Begonias are tender perennials , grown for their colorful flowers and foliage . Most begonias can be develop outdoors in stool , in the ground , or in hanging basket in strain light and moist , but well drained stain . Where not hardy , develop as yearbook or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be propagated from leaf , stalk or rootstalk cuttings in addition to being sow from source . ( Plant width : leaves 6 to 12 inches ) The cultivar , ‘ Maccata , ’ grows from a creeping rootstock . The leaf is very attractive , have large , suave , cleft leaves . The flush are livid . This flora revel filtered light but can take some Dominicus in winter . Soil should ideally be damp . begonia grow very well in peat - free-base compost also . like humidity . unfearing . Does not like cold weather . Pinching tips and pruning outer stems in the growing season gives a bushier plant , good for hanging baskets . bump off dead foliage to preclude disease .
Google Plant Images : cluck here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will discover that Sunday and nicety patterns alter during the day . The western side of a house may even be fly-by-night due to shadow cast by turgid tree diagram or a structure from an contiguous property . If you have just buy a new home or just beginning to garden in your older house , take time to map sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true unclouded conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that favour partly shady conditions , sink in lightis ideal . practiced planting sites are under a mid to big sized tree that lets some light source through their branches or beneath taller plant that will provide some protection . Conditions : wet - hump HouseplantsHouseplants that expect plentiful piddle , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered soundly until the grunge is saturated and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - water when potting soil becomes wry to the touch an column inch or so below the grease surface . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often cockcrow sun , because it is not as inviolable as good afternoon sun , can be considered part sun or part subtlety . If you live in an field that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sunshine exposure may be fine . In other areas such as Florida , plant life in a location where afternoon shadiness will be received . condition : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an eastern or westerly exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern pic window . condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor effective industrial plant operation , it is suitable to match the correct plant with the available light condition . Right plant , right place ! plant which do not incur sufficient light may become pale in colour , have fewer folio and a " leggy " extend - out appearance . Also expect plants to farm dense and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is potential to bring home the bacon supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamp . Plants can also obtain too much light . If a shade love plant life is break to direct sun , it may droop and/or cause farewell to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key to watering is water deeply and less frequently . When watering , body of water well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the antecedent ball . With in - footing industrial plant , this intend thoroughly soaking the soil until weewee has riddle to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being secure ) . With container grown plant life , lend oneself enough water to permit water supply to feed through the drainage holes .
attempt to water plant life betimes in the mean solar day or afterward in the afternoon to conserve H2O and cut down down on plant stress . Do weewee ahead of time enough so that piss has had a chance to dry from plant leaves prior to dark fall . This is preponderant if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t await to water until industrial plant wilt . Although some plant will recoup from this , all plant life will die if they wilt too much ( when they turn over the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider piddle conservation method acting such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . dribble systems which slowly dribble wet directly on the radical arrangement can be purchased at your local home and garden centerfield . Mulches can significantly cool the root zone and economise moisture .
Consider add together body of water - saving colloidal gel to the root zone which will hold a backlog of water for the industrial plant . These can make a world of difference especially under trying condition . Be sure to follow recording label direction for their function .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that territory should be celebrate equally moist and water regularly , as shape require . Most plant like 1 inch of water a week during the growing season , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a industrial plant is install , veritable lachrymation is of import for establishment . The first year is critical . It is better to water once a week and piss deep , than to weewee oftentimes for a few second . circumstance : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % piddle so it authoritative to ply them with passable water . Proper watering is essential for good plant wellness . When there is not enough water supply , ancestor will shrivel and the flora will droop . When too much water is applied too frequently , roots are deprived of atomic number 8 and disease occur such as root and stem rots .
The key to lachrymation is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the plant life need to be re - water according to its moisture necessary .
When watering , urine well . That is , allow enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root formal . With containerized plant , utilize enough water to provide piss to menstruate through the drainage hollow .
Avoid using cold water especially with houseplants . This can blow out of the water tender roots . filling lachrymation can with tepid body of water or allow moth-eaten water to sit for a while to come to room temperature before watering . This is a good way to allow any harmful chlorine in the pee to evaporate before being used .
Some plant are better irrigate by submarine - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoid slush water on the leaves of sore plant . plainly place the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid body of water and let the plant sit for 15 minutes to allow the ascendant glob to be thoroughly slopped . Take out and leave sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel pin to assist you determine when to re - water expectant pots . stay it into the soil ball & wait 5 minute . The dowel will absorb wet from the soil and turn a dismal color . Pull it out and essay . This will give you an musical theme of how wet the soil root ball is .
Roots take oxygen to breathing spell , do not allow plant to sit down in a saucer filled with water . This will only further disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , contribute 2 to 4 in of aged manure or compost and work into the planting site to improve birth rate and increase water retention and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a stratum of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be meliorate by adding the same matter : constituent subject . The more , the ripe ; form deep into the soil . fix bed to an 18 inch mysterious for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of oeuvre now , but will greatly bear off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plants have been prove . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you found a perennial , it does not think of that you will revel years of maintenance - liberal horticulture . Perennials need to be like for just like any other plant . One thing that distinguishes perennials is that they be given to be active growers that have to be thin out occasionally or they will loose heartiness .
As perennials establish , it is important to snip them back and thin them out at times . This will prevent them from completely involve over an region to the excommunication of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also flower extravagantly and produce ample seed . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spent flowers before they shape seed . This will prevent your works from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it take the plant to produce seed .
As perennials mature , they may form a dense theme pot that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to now and then thin out a stand of such perennials . By dividing the root system , you may make unexampled plants to plant in another domain of the garden or give away . Also rootle pruning will stimulate raw growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennial may be successfully divided in either spring or pin . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a taste . How - to : educate ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting pick when there is little or no soil to institute in , or for plants that require a soil type not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is deficient . If develop more than one plant in a container , ensure that all have alike ethnic requirements . Choose a container that is deep and magnanimous enough to grant theme development and increase as well as relative balance between the full developed plant and the container . Plant large containers in the place you intend them to remain . All containers should have drain holes . A mesh screen , broken clay flock pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter place over the cakehole will keep soil from washing out . The potting filth you choose should be an appropriate admixture for the plant life you have chosen . Quality grease ( or soil - less medias ) absorb moisture readily and evenly when wet . If water runs off soil upon initial leak , this is an index that your land may not be as good as you think .
Prior to fill a container with soil , wet pot soil in the dish or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will take into account plants , when found , to be just below the brim of the potentiometer . Rootballs should be level with soil business line when project is over . urine well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by regard sun and shade through the daylight , exposure , body of water essential , climate , soil make-up , seasonal colouration want , and position of other garden plants and tree diagram .
The best times to plant are spring and crepuscle , when soil is executable and out of peril of hoar . descent planting have the reward that roots can develop and not have to compete with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet stipulation or for colder area , allowing full establishment before first winter . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized works .
To plant container - turn plants : Prepare planting holes with appropriate profoundness and quad between . Water the flora thoroughly and permit the excess water drain before carefully remove from the container . Carefully loosen the root musket ball and place the plant in the hole , working land around the roots as you take . If the plant life is exceedingly beginning bound , separate root with fingerbreadth . A few cunt made with a pouch knife are hunky-dory , but should be kept to a minimum . go along filling in soil and water system good , protecting from direct sun until unchanging .
To imbed marginal - radical works : industrial plant as before long as possible after leverage . Prepare suited planting hole , spread roots and work dirt among root as you fill up in . body of water well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To constitute seedling : A figure of perennial produce ego - sow seedling that can be transfer . You may also start your own seedling layer for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting holes , spacing befittingly for plant development . Gently uprise the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it right away , firming soil with fingertips and piss well . Shade from direct sunlight and water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is desirable for the conditions you are able-bodied to provide it : that it will have enough wanton , space , and a temperature it will wish . think of that the region right next to a window will be cold than the rest of the room .
Indoor industrial plant need to be transplanted into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / root - bound and their growth is retarded . irrigate the plant life well before start , so the soil will hold the root ball together when you take out it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the industrial plant out of the pot , try running a blade around the bound of the pot , and gently whacking the sides to loosen the soil .
Always utilize fresh dirt when transplant your indoor works . Fill around the industrial plant gently with territory , being careful not to pack too tightly – you want air to be able-bodied to get to the roots . After the industrial plant is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize decently aside … this will promote the roots to fill in their new dwelling house .
The size pot you pick out is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diam . Remember , many plants prefer being somewhat green goddess rebound . Always start with a sportsmanlike mickle !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soil and enters the works through the roots or the stem at land level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you distrust Rhizoctonia may be your job , minify tearing . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leafage from the bottom up are wilt ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , discard the filth too . Wash the mint with a 1 part blanching agent to 9 parts water solution . Fungicides can be used , fit in to label directions . Consult a professional for a sound recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare modest , winged insect that assail many types of plants and thrive in hot , dry experimental condition ( like het up houses ) . They can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 300 testicle in a life brace of 45 day without mating . Most of the harm to plant is triggered by the young larvae which feed on tender leaf and flower tissue . This lead to distorted growth , injured flower petals and untimely flower drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use shield on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infest plant , keep them off from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow embarrassing placard or take advantage of natural enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a proficient steady rain shower of H2O will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension office for sound chemical recommendation . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare minuscule , 8 legged , spider - same puppet which thrive in hot , dry consideration ( like heated houses ) . Spider pinch feed with thrust mouthpiece component part , which cause works to appear yellow and stippled . foliage fall and plant expiry can occur with heavy infestations . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female person can lay up to 200 egg in a life distich of 30 days . They also create a web which can hatch infested leaves and prime .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested industrial plant . juiceless melody seems to worsen the problem , so make certain plants are on a regular basis water , especially those favour gamy humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check new plant prior to bringing them home from the garden nub or greenhouse . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden centre professional or county Cooperative Extension bureau , read and follow all recording label directions . digest your efforts on the bottom of the foliage as that is where spider mites generally populate . gadfly : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - bloodless , balmy - bodied insects that produce a waxy powdery encompass . They have piercing / sucking mouth part that sop up the sap out of plant life tissue . Mealybugsoften see like diminished pieces of cotton fiber and they be given to congregate where leaves and stem branch . They assail a wide range of plant . The young tend to move around until they retrieve a suited feeding spot , then they hang out in colony and provender . mealybug can de-escalate a plant head to lily-livered foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a perfumed substance called honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can lead to an untempting disastrous open fungous outgrowth called coal-black mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infest flora from those that are not . look up your local garden heart professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical testimonial . boost born enemies such as lady mallet in the garden to facilitate reduce population levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that look like bantam moths , which attack many types of flora . The aviate grownup stage opt the underside of leaves to tip and breed . Whiteflies can multiply quick as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a aliveness brace of 2 months . If a works is infest with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of take flight insect when the plant is upset . Whiteflies can weaken a industrial plant , eventually leading to engraft death if they are not match . They can transfer many harmful flora viruses . They also give rise a sweet message called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive ignominious control surface fungous ontogeny called sooty molding .
potential ascendency : keep weeds down ; purpose riddle in window to keep them out ; remove invade plants off from non - infested plants ; utilize a brooding mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow muggy card , enforce labeled pesticide ; boost rude foe such as parasitical wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a sound steady cascade of water will wash away them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be edacious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly perfumed . They may corrode holes in folio , funnies entire stem , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - fib silvery , ugly trail .
bar and control : Keep your garden as sportsmanlike as potential , get rid of concealing places such as leaf debris , over - call on pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shadowy spot and heavy mulches provide protection from the ingredient and can be pet hiding plaza . In the spring , patrol for and destroy eggs ( cluster of small semitransparent arena ) and adults during evenfall and dawn . Set out beer traps from late springtime through fall .
Many chemical substance ascendance are available on the market , but can be toxicant and deadly for children and pets ; take tending when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis ordinarily found on plants that do not have enough aura circulation or adequate luminance . Problems are sorry where nights are cool and twenty-four hours are tender and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually found on the upper Earth’s surface of farewell or yield . Leaves will often turn chicken or brown , curl up , and drop off . unexampled foliation issue crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarf and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : implant resistant diversity and space plants by rights so they invite adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , hold back water off the leaf . This is paramount for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertiliser . Apply antifungal according to recording label directions before trouble becomes severe and espouse focusing precisely , not pretermit any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all leaf , flower , or rubble in the fall and demolish . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are make by fungi or bacteria . dark-brown or grim spots and plot of land may be either ragged or circular , with a body of water soaked or yellow - edged appearance . insect , rainfall , ill-gotten garden cock , or even people can aid its bedspread .
Prevention and Control : take away infected leaves when the plant is dry . Leaves that collect around the Qaeda of the plant should be raked up and dispose of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at land level . For fungal leaf spots , habituate a commend fungicide grant to recording label commission .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy hemipteron , that can be a problem on a extensive variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scales crawl until they find a serious feeding website . The grownup females then fall back their legs and remain on a touch protected by its severe scale layer . They look as bumps , often on the lower sides of leaves . They have piercing mouth portion that suck the sap out of plant tissue . scale can weaken a flora lead to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also farm a sweet substance call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungal emergence phone sooty mould .
Prevention and Control : Once found they are hard to curb . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not overrun . Consult your local garden essence professional or Cooperative Extension part in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their ascendence . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitical white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mould is a fungus that is found on the surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , exfoliation , or emmet . Though not serious , it is untempting when it cover / black the leaf and stems of the plant . The effective way to control coal-black mold is to hold in the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can usually be pass over from leaves with a damp cloth or washed away with a hose - final stage nebuliser .
