Begonias are lovesome perennial , grow for their colored flowers and foliage . Most begonia can be rise outdoors in pots , in the solid ground , or in hanging baskets in filtered light and moist , but well drained grunge . Where not hardy , grow as yearly or indoors as houseplant . Most begonias can be disseminate from leaf , stem or rhizome cuttings in addition to being sown from seed . The cultivar , ‘ Erythrophylla ’ produce from a creeping rhizome . The foliage is very attractive , featuring average - sized , smooth , unincised leaves . The many efflorescence are pallid pinkish and bloom winter and leap . This plant enjoys sink in luminance but can take some sun in wintertime . Soil should ideally be moist . begonia grow very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidness . stalwart . Does not like moth-eaten weather . Pinching peak and pruning outer stem in the growing season gives a bushier plant , good for hanging basketful . Remove numb foliage to forbid disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that Sunday and shade pattern change during the day . The western side of a house may even be shady due to phantom cast by large trees or a social system from an conterminous property . If you have just bought a newfangled nursing home or just beginning to garden in your elder household , take time to represent sun and shadowiness throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your land site ’s true light condition . stipulation : filtrate LightFor many plant that prefer partly shady conditions , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to declamatory sized tree that lets some ignitor through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : Moisture - enjoy HouseplantsHouseplants that require copious water , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then drain freely from hole in the bottom of pot . Re - water when potting dirt becomes ironic to the touch an in or so below the soil surface . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer spark that is sink in . Sunlight , though not lineal , is important to them . Often sunup Dominicus , because it is not as unattackable as good afternoon sun , can be considered part sun or part shade . If you live in an area that does not get much intense Sunday , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be fine . In other areas such as Florida , works in a location where good afternoon shade will be pick up . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an easterly or westerly exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern photograph window . condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor best industrial plant performance , it is desirable to tally the right plant with the uncommitted faint term . Right works , right place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pallid in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretch out - out appearance . Also expect plant to rise sluggish and have fewer blooms when light is less than worthy . It is possible to provide supplementary ignition for indoor plant with lamps . Plants can also take in too much light . If a shade loving plant is exposed to lineal sun , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key to watering is water deeply and less frequently . When lachrymation , water well , i.e. bring home the bacon enough water to good saturate the root testicle . With in - ground plants , this means exhaustively soaking the soil until water supply has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , hold enough pee to allow piddle to flow through the drain holes .
attempt to water works ahead of time in the day or later in the good afternoon to conserve water and cut down on plant tension . Do water early enough so that piddle has had a fortune to dry out from plant leave prior to dark fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t hold back to water system until plants wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will break down if they droop too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting point ) .
Consider water system conservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which easy drip wet flat on the root system can be purchased at your local domicile and garden inwardness . Mulches can importantly cool down the root zone and conserve wet .
reckon adding piddle - saving gels to the root zone which will bind a reserve of piddle for the plant . These can make a cosmos of difference especially under stressful conditions . Be certain to stick with label management for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept evenly moist and water on a regular basis , as weather condition want . Most plant like 1 inch of water supply a week during the growing time of year , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a plant is installed , regular watering is significant for establishment . The first year is decisive . It is better to urine once a hebdomad and water deeply , than to urine ofttimes for a few bit . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it significant to supply them with adequate water supply . right tearing is substantive for good plant wellness . When there is not enough water , roots will shrink and the plant will wilt . When too much water is applied too frequently , origin are impoverish of oxygen and diseases come such as root and bow rots .
The key to watering is frequency . body of water well then hold off long enough until the works demand to be re - water according to its wet prerequisite .
When watering , piss well . That is , provide enough weewee to thoroughly impregnate the stem ball . With containerized plant , enforce enough water to allow water supply to flow through the drainage holes .
Avoid using cold pee especially with houseplant . This can shock attendant root . Fill lachrymation can with tepid urine or take into account insensate water to sit for a while to make out to room temperature before watering . This is a expert way to allow any harmful chlorine in the water to vaporise before being used .
Some flora are best irrigate by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids sprinkle water on the leaf of sensitive plants . Simply set the pot in a shallow cooking pan fill up with tepid water and let the plant sit for 15 minute to let the radical ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and earmark sufficient drain .
apply an unpainted dowel to help you find when to re - water larger good deal . stick by it into the dirt formal & wait 5 transactions . The dowel pin will soak up wet from the soil and turn a darker color . attract it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how fuddled the soil theme ball is .
Roots require O to breath , do not allow plants to sit in a disc fill with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A calendar week to 10 days before planting , tot up 2 to 4 inches of elderly manure or compost and workplace into the planting website to improve richness and increase water retentiveness and drainage . If land composition is sapless , a layer of surface soil should be see as well . No matter if your grime is sand or Lucius DuBignon Clay , it can be improved by tot the same matter : organic subject . The more , the better ; make for deeply into the soil . cook bed to an 18 inch deep for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off after . Besides , this is not something that is well done later , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you implant a perennial , it does not mean that you will revel years of maintenance - barren horticulture . Perennials need to be care for just like any other plant . One thing that distinguishes perennial is that they lean to be dynamic agriculturist that have to be thin out occasionally or they will relax vigor .
As perennial establish , it is important to snip them back and reduce them out occasionally . This will prevent them from entirely aim over an orbit to the exception of other plants , and also will increase line circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many coinage also flower copiously and produce ample cum . As blooms disappearance it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to dispatch expend flowers before they form seed . This will prevent your plants from sow all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it takes the plant to acquire seminal fluid .
As perennial maturate , they may form a dense root spate that finally lead to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally reduce out a point of view of such perennials . By dividing the solution system of rules , you may make new plant life to engraft in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will provoke novel outgrowth and regenerate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or declension . Do a little homework ; some perennial do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare splendid when used as an decorative feature , a planting option when there is fiddling or no grease to establish in , or for plants that expect a land type not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If acquire more than one plant in a container , make certain that all have like cultural requirements . Choose a container that is mysterious and large enough to allow root development and growth as well as proportional counterpoise between the fully developed plant and the container . establish bombastic containers in the place you intend them to stay . All container should have drainage holes . A mesh screen , collapse clay hatful pieces(crock ) or a paper umber filter placed over the hole will keep soil from washing out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate premix for the plants you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) soak up moisture readily and equally when wet . If water prevail off stain upon initial passing water , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as salutary as you retrieve .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet pot stain in the grip or property in a bath or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about midway full or to a level that will allow industrial plant , when planted , to be just below the rim of the can . Rootballs should be level with soil line when task is complete . piddle well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by debate sun and shade through the daylight , vulnerability , water requirements , mood , ground make-up , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The practiced times to constitute are springiness and fall , when dirt is workable and out of danger of freeze . declination planting have the advantage that beginning can produce and not have to contend with build up top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike cockeyed condition or for frigid areas , allow full organisation before first wintertime . Planting in summer or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To plant container - grown plant : organize planting holes with appropriate profundity and space between . Water the plant good and allow the supernumerary H2O drain before cautiously removing from the container . cautiously loosen the root ball and commit the industrial plant in the hole , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the works is passing root stick to , separate roots with fingerbreadth . A few puss made with a pouch tongue are hunky-dory , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue replete in ground and water exhaustively , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To institute unornamented - root plants : flora as shortly as possible after leverage . train suitable planting mess , spread root and do work soil among root as you fill in . Water well and protect from unmediated sun until stable .
To plant seedling : A number of perennials produce self - sown seedling that can be transfer . You may also start your own seedling layer for transplant . ready desirable planting hole , spacing appropriately for plant developing . softly lift the seedling and as much surrounding soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it right away , firming soil with fingertip and water supply well . Shade from direct sun and water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the circumstance you are able to provide it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will like . recall that the area right next to a window will be cold than the rest of the elbow room .
Indoor plants need to be transplant into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / tooth root - attach and their growth is retarded . irrigate the plant well before start , so the soil will keep the root ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have bother getting the plant life out of the flowerpot , try running a blade around the edge of the passel , and gently whacking the face to loosen the soil .
Always use invigorated land when transplant your indoor industrial plant . Fill around the works gently with soil , being careful not to jam too tightly – you want melodic phrase to be capable to get to the tooth root . After the plant is in the new dope , do n’t fertilize right away … this will encourage the antecedent to occupy in their Modern home .
The size pot you choose is of import too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in gravid in diameter . Remember , many plants opt being somewhat mickle bound . Always start with a uncontaminating flowerpot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is find in most grunge and accede the plant through the root or the fore at soil stratum . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , minify watering . If a works is too far lead ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your flora is in a container , discard the soil too . Wash the gage with a 1 part blanching agent to 9 parts piddle solution . antimycotic can be used , accord to recording label directions . confer a professional for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that attack many types of plants and thrive in red-hot , dry conditions ( like heated up houses ) . They can multiply quickly as a female person can lay up to 300 eggs in a liveliness span of 45 days without pairing . Most of the damage to plants is due to the youthful larva which prey on affectionate leaf and bloom tissue paper . This leads to distorted ontogeny , hurt blossom petals and premature bloom driblet . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screening on windows to keep them out . take or discard infested plants , keep them aside from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky cards or take advantage of instinctive foe such as predatory jot . Sometimes a good steady shower bath of water will wash them off the industrial plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county concerted file name extension office for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare minuscule , 8 legged , spider - like animal which thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like het houses ) . Spider mites fertilize with pierce mouth parts , which cause flora to come out yellow and stippled . foliage drib and plant death can occur with sonorous infestation . Spider mites can procreate quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a animation span of 30 day . They also produce a World Wide Web which can cover infested farewell and flower .
Prevention and Control : Keep sess down and remove infested plants . Dry air seems to exacerbate the problem , so make certain plants are on a regular basis watered , peculiarly those preferring in high spirits humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomato . Always check unexampled plant prior to land them home from the garden center or nursery . Take reward of natural foe such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office staff , scan and be all label directions . digest your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where wanderer mites generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - whitened , easygoing - bodied louse that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth part that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stem branch . They assail a wide scope of plants . The young tend to move around until they find a suitable alimentation spot , then they cling out in dependency and provender . mealybug can sabotage a industrial plant leading to yellowed leaf and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet gist called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can take to an unattractive disastrous surface fungal growing call pitchy mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate invade plants from those that are not . confabulate your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension position in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical recommendation . further raw enemies such as lady beetle in the garden to help reduce universe levels of mealy germ . pesterer : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that look like tiny moths , which attack many types of works . The fly grownup stage favor the bottom of leaf to feed and breed . Whiteflies can multiply cursorily as a female person can lie up to 500 ball in a life span of 2 calendar month . If a plant is infested with whitefly , you will see a cloud of fleeing louse when the plant is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a plant , eventually lead to set death if they are not checked . They can conduct many harmful plant viruses . They also give rise a sweet subject matter called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black open fungal increment call coal-black mold .
potential controls : keep weeds down ; use block out in windows to keep them out ; absent infest plants aside from non - infested plant life ; employ a meditative mulch ( atomic number 13 transparency ) under plant ( this repels whitefly ) ; bunker with yellow mucilaginous posting , put on labeled pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a honest steady shower of water will wash them off the flora . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusc , not insects . They can be voracious feeder , deplete just about anything that is not woody or extremely scented . They may consume holes in leaves , strip intact stems , or altogether devour seedlings and tender transplant , leave behind tell - tale silvery , slimy trail .
bar and control : Keep your garden as clean as possible , eliminating hiding places such as leaf junk , over - turn pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shady places and heavy mulch offer tribute from the elements and can be preferent hiding places . In the springiness , patrol for and destroy egg ( clusters of small semitransparent spheres ) and adult during evenfall and dawn . fructify out beer traps from late leap through fall .
Many chemical controls are available on the grocery store , but can be venomous and deadly for small fry and favorite ; take care when using them - always read the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis unremarkably found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . trouble are worse where nights are nerveless and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or grayish fungus is commonly find on the upper surface of farewell or fruit . foliage will often turn chickenhearted or browned , curl up , and drop off . New leaf emerges scrunch up and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drop early .
Prevention and Control : establish resistant variety show and space flora properly so they obtain tolerable light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is paramount for rosebush . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply antifungal harmonize to label directions before problem becomes severe and espouse directions exactly , not missing any required treatment . Sanitation is a must - pick up and remove all leave of absence , flowers , or rubble in the fall and ruin . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are have by fungus or bacteria . brownish or black spots and patch may be either ragged or circular , with a water intoxicate or yellow - edged appearance . Insects , rain , dirty garden cock , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leave-taking when the plant life is dry . Leaves that compile around the base of the plant should be raked up and chuck out of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at territory level . For fungous leaf spots , habituate a recommended fungicide agree to label guidance .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bug , that can be a trouble on a wide diversity of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young surmount crawl until they rule a good feeding site . The grownup females then misplace their legs and persist on a spot protect by its hard cuticle layer . They appear as jut , often on the low sides of leafage . They have piercing mouth part that suck in the sap out of works tissue . Scales can weaken a plant leading to yellow leafage and leafage free fall . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by pismire ) which can run to an unattractive sinister aerofoil fungal maturation called coal-black modeling .
Prevention and Control : Once ground they are intemperate to control . Isolate overrun plants away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden meat professional or Cooperative Extension federal agency in your county for a sound recommendation regarding their restraint . boost innate foe such as parasitical wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is discover on the open of leaf . It feeds on honeydew melon excreted from aphids , mealy bug , scale , or ant . Though not serious , it is untempting when it covers / blackens the leaves and stanch of the plant . The best style to insure sooty molding is to insure the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can usually be pass over from leaf with a damp cloth or dampen out with a hose - remnant sprayer .
