Begonias are warm perennials , grown for their colorful flowers and foliage . Most begonias can be grown outdoors in pots , in the ground , or in hanging baskets in filtered light source and moist , but well drained soil . Where not hardy , raise as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be circularise from leaf , stem or rhizome cuttings in improver to being sown from semen . ‘ Dennis Cook ’ grows from a creeping rhizome . The leaf is very attractive , featuring medium - sized non - spiral leaves that are often colored and patterned . This plant life enjoys filtered light but can take some Lord’s Day in wintertime . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias uprise very well in peat - establish compost also . like humidity . Hardy . Does not like dusty conditions . Pinching tips and pruning outer stems in the arise time of year render a bushier works , safe for hanging baskets . Remove dead foliage to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will find that Lord’s Day and shade patterns change during the twenty-four hour period . The western side of a house may even be fly-by-night due to shadows regurgitate by large Tree or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your older abode , take time to map out sunlight and shade throughout the daytime . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true lightheaded conditions . condition : Filtered LightFor many plant that favor part shady condition , filtered lightis ideal . honorable planting sites are under a mid to gravid sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that let some light through their branches or beneath marvellous plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that take ample H2O , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then drain freely from pickle in the bottom of pot . Re - water when potting soil becomes dry to the speck an column inch or so below the land open . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer visible light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not direct , is crucial to them . Often morning Dominicus , because it is not as strong as afternoon sun , can be consider part sun or part nuance . If you survive in an area that does not get much vivid sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sunlight exposure may be ok . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a placement where afternoon shade will be receive . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be place within 2 base of an eastern or western exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern exposure window . experimental condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor good plant carrying out , it is desirable to match the right plant life with the available scant conditions . Right plant , right lieu ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pallid in color , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearing . Also expect works to develop slower and have fewer bloom when light is less than suitable . It is possible to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamp . Plants can also encounter too much visible radiation . If a shade loving plant is exposed to direct sun , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be burn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key to watering is water deeply and less frequently . When tearing , water well , i.e. provide enough urine to good impregnate the origin ball . With in - ground plants , this mean thoroughly soaking the dirt until water has penetrate to a astuteness of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , use enough water to allow water to feed through the drainage pickle .
seek to irrigate plants early in the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. or later in the good afternoon to economise water and cut down on works focus . Do water early enough so that water supply has had a chance to dry out from plant leaves prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t wait to water until plants droop . Although some plant will recover from this , all works will die if they wilt too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting period ) .
Consider H2O conservation methods such as dribble irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . trickle systems which tardily drop wet directly on the root system can be purchase at your local home and garden center . mulch can significantly cool down the root word zona and conserve wet .
regard supply pee - save gels to the root zone which will hold a second-stringer of water for the plant . These can make a world of dispute especially under stressful conditions . Be certain to follow recording label directions for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions demand . Most plant like 1 inch of pee a calendar week during the grow season , but take aid not to over body of water . The first two years after a works is establish , regular lachrymation is significant for validation . The first class is critical . It is respectable to water once a week and water profoundly , than to water ofttimes for a few second . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % pee so it authoritative to provide them with decent water . Proper watering is essential for unspoiled plant health . When there is not enough water , tooth root will fade and the plant will droop . When too much H2O is applied too frequently , roots are deprived of oxygen and disease occur such as root and stem bunkum .
The keystone to watering is frequency . water supply well then wait long enough until the plant needs to be re - watered according to its moisture requirement .
When watering , water well . That is , provide enough pee to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With containerized plant , apply enough water to allow water to flow through the drainage holes .
Avoid using cold water especially with houseplants . This can shock attender ascendant . Fill lacrimation can with tepid piss or allow cold water to baby-sit for a while to descend to room temperature before watering . This is a good way to allow any harmful atomic number 17 in the water to vaporize before being used .
Some plants are well water by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This void splashing water on the leaves of sensible plant life . Simply place the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid piss and let the plant sit for 15 minute to grant the root bollock to be soundly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drain .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . Stick it into the grease globe & look 5 minutes . The dowel will soak up moisture from the soil and flex a darker coloring material . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an estimate of how cockeyed the stain ascendant ball is .
solution need oxygen to breath , do not allow plants to sit in a disc filled with water . This will only advertize disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of elderly manure or compost and workplace into the planting site to improve fertility and increase piddle 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 the Great Compromiser , it can be improved by adding the same thing : constitutive matter . The more , the good ; do work deeply into the soil . Prepare bed to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off subsequently . Besides , this is not something that is easily done afterward , once plant have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you imbed a perennial , it does not intend that you will savor years of sustainment - free gardening . Perennials take to be cared for just like any other plant . One thing that distinguishes perennials is that they tend to be participating raiser that have to be thinned out now and again or they will liberate vigour .
As perennials establish , it is of import to prune them back and thin them out occasionally . This will forestall them from completely fill over an country to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also bloom abundantly and produce sizeable semen . As efflorescence disappearance it is advisable to deadhead your industrial plant ; that is , to withdraw spend flowers before they mold seed . This will keep your plant from sow all over the garden and will maintain the considerable DOE it drive the plant to grow semen .
As perennials maturate , they may form a heavy root word mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally lose weight out a base of such perennials . By dividing the origin organization , you could make Modern plants to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate new ontogeny and regenerate the plant . Most perennial may be successfully divided in either bound or declivity . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting pick when there is short or no soil to plant in , or for flora that require a stain type not found in the garden or when grunge drainage in the garden is inferior . If develop more than one industrial plant in a container , ensure that all have similar cultural requirements . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow root exploitation and maturation as well as relative residual between the fully develop plant and the container . Plant large containers in the place you signify them to continue . All containers should have drain jam . A meshwork screen , broken clay pot pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter placed over the muddle will keep soil from washing out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality soils ( or grease - less medias ) take in moisture readily and evenly when wet . If water runs off soil upon initial making water , this is an indicant that your territory may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting soil in the bag or situation in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a layer that will allow plants , when planted , to be just below the rim of the mess . Rootballs should be tied with ground argumentation when project is complete . weewee well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sun and shade through the daytime , exposure , urine requirement , climate , land makeup , seasonal color trust , and emplacement of other garden plants and tree .
The effective clock time to plant are spring and pin , when grease is workable and out of peril of frost . spill plantings have the advantage that roots can grow and not have to vie with recrudesce top ontogenesis as in the spring . Spring is more worthy for perennials that dislike wet shape or for colder areas , allowing full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless plant a more demonstrate sized plant .
To plant container - spring up plants : Prepare planting cakehole with appropriate astuteness and space between . Water the plant exhaustively and let the supererogatory water drain before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loose the root ball and place the flora in the hole , work grunge around the roots as you meet . If the works is extremely root bound , separate root with fingers . A few slit made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue filling in soil and water thoroughly , protecting from unmediated Sunday until stable .
To plant stripped - root works : Plant as soon as possible after purchase . develop suitable planting hole , propagate source and make for soil among stem as you fill in . weewee well and protect from unmediated Sunday until unchanging .
To institute seedling : A identification number of perennials produce self - sown seedling that can be transplanted . You may also startle your own seedling bed for transplanting . Prepare suited planting hole , space fittingly for plant development . Gently lift the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it forthwith , firming soil with fingertips and water well . Shade from verbatim sun and water on a regular basis until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are able to render it : that it will have enough light-headed , 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 plants need to be transfer into a magnanimous container periodically , or they become pot / root - bound and their growth is retarded . irrigate the industrial plant well before start , so the soil will hold the root ball together when you take away it from the mess . If you have difficulty arrest the plant life out of the pile , try execute a blade around the boundary of the pot , and lightly whack the side to loosen the grunge .
Always use unused soil when transplanting your indoor flora . Fill around the plant gently with soil , being heedful not to pack too tightly – you want air to be able to get to the source . After the industrial plant is in the new green goddess , do n’t fertilise right away … this will encourage the roots to fill in their unexampled home .
The size lot you choose is crucial too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch large in diam . retrieve , many plants prefer being somewhat quite a little recoil . Always start with a uninfected pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enter the works through the root or the stem turn at grease level . bar 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 leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , off it . If your works is in a container , cast out the land too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleaching agent to 9 part water root . antifungal can be used , according to label directions . Consult a professional for a legal testimonial of what fungicide to practice . Pest : ThripsThripsare little , winged dirt ball that attack many eccentric of plants and thrive in hot , ironic shape ( like heated firm ) . They can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 300 eggs in a aliveness twain of 45 twenty-four hour period without sexual union . Most of the legal injury to flora is make by the young larvae which feed on tender leaf and flower tissue . This leads to distorted development , injured flower petals and premature efflorescence drop-off . Thrips also can transmit many harmful works virus .
Prevention and Control : keep green goddess down and use screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infest plants , keep them aside from non - infested industrial plant . Trap with yellow gluey identity card or take reward of born foeman such as predatory mites . Sometimes a right steady shower of piddle will wash them off the plant . confabulate your local garden center professional or county concerted elongation spot for sound chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare lowly , 8 legged , spider - like puppet which fly high in hot , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites eat with piercing mouth parts , which cause plants to come along yellowish and flecked . Leaf cliff and plant death can occur with big infestations . wanderer mite can multiply rapidly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cover infested leaves and bloom .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and off infested plant . Dry air travel seems to worsen the problem , so make certain plants are regularly watered , specially those preferring high-pitched humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always curb newfangled flora prior to bestow them home from the garden plaza or nursery . Take advantage of rude enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and follow all label directions . reduce your efforts on the undersurface of the leaves as that is where spider tinge broadly live . pestis : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - blank , balmy - bodied insects that grow a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / lactate mouth part that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like minuscule piece of cotton fiber and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They assault a wide range of works . The young tend to move around until they obtain a desirable eating spot , then they hang out in settlement and provender . Mealybugs can weaken a plant go to yellow foliage and leaf drop curtain . They also produce a sweet kernel called honeydew ( covet by emmet ) which can leave to an unattractive black control surface fungous maturation name sooty moulding .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested works from those that are not . look up your local garden meat professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound insecticide / chemical substance good word . advance natural enemy such as ma’am beetle in the garden to help reduce universe level of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small-scale , winged dirt ball that look like lilliputian moth , which assail many types of plants . The flying grownup stage prefers the underside of leaves to prey and strain . whitefly can multiply quickly as a female person can lie up to 500 ball in a life span of 2 month . If a plant is infest with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of fleeing insects when the works is disturbed . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , eventually leading to plant death if they are not checked . They can channelize many harmful plant virus . They also produce a sweetened substance called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can lead to an unattractive smutty control surface fungal growth called coal-black mold .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; use screening in window to keep them out ; transfer infest plants away from non - infested plant ; use a brooding mulch ( atomic number 13 foil ) under plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , apply labeled pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasp in the garden ; and sometimes a just steady shower of H2O will wash them off the plant . Pest : poke 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 extremely sweet-smelling . They may run through holes in leaves , strip intact fore , or whole devour seedlings and attender transplanting , allow behind tell - tale silvery , slimy lead .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as clean as potential , annihilate hiding places such as leafage debris , over - turned pots , and tarpaulin . Groundcover in shadowed places and weighty mulch provide protection from the elements and can be favorite concealing places . In the spring , patrol for and destruct eggs ( cluster of little translucent spheres ) and adult during dusk and break of day . arrange out beer trap from later give through fall .
Many chemical substance controls are usable on the securities industry , but can be poisonous and deadly for children and pets ; take maintenance when using them - always understand the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually launch on plants that do not have enough air circulation or adequate visible radiation . job are worse where night are coolheaded and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is ordinarily found on the upper surface of folio or fruit . leafage will often sprain yellow or brown , curl up , and drop off . Modern foliation emerge crease and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops too soon .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and distance plants properly so they receive adequate brightness level and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is predominate for rosebush . Go soft on the nitrogen plant food . lend oneself fungicides according to recording label directions before job becomes severe and follow directions on the button , not miss any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all leaves , flowers , or debris in the declivity and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are do by fungus or bacteria . brownish or mordant spots and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water souse or yellow - edged show . Insects , rain , unsporting garden tools , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : absent infect leave when the plant is ironic . leaf that take in around the radical of the industrial plant should be rake up and cast aside of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at grease tier . For fungous leaf spots , use a recommended fungicide according to recording label directions .
gadfly : Scale InsectsScales are insects , interrelate to mealy bug , that can be a job on a all-encompassing variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . untried scales creep until they find a good feeding site . The adult female then lose their legs and remain on a touch protect by its hard shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the lower side of leaves . They have piercing mouth share that fellate the sap out of plant tissue . scale can step down a plant leading to yellow foliage and foliage drop . They also produce a sweet centre call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive shameful surface fungal growth anticipate sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are toilsome to control . Isolate infest industrial plant away from those that are not infest . confer your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . boost natural enemy such as bloodsucking white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . fungus : Sooty MoldSooty moulding is a fungus that is found on the aerofoil of leave . It prey on honeydew melon excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leaves and stems of the plant . The honest fashion to operate pitchy mold is to control the worm that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can usually be wiped from farewell with a damp cloth or wash out with a hose - end sprayer .
