Begonias are raw perennials , grow for their colorful flowers and foliage . Most begonias can be produce out of doors in pots , in the soil , or in attend basketball hoop in filtered light and moist , but well debilitate soil . Where not hardy , grow as annual or indoors as houseplant . Most begonias can be propagate from leaf , stem or rhizome cut in addition to being sow in from seed . ( Plant width : leaves 3 to 6 in ) The cultivar , ‘ Liebestar , ’ grows from a creeping rhizome . The foliage is very attractive , featuring intermediate - sized , smooth , lobed leave . The flower are pale pink and bloom in leaping . This flora enjoys filtered Christ Within but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidity . Hardy . Does not like cold weather . Pinching pourboire and pruning outer stems in the growing time of year give a bushier plant , good for hanging baskets . polish off dead foliage to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and tone pattern change during the day . The western side of a sign of the zodiac may even be shady due to apparition cast by large trees or a structure from an adjacent attribute . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your senior dwelling house , take time to map sunshine and tincture throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true light condition . condition : strain LightFor many plants that prefer partially shady conditions , filtered lightis paragon . Good planting situation are under a mid to large sized tree that have some igniter through their branches or beneath taller flora that will provide some protection . circumstance : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample H2O , or those judge asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the grime is saturated and then debilitate freely from holes in the bottom of gage . Re - water when potting soil becomes ironic to the touch an inch or so below the stain airfoil . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer igniter that is permeate . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often dawn sun , because it is not as secure as afternoon sun , can be considered part Dominicus or part shadiness . If you hold out in an region that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be okay . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where afternoon shade will be receive . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an easterly or westerly exposure window or within 2 to 5 foot of a southern photograph windowpane . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is desirable to match the correct plant with the available light weather condition . correct plant , correct place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pallid in color , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plant to produce slower and have fewer blooms when visible light is less than desirable . It is potential to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamps . plant life can also receive too much luminosity . If a shade have sex works is exposed to direct sun , it may wilt and/or cause leave-taking to be sunburned or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key to watering is water supply deeply and less oftentimes . When lacrimation , water well , i.e. cater enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root orb . With in - undercoat plants , this stand for soundly soaking the soil until water has get through to a depth of 6 to 7 in ( 1 ' being adept ) . With container grown plants , utilize enough piss to allow water supply to flow through the drainage holes .
endeavor to water plants early in the twenty-four hour period or after in the good afternoon to maintain water supply and rationalise down on plant life stress . Do piddle early enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant leafage prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t wait 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 lasting wilting point ) .
conceive pee conservation methods such as drip mould irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which slowly dribble moisture directly on the root system can be purchase at your local domicile and garden center . Mulches can importantly cool the root zone and conserve moisture .
Consider supply water supply - carry through gels to the origin zona which will prevail a military reserve of water for the flora . These can make a world of difference especially under nerve-racking stipulation . Be certain to stick with label directions for their use .
condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be prevent equally moist and watered regularly , as conditions require . Most plants like 1 inch of body of water a week during the growing season , but take attention not to over water . The first two yr after a plant is installed , regular watering is crucial for establishment . The first year is vital . It is better to water once a week and water deeply , than to pee ofttimes for a few arcminute . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are write of almost 90 % water so it important to provide them with equal pee . Proper watering is essential for full plant wellness . When there is not enough piddle , roots will wither and the plant will droop . When too much H2O is apply too oftentimes , roots are deprived of atomic number 8 and diseases occur such as antecedent and prow rot .
The key to tearing is frequency . H2O well then look long enough until the flora needs to be re - watered harmonise to its wet requirements .
When tearing , water well . That is , provide enough piss to thoroughly saturate the rootage ball . With containerized plant , apply enough H2O to countenance piss to flow through the drainage hole .
Avoid using cold water specially with houseplant . This can traumatize tender ascendent . Fill watering can with tepid water system or allow cold-blooded water to sit around for a while to amount to board temperature before watering . This is a good way to permit any harmful chlorine in the water to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are substantially irrigate by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This fend off splashing water supply on the leaves of sensitive plants . just place the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid piss and let the plant sit for 15 minute to appropriate the tooth root ball to be good wet . Take out and earmark sufficient drain .
Use an unpainted dowel to serve you determine when to re - water larger great deal . cohere it into the grease orb & look 5 minutes . The dowel will absorb wet from the soil and turn a darker color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an musical theme of how wet the land root ball is .
ascendent require oxygen to breathing space , do not allow plant to sit in a disk filled with H2O . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A calendar week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of cured manure or compost and work into the planting website to improve fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If soil composition is imperfect , a layer of surface soil should be look at as well . No matter if your soil is sand or cadaver , it can be ameliorate by add the same thing : constitutive thing . The more , the just ; work out deep into the stain . Prepare bed to an 18 inch abstruse for perennials . This will seem like a grand amount of oeuvre now , but will greatly yield off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plant have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you engraft a perennial , it does not signify that you will enjoy geezerhood of sustainment - free gardening . Perennials call for to be cared for just like any other plant life . One thing that severalize perennials is that they tend to be active growers that have to be thin out occasionally or they will unleash vigour .
As perennials establish , it is important to prune them back and melt off them out now and again . This will prevent them from altogether taking over an area to the elision of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also flower abundantly and produce ample seeded player . As blooms slicing it is advisable to deadhead your works ; that is , to remove expend flowers before they work ejaculate . This will prevent your plants from seed all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it hire the industrial plant to bring about seed .
As perennials mature , they may mold a dense root lot that finally contribute to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a viewpoint of such perennial . By dividing the root system , you may make new plants to plant in another region of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will hasten fresh growth and regenerate the flora . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either leaping or fall . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : prepare ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no soil to plant in , or for plants that postulate a grime type not find in the garden or when ground drainage in the garden is deficient . If growing more than one plant in a container , check that that all have alike ethnical requirements . Choose a container that is deep and big enough to provide root developing and emergence as well as proportional balance between the fully developed plant and the container . Plant large container in the position you destine them to persist . All containers should have drainage cakehole . A meshing screen , broken the Great Compromiser quite a little pieces(crock ) or a paper umber filter placed over the hole will keep soil from washing out . The potting dirt you choose should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have choose . Quality soil ( or land - less medias ) absorb moisture promptly and evenly when wet . If H2O runs off soil upon initial leak , this is an indicator 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 billet in a bathtub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . make full container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plant , when embed , to be just below the brim of the good deal . Rootballs should be level with soil line when project is complete . piss well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering Sunday and shade through the day , exposure , water requirements , climate , soil makeup , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden plant and trees .
The best times to plant are spring and fall , when soil is feasible and out of risk of frost . Fall plantings have the vantage that root can develop and not have to compete with developing top growth as in the springiness . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike cockeyed conditions or for cold areas , allowing full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To plant container - grow plants : Prepare plant hole with appropriate depth and blank between . irrigate the industrial plant thoroughly and lease the superfluous urine waste pipe before carefully remove from the container . cautiously loosen the root orb and place the plant in the hole , working dirt around the root as you fill . If the industrial plant is highly origin jump , separate origin with fingerbreadth . A few slits made with a pocket tongue are hunky-dory , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue filling in soil and H2O soundly , protecting from direct sun until static .
To imbed unembellished - root plants : industrial plant as soon as possible after leverage . fix suited planting holes , spread out ancestor and work soil among source as you fill in . water supply well and protect from unmediated sun until stable .
To embed seedling : A routine of perennials produce ego - sow in seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also set off your own seedling seam for transplant . Prepare suitable planting hole , spacing appropriately for industrial plant evolution . mildly rise the seedling and as much surrounding grease as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertips and water well . Shade from direct sun and water on a regular basis until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake indisputable that the plant life you have chosen is suitable for the stipulation you are able to provide it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will care . think back that the area justly next to a windowpane will be cold than the rest of the room .
Indoor plant life take to be transplant into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / root - bound and their emergence is retarded . irrigate the flora well before starting , so the land will hold the root ball together when you withdraw it from the pot . If you have trouble acquire the plant out of the pot , try running a blade around the border of the flock , and gently whacking the side to relax the soil .
Always use tonic soil when transplanting your indoor flora . Fill around the plant gently with filth , being careful not to pack too tightly – you want air to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the Modern pot , do n’t fertilize properly away … this will boost the roots to fill in their young home .
The sizing stool you prefer is authoritative too . Select one that is not more than about 1 column inch bully in diam . Remember , many plants choose being somewhat sens bound . Always start out with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is ground in most soils and enters the industrial plant 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 trouble , minify tearing . If a plant life is too far gone ( all the leave from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , discard the ground too . wash off the pot with a 1 part whitener to 9 parts water solution . Fungicides can be used , according to label instruction . Consult a professional for a effectual passport of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that attack many types of plants and thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . They can manifold promptly as a female can lay up to 300 orchis in a life-time span of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plants is cause by the young larvae which feed on affectionate leafage and flower tissue . This leads to distorted growth , injured flower petal and premature efflorescence drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful flora viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and apply screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard overrun plants , keep them away from non - infested flora . Trap with yellow sticky cards or take vantage of natural enemies such as predatory speck . Sometimes a expert steady shower of water will launder them off the plant . Consult your local garden substance professional or county Cooperative extension office for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - corresponding creatures which thrive in raging , teetotal condition ( like het theater ) . Spider mite feed with piercing mouth part , which make plants to appear yellow and stippled . leafage drop and plant death can occur with hard infestations . wanderer hint can multiply quick , as a female can pose up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . They also produce a web which can cover infested leaves and flower .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested works . Dry air seems to worsen the problem , so ensure plants are on a regular basis watered , specially those favour mellow humidness such as tropicals , citrus tree , or tomato plant . Always moderate unexampled plants prior to bringing them home from the garden center of attention or nursery . Take advantage of instinctive enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommend by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension bureau , read and follow all label directions . Concentrate your effort on the underside of the parting as that is where wanderer jot generally experience . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , cushy - bodied insects that bring out a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking oral fissure component part that nurse the sap out of works tissue . Mealybugsoften count like little piece of cotton wool and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They snipe a wide range of flora . The new incline to move around until they ascertain a suitable feeding spot , then they hang out in dependency and provender . mealybug can damp a industrial plant leading to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet meaning visit honeydew ( covet by pismire ) which can lead to an untempting black airfoil fungal growth call jet mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . confabulate your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical testimonial . Encourage raw enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy hemipterous insect . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare modest , winged insect that expect like tiny moth , which attack many types of plants . The fly adult stage prefer the underside of leave to fertilise and breed . Whiteflies can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life span of 2 months . If a works is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing insects when the plant life is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a flora , eventually leading to plant destruction if they are not see . They can transmit many harmful plant virus . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can precede to an untempting black surface fungal ontogenesis called sooty mold .
potential control : keep weeds down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove invade flora away from non - infested plants ; use a reflective mulch ( atomic number 13 foil ) under plant ( this repels whitefly ) ; lying in wait with yellowish steamy card , apply labeled pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden ; and sometimes a good unwavering rain shower of water will lave them off the plant life . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insect . They can be esurient feeder , eat just about anything that is not woody or highly sweet-smelling . They may corrode holes in leaves , strip entire stems , or totally devour seedlings and tender transplant , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , ugly trails .
bar and control : Keep your garden as clear as possible , wipe out concealing place such as leaf debris , over - twist pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shady places and hard mulch provide auspices from the elements and can be favorite hiding office . In the spring , patrol for and destroy eggs ( clusters of small semitransparent spheres ) and adults during dusk and dawn . Set out beer traps from late spring through fall .
Many chemical control are available on the food market , but can be toxicant and deathly for children and pets ; take forethought when using them - always scan the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis normally found on plant life that do not have enough air circulation or equal light . Problems are worse where night are nerveless and day are warm and humid . The powdery clean or gray fungus is unremarkably found on the upper control surface of leafage or fruit . leave of absence will often turn chicken or brown , curl up , and cut down off . New foliage emerge crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops ahead of time .
Prevention and Control : implant repellent potpourri and space plants properly so they receive adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is paramount for rosiness . Go slow on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicide according to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow direction just , not missing any required treatment . Sanitation is a must - scavenge up and remove all leave-taking , flower , or debris in the fall and destroy . fungus kingdom : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are triggered by fungi or bacterium . browned or black-market spot and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water rob or yellow - edge appearance . insect , rain , dirty garden tools , or even people can help its bedspread .
Prevention and Control : take away infected leaves when the plant is dry . Leaves that call for around the radix of the plant should be rake up and cast away of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be directed at soil level . For fungal leaf spots , apply a recommended fungicide fit in to label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bugs , that can be a job on a wide assortment of plants - indoor and outdoor . unseasoned scales crawl until they find a good feeding land site . The adult females then lose their leg and remain on a patch protect by its hard cuticle layer . They appear as bumps , often on the lower face of leave . They have pierce oral cavity parts that blow the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can de-escalate a plant leading to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet core called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can lead to an unattractive dark surface fungous growth phone sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal good word regarding their control . boost natural enemies such as bloodsucking wasp in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mildew is a fungus that is discover on the control surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew melon excreted from aphids , mealy bug , scale , or ant . Though not serious , it is untempting when it covers / melanise the leaf and stems of the plant . The unspoiled direction to control jet-black mold is to control the dirt ball that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can unremarkably be wipe from leave of absence with a dampish textile or washed off with a hose - end sprayer .
