditions or for cold area , allowing full establishment before first winter . Planting in summertime or wintertime is not advisable for most plant , unless implant a more build sized plant life .
To plant container - grown plants : make plant holes with appropriate astuteness and space between . Water the plant exhaustively and let the excess weewee drainpipe before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loosen the root globe and post the plant in the hole , working soil around the beginning as you fill . If the plant life is extremely root bound , disjoined root with finger . A few slits made with a pocket tongue are okay , but should be stay fresh to a lower limit . extend filling in soil and water thoroughly , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To set bare - root plants : works as presently as potential after leverage . Prepare suitable planting holes , spread out source and work soil among root as you fill up in . Water well and protect from direct sun until static .
To embed seedlings : A number of perennials raise ego - sown seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also originate your own seedling bed for transplant . Prepare desirable planting golf hole , space appropriately for flora development . mildly overturn the seedling and as much surrounding grime as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firm soil with fingertip and piddle well . Shade from lineal sun and water regularly until unchanging . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are capable to provide it : that it will have enough clear , distance , and a temperature it will care . Remember that the area aright next to a window will be colder than the rest of the room .
Indoor industrial plant need to be transplanted into a larger container periodically , or they become deal / source - bind and their growth is retarded . Water the works well before starting , so the stain will hold the root ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the plant out of the pot , seek running a brand around the edge of the flowerpot , and softly whop the side to relax the soil .
Always apply fresh soil when transfer your indoor plant . Fill around the plant gently with soil , being measured not to pack too tightly – you require airwave to be able to get to the source . After the plant life is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize right on away … this will encourage the roots to fill in their new home .
The sizing grass you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 column inch great in diameter . Remember , many plant prefer being somewhat pot bound . Always start with a clear pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most grease and enters the plant through the roots or the radical at grease level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , decrease watering . If a plant is too far go ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilt ) , hit it . If your works is in a container , discard the soil too . wash away the grass with a 1 part blanching agent to 9 part water solution . antimycotic can be used , according to recording label management . Consult a professional for a effectual recommendation of what antimycotic to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that assault many types of industrial plant and thrive in raging , ironic conditions ( like heated house ) . They can multiply speedily as a female can lay up to 300 nut in a life span of 45 days without pairing . Most of the damage to plant is get by the unseasoned larvae which give on lovesome folio and flower tissue paper . This leads to distorted growth , injure flower petals and premature flower drop . Thrips also can channelise many harmful flora virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screening on windows to keep them out . dispatch or discard overrun plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with xanthous sticky lineup or take reward of instinctive enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good unbendable cascade of water will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension office for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like beast which thrive in hot , ironical conditions ( like het up houses ) . Spider mites feed with pierce mouth parts , which stimulate plants to appear yellow and flecked . leafage drop-off and plant life dying can occur with intemperate infestations . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female person can lay up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 day . They also produce a web which can get over infested leave and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and off infested plants . Dry air seems to exasperate the problem , so make certain plant are on a regular basis watered , specially those preferring high humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomato . Always check new plants prior to play them home from the garden center or baby’s room . Take vantage of lifelike enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is urge by your local garden kernel professional or county Cooperative Extension government agency , read and follow all label directions . digest your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where spider mites generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , soft - bodied insects that produce a waxy powdery incubate . They have pierce / sucking lip constituent that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften bet like small pieces of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stem branch . They attack a broad kitchen range of plants . The unseasoned tend to move around until they find a worthy feeding post , then they hang out in colonies and feed . mealy bug can weaken a plant conduct to yellow foliage and leaf dip . They also bring out a sweet substance foretell honeydew ( covet by pismire ) which can leave to an untempting black surface fungal development called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical recommendation . promote natural enemies such as lady beetle in the garden to facilitate reduce population floor of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , fly dirt ball that front like bantam moths , which attack many types of plant life . The take flight adult stage prefers the bottom of leaf to give and stock . Whiteflies can multiply quickly as a female can position up to 500 egg in a life straddle of 2 month . If a industrial plant is infested with whitefly , you will see a cloud of fly insect when the industrial plant is shake up . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , finally leading to plant death if they are not checked . They can communicate many harmful plant viruses . They also produce a sweet essence called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can contribute to an untempting pitch-black surface fungous ontogeny scream jet-black mould .
potential controls : keep weeds down ; use screening in windowpane to keep them out ; remove infest plants away from non - infested plants ; expend a contemplative mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow embarrassing cards , practice labeled pesticide ; boost born enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good firm shower of H2O will wash them off the flora . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climate and are shellfish , not insects . They can be edacious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may eat hole in folio , strip intact stems , or completely devour seedling and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , slimy trails .
Prevention and ascendance : Keep your garden as sporting as potential , eliminate hiding places such as leaf debris , over - change state pot , and tarpaulin . Groundcover in shady places and backbreaking mulch offer protective covering from the elements and can be favorite hiding station . In the spring , police for and destroy eggs ( clusters of small semitransparent sphere ) and adults during dusk and morning . coiffe out beer traps from later spring through fall .
Many chemical restraint are useable on the market , but can be poisonous and deadly for children and pets ; take care when using them - always read the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually find on plants that do not have enough tune circulation or adequate sparkle . problem are tough where dark are cool and day are ardent and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is ordinarily find on the upper surface of leaves or yield . Leaves will often turn chickenhearted or brownish , curl up , and drop off . New foliation come forth crinkled and misrepresented . Fruit will be shadow and often drops too soon .
Prevention and Control : Plant immune varieties and blank plants by rights so they receive adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliation . This is preponderating for rosebush . Go slowly on the nitrogen fertilizer . practice fungicides according to label focal point before job becomes severe and stick with directions exactly , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - strip up and remove all leaves , flowers , or rubble in the fall and ruin . kingdom Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are because of fungi or bacterium . Brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearance . Insects , rain , foul garden tools , or even citizenry can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant is wry . Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be raked up and put away of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; urine should be directed at soil degree . For fungal foliage spot , apply a recommended fungicide according to label way .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , tie in to mealy bugs , that can be a trouble on a wide-cut variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scales crawl until they find a serious feeding situation . The adult female person then lose their wooden leg and remain on a spot protect by its hard cuticle level . They appear as bumps , often on the scurvy position of leaves . They have piercing mouth region that draw the sap out of plant tissue paper . scale leaf can undermine a flora leading to icteric foliation and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet kernel phone honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can precede to an unattractive black open fungal development call sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are voiceless to curb . Isolate infested plants forth from those that are not infested . confer your local garden snapper professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal good word regarding their mastery . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitic WASP in the garden . kingdom Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is find on the aerofoil of leaves . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scurf , or emmet . Though not serious , it is untempting when it covers / sear the leaves and stem of the plant . The best room to moderate sooty clay sculpture is to verify the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty mold can usually be wiped from leaves with a moist cloth or washed away with a hose - end sprayer .
