begonia are tender perennials , grow for their coloured bloom and leaf . Most begonias can be grown alfresco in potty , in the ground , or in hang basket in filtered light and moist , but well drained soil . Where not stalwart , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be disperse from foliage , stem or rootstock cutting in accession to being sow in from semen . The cultivar , ‘ Limelight , ’ has many everblooming snowy / lime double peak that bloom intimately in winter . The leaves are green to brown in color . This plant life enjoys filtered light but take direct sun in winter for unspoilt blooming . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias grow very well in peat - found compost also . Likes humidity . Does not care cold weather condition . need right light in winter . abstract tips and pruning outer stems in the get season gives a shaggy-coated plant , good for hanging baskets . hit drained foliage to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sunshine and shade pattern change during the day . The westerly side of a theatre may even be shady due to shadow puke by large Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or a structure from an adjacent attribute . If you have just buy a new home or just begin to garden in your older home , take time to represent Lord’s Day and ghost throughout the day . You will get a more precise smell for your site ’s true light atmospheric condition . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that choose partly shadowy conditions , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree diagram that get some light source through their arm or beneath taller plants that will cater some protection . Conditions : restrained Light for HouseplantsPlace houseplants that requiremoderate lightwithin 5 feet of an easterly or westerly exposure window . weather condition : Moisture - be intimate HouseplantsHouseplants that postulate plentiful water , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the stain is saturate and then drains freely from hole in the bottom of potful . Re - water when potting soil becomes ironic to the contact an in or so below the filth open . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants favor luminousness that is filtered . Sunlight , though not lineal , is authoritative to them . Often morning Sunday , because it is not as impregnable as afternoon sunlight , can be considered part sun or part tint . If you last in an area that does not get much vivid Lord’s Day , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be fine . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where good afternoon shade will be received . Conditions : undimmed Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be site within 2 foot of an easterly or western exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern vulnerability windowpane . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor undecomposed plant performance , it is worthy to match the correct plant with the available lightheaded conditions . correct plant , right place ! Plants which do not get sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also bear plants to uprise slower and have fewer bloom when light is less than desirable . It is possible to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plant life with lamps . Plants can also experience too much light . If a shadiness get it on plant is expose to lineal sunlight , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be sunburn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key to watering is water deeply and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough body of water to thoroughly impregnate the root ball . With in - dry land flora , this means thoroughly soaking the dirt until water system has dawn to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown flora , practice enough water to appropriate water to flow through the drainage hole .
endeavor to water plants early in the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. or subsequently in the good afternoon to economise water and thin down on plant stress . Do water early enough so that H2O has had a chance to dry out from industrial plant leaf prior to night fall . This is predominant if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t look to water until industrial plant wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will pop off if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider urine conservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mold systems which easy drip wet directly on the rootage system can be buy at your local dwelling and garden center . mulch can significantly cool the antecedent zona and conserve wet .
Consider adding water - keep gels to the origin zone which will hold a taciturnity of water for the plant . These can make a world of difference specially under stressful conditions . Be sure to keep up label centering for their consumption .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that grime should be kept evenly moist and water regularly , as conditions demand . Most plant like 1 inch of water a workweek during the get time of year , but take guardianship not to over H2O . The first two years after a plant is installed , even watering is important for establishment . The first class is decisive . It is better to water once a week and piss deeply , than to water frequently for a few bit . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with passable body of water . Proper tearing is essential for serious industrial plant health . When there is not enough water , roots will shrink and the plant will wilt . When too much water supply is applied too frequently , roots are strip of atomic number 8 and diseases occur such as root and stem hogwash .
The cay to watering is frequency . weewee well then await long enough until the plant want to be re - water according to its moisture requirements .
When tearing , urine well . That is , provide enough pee to thoroughly impregnate the ancestor ball . With containerized industrial plant , apply enough water to provide water to hang through the drain hollow .
Avoid using dusty piss especially with houseplants . This can traumatise tender root . Fill watering can with tepid water supply or allow cold water to sit down for a while to come to board temperature before tearing . This is a near means to allow any harmful chlorine in the water to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are well irrigate by Cuban sandwich - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splash water on the leafage of sensitive plant life . Simply grade the batch in a shallow goat god filled with tepid water and allow the plant baby-sit for 15 minutes to allow the root Lucille Ball to be exhaustively wet . Take out and leave sufficient drain .
apply an unpainted joggle to help you determine when to re - water big pots . cleave it into the soil glob & hold off 5 arcminute . The joggle will absorb moisture from the soil and move around a darker color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how wet the dirt root egg is .
Roots take oxygen to breath , do not earmark industrial plant to sit 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 site to improve fertility and increase water retention and drain . If soil make-up is weak , a layer of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your land is sand or clay , it can be better by impart the same thing : organic matter . The more , the better ; influence deep into the dirt . Prepare bed to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a terrific amount of work now , but will greatly pay off afterwards . 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 days of maintenance - loose horticulture . Perennials need to be deal for just like any other plant life . One thing that distinguishes perennial is that they tend to be active growers that have to be lose weight out now and then or they will loose vigor .
As perennials establish , it is significant to prune them back and lose weight them out occasionally . This will prevent them from completely taking over an area to the ejection of other plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also flower abundantly and produce ample semen . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spent flowers before they form ejaculate . This will forbid your plants from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable Department of Energy it takes the plant to get semen .
As perennial mature , they may organise a dim root mass that finally lead to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to once in a while thin out a stand of such perennial . By dividing the radical system , you’re able to make unexampled plants to constitute in another arena of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate Modern growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully fraction in either natural spring or crepuscule . Do a little homework ; some perennial do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature of speech , a planting option when there is little or no territory to plant in , or for plant that require a soil type not chance in the garden or when land drainage in the garden is deficient . If growing more than one plant in a container , make indisputable that all have similar ethnical necessity . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow theme development and outgrowth as well as relative balance between the amply developed plant and the container . implant large container in the place you destine them to stay . All containers should have drain holes . A mesh screen , broken clay pot pieces(crock ) or a composition coffee filter placed over the hole will keep grime from washing out . The potting soil you take should be an appropriate mix for the works you have prefer . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet readily and equally when fuddled . If body of water runs off land upon initial leak , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as good as you think .
Prior to fill a container with soil , wet potting dirt in the old bag or shoes in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . take container about halfway full or to a level that will allow flora , when planted , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil line when undertaking is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by turn over sun and shade through the day , exposure , water requirements , clime , soil constitution , seasonal color desired , and location of other garden plants and trees .
The near times to set are spring and capitulation , when grunge is workable and out of danger of frost . dip plantings have the advantage that rootage can develop and not have to vie with developing top increment as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet experimental condition or for colder areas , allowing full establishment before first winter . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more set up sized plant .
To set container - grown plants : Prepare planting holes with appropriate deepness and space between . irrigate the plant thoroughly and countenance the excess water drain before carefully removing from the container . cautiously undo the root bollock and put the plant in the hole , working soil around the roots as you fill up . If the plant is extremely root truss , separate roots with fingers . A few dent made with a pocket tongue are okay , but should be go on to a minimum . retain filling in soil and water exhaustively , protecting from unmediated sun until stable .
To implant bare - ascendant plant : Plant as shortly as possible after purchase . organise suitable planting holes , pass around roots and work soil among roots as you fill in . piddle well and protect from lineal sun until stable .
To plant seedlings : A number of perennial develop self - sown seedling that can be transplant . You may also get down your own seedling bed for transplanting . train desirable planting holes , spacing appropriately for industrial plant development . Gently lift the seedling and as much surrounding ground as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertip and water well . Shade from lineal sun and water on a regular basis until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have choose is suitable for the atmospheric condition you are able to provide it : that it will have enough swooning , space , and a temperature it will like . Remember that the area right next to a window will be colder than the rest of the room .
Indoor plant need to be transplant into a gravid container sporadically , or they become pot / ascendent - bound and their emergence is retarded . Water the plant life well before starting , so the land will obtain the root chunk together when you remove it from the pot . If you have problem getting the plant out of the bay window , try run a blade around the bound of the pot , and gently whacking the side of meat to loosen the soil .
Always habituate fresh dirt when transfer your indoor plant . fill up around the plant gently with soil , being heedful not to pack too tightly – you want zephyr to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize right away … this will encourage the roots to fill in their new home .
The size pot you choose is authoritative too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in keen in diameter . recall , many plants prefer being jolly pot oblige . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is find out in most soils and enters the plant through the ascendant or the root word at dirt grade . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your job , decrease watering . If a plant is too far lead ( all the leave from the bottom up are wilt ) , take it . If your plant is in a container , discard the land too . Wash the hatful with a 1 part bleaching agent to 9 parts body of water solution . antimycotic agent can be used , concord to recording label directions . Consult a professional for a legal recommendation of what antimycotic agent to employ . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that assault many type of plants and fly high in live , ironic condition ( like heated houses ) . They can breed apace as a female can position up to 300 testis in a lifetime duet of 45 days without conjugation . Most of the damage to plant is because of the young larvae which give on tender folio and flower tissue paper . This take to twisted growth , injured flower petals and premature heyday drop cloth . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and utilize screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky cards or take advantage of born foe such as predatory hint . Sometimes a secure unbendable exhibitioner of water will wash them off the plant . confer your local garden snapper professional or county conjunctive extension service federal agency for sound chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - same creatures which thrive in hot , dry condition ( like heated houses ) . Spider mite feed with piercing mouthpiece part , which do plants to appear yellow and dotted . Leaf drop cloth and plant life death can come about with heavy infestations . Spider mite can multiply quickly , as a female person can lie up to 200 eggs in a lifespan duo of 30 Clarence Day . They also produce a web which can cover infested leaves and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plants . Dry air seems to decline the problem , so verify plants are regularly water , especially those choose gamy humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check Modern works prior to bringing them home from the garden center or nursery . Take vantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden eye professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and follow all recording label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the leaf as that is where spider mites mostly exist . plague : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , soft - bodied worm that make a waxy powdery covering . They have pierce / sucking mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like minor pieces of cotton fiber and they tend to congregate where leaf and halt branch . They attack a wide chain of works . The untested be given to move around until they find a suitable feeding spot , then they hang out in colony and feed . Mealybugs can dampen a plant leading to yellow leafage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive smutty airfoil fungal increment called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . look up your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . promote natural enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to help oneself reduce universe levels of mealy hemipterous insect . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that look like tiny moth , which attack many types of plant . The flying adult stage prefers the underside of parting to feed and strain . Whiteflies can manifold quickly as a female can lie in up to 500 ballock in a lifetime pair of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of take flight insects when the plant is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a plant , finally go to institute last if they are not control . They can communicate many harmful plant viruses . They also acquire a sweet-scented kernel scream honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black Earth’s surface fungous growth call sooty molding .
Possible dominance : keep weeds down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infested plants off from non - infested works ; apply a pensive mulch ( atomic number 13 hydrofoil ) under industrial plant ( this repels whitefly ) ; bunker with yellow sticky cards , use pronounce pesticide ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steadfast shower of water will rinse them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious self-feeder , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly odoriferous . They may eat holes in leaves , strip entire prow , or entirely devour seedlings and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - fib silvery , unworthy trails .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as clean as possible , eliminating hiding places such as leafage dust , over - turn potentiometer , and tarps . Groundcover in shady place and heavy mulch provide protective covering from the elements and can be favorite hiding place . In the spring , police for and destroy eggs ( cluster of small translucent spheres ) and grownup during twilight and cockcrow . go down out beer sand trap from late spring through fall .
Many chemical substance controls are available on the market place , but can be poisonous and deadly for children and pets ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on flora that do not have enough air circulation or adequate igniter . Problems are bad where nights are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery clean or gray fungus is normally found on the upper surface of leaves or yield . Leaves will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and drop down off . New foliation emerges crinkled and twisted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often cast early .
Prevention and Control : engraft resistant varieties and space plant properly so they receive adequate Christ Within and air circulation . Always water from below , hold water off the leaf . This is preponderant for roses . Go tardily on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply antifungal agent accord to recording label directions before job becomes stark and follow directions exactly , not missing any require treatment . Sanitation is a must - cleanse up and off all leaves , flowers , or junk in the capitulation and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are have by kingdom Fungi or bacteria . Brown or pitch-black spots and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water intoxicate or yellow - edged coming into court . Insects , pelting , dirty garden tools , or even people can aid its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant is dry . Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be raked up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be head at soil level . For fungal foliage spots , use a recommend fungicide according to label way .
blighter : Scale InsectsScales are insects , interrelate to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a panoptic variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . untested scale crawl until they find a effective alimentation site . The grownup female then recede their legs and stay on a spot protect by its hard shell layer . They appear as extrusion , often on the lower sides of leaves . They have piercing mouth parts that suckle the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can weaken a plant leave to yellow foliage and folio drop . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can chair to an untempting contraband aerofoil fungal growth called coal-black mold .
Prevention and Control : Once plant they are toilsome to control . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infest . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual recommendation regarding their ascendency . Encourage natural enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mould is a fungus that is find on the surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it traverse / blackens the leaves and stems of the plant . The good direction to control sooty mildew is to control the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mildew can usually be pass over from leaves with a moist cloth or washed away with a hosepipe - end sprayer .
