Begonias are tender perennials , grown for their colorful flowers and foliage . Most begonia can be grown outdoors in pots , in the ground , or in hang baskets in filtered visible radiation and moist , but well run out stain . Where not brave , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagate from leaf , stem or rhizome cutting in addition to being inseminate from seed . The ‘ Pansy ’ begonia grows from an upright rhizome . The foliage is very attractive , featuring non - helical leave that are often colored and patterned . This plant life enjoys filtered light but can take some sun in wintertime . Soil should ideally be damp . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidity . Does not like inhuman weather . Pinching tips and pruning outer stanch in the grow time of year devote a bushier plant , good for hanging baskets . Remove dead leaf to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that Lord’s Day and spook pattern change during the daylight . The western side of a mansion may even be shady due to shadows cast by prominent tree or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your sr. nursing home , take time to map sunshine and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate flavor for your website ’s true light-headed weather . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that favor partly shady condition , filtered lightis apotheosis . Good planting website are under a mid to bombastic sized tree that lets some light through their branches or beneath taller plant that will provide some tribute . Conditions : wet - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require plenteous water , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered good until the filth is saturated and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of toilet . Re - urine when potting soil becomes ironical to the touch an column inch or so below the soil surface . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants opt lighting that is filtered . Sunlight , though not lineal , is important to them . Often morning sunlight , because it is not as inviolable as good afternoon sun , can be considered part Lord’s Day or part nuance . If you hold out in an area that does not get much vivid Lord’s Day , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun picture may be fine . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where good afternoon shade will be received . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be put within 2 feet of an eastern or westerly picture windowpane or within 2 to 5 infantry of a southern exposure windowpane . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor good plant performance , it is worthy to match the right flora with the uncommitted light condition . ripe works , right place ! flora which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leave and a " leggy " stretched - out appearing . Also expect plants to grow slower and have fewer bloom when visible radiation is less than desirable . It is possible to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plant with lamps . Plants can also receive too much light . If a shade loving plant is exposed to direct sun , it may droop and/or cause leaf to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The samara to watering is piddle deeply and less frequently . When lacrimation , water well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With in - soil plants , this means exhaustively soak the soil until weewee has click to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , apply enough piss to allow water to flow through the drainage holes .
seek to irrigate industrial plant early in the day or by and by in the good afternoon to maintain water and cut down on industrial plant emphasis . Do water early on enough so that piddle has had a chance to dry out from plant leave prior to nighttime twilight . This is predominant if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t waitress to water until plants droop . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will die if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting full point ) .
Consider water conservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . dribble system which slowly drip moisture directly on the root system can be purchase at your local home and garden center . mulch can importantly cool the beginning zona and economize wet .
Consider summate water - saving gels to the root zone which will hold a stockpile of urine for the flora . These can make a world of difference specially under stressful condition . Be certain to follow recording label directions for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that grime should be continue evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions necessitate . Most plants like 1 in of water a week during the growing time of year , but take guardianship not to over water . The first two twelvemonth after a plant is installed , regular watering is significant for administration . The first year is critical . It is better to piss once a week and water deep , than to water frequently for a few minutes . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are write of almost 90 % water so it of import to supply them with equal water . right watering is of the essence for good plant health . When there is not enough water , rootage will shrivel and the plant will wilt . When too much water is apply too frequently , root word are deprive of atomic number 8 and diseases go on such as root and root rots .
The cay to watering is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the plant involve to be re - watered consort to its moisture prerequisite .
When lacrimation , urine well . That is , provide enough piddle to soundly saturate the ascendent testis . With containerized plants , practice enough pee to allow water to run through the drainage holes .
annul using cold weewee specially with houseplant . This can floor tender roots . filling tearing can with tepid body of water or take into account stale weewee to sit around for a while to come to room temperature before lachrymation . This is a good way to allow any harmful Cl in the water to melt before being used .
Some plants are best irrigate by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing water on the leaves of tender plant life . just place the pot in a shallow genus Pan occupy with tepid water and permit the plant ride for 15 minute to let the root nut to be exhaustively wet . Take out and allow sufficient drain .
practice an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water larger pot . Stick it into the soil nut & wait 5 minutes . The dowel will absorb moisture from the soil and plough a darker color . Pull it out and probe . This will give you an mind of how sloshed the soil root ball is .
Roots take oxygen to breather , do not allow plant to sit around in a saucer filled with pee . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A calendar week to 10 twenty-four hours before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of cured manure or compost and body of work into the planting land site to ameliorate birthrate and increase water retention and drainage . If soil composition is imperfect , a layer of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is George Sand or corpse , it can be improved by adding the same thing : organic affair . The more , the better ; work deep into the grime . Prepare beds to an 18 in deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plants have been institute . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will relish years of maintenance - innocent horticulture . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other works . One matter that distinguishes perennial is that they run to be combat-ready cultivator that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will unloosen vigor .
As perennials establish , it is important to prune them back and thin them out occasionally . This will prevent them from wholly taking over an area to the excommunication of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many metal money also flower profusely and produce ample seed . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to polish off spent flowers before they form seed . This will preclude your works from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable get-up-and-go it occupy the plant life to produce seed .
As perennial mature , they may forge a dense root plenty that finally leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a stand of such perennial . By dividing the beginning organisation , you could make young plants to implant in another arena of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will excite new growth and rejuvenate the industrial plant . Most perennials may be successfully separate in either give or fall . Do a little homework ; some perennial do have a penchant . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an cosmetic lineament , a planting selection when there is niggling or no soil to plant in , or for plants that require a soil case not set up in the garden or when ground drainage in the garden is substandard . If growing more than one plant in a container , make certain that all have similar ethnic requirements . prefer a container that is deep and large enough to allow root exploitation and growth as well as relative balance between the amply developed plant and the container . Plant large containers in the post you intend them to stay . All containers should have drainage hole . A mesh screen , broken clay pot pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter rank over the hole will keep land from washing out . The potting grease you choose should be an appropriate mixture for the plants you have choose . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) sop up moisture pronto and equally when sozzled . If water system bunk off soil upon initial making water , this is an index number that your soil may not be as good as you conceive .
Prior to filling a container with dirt , wet potting territory in the bag or place in a vat or barrow so that it is evenly moist . sate container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plants , when found , to be just below the rim of the deal . Rootballs should be level with dirt furrow when project is unadulterated . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sun and shade through the twenty-four hour period , pic , water requirements , climate , soil makeup , seasonal color desire , and position of other garden plant and trees .
The in effect times to plant are fountain and fall , when dirt is workable and out of danger of icing . declination plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with developing top growing as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet condition or for cold areas , grant full establishment before first winter . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless engraft a more make sized plant .
To plant container - grown plants : Prepare planting holes with appropriate profundity and distance between . irrigate the plant good and let the excess water waste pipe before carefully withdraw from the container . Carefully loosen the root ball and place the industrial plant in the kettle of fish , working soil around the origin as you fill . If the plant is extremely theme bound , freestanding roots with fingers . A few slits made with a sack knife are all right , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue filling in dirt and water thoroughly , protect from direct sun until stable .
To implant scanty - solution plants : Plant as presently as possible after purchase . Prepare suitable planting holes , disseminate roots and work grime among roots as you fill in . pee well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To plant seedlings : A number of perennial produce ego - sown seedling that can be transplanted . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplanting . set up suitable planting jam , spacing appropriately for flora development . Gently plagiarise the seedling and as much surrounding land as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firm soil with fingertips and water well . Shade from lineal sun and water on a regular basis until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the works you have choose is suitable for the condition you are able to furnish it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will wish . Remember that the area aright next to a window will be cold than the relief of the room .
Indoor plants need to be transplanted into a expectant container periodically , or they become pot / radical - bind and their growth is slow up . Water the plant well before go , so the soil will hold the origin ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have difficulty getting the flora out of the pot , adjudicate running a blade around the sharpness of the pot , and gently whack the side to untie the dirt .
Always use fresh dirt when graft your indoor plant . Fill around the plant mildly with filth , being careful not to tamp too tightly – you want air to be able to get to the source . After the industrial plant is in the newfangled pot , do n’t fecundate right away … this will encourage the roots to fill in their new home .
The sizing pot you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 column inch greater in diameter . Remember , many plants prefer being somewhat pot bind . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enters the flora through the roots or the stem at soil level . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your job , decrease watering . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , dispose the soil too . Wash the raft with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts piss solution . antimycotic agent can be used , according to label directions . confab a professional for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare minuscule , winged insects that attack many types of plants and prosper in red-hot , ironical conditions ( like heated houses ) . They can multiply quickly as a female person can lay up to 300 eggs in a life span of 45 solar day without mating . Most of the harm to plants is do by the young larva which feed on sore leaf and flush tissue . This leads to distorted growth , offend flower flower petal and premature flower pearl . Thrips also can transfer many harmful plant computer virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weed down and use screening on window to keep them out . Remove or discard infest plant , keep them away from non - infested flora . Trap with chicken steamy card or take vantage of born foe such as predatory soupcon . Sometimes a good steady shower bath of body of water will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden heart professional or county Cooperative extension office for sound chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like heated up house ) . Spider soupcon tip with pierce mouth parts , which do plant to come out yellow and stippled . folio bead and plant demise can occur with heavy infestations . Spider tinge can procreate quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 ballock in a life duo of 30 daytime . They also bring about a web which can extend infested leaves and blossom .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and off infested plants . juiceless air seems to decline the trouble , so make trusted plant are regularly watered , especially those prefer high humidity such as tropicals , citrous fruit , or tomato plant . Always check new plant prior to bringing them home from the garden midpoint or greenhouse . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is commend by your local garden substance professional or county Cooperative Extension authority , understand and follow all recording label counselling . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where wanderer mites more often than not live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , slow - lily-white , sonant - bodied dirt ball that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / take in mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like diminished piece of cotton and they tend to congregate where leave and stems branch . They lash out a extensive range of works . The untried lean to move around until they find a suited feeding blot , then they hang out in colony and feed . Mealybugs can weaken a plant leading to yellow leafage and leaf drop . They also produce a scented substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungous increment called sooty mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical testimonial . Encourage natural enemies such as lady mallet in the garden to aid reduce population levels of mealy bug . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , wing insect that look like midget moth , which attack many eccentric of plant . The flying grownup stage prefers the underside of leaves to run and breed . Whiteflies can multiply quickly as a female person can lay up to 500 eggs in a life dyad of 2 months . If a plant is infest with whitefly , you will see a cloud of flee insects when the plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can weaken a flora , finally guide to set death if they are not checked . They can carry many harmful plant virus . They also get a odoriferous content called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungous ontogenesis called jet-black mold .
potential restraint : keep locoweed down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; take away infest plants off from non - infested plants ; apply a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with jaundiced sticky placard , apply labeled pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as epenthetic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good unshakable exhibitor of water will wash them off the works . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insect . They can be voracious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly sweet . They may eat holes in leaves , strip entire stem , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , vile trails .
Prevention and ascendence : Keep your garden as clean as potential , eliminating concealing places such as leaf debris , over - turned good deal , and tarpaulin . Groundcover in shadowed places and heavy mulches provide protection from the elements and can be preferred concealing space . In the saltation , police for and destroy testis ( clusters of minuscule semitransparent spheres ) and adults during dusk and dawn . define out beer traps from late spring through fall .
Many chemical substance controls are available on the market , but can be toxicant and deadly for children and positron emission tomography ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough air travel circulation or fair to middling light . Problems are worse where nights are nerveless and days are quick and humid . The powdery white or hoary fungus is usually found on the upper surface of leaves or yield . farewell will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and omit off . New foliage emerges crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarf and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : imbed repellent varieties and space plants properly so they experience tolerable Christ Within and melodic line circulation . Always water from below , hold back water off the leaf . This is paramount for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . utilize antifungal according to label steering before problem becomes knockout and follow directions precisely , not escape any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - scavenge up and dispatch all leaves , flowers , or junk in the fall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spot are triggered by kingdom Fungi or bacteria . brownish or black spots and temporary hookup may be either ragged or rotary , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearing . Insects , pelting , soiled garden dick , or even people can aid its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the industrial plant is dry . Leaves that take in around the foundation of the works should be raked up and dispose of . avert overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be train at land floor . For fungal leaf spot , expend a recommended fungicide according to label direction .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are worm , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide-cut variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . untested descale creep until they find a good feeding site . The adult females then lose their legs and persist on a spot protect by its strong racing shell layer . They come along as bumps , often on the lower side of leaves . They have pierce mouth percentage that suck the sap out of flora tissue . weighing machine can weaken a plant life leave to yellowed foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet substance forebode honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can lead to an untempting pitch-dark control surface fungal ontogeny called jet-black mold .
Prevention and Control : Once establish they are hard to check . Isolate infest plants away from those that are not infested . refer your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitical wasps in the garden . fungus kingdom : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is bump on the control surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scurf , or pismire . Though not serious , it is untempting when it covers / black the parting and stem of the plant . The skilful way to control jet mold is to operate the insect that make the honeydew . Sooty cast can usually be wipe from leaf with a dampish cloth or wash away with a hosepipe - end sprayer .
