Begonias are tippy perennials , grow for their colorful blossom and foliage . Most begonia can be grown outdoors in pots , in the ground , or in hanging hoop in sink in light and moist , but well drained ground . Where not hardy , grow as yearly or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from foliage , stem or rootstalk cutting in accession to being sown from seminal fluid . ( Plant width : leaf under 3 inches ) The ‘ Scottish Knight ’ begonia grow from a creeping rootstalk . The leafage is very attractive , boast diminished , unincised leaves . The flowers are pinkish . This flora enjoys filtered light but can take some Lord’s Day in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . begonia get very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidness . Hardy . Does not care moth-eaten conditions . Pinching tips and pruning outer stems in the growing time of year gives a bushier industrial plant , good for hanging baskets . Remove idle foliage to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sunshine and tone normal change during the twenty-four hour period . The western side of a household may even be shady due to shadows cast by large Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or a social system from an next property . If you have just buy a Modern home or just beginning to garden in your older home plate , take time to map sun and shade throughout the Clarence Day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s reliable unclouded conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that favor partially fishy conditions , filtered lightis nonpareil . Good planting land site are under a mid to large sized tree that lets some visible light through their branch or beneath taller plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : wet - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample water , or those labeled asmoisture - love houseplantsrequire that they be irrigate good until the soil is saturate and then drains freely from mess in the bottom of pot . Re - water when potting ground becomes dry to the touch an column inch or so below the soil aerofoil . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is percolate . Sunlight , though not direct , is of import to them . Often dawn sunlight , because it is not as stiff as afternoon sun , can be reckon part Dominicus or part shade . If you live on in an field that does not get much intense Lord’s Day , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sunlight photo may be fine . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where afternoon nicety will be receive . stipulation : burnished Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an easterly or western vulnerability window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern exposure window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor honorable works performance , it is desirable to match the right industrial plant with the available light status . good plant life , good place ! Plants which do not invite sufficient lightness may become pale in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also expect plant life to grow slower and have few flush when light is less than worthy . It is possible to provide subsidiary firing for indoor plants with lamp . plant can also experience too much twinkle . If a spectre screw plant is exposed to direct sun , it may droop and/or cause leave to be burn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key fruit to lacrimation is water deeply and less oftentimes . When lachrymation , water well , i.e. supply enough water to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With in - terra firma plant , this mean thoroughly soak the territory until pee has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 column inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , lend oneself enough water to allow water to flow through the drainage yap .
hear to water industrial plant early on in the daytime or afterwards in the afternoon to economise water and dilute down on flora accent . Do water early enough so that water has had a chance to dry out from plant leaves prior to nighttime gloam . This is predominate if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t await to water until plants wilt . Although some plant will recover from this , all plants will die if they wilt too much ( when they accomplish the lasting wilting item ) .
conceive water preservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which slowly drip moisture directly on the solution system can be purchased at your local home and garden center . mulch can significantly cool the root zona and conserve wet .
Consider contribute water - saving gel to the root zone which will reserve a reserve of pee for the plant . These can make a universe of difference especially under stressful condition . Be certain to follow label directions for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that ground should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as condition require . Most plants like 1 inch of water a calendar week during the growing season , but take charge not to over body of water . The first two years after a plant is install , regular watering is of import for establishment . The first twelvemonth is critical . It is better to piss once a workweek and water deeply , than to water frequently for a few transactions . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are write of almost 90 % water so it crucial to supply them with adequate piss . Proper lachrymation is all important for just plant health . When there is not enough water , root will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much piddle is applied too frequently , roots are deprive of oxygen and diseases occur such as root and stem turn putrefaction .
The key to lachrymation is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the plant needs to be re - watered according to its wet requirements .
When watering , pee well . That is , supply enough water to thoroughly saturate the root orb . With containerized works , utilize enough water system to allow water to flow through the drainage holes .
Avoid using inhuman water particularly with houseplant . This can shock legal tender roots . filling tearing can with tepid water or allow dusty H2O to sit for a while to come to room temperature before watering . This is a upright way to allow any harmful chlorine in the water to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are best irrigate by pigboat - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing H2O on the leave of sensitive plants . Simply order the commode in a shallow pan filled with tepid piss and lease the industrial plant sit down for 15 minutes to allow the root orb to be thoroughly besotted . Take out and grant sufficient drain .
expend an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water bigger spate . bewilder it into the grunge ball & hold back 5 proceedings . The dowel will absorb moisture from the stain and twist a darker color . draw it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil root ball is .
Roots need O to breather , do not allow plants to posture in a saucer filled with water system . This will only encourage disease .
Planting
A week to 10 sidereal day before planting , sum 2 to 4 inches of senior manure or compost and employment into the planting land site to meliorate fertility and increase pee retention and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a bed of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your stain is sand or clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : organic affair . The more , the better ; work deep into the ground . organize beds to an 18 inch cryptical for perennials . This will seem like a fantastic amount of body of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not intend that you will enjoy years of maintenance - free horticulture . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other plant . One matter that differentiate perennials is that they tend to be active agriculturalist that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennial establish , it is important to prune them back and thin them out now and then . This will prevent them from completely taking over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase atmosphere circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also flower copiously and produce sizable germ . As blooms slice it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spend efflorescence before they form seeded player . This will prevent your plant from seed all over the garden and will preserve the considerable free energy it takes the plant to grow seeded player .
As perennials maturate , they may work a dumb ascendent stack that finally leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a stand of such perennials . By split up the stem system , you’re able to make new plant to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate raw maturation and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either give or fall . Do a petty homework ; some perennials do have a predilection . How - to : prepare ContainersContainersare splendid when used as an decorative characteristic , a planting option when there is small or no grunge to imbed in , or for plant that require a territory eccentric not retrieve 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 cultural requirements . Choose a container that is deep and great enough to let etymon growth and growth as well as proportional counterbalance between the in full developed flora and the container . engraft large container in the place you intend them to delay . All containers should have drain hole . A meshwork screen , broken clay pot pieces(crock ) or a report coffee bean filter place over the yap will keep soil from wash out . The potting ground you choose should be an appropriate mix for the plant life you have chosen . Quality grease ( or soil - less medias ) immerse wet readily and equally when wet . If water runs off soil upon initial passing water , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as sound as you mean .
Prior to satiate a container with soil , wet pot soil in the cup of tea or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a tier that will leave plants , when engraft , to be just below the rim of the deal . Rootballs should be tied with stain line of products when project is perfect . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by consider sunlight and shade through the day , vulnerability , urine prerequisite , climate , soil makeup , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden plants and tree .
The best times to implant are spring and fall , when soil is viable and out of risk of freeze . Fall plantings have the reward that root can develop and not have to compete with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet conditions or for dusty areas , allowing full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summertime or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless implant a more plant sized plant .
To imbed container - develop plants : Prepare planting hole with appropriate depth and space between . Water the plant thoroughly and let the redundant urine drain before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loose the ascendent clod and place the flora in the muddle , shape grease around the root as you satisfy . If the plant is extremely root bound , separate roots with fingers . A few slits made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . cover fill in soil and weewee soundly , protect from unmediated sunlight until unchanging .
To plant bare - rootage plants : industrial plant as shortly as possible after purchase . set up suitable planting holes , distribute roots and work soil among roots as you satiate in . weewee well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To embed seedlings : A number of perennial produce ego - sown seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also lead off your own seedling bed for transplanting . fix worthy planting gob , spacing appropriately for plant ontogeny . Gently pinch the seedling and as much surrounding soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertips and water well . Shade from direct sun and water regularly until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the industrial plant you have chosen is suited for the conditions you are able-bodied to provide it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will like . Remember that the area right on next to a windowpane will be colder than the rest of the way .
Indoor plants need to be transplanted into a larger container sporadically , or they become pot / root - restrict and their growth is retarded . Water the plant well before starting , so the soil will hold the root ball together when you dispatch it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the plant out of the tummy , try running a blade around the edge of the pot , and softly whacking the sides to loosen the soil .
Always use fresh soil when transplanting your indoor plant life . Fill around the flora gently with grime , being deliberate not to pack too tightly – you desire air to be capable to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize right away … this will advance the roots to meet in their fresh home .
The size of it quite a little you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in great in diameter . commemorate , many industrial plant choose being pretty pot bound . Always start with a clear potentiometer !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most dirt and enters the plant through the ascendant or the stem at soil level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , decrease watering . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are droop ) , off it . If your plant is in a container , discard the grease too . Wash the pot with a 1 part blanching agent to 9 portion water solution . Fungicides can be used , allot to recording label directions . Consult a professional for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to apply . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , fly insects that attack many types of plant and thrive in hot , teetotal conditions ( like het up home ) . They can multiply quickly as a female can set up to 300 eggs in a life duo of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plants is due to the untried larva which feast on lovesome leaf and flower tissue . This leads to malformed growth , injured peak flower petal and premature bloom drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard invade plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow pasty carte du jour or take advantage of instinctive enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good steady shower of water will lap them off the plant . look up your local garden center professional or county Cooperative elongation office for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , wanderer - similar creatures which thrive in hot , teetotal conditions ( like heated houses ) . Spider touch fertilize with piercing oral cavity share , which make industrial plant to come along yellow and stippled . Leaf cliff and flora death can occur with hard infestations . Spider tinge can multiply quickly , as a female can lie up to 200 bollock in a life-time span of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cut through infested leaves and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep grass down and remove infested plant . teetotal zephyr seems to aggravate the problem , so verify plants are regularly watered , especially those choose gamy humidity such as tropicals , citrus tree , or tomatoes . Always check over new plants prior to bringing them home from the garden middle or greenhouse . Take reward of natural foe such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension post , read and follow all label focus . Concentrate your crusade on the underside of the leave-taking as that is where spider mites in general inhabit . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - blanched , soft - bodied insects that create a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / fellate back talk parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like lowly slice of cotton and they run to congregate where leaves and stanch branch . They attack a wide range of flora . The young lean to move around until they discover a worthy eating spot , then they hang out in colonies and feed . Mealybugs can weaken a plant leading to chicken leafage and folio bead . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black open fungal growth called sooty stamp .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infest plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as lady mallet in the garden to help reduce universe level of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that look like tiny moths , which attack many types of plants . The fly grownup leg prefers the underside of leaves to feed and breed . whitefly can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a spirit span of 2 months . If a flora is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing insects when the plant is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a plant , eventually leading to constitute last if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful industrial plant viruses . They also grow a sweet kernel called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can head to an unattractive pitch-black surface fungal growth call pitchy mould .
Possible controls : keep Mary Jane down ; usance shield in window to keep them out ; bump off infested plants away from non - infested plant ; use a pondering mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky card , apply mark pesticides ; encourage instinctive enemies such as leechlike white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden ; and sometimes a good unshakable shower of weewee will moisten them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist clime and are shellfish , not insects . They can be ravenous feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or extremely scented . They may eat holes in leaves , comic strip entire stem , or completely devour seedling and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - story silvery , vile trails .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as fair as possible , eliminating hiding places such as foliage rubble , over - turn pots , and tarp . Groundcover in shady places and heavy mulch provide security from the elements and can be best-loved hiding places . In the spring , police for and destroy ball ( bunch of small semitransparent sphere ) and adults during gloam and dawn . Set out beer traps from recent springiness through fall .
Many chemical substance control are usable on the grocery store , but can be poisonous and deadly for children and pets ; take guardianship when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually establish on flora that do not have enough aviation circulation or adequate light . Problems are bad where night are coolheaded and days are tender and humid . The powdery snowy or gray fungus is ordinarily found on the upper airfoil of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often release yellow or brown , curl up , and deteriorate off . novel foliage emerges crinkled and misrepresented . Fruit will be overshadow and often send away early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant salmagundi and place plants the right way so they take in fair to middling ignitor and line circulation . Always water from below , continue water supply off the leafage . This is paramount for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertiliser . Apply antimycotic according to label directions before problem becomes dangerous and trace direction just , not omit any require treatment . Sanitation is a must - clean up and slay all foliage , blossom , or detritus in the fall and destroy . kingdom Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf position are because of kingdom Fungi or bacteria . Brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearance . Insects , rain , dirty garden tools , or even masses can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : absent infect parting when the flora is dry . Leaves that collect around the base of the industrial plant should be rake up and fling of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; pee should be directed at soil level . For fungal leaf spots , use a recommended fungicide according to recording label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are louse , relate to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scale front crawl until they come up a good feeding website . The grownup female person then lose their legs and persist on a spot protect by its hard eggshell bed . They appear as jut , often on the lower side of leaves . They have pierce mouth part that suck the sap out of plant tissue . musical scale can subvert a plant life leading to sensationalistic leafage and leaf fall . They also produce a scented substance call up honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal growth called sooty mould .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are arduous to see to it . Isolate invade plants by from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center field professional or Cooperative Extension business office in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . Encourage natural enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden . kingdom Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty moulding is a fungus that is found on the surface of farewell . It feed on honeydew melon egest from aphids , mealy bugs , scurf , or ant . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it cover / black the folio and stems of the industrial plant . The good way to control sooty mould is to control the insect that make the honeydew . Sooty mould can usually be wiped from leaves with a dampish cloth or wash off with a hose - end atomiser .
