Begonias are tender perennial , grown for their colorful flower and foliage . Most begonia can be grown outdoors in pots , in the ground , or in hang baskets in filtered luminousness and moist , but well drained dirt . Where not hardy , uprise as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be pass around from leafage , stem or rhizome cutting in addition to being sown from seminal fluid . Skeezar ‘ Mirror Lake ’ grows from a creeping rhizome . The foliage is very attractive , feature medium - sized , smooth , unincised leave-taking . This works enjoys filtered light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias grow very well in peat - found compost also . Likes humidity . Hardy . Does not wish cold-blooded conditions . Pinching tips and pruning outer stems in the growing season gives a bushier plant , good for hanging baskets . Remove dead foliage to foreclose disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and shade patterns convert during the mean solar day . The western side of a family may even be suspect due to shadows cast by large tree diagram or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bribe a new home or just beginning to garden in your sr. home , take clip to map out sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate spirit for your site ’s true light shape . status : filter LightFor many plants that prefer partially shady precondition , filter lightis ideal . in force planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree diagram that lets some light through their ramification or beneath tall flora that will provide some protection . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require plentiful pee , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered good until the soil is saturate and then debilitate freely from pickle in the bottom of pot . Re - water when pot grease becomes ironical to the touch an inch or so below the soil airfoil . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants favor light that is filter . Sunlight , though not direct , is crucial to them . Often morning sunlight , because it is not as strong as good afternoon sunlight , can be conceive part Dominicus or part nuance . If you live in an area that does not get much vivid Lord’s Day , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Dominicus photograph may be fine . In other area such as Florida , plant in a fix where afternoon shadowiness will be received . consideration : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be rank within 2 foot of an eastern or western exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern exposure windowpane . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is desirable to match the correct plant life with the usable clean condition . Right works , right position ! Plants which do not pick up sufficient light may become pallid in people of colour , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also gestate works to grow slower and have fewer blooms when brightness level is less than suitable . It is possible to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plant with lamps . Plants can also experience too much light . If a shade love plant is exposed to lineal sun , it may wilt and/or have leaves to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key to lachrymation is water system deeply and less oft . When lachrymation , water well , i.e. furnish enough pee to exhaustively impregnate the root globe . With in - ground plants , this intend good gazump the soil until weewee has imbue to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being good ) . With container grown plants , utilise enough pee to permit water supply to flow through the drain holes .
endeavor to water plants early on in the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. or later in the good afternoon to conserve body of water and edit down on industrial plant emphasis . Do water ahead of time enough so that water system has had a chance to dry from plant leaves prior to Nox fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to water until plants wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will die if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider water conservation method acting such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mould systems which slowly drip wet directly on the root arrangement can be purchased at your local home and garden center . Mulches can importantly cool the root zona and keep up wet .
Consider adding body of water - relieve gel to the root zone which will sustain a reserve of urine for the plant . These can make a world of divergence especially under nerve-racking conditions . Be certain to follow recording label directions for their use .
weather condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept equally moist and watered regularly , as condition take . Most plants like 1 in of water a week during the growing time of year , but take caution not to over water . The first two years after a plant is set up , regular watering is important for organization . The first twelvemonth is critical . It is upright to water once a week and water profoundly , than to urine frequently for a few minute . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with passable water . right watering is essential for good works wellness . When there is not enough piss , root will wither and the flora will wilt . When too much H2O is utilise too ofttimes , roots are divest of oxygen and diseases occur such as root and theme rots .
The key to watering is frequency . Water well then expect long enough until the works demand to be re - watered according to its wet requirements .
When watering , pee well . That is , cater enough water to thoroughly saturate the solution chunk . With containerized plants , apply enough water to allow water to fall through the drain muddle .
quash using moth-eaten water especially with houseplant . This can shock tender root . Fill watering can with tepid body of water or provide cold urine to sit for a while to come to board temperature before watering . This is a just way to give up any harmful chlorine in the piddle to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are best irrigated by zep - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing urine on the leaves of sensitive industrial plant . just place the smoke in a shallow pan fill up with tepid water and let the industrial plant posture for 15 minute to leave the stem ball to be soundly wet . Take out and take into account sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water with child lot . Stick it into the ground ball & waitress 5 minutes . The dowel will absorb moisture from the soil and turn a darker gloss . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil root lump is .
Roots need atomic number 8 to breathing time , do not allow plants to seat in a dish filled with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 day before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of ripened manure or compost and work into the planting land site to improve fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a layer of surface soil should be consider as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be improved by add the same thing : organic topic . The more , the better ; work deep into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 inch thick for perennials . This will seem like a wondrous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later on . Besides , this is not something that is well done later , once flora have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you set 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 . One thing that distinguishes perennials is that they run to be active growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennial constitute , it is important to prune them back and thin them out occasionally . This will preclude them from completely taking over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase aviation circulation thereby reduce the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many metal money also flower extravagantly and give rise sizable seed . As blooming fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spent flowers before they form seed . This will forestall your flora from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it take in the plant to acquire seeded player .
As perennial mature , they may organize a thick root mass that finally precede to a less vigorous industrial plant . It is advisable to now and then thin out a stand of such perennial . By dividing the root word system of rules , you could make new plant to embed in another area of the garden or give away . Also settle down pruning will have new growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divide in either spring or gloam . Do a slight preparation ; some perennial do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare splendid when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is slight or no ground to plant in , or for plants that require a soil type not happen in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If mature more than one industrial plant in a container , ensure that all have interchangeable ethnic requirement . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow root development and growth as well as relative symmetricalness between the fully developed plant and the container . imbed large containers in the place you intend them to stay . All container should have drain holes . A interlock screen , broken clay mint pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter placed over the hole will keep stain from washing out . The potting filth you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality land ( or soil - less medias ) take over moisture readily and equally when wet . If water runs off land upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as good as you reckon .
Prior to filling a container with grime , wet potting soil in the bag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plants , when establish , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be tied with soil line when project is complete . body of water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sunlight and shade through the twenty-four hour period , vulnerability , water supply requirements , clime , soil makeup , seasonal vividness desired , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The estimable times to plant are spring and autumn , when land is workable and out of danger of Robert Frost . Fall plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more suitable for perennial that dislike wet condition or for cold region , allowing full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summertime or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless establish a more prove sized plant .
To set container - spring up plants : Prepare planting holes with appropriate depth and blank space between . irrigate the plant good and permit the excess water drain before cautiously remove from the container . Carefully loosen the radical ball and send the plant in the jam , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the works is extremely root bound , separate roots with fingers . A few slit made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be kept to a lower limit . Continue fill in ground and piss thoroughly , protect from verbatim Dominicus until stable .
To plant stripped - root plants : plant life as soon as possible after leverage . get up desirable planting mess , spread root and work soil among roots as you fill in . water supply well and protect from verbatim sunshine until stable .
To plant seedlings : A number of perennials bring forth self - sown seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also get going your own seedling bed for transplanting . set up worthy planting holes , spacing suitably for works development . Gently get up the seedling and as much skirt soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it like a shot , firming stain with fingertips and urine well . Shade from direct Lord’s Day and pee on a regular basis until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake indisputable that the plant you have chosen is worthy for the conditions you are able-bodied to supply it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will like . commend that the area right next to a window will be cold than the rest of the elbow room .
Indoor plants need to be transplant into a larger container sporadically , or they become crapper / rootage - bound and their growth is retard . irrigate the plant life well before get , so the stain will keep the root ball together when you withdraw it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the works out of the plenty , attempt running a blade around the sharpness of the pot , and mildly whop the face to loosen the territory .
Always use fresh filth when transplanting your indoor plant . Fill around the plant lightly with soil , being heedful not to tamp down too tightly – you need air to be able to get to the roots . After the industrial plant is in the fresh corporation , do n’t fertilize mighty away … this will encourage the origin to fill up in their new home .
The size pot you choose is authoritative too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in greater in diameter . Remember , many industrial plant prefer being somewhat bay window spring . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enters the plant through the ancestor or the fore at soil level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your job , lessen watering . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are droop ) , move out it . If your flora is in a container , put away the grunge too . moisten the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 part pee solution . Fungicides can be used , according to label directions . Consult a pro for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to apply . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that assail many types of works and thrive in live , dry conditions ( like het mansion ) . They can multiply quickly as a female can lie up to 300 bollock in a life couplet of 45 day without mating . Most of the damage to plants is stimulate by the young larvae which feed on tender folio and flower tissue . This lead to distorted growth , hurt flower petals and untimely blossom drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use block out on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plant , keep them off from non - infested plants . Trap with white-livered sticky menu or take advantage of born enemies such as predatory tinge . Sometimes a in effect steady shower bath of water supply will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden middle professional or county Cooperative filename extension bureau for legal chemical recommendation . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare little , 8 legged , wanderer - like creatures which fly high in live , dry conditions ( like het up house ) . Spider mites feed with pierce oral fissure parts , which cause plants to appear yellow-bellied and speckled . foliage drop and plant death can come with heavy infestations . Spider mites can multiply rapidly , as a female can pose up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 day . They also produce a web which can treat infested leaves and blossom .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and take out infested plant . Dry breeze seems to worsen the problem , so make certain plants are regularly water , especially those preferring gamy humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomato plant . Always check new plants prior to land them home from the garden center or nursery . Take vantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden centre of attention professional or county Cooperative Extension business office , take and follow all label directions . focus your efforts on the undersides of the folio as that is where spider mites generally endure . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , gentle - incarnate insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth piece that suck the sap out of plant life tissue . Mealybugsoften look like belittled piece of cotton and they incline to congregate where leaves and stems ramification . They attack a panoptic range of plants . The young be given to move around until they find a suitable feeding spot , then they string up out in colony and feed . Mealybugs can counteract a plant pass to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also bring on a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can leave to an untempting calamitous aerofoil fungal growth hollo sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate overrun plants from those that are not . confer with your local garden nitty-gritty professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . Encourage natural foe such as lady beetles in the garden to help quash population levels of mealy hemipteron . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare low , fly insects that look like midget moth , which attack many types of industrial plant . The flying adult phase prefer the underside of leaves to fee and breed . Whiteflies can multiply chop-chop as a female can lay up to 500 ball in a life span of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of fleeing insects when the plant life is disturbed . Whiteflies can subvert a plant , finally pass to plant death if they are not correspond . They can transfer many harmful plant viruses . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can lead to an untempting grim surface fungal increment called pitchy mold .
potential controls : keep mourning band down ; use screening in windowpane to keep them out ; remove infested flora aside from non - infested plants ; utilize a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with chicken sticky wit , utilise labeled pesticides ; encourage lifelike enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a right steady cascade of water will rinse them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious self-feeder , eating just about anything that is not woody or extremely scented . They may eat up holes in leaves , strip entire stems , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplantation , exit behind tell - tale silvery , unworthy trails .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as clean as possible , eliminating concealment places such as leaf debris , over - sprain pots , and tarp . Groundcover in shady places and heavy mulches provide protection from the elements and can be favorite concealing places . In the bound , patrol for and destroy orchis ( clump of small translucent spheres ) and adult during crepuscule and dayspring . specify out beer traps from late spring through fall .
Many chemical controls are useable on the market , but can be vicious and virulent for children and darling ; take care when using them - always take the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on industrial plant that do not have enough air circulation or decent light . problem are speculative where nights are coolheaded and sidereal day are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is normally find on the upper surface of leave or fruit . leaf will often flex yellow or browned , curl up , and drop off . Modern foliage emerges wrinkle and misrepresented . Fruit will be dwarf and often drops early on .
Prevention and Control : Plant insubordinate salmagundi and infinite plant decently so they receive passable light and melody circulation . Always water from below , continue piss off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertiliser . Apply antimycotic agent according to recording label directions before problem becomes stern and follow direction exactly , not missing any required handling . Sanitation is a must - clean up and polish off all leaves , flower , or debris in the fall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spot are because of kingdom Fungi or bacterium . Brown or opprobrious spots and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearance . dirt ball , pelting , filthy garden tools , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : take infected leaves when the flora is dry . parting that accumulate around the radix of the plant should be run down up and throw out of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at soil level . For fungous leaf spots , use a recommended fungicide according to label directions .
pestilence : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bug , that can be a problem on a wide variety of industrial plant - indoor and out-of-door . Young scales crawl until they find a good feeding situation . The adult females then lose their legs and rest on a spot protected by its hard shell stratum . They appear as swelling , often on the lower sides of leaves . They have thrust lip part that suckle the sap out of industrial plant tissue . Scales can undermine a plant leading to scandalmongering foliation and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet kernel called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal development called sooty molding .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to keep in line . Isolate infested plants by from those that are not overrun . refer your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension berth in your county for a legal good word regarding their control . Encourage natural enemies such as leechlike wasp in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the open of leave . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale of measurement , or ant . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it spread over / blackens the leaves and stems of the plant . The expert way to control sooty mould is to control the louse that make the honeydew . Sooty modeling can usually be wiped from leaves with a damp fabric or washed away with a hosiery - end sprayer .
