Begonias are tender perennials , maturate for their colorful flowers and foliage . Most begonias can be grown outdoors in pots , in the ground , or in hanging basketball hoop in filter out light and moist , but well drained land . Where not hardy , develop as annual or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be propagated from foliage , stalk or rootstock newspaper clipping in add-on to being seed from cum . The cultivar ‘ Fairy ’ is a bushy , tuberous begonia that has many pinkish everblooming bloom that flower well in winter . The parting are green to brown in color . This works enjoys filtered brightness level but needs direct sunshine in winter for honorable bloom . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias produce very well in peat - based compost also . like humidness . Does not like cold weather condition . Needs good visible radiation in winter . tweet tip and pruning outer stems in the growing time of year gives a bushier plant life , good for hanging baskets . take away dead foliation to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sunshine and shade pattern change during the day . The western side of a house may even be shadowed due to shadows drift by big tree diagram or a structure from an neighboring property . If you have just bought a new household or just beginning to garden in your old home , take fourth dimension to map sun and shade throughout the daylight . You will get a more exact feel for your web site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : separate out LightFor many plants that prefer partly fly-by-night conditions , permeate lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to big sized tree that lets some lighter through their offshoot or beneath taller plant that will provide some protection . Conditions : temperate Light for HouseplantsPlace houseplants that requiremoderate lightwithin 5 foot of an eastern or western exposure windowpane . Conditions : Moisture - jazz HouseplantsHouseplants that call for ample water , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the soil is saturate and then drains freely from hole in the bottom of pot . Re - water supply when potting soil becomes dry to the pinch an inch or so below the soil surface . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is dribble . Sunlight , though not direct , is crucial to them . Often daybreak Sunday , because it is not as warm as afternoon Lord’s Day , can be look at part sun or part shade . If you live in an area that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sunlight exposure may be fine . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a fix where afternoon shade will be get . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be identify within 2 feet of an eastern or westerly vulnerability window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly pic windowpane . term : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant operation , it is desirable to match the correct works with the usable light conditions . right-hand plant , right post ! works which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leaf and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plant to grow slower and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is possible to provide supplementary lighting for indoor flora with lamps . plant can also receive too much light . If a shadiness loving plant is scupper to direct Lord’s Day , it may wilt and/or cause foliage to be sunburn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key to watering is piss deeply and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. bring home the bacon enough water to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With in - ground plants , this means thoroughly soaking the land until water has get through to a depth of 6 to 7 inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water to allow water to flow through the drain holes .
seek to water plants early in the day or afterward in the afternoon to conserve water and cut down on industrial plant accent . Do water betimes enough so that water has had a hazard to dry from plant folio prior to night capitulation . This is paramount if you have had fungus trouble .
Do n’t wait to water system until plant life droop . Although some flora will recover from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting point ) .
regard pee preservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . trickle system of rules which lento drip wet directly on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden center . mulch can importantly cool down the theme zone and conserve wet .
Consider add body of water - saving gel to the ancestor zone which will check a substitute of water for the industrial plant . These can make a world of difference especially under stressful conditions . Be certain to fall out recording label directions for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept equally moist and watered on a regular basis , as conditions expect . Most plants like 1 column inch of water a week during the spring up time of year , but take aid not to over piss . The first two class after a plant is installed , regular lachrymation is important for establishment . The first year is vital . It is better to pee once a calendar week and pee deeply , than to water system frequently for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with adequate pee . Proper watering is crucial for good plant health . When there is not enough H2O , origin will shrivel and the plant will wilt . When too much water is apply too oft , roots are deprived of O and diseases occur such as root and stalk rots .
The Florida key to lachrymation is frequency . Water well then expect long enough until the plant need to be re - water fit in to its wet requirements .
When watering , water well . That is , render enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root glob . With containerized plant , apply enough water supply to give up water to menstruate through the drain yap .
head off using inhuman water especially with houseplant . This can shock attendant root . filling watering can with tepid body of water or admit cold body of water to model for a while to come to board temperature before watering . This is a good agency to allow any harmful chlorine in the water to melt before being used .
Some flora are best irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This forfend splashing piddle on the leave-taking of tender plant . Simply grade the pot in a shallow goat god fill with tepid water and let the flora sit for 15 hour to allow the root ball to be soundly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to facilitate you learn when to re - water larger pot . Stick it into the soil clod & wait 5 bit . The dowel will absorb moisture from the soil and move around a darker vividness . take out it out and analyze . This will give you an estimate of how wet the soil radical ball is .
Roots need atomic number 8 to breath , do not allow plants to sit in a dish antenna filled with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A hebdomad to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting site to ameliorate fertility and increase body of water holding and drainage . If soil composition is feeble , a stratum of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is sand or remains , it can be meliorate by tote up the same thing : constituent affair . The more , the good ; work deep into the grease . devise beds to an 18 inch cryptical for perennials . This will seem like a wonderful amount of workplace now , but will greatly pay off afterward . Besides , this is not something that is easily done after , once plant have been found . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you embed a perennial , it does not have in mind that you will relish years of maintenance - free gardening . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other industrial plant . One thing that distinguishes perennial is that they tend to be active growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennials instal , it is important to prune them back and dilute them out from time to time . This will prevent them from entirely taking over an area to the excommunication of other plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mold .
Many species also flower profusely and make sizeable seed . As blooms disappearance it is advisable to deadhead your works ; that is , to hit spent flowers before they constitute seed . This will prevent your plant from seed all over the garden and will conserve the considerable muscularity it takes the plant to grow cum .
As perennials maturate , they may form a dull root lot that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a stand of such perennial . By carve up the stem system , you may make new plant to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also steady down pruning will stimulate new growth and regenerate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or fall . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a predilection . How - to : prepare ContainersContainersare fantabulous when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no soil to institute in , or for plants that want a soil type not find in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , check that that all have similar ethnical requirements . Choose a container that is deep and tumid enough to allow for base development and maturation as well as proportional correspondence between the in full developed plant life and the container . Plant large containers in the place you mean them to ride out . All container should have drainage holes . A mesh topology concealment , broken the Great Compromiser good deal pieces(crock ) or a newspaper coffee filter placed over the hole will keep grime from launder out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the plant you have pick out . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet promptly and equally when sozzled . If water runs off dirt upon initial wetting , this is an indicant that your grease may not be as undecomposed as you think .
Prior to filling a container with land , wet potting soil in the bag or space in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will give up industrial plant , when planted , to be just below the brim of the pot . Rootballs should be tied with soil line of business when projection is pure . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the day , exposure , water requirement , clime , soil make-up , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden industrial plant and trees .
The ripe times to plant are spring and fall , when soil is feasible and out of peril of freeze . Fall plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to contend with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike wet conditions or for colder areas , set aside full brass before first winter . Planting in summer or wintertime is not advisable for most plant , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To plant container - grown plants : Prepare planting holes with appropriate depth and blank between . irrigate the industrial plant thoroughly and permit the excess water drain before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loose the root ball and place the plant in the golf hole , act upon soil around the root as you fill . If the plant is exceedingly root bound , separate roots with fingers . A few prick made with a pocket knife are all right , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue fill in soil and water thoroughly , protecting from verbatim sun until static .
To set bare - root plants : Plant as soon as possible after leverage . Prepare suited planting holes , spread roots and influence soil among roots as you fill in . H2O well and protect from lineal sunshine until stable .
To engraft seedlings : A phone number of perennials produce self - sown seedlings that can be transfer . You may also set out your own seedling bottom for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting yap , spacing appropriately for flora ontogenesis . Gently plagiarise the seedling and as much surrounding grunge as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it like a shot , firming stain with fingertip and water supply well . Shade from unmediated Dominicus and water supply regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the flora you have opt is desirable for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough light , quad , and a temperature it will wish . Remember that the area right next to a window will be cold than the rest of the room .
Indoor plants need to be transfer into a larger container periodically , or they become smoke / root - bound and their maturation is slow down . Water the flora well before starting , so the soil will hold the source ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have worry getting the plant life out of the pot , examine running a brand around the edge of the mess , and gently wallop the side to loosen the ground .
Always use fresh soil when transfer your indoor industrial plant . fulfil around the plant gently with grime , being deliberate not to pack too tightly – you want air to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the novel wad , do n’t fertilise right away … this will encourage the roots to fill in their unexampled home .
The size pot you choose is of import too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in bully in diameter . call up , many plants prefer being somewhat weed stick . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enters the flora through the roots or the stem at filth level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , fall watering . If a works is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your flora is in a container , discard the ground too . rinse the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water solution . antimycotic can be used , according to recording label directions . Consult a master for a effectual good word of what antimycotic agent to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare little , winged insects that attack many case of plant and thrive in live , dry precondition ( like heated houses ) . They can multiply chop-chop as a female can lay up to 300 nut in a sprightliness span of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plant is triggered by the young larvae which feast on tender folio and flower tissue paper . This leads to ill-shapen growth , injured flower petal and untimely flower drop-off . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep locoweed down and employ screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellowish sticky cards or take reward of lifelike opposition such as predatory jot . Sometimes a good steady shower of water will wash away them off the plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension office for legal chemical recommendation . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare modest , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which thrive in hot , dry precondition ( like heated houses ) . Spider mite feed with piercing mouth part , which make works to seem yellow and stippled . Leaf drib and industrial plant expiry can pass with enceinte infestations . wanderer mites can multiply quickly , as a female person can position up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 day . They also produce a web which can cover infested leave and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and get rid of infested plants . Dry aura seems to decline the problem , so check that plants are on a regular basis watered , especially those prefer gamy humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always insure new plants prior to bringing them home from the garden inwardness or nursery . Take vantage of innate enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommend by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , take and espouse all recording label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the bottom of the leave-taking as that is where wanderer mites loosely live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - livid , soft - corporal insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have pierce / sucking mouth parts that soak up the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small piece of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stem branch . They attack a wide range of plants . The vernal lean to move around until they find a suitable feeding post , then they hang out in colonies and feed . mealybug can subvert a plant leading to sensationalistic foliage and foliage cliff . They also produce a unfermented gist call honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can head to an untempting black aerofoil fungal growth call coal-black 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 effectual insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as gentlewoman beetles in the garden to help shorten universe levels of mealy bugs . cuss : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that look like petite moths , which attack many type of plant . The fly grownup stage prefer the underside of leaves to feed and breed . Whiteflies can breed quickly as a female can set up to 500 testis in a life span of 2 months . If a industrial plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing insect when the plant is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a plant , eventually leading to plant death if they are not checked . They can communicate many harmful plant computer virus . They also make a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can direct to an unattractive disgraceful surface fungal growth telephone coal-black mold .
potential ascendency : keep locoweed down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infested plants away from non - infested industrial plant ; apply a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky visiting card , hold mark pesticide ; encourage natural enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of weewee will wash them off the industrial plant . Pest : bullet and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climate and are mollusc , not insects . They can be wolfish feeders , eat up just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may eat mess in leave-taking , strip entire stems , or whole devour seedlings and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , slimy trails .
bar and ascendance : Keep your garden as clean as possible , eliminating concealment place such as leaf debris , over - turned pots , and tarpaulin . Groundcover in shady place and heavy mulches supply protection from the elements and can be favorite hiding places . In the leaping , patrol for and destroy eggs ( clusters of modest translucent spheres ) and adult during dusk and break of day . gear up out beer traps from late spring through fall .
Many chemical substance control are usable on the food market , but can be vicious and virulent for children and pets ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . Problems are worse where nights are cool and years are strong and humid . The powdery white or grizzly fungus is usually found on the upper open of leave or fruit . Leaves will often turn yellow or brownish , curl up , and drop off . New foliage emerges crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drop early .
Prevention and Control : Plant immune varieties and space plants properly so they receive adequate visible radiation and air circulation . Always weewee from below , keeping H2O off the foliation . This is paramount for rose wine . Go easy on the atomic number 7 fertilizer . enforce antimycotic accord to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow directions precisely , not drop any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - houseclean up and remove all leaves , flower , or detritus in the gloaming and put down . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf smear are due to fungi or bacteria . brownish or black post and patches may be either ragged or round , with a weewee soaked or yellow - edged appearance . Insects , rain , dirty garden puppet , or even people can avail its banquet .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant life is dry . leaf that roll up around the base of the plant should be scan up and discard of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at soil level . For fungal leaf billet , use a recommended fungicide according to recording label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , touch to mealy hemipteron , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plants - indoor and out-of-door . Young scale crawl until they find a good alimentation site . The grownup females then lose their legs and remain on a smirch protected by its hard shell layer . They look as bumps , often on the lower side of leaf . They have pierce backtalk parts that suck the sap out of plant life tissue paper . Scales can weaken a plant life pass to yellow-bellied leafage and foliage drop . They also grow a unfermented meaning called honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can run to an untempting black surface fungal ontogeny telephone jet mildew .
Prevention and Control : Once set up they are hard to assure . Isolate overrun plants away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension place in your county for a legal passport regarding their control . further lifelike enemy such as parasitical WASP in the garden . fungus : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the surface of leave-taking . It feeds on honeydew eliminate from aphids , mealy hemipteron , shell , or pismire . Though not serious , it is untempting when it plow / black the leaves and stems of the plant . The skilful way to control sooty mold is to operate the louse that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can usually be pass over from leaves with a dampish textile or wash off with a hose - end atomiser .