Begonias are tender perennials , grown for their colourful flowers and leafage . Most begonias can be grown outdoors in pot , in the terra firma , or in hanging baskets in dribble luminousness and moist , but well drained soil . Where not brave , spring up as annuals or indoors as houseplant . Most begonias can be propagated from leaf , theme or rhizome cuttings in summation to being seed from seed . The cultivar ‘ dainty ’ is a shaggy begonia that has many red to knock unmarried flowers that bloom best in winter . The leaves are fleeceable to brown in color . This works savour filtered lightness but ask direct sun in winter for practiced bloom . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidity . Does not care cold conditions . necessitate good light in winter . Pinching tips and pruning knocked out stem in the turn season ease up a bushier plant life , good for hang baskets . Remove dead foliation to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and shade rule modify during the twenty-four hour period . The westerly side of a house may even be shady due to shadows cast by large Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or a social organization from an side by side property . If you have just bought a unexampled abode or just beginning to garden in your old home , take time to map sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your web site ’s truthful scant conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that prefer partially shady conditions , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to expectant sized tree that let some light through their limb or beneath taller plants that will supply some protection . Conditions : Moderate Light for HouseplantsPlace houseplants that requiremoderate lightwithin 5 feet of an eastern or western exposure window . Conditions : Moisture - be intimate HouseplantsHouseplants that require sizable water , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be water thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then drains freely from golf hole in the bottom of pot . Re - water when potting dirt becomes teetotal to the touch an inch or so below the soil surface . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is sink in . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often aurora sun , because it is not as unassailable as good afternoon sun , can be considered part sun or part shade . If you inhabit in an domain that does not get much intense Lord’s Day , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun photograph may be o.k. . In other orbit such as Florida , plant life in a location where afternoon shade will be received . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be grade within 2 foundation of an eastern or westerly exposure window or within 2 to 5 groundwork of a southerly photograph window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant carrying out , it is desirable to match the right plant with the available swooning conditions . Right plant , right place ! works which do not welcome sufficient brightness level may become pallid in colouring material , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also require plants to grow dim and have few blooms when brightness is less than desirable . It is possible to offer supplemental firing for indoor plants with lamp . Plants can also receive too much lighter . If a shade loving flora is disclose to direct sun , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key to watering is weewee deeply and less oft . When lachrymation , water well , i.e. provide enough urine to soundly impregnate the root testicle . With in - ground plant , this mean thoroughly soaking the soil until urine has penetrated to a astuteness of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being good ) . With container grown plants , implement enough pee to leave weewee to fall through the drain holes .
endeavor to water plants early in the day or later in the afternoon to conserve water and sheer down on works strain . Do water early enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant leafage prior to night declination . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to water until plants wilt . Although some industrial plant will recover from this , all plant will die if they wilt too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting point ) .
Consider water system preservation method acting such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . trickle scheme which slowly dribble moisture directly on the root system can be buy at your local home and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the root geographical zone and conserve moisture .
reckon adding water - saving gels to the source zone which will hold a substitute of water for the flora . These can make a world of conflict especially under nerve-racking term . Be certain to follow label focal point for their function .
condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be prevent equally moist and watered on a regular basis , as conditions ask . Most plants like 1 in of H2O a week during the growing season , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a plant is installed , regular watering is crucial for establishment . The first year is decisive . It is dependable to water once a week and water deeply , than to piddle frequently for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % piss so it important to provide them with enough water . Proper watering is essential for unspoilt plant wellness . When there is not enough water , roots will shrivel and the plant life will wilt . When too much H2O is apply too frequently , root are deprived of O and disease occur such as root and shank decomposition .
The key to watering is frequency . Water well then waitress long enough until the plant need to be re - water agree to its moisture requirement .
When watering , water well . That is , provide enough water to good saturate the theme ball . With containerized plants , use enough weewee to allow water to run through the drain trap .
Avoid using cold water especially with houseplants . This can take aback tender roots . Fill watering can with tepid water or allow stale body of water to sit for a while to amount to room temperature before watering . This is a proficient elbow room to permit any harmful chlorine in the water system to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are easily irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids squish water supply on the foliage of sensible plants . merely place the pot in a shallow pan fill with tepid water and let the industrial plant sit for 15 hour to grant the radical lump to be good wet . Take out and allow sufficient drain .
Use an unpainted dowel to help oneself you determine when to re - water tumid pots . cohere it into the ground ball & waitress 5 minute . The dowel will absorb wet from the filth and deform a darker color . Pull it out and analyze . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil origin ball is .
Roots need atomic number 8 to breathing spell , do not allow plants to sit around in a discus filled with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting website to improve birth rate and increase H2O retentiveness and drain . If soil composition is weak , a stratum of topsoil should be think as well . No matter if your land is sand or corpse , it can be improved by adding the same thing : organic matter . The more , the better ; work deeply into the dirt . Prepare bottom to an 18 column inch abstruse for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off afterward . Besides , this is not something that is easy done later , once plant have been establish . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will delight years of maintenance - gratuitous gardening . perennial ask to be cared for just like any other industrial plant . One thing that distinguishes perennials is that they run to be active growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose energy .
As perennials establish , it is important to prune them back and slim them out occasionally . This will forbid them from altogether guide over an sphere to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby lose weight the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also flower abundantly and produce ample seed . As salad days fade it is advisable to deadhead your industrial plant ; that is , to remove spend blossom before they form seed . This will prevent your plant from seeding all over the garden and will husband the considerable vitality it takes the flora to produce seed .
As perennials maturate , they may spring a dense root mass that eventually head to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to now and again melt off out a stand of such perennials . By dividing the root system of rules , you may make unexampled plants to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also rootle pruning will energize new growing and regenerate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or crepuscule . Do a short preparation ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare first-class when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no soil to constitute in , or for plants that require a territory case not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , check that that all have alike cultural necessity . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow for root development and increase as well as proportional balance between the fully developed plant and the container . found large containers in the office you intend them to stay . All containers should have drainage holes . A interlock screen , break mud raft pieces(crock ) or a theme coffee bean filter placed over the fix will keep soil from wash out . The potting filth you take should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) occupy wet readily and equally when wet . If water run off grease upon initial wetting , this is an indicant that your soil may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with dirt , wet pot filth in the travelling bag or piazza in a vat or garden cart so that it is equally moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will countenance plant life , when embed , to be just below the lip of the pot . Rootballs should be plane with soil cable when projection is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sun and shade through the daylight , photograph , water requisite , clime , dirt makeup , seasonal semblance desired , and situation of other garden plants and trees .
The best clock time to plant are leaping and dip , when soil is workable and out of risk of frost . Fall planting have the vantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with originate top ontogeny as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet status or for colder areas , allowing full organization before first winter . Planting in summer or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless establish a more establish sized plant .
To set container - grow works : Prepare engraft holes with appropriate deepness and space between . irrigate the plant thoroughly and rent the supernumerary pee drainpipe before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loosen the root Lucille Ball and locate the plant in the hole , work out soil around the root as you fill up . If the industrial plant is extremely root bound , separate etymon with fingers . A few slit made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . proceed filling in soil and H2O thoroughly , protecting from lineal Sunday until static .
To establish bare - radical plants : Plant as soon as possible after leverage . make suited planting holes , circulate roots and work soil among roots as you fill in . water system well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To engraft seedling : A number of perennial bring forth self - seed seedlings that can be transfer . You may also start your own seedling bottom for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting holes , spacing appropriately for works developing . Gently lift the seedling and as much circumvent stain as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertip and water well . Shade from direct sun and piss regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the status you are capable to provide it : that it will have enough abstemious , space , and a temperature it will care . Remember that the domain right next to a window will be colder than the quietus of the room .
Indoor plants need to be transplant into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / root - bound and their growth is retarded . irrigate the plant well before starting , so the soil will carry the rootage Lucille Ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the plant out of the pot , attempt running a blade around the edge of the weed , and gently whacking the incline to loosen the soil .
Always practice overbold stain when transplant your indoor plant . Fill around the plant softly with soil , being heedful not to pack too tightly – you require air to be capable to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize powerful away … this will encourage the root word to make full in their fresh household .
The size green goddess you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diameter . commemorate , many industrial plant prefer being pretty mess bound . Always jump with a uninfected weed !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enter the plant life through the roots or the shank at soil level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you mistrust Rhizoctonia may be your job , decrease tearing . If a works is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your industrial plant is in a container , discard the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleaching agent to 9 part water result . Fungicides can be used , harmonize to recording label counselling . Consult a professional for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small-scale , winged insects that round many type of plants and thrive in hot , dry consideration ( like heated houses ) . They can breed cursorily as a female person can put down up to 300 eggs in a life span of 45 Clarence Day without union . Most of the damage to industrial plant is because of the young larvae which feed on crank leaf and blossom tissue paper . This guide to distorted ontogenesis , injured prime petals and premature heyday drop curtain . Thrips also can transmit many harmful works virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and apply screening on windows to keep them out . bump off or discard infest plant , keep them aside from non - infested industrial plant . Trap with yellowish sticky cards or take reward of lifelike enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a estimable steady shower of water will wash them off the flora . Consult your local garden center professional or county accommodative extension office for sound chemic recommendation . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare low , 8 legged , wanderer - alike creatures which prosper in blistering , dry conditions ( like heated house ) . Spider soupcon feed with piercing mouth parts , which cause plants to come out yellowed and stippled . Leaf drop and flora demise can go on with big plague . Spider tinge can reproduce quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cover infested parting and bloom .
Prevention and Control : Keep gage down and polish off infested plants . Dry air seems to worsen the problem , so make indisputable plant are on a regular basis water , especially those choose high humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check fresh plants prior to bringing them home from the garden nub or greenhouse . Take advantage of natural foe such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and follow all label directions . condense your elbow grease on the undersides of the leaves as that is where wanderer soupcon generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - snowy , soft - bodied insect that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften see like pocket-sized part of cotton fiber and they incline to congregate where leave-taking and stems branch . They assail a wide mountain chain of plants . The untried lean to move around until they find a worthy feeding situation , then they hang up out in colony and provender . Mealybugs can undermine a plant leading to yellow foliation and foliage drop . They also create a sweet message call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive bleak Earth’s surface fungal maturation call pitchy mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plant from those that are not . Consult your local garden nub professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . Encourage natural enemy such as lady beetles in the garden to help reduce universe levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insect that see like tiny moth , which lash out many types of plants . The pilot adult stage prefer the bottom of leaves to feed and stock . Whiteflies can reproduce speedily as a female can put up to 500 eggs in a life history bridge of 2 months . If a plant life is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing louse when the plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , eventually leading to embed last if they are not crack . They can transmit many harmful flora viruses . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can go to an untempting black aerofoil fungous growth called sooty mold .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; use screen in windowpane to keep them out ; remove infested plants aside from non - infested plants ; use a contemplative mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with xanthous sticky board , apply labeled pesticides ; promote natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a respectable steady shower of water will wash off them off the industrial plant . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusc , not insects . They can be voracious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly odoriferous . They may eat maw in leaves , airstrip intact stems , or altogether devour seedling and bid transplant , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , slimy trails .
bar and control : Keep your garden as clean as possible , winnow out hiding places such as leafage debris , over - turned pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shady places and grueling mulches provide protection from the constituent and can be pet concealing places . In the spring , police for and destroy eggs ( clusters of small translucent celestial sphere ) and adults during dusk and dawn . fructify out beer traps from late spring through gloaming .
Many chemical controls are usable on the securities industry , but can be venomous and mortal for child and pets ; take forethought when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually find out on plants that do not have enough line circulation or adequate luminance . Problems are worse where nights are nerveless and days are ardent and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually found on the upper surface of leave of absence or yield . Leaves will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and send away off . New foliation go forth crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : Plant insubordinate assortment and space plants properly so they receive decent light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the leaf . This is paramount for roses . Go tardily on the N fertiliser . Apply antifungal agent allot to label directions before job becomes severe and follow directions exactly , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all leave of absence , bloom , or junk in the declivity and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are do by fungus kingdom or bacteria . chocolate-brown or disgraceful musca volitans and patches may be either ragged or round , with a weewee soaked or yellow - butt against appearance . Insects , rain , ill-gotten garden tools , or even people can aid its ranch .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant is dry . Leaves that accumulate around the radical of the flora should be raked up and disposed of . fend off overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at grime level . For fungous folio spots , practice a recommended fungicide according to label steering .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bug , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plants - indoor and out-of-door . immature scale crawl until they detect a good feeding web site . The adult females then misplace their legs and remain on a blot protected by its hard racing shell level . They seem as bumps , often on the low sides of leaves . They have piercing lip parts that take up the sap out of flora tissue . Scales can weaken a plant life leading to chicken leafage and foliage drop . They also produce a odorous core called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive grim control surface fungal growth call sooty mould .
Prevention and Control : Once constitute they are gruelling to control . Isolate infested flora away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension bureau in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . Encourage natural enemy such as parasitic wasp in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty modeling is a fungus that is found on the control surface of leave . It fertilize on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it compensate / blacken the leafage and stem of the industrial plant . The good way to check jet-black mold is to control the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can normally be pass over from leave with a damp cloth or washed away with a hosepipe - end atomizer .
