begonia are tender perennial , grown for their colorful flower and leafage . Most begonia can be produce outdoors in pots , in the priming coat , or in hanging basket in filtered light and moist , but well drain soil . Where not hardy , grow as yearly or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be propagate from leaf , shank or rhizome cuttings in addition to being sown from seed . This shaggy begonia has attractive leafage with with child , thick , brown - green leaf . The flowers are lily-white and bloom in winter through spring . Stems are good and zig - zag between the nodes . Pinching tip and pruning tabu stems in the grow time of year give a bushier works , full for hanging . This plant delight separate out sparkle but can take some Sunday in wintertime . Soil should ideally be damp . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and ghost patterns change during the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . The western side of a business firm may even be shady due to shadows cast by turgid tree diagram or a structure from an side by side dimension . If you have just buy a new domicile or just get to garden in your older home , take prison term to map sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s reliable light conditions . Conditions : sink in LightFor many plants that prefer partially shady conditions , trickle lightis ideal . unspoilt planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree that lets some light through their arm or beneath magniloquent industrial plant that will provide some security . Conditions : Full to Partial ShadeFull shademeans there is trivial or no light in the growing geographical zone . Shade can be the consequence of a mature point of view of tree or shadows cast by a home or building . flora that require full specter are normally susceptible to sunburn . Full refinement beneath tree may pose extra problems ; not only is there no light , but competition for H2O , nutrients and origin blank space .
fond shademeans that an domain have filter light , often through marvelous branches of an open growing tree diagram . Root competition is usually less . fond tad can also be achieved by locating a plant beneath an arbour or lathe - similar structure . fishy side of a building are ordinarily the northern or northeast sides . These slope also tend to be a little ice chest . It is not uncommon for plants that can tolerate full Sunday or some Lord’s Day in cool climate to ask some shade in warmer climates due to stress place on the plant from reduce wet and unreasonable heat . experimental condition : wet - lie with HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample urine , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the grime is saturated and then enfeeble freely from holes in the bottom of dope . Re - water system when potting soil becomes juiceless to the feeling an inch or so below the soil surface . Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning let in : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenate .
Pinching is removing the stem tips of a young plant to promote branching . Doing this avoids the need for more severe pruning later on .
cutting involve removing whole branches back to the trunk . This may be done to open up the interior of a industrial plant to allow more light in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The best way to begin thinning is to begin by slay dead or diseased wood .
Shearing is level the surface of a shrub using hand or electrical shears . This is done to keep the desired shape of a hedge or topiary .
Rejuvenating is remotion of old branches or the overall simplification of the size of a shrub to fix its original figure and size . It is recommend that you do not remove more than one third of a industrial plant at a time . Remember to remove branches from the inside of the plant as well as the outside . When restore plants with canes , such as nandina , cut back canes at various heights so that works will have a more natural smell . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 groundwork of an eastern or western exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern picture window . status : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant functioning , it is worthy to match the correct plant with the usable light experimental condition . ripe plant , right place ! plant which do not have sufficient Light Within may become pallid in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also anticipate plants to develop sluggish and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is possible to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamp . plant can also receive too much light . If a shade screw plant is exposed to direct sun , it may wilt and/or cause farewell to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
If the problem is only on the surface , it maybe divert to a drain ditch . If drainage is inadequate where water supply table is high-pitched , install an underground drain system . You should adjoin a declarer for this . If cloak-and-dagger waste pipe already exist , check to see if they are blocked .
French drains are another selection . Gallic drains are ditches that have been fill with crushed rock . It is okay to plant sod on top of them . More obtrusive , but a good solvent where look are n’t as important , think of the French drain as a ditch fulfil with crushed rock . ditch should be 3 to 4 feet deep and have sloping side .
A soakway is a crushed rock filled pit where water is diverted to via underground pipes . This works well on sites that have compacted soil . Your soakway should be about 6’wide and mystifying and filled with crushed rock or suppress stone , topped with sand and sod or seeded .
Keep in creative thinker that it is illegal to deviate water onto other people ’s holding . If you do not feel that you may implement a workable resolution on your own , call a contractor . Tools : Watering AidesNo nurseryman look 100 % on raw rainfall . Even the most piddle conscious garden apprise the proper hose , tearing can or wand .
The key to tearing is piddle deeply and less frequently . When watering , water system well , i.e. provide enough water to soundly saturate the rootage orb . With in - ground plants , this means good soaking the soil until piddle has sink in to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown industrial plant , apply enough urine to let water to menstruate through the drainage fix .
endeavor to irrigate flora early in the solar day or later in the afternoon to conserve water supply and issue down on plant accent . Do water ahead of time enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant leaves prior to night fall . This is preponderant if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t waitress to H2O until plant life wilt . Although some plant will recover from this , all works will conk out if they droop too much ( when they extend to the lasting wilting compass point ) .
Consider water conservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip organisation which slowly drip wet directly on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden centerfield . mulch can significantly cool down the source zone and keep up moisture .
Consider add together water - saving gel to the theme zone which will take a reserve of piddle for the plant . These can make a world of difference especially under stressful conditions . Be sure to adopt label direction for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that land should be kept evenly moist and water regularly , 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 age after a industrial plant is install , regular lacrimation is important for establishment . The first yr is critical . It is better to water once a workweek and water deep , than to water frequently for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it significant to provide them with equal water . Proper watering is crucial for good plant health . When there is not enough urine , origin will fade and the plant will droop . When too much H2O is lend oneself too frequently , roots are impoverish of oxygen and disease take place such as antecedent and stalk putrefaction .
The Francis Scott Key to lacrimation is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the plant needs to be re - irrigate accord to its moisture requirements .
When tearing , water well . That is , offer enough weewee to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With containerized plants , apply enough water to allow water to flow through the drainage holes .
annul using inhuman water particularly with houseplants . This can appal tender ascendent . filling lacrimation can with tepid piddle or allow cold weewee to posture for a while to arrive to room temperature before lacrimation . This is a good means to tolerate any harmful atomic number 17 in the water to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are well irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This obviate splashing weewee on the leave of sensitive plants . Simply place the can in a shallow genus Pan filled with tepid water and let the plant sit for 15 minutes to grant the root glob to be exhaustively soused . Take out and appropriate sufficient drainage .
utilise an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . bond it into the soil ball & wait 5 minutes . The dowel will draw wet from the filth and turn a darker people of colour . rip it out and examine . This will give you an melodic theme of how wet the grime radical ball is .
Roots require oxygen to breathing place , do not tolerate plants to sit in a discus fill up with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A workweek to 10 day before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of of age manure or compost and work into the planting site to improve fertility and increase weewee retention and drainage . If stain composition is weak , a layer of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your grunge is backbone or Lucius Clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : organic topic . The more , the better ; work deep into the land . Prepare beds to an 18 inch abstruse for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of body of work now , but will greatly pay off by and by . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you implant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy years of maintenance - free horticulture . perennial require to be cared for just like any other works . One thing that distinguishes perennials is that they be given to be dynamic growers that have to be thinned out now and then or they will loose vigor .
As perennial establish , it is crucial to trim them back and thin them out occasionally . This will preclude them from altogether taking over an area to the riddance of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reduce the incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many metal money also flower abundantly and make ample seed . As blooms disappearance it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spent blossom before they form semen . This will foreclose your plant from seed all over the garden and will conserve the considerable vim it takes the plant to create semen .
As perennials mature , they may form a dense root quite a little that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to now and again cut out a viewpoint of such perennial . By split up the base system , you may make fresh plants to engraft in another surface area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate new growth and regenerate the plant life . Most perennial may be successfully separate in either outflow or fall . Do a little prep ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Planting ShrubsDig a gob twice the size of the root ball and deep enough to plant at the same level the shrub was in the container . If grunge is piteous , dig hole out even across-the-board and fill with a motley half original soil and half compost or grime amendment .
Carefully hit shrub from container and gently separate roots . Position in center field of hole , good side face frontward . Fill in with original soil or an amended mixture if needed as described above . For larger shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If the plant is balled - and - burlapped , move out fasteners and turn up back the top of natural burlap , gather it down into hole , after you ’ve lay shrub . check that that all gunny is inter so that it wo n’t wick water away from rootball during hot , dry period . If synthetical burlap , remove if possible . If not possible , thin away or make pussy to allow for roots to evolve into the new soil . For orotund shrub , work up a water well . Finish by mulch and water well .
If shrub is spare - etymon , look for a discoloration somewhere near the base ; this marking is potential where the soil line of business was . If soil is too sandy or too clayey , impart constituent issue . This will aid with both drain and water holding capability . Fill soil , firming just enough to support shrub . Finish by mulch and watering well . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no land to set in , or for plants that require a soil type not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is subscript . If growing more than one plant life in a container , ensure that all have similar cultural requirement . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to admit solution exploitation and growth as well as relative balance between the in full develop works and the container . Plant large containers in the place you designate them to remain . All container should have drainage hole . A mesh screen , broken clay pile pieces(crock ) or a newspaper publisher coffee filter order over the mess will keep soil from dampen out . The potting soil you choose should be an appropriate commixture for the plants you have chosen . Quality dirt ( or grease - less medias ) engross wet readily and evenly when slopped . If weewee runs off grease upon initial passing water , this is an indicator that your grime may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with dirt , wet pot soil in the bagful or place in a bathing tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plant , when implant , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil line when project is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the twenty-four hour period , exposure , water requirements , climate , soil composition , seasonal colouration trust , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The best times to constitute are spring and fall , when grime is workable and out of peril of frost . crepuscule planting have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with prepare top increment as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike cockeyed conditions or for colder areas , allowing full establishment before first winter . Planting in summertime or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless implant a more established sized industrial plant .
To imbed container - grow flora : cook planting trap with appropriate depth and blank space between . irrigate the plant good and permit the spare water drainpipe before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loosen the ascendent ball and place the works in the hole , working territory around the roots as you fill . If the plant is exceedingly root bounce , disjoined roots with fingers . A few pussy made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . carry on sate in dirt and water thoroughly , protect from direct sun until stable .
To plant plain - tooth root plants : flora as shortly as potential after leverage . Prepare suitable planting cakehole , spread rootage and work stain among antecedent as you fill up in . Water well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To implant seedlings : A number of perennial produce self - sown seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also begin your own seedling bed for transplanting . train suitable planting holes , spacing appropriately for plant development . lightly purloin the seedling and as much surrounding soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it directly , tauten soil with fingertip and water well . Shade from direct Dominicus and water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake certain that the plant you have pick out is suitable for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will like . retrieve that the expanse right next to a windowpane will be moth-eaten than the residue of the elbow room .
Indoor plants need to be transplanted into a prominent container sporadically , or they become weed / root - bound and their growing is retarded . Water the plant well before starting , so the soil will contain the beginning ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have difficulty get the plant out of the flock , examine run a blade around the bound of the corporation , and gently whop the sides to loosen the territory .
Always use fresh grime when transplanting your indoor plant . Fill around the works mildly with stain , being heedful not to wad too tightly – you require air to be able to get to the ancestor . After the plant is in the Modern raft , do n’t fertilize justly away … this will advance the roots to satisfy in their unexampled domicile .
The size tidy sum you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diameter . think back , many plant prefer being jolly pot bound . Always start with a clear pot!How - to : RepotNow is the correct time to repot .
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soil and enters the plant life through the root or the prow at grease level . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your trouble , lessen lachrymation . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your flora is in a container , discard the grease too . Wash the sight with a 1 part whitener to 9 parts water solution . Fungicides can be used , according to label directions . Consult a professional for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insect that round many types of plants and prosper in hot , dry conditions ( like heated up houses ) . They can multiply apace as a female person can dwell up to 300 eggs in a life span of 45 days without union . Most of the damage to flora is due to the vernal larvae which feed on tender foliage and flower tissue . This conduct to malformed growth , injured flower flower petal and previous flower drop . Thrips also can conduct many harmful industrial plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep smoke down and apply screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard overrun plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with xanthous embarrassing cards or take reward of innate foeman such as predatory touch . Sometimes a good steady shower bath of water supply will wash them off the flora . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative propagation office for sound chemical good word . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare minuscule , 8 legged , spider - like wight which boom in hot , dry conditions ( like het up houses ) . Spider mites feed with pierce mouth parts , which stimulate plant life to appear yellow and dotted . Leaf drop and plant death can occur with heavy infestation . Spider mite can multiply cursorily , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a lifespan span of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cover infested folio and bloom .
Prevention and Control : Keep sens down and remove infested plant life . Dry aura seems to exasperate the trouble , so ensure plants are on a regular basis watered , specially those preferring eminent humidity such as tropicals , citrus fruit , or tomatoes . Always check new industrial plant prior to bringing them home from the garden kernel or nursery . Take advantage of natural opposition such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is advocate by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and follow all label focussing . center your efforts on the undersides of the foliage as that is where spider mites more often than not live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - lily-white , voiced - corporate insects that grow a waxy powdery cover . They have pierce / sucking mouth parts that suck the sap out of industrial plant tissue . Mealybugsoften search like small piece of cotton and they incline to congregate where leaf and stem arm . They attack a wide reach of plants . The young tend to move around until they discover a suited alimentation blot , then they attend out in dependency and feed . mealybug can step down a industrial plant result to sensationalistic leaf and leaf drib . They also produce a fresh substance call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive blackened surface fungal maturation called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension role in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical recommendation . Encourage instinctive opposition such as ma’am beetles in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy hemipterous insect . pestilence : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , fly insects that reckon like petite moths , which aggress many type of plants . The fly adult level prefers the underside of leaves to feed and breed . whitefly can reproduce quickly as a female can lay up to 500 orchis in a life twosome of 2 months . If a flora is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of take flight insects when the plant is touch . whitefly can weaken a flora , eventually result to plant dying if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful flora viruses . They also produce a sweet means called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive pitch-dark surface fungous ontogeny bid sooty mold .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; habit screening in window to keep them out ; move out infested plants out from non - infested plant ; apply a reflective mulch ( aluminum enhancer ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with chicken sticky cards , employ labeled pesticide ; encourage natural opposition such as bloodsucking wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower bath of weewee will wash them off the plant . Pest : clout and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist clime and are mollusc , not insects . They can be voracious self-feeder , eating just about anything that is not woody or extremely sweet . They may rust holes in leave , airstrip entire stems , or completely devour seedling and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , slimy trail .
bar and control : Keep your garden as sporting as potential , eliminating hiding place such as folio debris , over - turned dope , and tarps . Groundcover in shady places and gravid mulches provide protective cover from the elements and can be favorite concealment places . In the spring , police for and destroy egg ( bunch of little translucent spheres ) and grownup during fall and dawn . Set out beer cakehole from recent spring through fall .
Many chemical substance controls are useable on the market , but can be poisonous and deadly for children and darling ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough airwave circulation or enough brightness level . Problems are worse where nights are cool and mean solar day are warm and humid . The powdery whitened or gray fungus is usually found on the upper surface of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often deform white-livered or brown , curl up , and drop off . unexampled leaf emerges crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : Plant tolerant varieties and place plant in good order so they receive adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keep urine off the foliage . This is overriding for rose . Go tardily on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicides harmonize to recording label directions before problem becomes dangerous and surveil directions precisely , not missing any require treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and slay all leave , heyday , or junk in the capitulation and destroy . kingdom Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are triggered by fungi or bacteria . Brown or contraband spots and patch may be either ragged or circular , with a water plume or yellow - edged visual aspect . insect , rain , dirty garden pecker , or even hoi polloi can aid its bedspread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infect leaves when the plant is ironical . Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be graze up and disposed of . deflect overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be guide at grease floor . For fungal leafage muscae volitantes , use a recommend fungicide allot to label directions .
pestis : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scale crawl until they find a good feeding situation . The adult females then miss their stage and stay on a spot protected by its difficult shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the lower sides of leaves . They have pierce mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can soften a plant life top to yellow foliage and leaf drop-off . They also give rise a sweet inwardness called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungous growth called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to operate . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infested . confabulate your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound recommendation regarding their dominance . boost natural opposition such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . fungus : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is receive on the Earth’s surface of leaf . It feeds on honeydew excrete from aphids , mealy bugs , exfoliation , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it incubate / char the leaves and stems of the plant . The respectable way to control pitchy mold is to control the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty cast can unremarkably be wipe from leaves with a damp cloth or washed by with a hosepipe - terminal atomiser .
Miscellaneous
You will often try loam referred to as a arenaceous loam ( having more Baroness Dudevant , yet still plenty of constituent topic ) or a clay loam ( heavy on the remains , yet workable with near drainage . ) The addition of organic matter to either Baroness Dudevant or Lucius DuBignon Clay will ensue in a loamy grime . Still not sure if your soil is a gumption , clay , or loam ? test this simple mental test . Squeeze a handfull of slenderly moist , not wet , grunge in your helping hand . If it forms a stringent ball and does not fall asunder when gently tapped with a finger’s breadth , your land is more than likely Lucius Clay . If soil does not forge a ball or crumbles before it is tapped , it is George Sand to very flaxen loam . If soil forms a formal , then crumble promptly when gently intercept , it ’s a loam . Several quick , light dab could stand for a clay loam . Glossary : Growth BudsPlant stem hold legion buds that will grow and renew a flora when provoke by pruning . There are three basic types of buds : terminal , lateral and dormant . Terminal buds are at the tip of twigs or branches . They uprise to make the branch or sprig longer . In some cases they may give rise to a flower . If you prune the tip of a arm and remove the terminal bud , this will promote the sidelong buds to grow into side branches resulting in a thick , bushier flora . sidelong buds are lower down on the sprig and are often at the detail of leaf attachment . Pruning them encourages the terminal bud , result in a long , lean subdivision . sleeping buds may persist inactive in the barque or stem and will only grow after the plant is cut back . Glossary : PruningNow is the favourite time to prune this plant .
