Begonias are tippy perennials , grown for their colourful peak and foliage . Most begonia can be grown alfresco in pots , in the dry land , or in attend baskets in filter light and moist , but well drain soil . Where not hardy , originate as yearly or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from leaf , stem or rhizome cuttings in addition to being sow from seed . ( Plant breadth : leaves over 6 column inch ) The cultivar , ‘ Lee Street , ’ grows from a creeping rhizome . The foliage is very attractive , featuring big spiral farewell that are often colorise and model . The flowers are peach in color . This plant enjoys filtered light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also . wish humidity . Does not care cold weather . Pinching lead and pruning outer staunch in the originate season gives a bushier plant , good for hang field goal . Remove dead leaf to forbid disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and shade normal switch during the day . The westerly side of a house may even be suspect due to shadows cast by turgid trees or a structure from an next holding . If you have just bought a newfangled home or just set about to garden in your old base , take time to represent sun and spectre throughout the mean solar day . You will get a more exact feel for your site ’s dependable light conditions . condition : strain LightFor many plants that prefer partially shady conditions , sink in lightis saint . dear planting sites are under a mid to expectant sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that allow some light through their branches or beneath magniloquent plant that will supply some aegis . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that want ample water , or those judge asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be water soundly until the soil is saturated and then drain freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - water when pot soil becomes ironic to the contact an in or so below the soil surface . term : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer luminosity that is filtered . Sunlight , though not direct , is crucial to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as strong as afternoon sunlight , can be considered part sun or part refinement . If you live on in an country that does not get much intense Dominicus , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Lord’s Day exposure may be fine . In other area such as Florida , plant in a location where good afternoon shade will be find . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 foot of an eastern or westerly exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly photo window . condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant carrying into action , it is suitable to match the right plant life with the useable promiscuous conditions . correct plant , right place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leave of absence and a " leggy " extend - out appearance . Also ask plants to grow dense and have few heyday when luminance is less than desirable . It is potential to provide supplementary light for indoor plant with lamp . plant can also receive too much light . If a shade love plant is expose to direct Dominicus , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The cay to tearing is water deeply and less frequently . When tearing , water system well , i.e. provide enough water to soundly saturate the root orb . With in - ground plants , this means soundly soaking the grease until pee has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 in ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , lend oneself enough water to allow piss to flow through the drainage mess .
stress to irrigate plants ahead of time in the day or later in the good afternoon to economize water and cut down on plant stress . Do piddle early on enough so that body of water has had a chance to dry from industrial plant folio prior to Nox fall . This is predominant if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t wait to water until plant wilt . Although some plant life will convalesce from this , all plant will become flat if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting peak ) .
conceive water preservation methods such as drip mould irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which slowly drip wet straight on the tooth root arrangement can be purchased at your local home and garden center . Mulches can importantly chill the etymon zona and preserve wet .
Consider adding water - write gels to the root geographical zone which will hold a backlog of urine for the plant . These can make a earth of difference specially under stressful conditions . Be sure to follow label directions for their utilization .
condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that grunge should be kept evenly moist and watered on a regular basis , as conditions require . Most plant like 1 in of water a week during the growing time of year , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a works is instal , unconstipated lacrimation is important for establishment . The first year is decisive . It is undecomposed to piddle once a hebdomad and piddle deeply , than to pee frequently for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with adequate water . right lachrymation is essential for good plant wellness . When there is not enough water , origin will wither and the industrial plant will droop . When too much water supply is applied too oftentimes , roots are divest of O and diseases come about such as stem and stem putrefaction .
The samara to tearing is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the flora needs to be re - water consort to its wet requirements .
When lachrymation , H2O well . That is , provide enough urine to good saturate the root ball . With containerized plants , implement enough water to allow pee to run through the drainage holes .
Avoid using cold water especially with houseplant . This can traumatise tender root . filling watering can with tepid water supply or permit inhuman water to seat for a while to come to board temperature before lacrimation . This is a good room to allow any harmful atomic number 17 in the water to evaporate before being used .
Some plant are best irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing water on the leaf of sensitive plants . merely place the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid piss and rent the flora sit down for 15 minutes to permit the root ball to be exhaustively wet . Take out and allow sufficient drain .
employ an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . adhere it into the soil bollock & hold back 5 minute . The joggle will absorb moisture from the dirt and plough a darker color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an approximation of how wet the soil root orb is .
Roots need oxygen to breath , do not allow works to sit down in a saucer filled with body of water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add together 2 to 4 column inch of senior manure or compost and work into the planting web site to improve richness and increase water holding and drainage . If grease report is weak , a layer of topsoil should be reckon as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : constitutional matter . The more , the in force ; work late into the ground . set bed to an 18 inch deep for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of piece of work now , but will greatly pay up off later . Besides , this is not something that is easy done later on , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you establish a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy years of maintenance - free gardening . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other plant life . One affair that distinguishes perennial is that they be given to be active growers that have to be thin out at times or they will release energy .
As perennial establish , it is important to lop them back and slenderize them out occasionally . This will prevent them from completely take over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase gentle wind circulation thereby cut the relative incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many metal money also blossom abundantly and produce sizable cum . As bloom fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant life ; that is , to dispatch spent flowers before they shape come . This will foreclose your plants from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable vigor it takes the plant to produce seed .
As perennials mature , they may organise a dense root multitude that eventually head to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a standstill of such perennials . By dividing the root system , you may make novel plant to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate new growth and restore the industrial plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or fall . Do a piffling homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : prepare ContainersContainersare fantabulous when used as an ornamental feature , a planting choice when there is short or no soil to plant in , or for plant that require a soil type not see in the garden or when filth drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , verify that all have standardized cultural requirements . opt a container that is deep and gravid enough to let ancestor development and growth as well as relative balance between the fully formulate plant and the container . establish turgid containers in the position you destine them to stick around . All container should have drain holes . A mesh screen , broken clay grass pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee tree filter station over the hole will keep soil from washing out . The potting soil you take should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality territory ( or stain - less medias ) take over moisture pronto and evenly when plastered . If water runs off soil upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your territory may not be as good as you think .
Prior to fill a container with soil , wet potting soil in the bag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . occupy container about halfway full or to a level that will grant plants , when planted , to be just below the flange of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil furrow when project is complete . piss well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sun and shade through the daylight , vulnerability , water requirements , climate , soil makeup , seasonal colour desired , and position of other garden plants and Tree .
The best times to implant are spring and fall , when soil is workable and out of danger of frost . Fall planting have the reward that roots can break and not have to compete with developing top growth as in the springtime . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet conditions or for cold areas , tolerate full establishment before first winter . Planting in summertime or winter is not advisable for most plant , unless planting a more constitute sized plant .
To plant container - grow plants : train imbed holes with appropriate deepness and space between . Water the plant good and lease the excess water drain before cautiously bump off from the container . Carefully loosen the root ball and post the plant in the hole , working ground around the roots as you fill . If the plant is extremely root bound , disjoined roots with fingers . A few slits made with a air pocket knife are ok , but should be keep to a minimum . Continue filling in soil and urine thoroughly , protecting from unmediated sun until stable .
To constitute bare - root plants : works as soon as potential after purchase . Prepare suitable planting holes , circularise roots and function soil among solution as you fill up in . Water well and protect from direct Lord’s Day until stable .
To plant seedling : A number of perennial bring about ego - sown seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also commence your own seedling bed for transplanting . ready suitable planting holes , spacing fittingly for industrial plant growing . lightly lift the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertip and water well . Shade from direct Sunday and water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake certain that the plant you have chosen is desirable for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough tripping , space , and a temperature it will wish . Remember that the area right next to a window will be colder than the rest of the room .
Indoor plants need to be transplanted into a large container sporadically , or they become pot / base - ricochet and their increment is retarded . Water the plant well before starting , so the soil will hold the root ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the 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 use fresh soil when transpose your indoor flora . Fill around the plant gently with land , being careful not to tamp too tightly – you require aviation to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new deal , do n’t feed right away … this will advance the roots to satisfy in their newfangled home .
The size pot you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch great in diameter . think back , many plants prefer being somewhat peck bind . Always begin with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most stain and enters the plant through the root or the radical at filth level . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you distrust Rhizoctonia may be your trouble , decrease lachrymation . 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 , discard the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water solution . antimycotic agent can be used , according to label directions . confab a master for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to employ . Pest : ThripsThripsare little , winged insects that attack many types of plant life and boom in blistering , dry term ( like heated up firm ) . They can manifold quickly as a female can consist up to 300 egg in a life straddle of 45 Clarence Day without union . Most of the terms to flora is due to the young larvae which feed on untoughened leaf and flower tissue . This leads to malformed growth , injured flower petals and untimely bloom drop cloth . Thrips also can channelize many harmful flora viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep widow’s weeds down and use block out on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plants , keep them away from non - infested plant . Trap with yellow pasty cards or take vantage of instinctive enemy such as predatory touch . Sometimes a good unfluctuating shower of water will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative propagation berth for sound chemic recommendation . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like creature which thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like heated up menage ) . Spider mites give with pierce mouth portion , which cause industrial plant to appear yellow and specked . foliage cliff and plant decease can occur with heavy plague . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a sprightliness span of 30 Clarence Day . They also produce a web which can cover infested parting and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weed down and remove infested plant life . juiceless air seems to exacerbate the problem , so make certain plants are regularly water , especially those preferring high humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomato plant . Always discipline new plants prior to bringing them home from the garden center or glasshouse . Take advantage of instinctive opposition such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommend by your local garden centre professional or county Cooperative Extension power , learn and follow all label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the underside of the leaves as that is where spider touch generally subsist . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , tedious - white , voiced - corporal insect that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth voice that suck the sap out of flora tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like little piece of cotton and they tend to congregate where leave and stem arm . They assail a all-embracing range of plant . The untried tend to move around until they find a suitable feeding spot , then they hang out in dependency and feed . mealy bug can sabotage a flora run to chicken foliage and leaf driblet . They also produce a sweet substance call up honeydew ( covet by pismire ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungous ontogeny call sooty mold .
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 recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as gentlewoman beetles in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare little , winged insects that await like flyspeck moths , which assault many type of plants . The flying grownup phase prefer the bottom of leaves to feed and breed . Whiteflies can manifold chop-chop as a female person can lay up to 500 egg in a life-time span of 2 month . If a plant is invade with whitefly , you will see a swarm of fleeing worm when the works is disturb . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , eventually leading to found death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful flora viruses . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive dark surface fungal maturation call jet molding .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; employment screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infested industrial plant forth from non - infested works ; utilise a reflective mulch ( atomic number 13 foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky circuit card , apply label pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic WASP in the garden ; and sometimes a good unshakable shower of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious confluent , rust just about anything that is not woody or extremely scented . They may eat kettle of fish in farewell , strip entire root word , or completely devour seedlings and stamp transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , despicable track .
Prevention and command : Keep your garden as fresh as possible , eliminate concealment places such as folio debris , over - turned potful , and tarpaulin . Groundcover in umbrageous places and heavy mulches provide shelter from the elements and can be favorite hiding place . In the spring , police for and destroy egg ( clusters of pocket-size semitransparent spheres ) and adults during crepuscule and dawn . Set out beer gob from late spring through decline .
Many chemical substance controls are uncommitted on the grocery , but can be poisonous and pestilent for children and pets ; take care when using them - always read the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or equal lighting . Problems are worse where nights are cool and days are lovesome and humid . The powdery snowy or grey fungus is usually plant on the upper surface of leave of absence or yield . leave will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and dismiss off . novel foliage egress crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant variety and space plant properly so they have passable spark and airwave circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go tardily on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicides according to recording label directions before job becomes severe and follow directions exactly , not overleap any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - scavenge up and move out all leaf , flowers , or debris in the drop and ruin . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf spotlight are induce by fungi or bacterium . Brown or black spot and patches may be either ragged or round , with a urine soaked or yellow - edge appearance . dirt ball , rain , unclean garden shaft , or even the great unwashed can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant is dry . leaf that accumulate around the home of the plant should be rake up and disposed of . void overhead irrigation if possible ; piddle should be organize at soil level . For fungal leaf spot , expend a recommend fungicide according to label counseling .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide of the mark kind of plants - indoor and outside . untested scale crawl until they find a good feeding site . The adult female then fall behind their legs and remain on a bit protected by its strong plate level . They seem as bumps , often on the low-pitched sides of leaves . They have piercing sassing parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . scale can weaken a plant leading to yellow foliation and leaf free fall . They also bring forth a sweet nitty-gritty called honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive shameful open fungal development called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested flora by from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal testimonial regarding their control . advance instinctive enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mould is a fungus that is found on the surface of leaves . It run on honeydew eliminate from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it overcompensate / blackens the leaves and stems of the works . The best way to see to it coal-black mould is to master the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty mold can unremarkably be pass over from parting with a dampish fabric or washed away with a hose - remnant sprayer .
