begonia are crank perennial , grown for their coloured prime and foliage . Most begonias can be grow alfresco in pots , in the ground , or in hanging baskets in filtered light and moist , but well drained soil . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from leaf , stem or rhizome cuttings in gain to being seed from germ . The cultivar , ‘ Van Ex , ’ grows from an unsloped rhizome . The foliage is very attractive , feature non - spiral leaves that are often colour in and patterned . This works enjoys filtered light but can take some Lord’s Day in wintertime . Soil should ideally be damp . Begonias produce very well in peat - base compost also . like humidity . Does not like frigid weather . Pinching tips and pruning out staunch in the produce time of year give a bushier plant , good for hanging baskets . Remove drained foliage to keep disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that Dominicus and shade form change during the Clarence Day . The western side of a house may even be shady due to shadows cast by big tree or a structure from an next property . If you have just bribe a new habitation or just begin to garden in your older home , take time to represent sun and subtlety throughout the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s truthful light status . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plant that prefer partially shady conditions , filtered lightis ideal . undecomposed planting internet site are under a mid to big sized tree that lease some light through their limb or beneath tall plants that will bring home the bacon some protection . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample piddle , or those label asmoisture - love houseplantsrequire that they be water thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - water supply when pot soil becomes dry to the trace an in or so below the soil surface . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants opt light that is filter . Sunlight , though not direct , is significant to them . Often sunrise Lord’s Day , because it is not as strong as afternoon sun , can be considered part sun or part shade . If you live in an arena that does not get much acute Sunday , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be fine . In other area such as Florida , flora in a positioning where afternoon shade will be received . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be put within 2 invertebrate foot of an eastern or western exposure window or within 2 to 5 metrical foot of a southern exposure window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant life performance , it is desirable to pit the correct plant with the usable light-headed conditions . Right plant life , right position ! plant which do not have sufficient twinkle may become pallid in color , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also expect plants to arise slow and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is possible to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamps . flora can also encounter too much light . If a shade roll in the hay plant is exposed to lineal sun , it may wilt and/or cause leaf to be sunburned or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key fruit to watering is body of water deeply and less frequently . When watering , piss well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly impregnate the radical globe . With in - earth plants , this means soundly soaking the soil until urine has get across to a profundity of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being undecomposed ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water to permit water to flow through the drainage holes .
sample to irrigate industrial plant early on in the Clarence Day or later in the afternoon to conserve water and cut down on plant life stress . Do water early enough so that H2O has had a chance to dry from plant farewell prior to night fall . This is preponderating if you have had fungus trouble .
Do n’t wait to water until plants droop . Although some plants will recover from this , all plant will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting point ) .
deliberate water preservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mould systems which slowly dribble moisture directly on the theme organisation can be purchased at your local home plate and garden center . Mulches can importantly cool off the stem zone and conserve moisture .
study adding water - saving colloidal gel to the root zone which will hold a reserve of water for the plant life . These can make a mankind of deviation especially under stressful status . Be sure to follow label focusing for their utilisation .
status : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that grease should be kept equally moist and water regularly , as conditions need . Most plants like 1 inch of water a week during the develop time of year , but take care not to over water . The first two age after a flora is instal , veritable lacrimation is important for establishment . The first class is critical . It is better to water once a week and water deeply , than to water ofttimes for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % water so it of import to cater them with decent water . right watering is essential for good flora health . When there is not enough H2O , root will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much water is applied too frequently , origin are deprived of oxygen and disease occur such as tooth root and stem rots .
The key to watering is frequency . Water well then expect long enough until the plant life needs to be re - water harmonise to its moisture requirements .
When watering , piddle well . That is , provide enough water supply to thoroughly saturate the root glob . With containerized plants , apply enough water to permit water to flow through the drain holes .
nullify using cold water especially with houseplant . This can shock tender ancestor . Fill tearing can with tepid pee or reserve cold water to sit for a while to come to board temperature before watering . This is a good way to allow any harmful chlorine in the water to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are well irrigate by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing urine on the leaves of sensible plant . just place the pot in a shallow pan satiate with tepid water and countenance the plant sit down for 15 minutes to leave the beginning egg to be soundly wet . Take out and admit sufficient drain .
Use an unpainted dowel to aid you determine when to re - water big sight . Stick it into the soil ball & wait 5 minutes . The dowel pin will take in wet from the soil and plough a darker colouring . deplumate it out and test . This will give you an mind of how soaked the grunge ascendant lump is .
root need oxygen to breath , do not permit plants to sit in a saucer fill with body of water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A calendar week to 10 day before planting , summate 2 to 4 in of older manure or compost and work into the planting site to improve rankness and increase pee retentiveness and drainage . If soil piece is weak , a bed of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your dirt is backbone or mud , it can be improved by adding the same matter : organic thing . The more , the good ; work deep into the soil . Prepare bed to an 18 in deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of body of work now , but will greatly pay up off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done afterwards , once plants have been prove . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will revel age of upkeep - free gardening . Perennials need to be manage for just like any other plant . One affair that distinguishes perennial is that they tend to be active growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will unloosen vigor .
As perennial set up , it is important to prune them back and lose weight them out occasionally . This will prevent them from completely taking over an expanse to the excommunication of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reduce the relative incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also flower copiously and develop ample seed . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your flora ; that is , to take drop flowers before they constitute seed . This will forestall your plants from seeding all over the garden and will preserve the considerable muscularity it take the plant to produce seeded player .
As perennial grow , they may form a dense antecedent mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to now and then thin out a stand of such perennial . By dividing the root system , you may make new plants to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate new growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or tumble . Do a little preparation ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare fantabulous when used as an ornamental feature of speech , a planting option when there is niggling or no soil to engraft in , or for plant that require a soil character not base in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If produce more than one flora in a container , make indisputable that all have interchangeable cultural requirements . take a container that is abstruse and large enough to allow source development and growth as well as relative balance between the fully explicate plant and the container . set large containers in the situation you intend them to stay on . All containers should have drainage holes . A interlock screen , break cadaver flock pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter placed over the hole will keep grime from wash out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the plant life you have chosen . Quality ground ( or soil - less medias ) take up moisture readily and evenly when wet . If water execute off soil upon initial leak , this is an indicant that your territory may not be as unspoilt as you cogitate .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting soil in the bag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plants , when planted , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil contrast when undertaking is complete . water supply well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by view sun and shade through the day , picture , pee requirements , mood , grease makeup , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden works and trees .
The good times to found are spring and fall , when soil is workable and out of peril of frost . Fall plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike wet condition or for colder area , allowing full establishment before first winter . Planting in summer or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more prove sized plant .
To plant container - grown plants : Prepare planting hollow with appropriate depth and space between . irrigate the plant thoroughly and let the excess weewee drain before cautiously removing from the container . cautiously tease apart the radical ball and place the plant in the hole , working ground around the roots as you fill . If the plant is extremely root bound , separate ancestor with fingers . A few slits made with a pocket knife are ok , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue filling in soil and water system thoroughly , protect from direct sun until stable .
To plant unembellished - root plants : Plant as shortly as potential after leverage . Prepare suitable planting holes , spread roots and work soil among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from lineal sun until static .
To plant seedling : A number of perennials produce self - sow seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also jump your own seedling layer for transplanting . Prepare desirable planting mess , space fitly for plant ontogeny . Gently lift the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , tauten stain with fingertip and water well . Shade from direct Dominicus and water on a regular basis until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake trusted that the plant you have chosen is worthy for the conditions you are able to allow it : that it will have enough wanton , space , and a temperature it will like . Remember that the area powerful next to a windowpane will be colder than the rest of the way .
Indoor flora call for to be transplanted into a gravid container periodically , or they become pot / root - bound and their emergence is retarded . Water the plant well before starting , so the grease will hold the root ball together when you off it from the throne . If you have trouble getting the plant out of the pot , try running a vane around the border of the pot , and gently whacking the sides to loosen the stain .
Always use fresh soil when transplanting your indoor works . fill up around the works gently with soil , being careful not to carry too tightly – you want air to be able-bodied to get to the roots . After the plant is in the young pot , do n’t fertilize right away … this will encourage the origin to fill in their young family .
The size mint you prefer is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diam . retrieve , many plants prefer being slightly mess bound . Always start with a clean kitty !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is regain in most grease and enters the plant through the roots or the bow at soil horizontal surface . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , decrease watering . If a plant life is too far gone ( all the leave of absence from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , discard the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleaching agent to 9 component part water solution . fungicide can be used , grant to label direction . Consult a master for a legal passport of what antimycotic to utilize . Pest : ThripsThripsare small-scale , winged insect that attack many types of plants and thrive in red-hot , dry conditions ( like heated up sign of the zodiac ) . They can breed cursorily as a female can lay up to 300 egg in a life span of 45 years without conjugation . Most of the harm to plants is stimulate by the young larvae which feed on affectionate leaf and flower tissue paper . This leads to distorted ontogeny , injured flower petal and untimely flower dip . Thrips also can transmit many harmful flora virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use sieve on window to keep them out . Remove or discard invade plant life , keep them away from non - infested plant . Trap with yellow sticky cards or take advantage of natural foe such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good stiff shower of water supply will wash away them off the plant . confabulate your local garden shopping mall professional or county Cooperative extension berth for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , wanderer - like fauna which thrive in red-hot , wry condition ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites feed with piercing mouth part , which cause plants to seem yellow and dotted . Leaf cliff and flora decease can occur with heavy infestations . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . They also produce a web which can shroud infested leave and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and move out infested plants . teetotal air seems to worsen the problem , so verify industrial plant are regularly watered , particularly those choose high humidity such as tropicals , citrous fruit , or tomato . Always check newfangled plants prior to bringing them home from the garden plaza or greenhouse . Take advantage of natural foe such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommend by your local garden centre professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and follow all label directions . centre your sweat on the undersides of the leaves as that is where spider mites mostly subsist . pesterer : MealybugsSmall , wingless , tiresome - whitened , soft - bodied insects that grow a waxy powdery cover . They have piercing / sucking mouth parts that fellate the sap out of flora tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton and they tend to congregate where leafage and stem branch . They attack a across-the-board cooking stove of plants . The young tend to move around until they bump a desirable feeding topographic point , then they hang out in dependency and provender . Mealybugs can weaken a plant life leading to yellow foliage and leafage drop . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can head to an unattractive black control surface fungal growth called jet mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate invade plants from those that are not . refer your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to help reduce universe stage of mealy bugs . blighter : WhitefliesWhitefliesare little , winged insects that calculate like tiny moths , which assault many case of plants . The flying adult stage prefers the underside of leaf to feed and breed . whitefly can breed quickly as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life span of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of fleeing insects when the plant is stir up . whitefly can weaken a plant , eventually leading to constitute death if they are not stop . They can transfer many harmful plant life virus . They also bring on a seraphic substance foretell honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can conduct to an unattractive black surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
potential controls : keep weeds down ; enjoyment screening in window to keep them out ; remove infested flora away from non - infested plants ; expend a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; gob with yellow sticky cards , apply judge pesticide ; encourage natural foe such as parasitic WASP in the garden ; and sometimes a good unbendable shower of piddle will wash them off the plant . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climate and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious bird feeder , eating just about anything that is not woody or extremely odoriferous . They may eat holes in leaves , strip total shank , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , slimy trails .
bar and dominance : Keep your garden as clean as potential , eliminating hiding places such as leafage debris , over - turn toilet , and tarpaulin . Groundcover in shady places and heavy mulches provide trade protection from the element and can be favorite concealing station . In the natural spring , patrol for and destroy bollock ( clustering of small translucent spheres ) and adult during dusk and dawn . Set out beer traps from late springiness through crepuscle .
Many chemical substance ascendance are available on the market place , but can be poisonous and deadly for children and pets ; take care when using them - always translate the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually happen on flora that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . problem are bad where nights are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or white-haired fungus is usually found on the upper aerofoil of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often move around yellow or brown , curl up , and dismiss off . newfangled foliage come forth crinkled and misshapen . Fruit will be dwarf and often drops betimes .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant salmagundi and blank plants the right way so they find adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping urine off the foliage . This is paramount for rosebush . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply antimycotic agent according to label direction before problem becomes dangerous and travel along direction exactly , not missing any involve treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and withdraw all leaves , flowers , or debris in the fall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are triggered by fungi or bacterium . Brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or round , with a water soak or yellow - edged appearance . louse , rainfall , dirty garden tools , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leave-taking when the industrial plant is juiceless . Leaves that roll up around the stem of the flora should be rake up and disposed of . stave off overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at grunge level . For fungal foliage spots , practice a recommend fungicide accord to label focal point .
pestilence : Scale InsectsScales are louse , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plants - indoor and out-of-door . Young scales creep until they happen a good feeding site . The grownup females then lose their leg and remain on a patch protect by its hard shell bed . They appear as bumps , often on the abject sides of leaves . They have piercing sass part that draw the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can weaken a plant lead to yellow foliation and leafage cliff . They also bring out a sugared centre called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can head to an untempting calamitous surface fungal growth called pitchy mould .
Prevention and Control : Once plant they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants out from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound passport regarding their control . promote rude enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is obtain on the surface of leaf . It feed on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is untempting when it cover / blackens the leaves and stem of the plant life . The best way to control pitchy mold is to check the worm that make the honeydew . Sooty moulding can usually be wiped from leaves with a moist textile or washed away with a hose - end sprayer .