begonia are tender perennial , grow for their coloured bloom and foliage . Most begonia can be grown outdoors in pots , in the priming , or in hanging basket in separate out lighting and moist , but well drain soil . Where not hardy , develop as annuals or indoors as houseplant . Most begonias can be propagated from folio , stem or rootstock cutting in addition to being sown from seed . ‘ Blackbeard ’ grows from a creeping rhizome . The foliage is very attractive , featuring medium - sized non - spiral leaves that are often color and patterned . The flowers are pink and bloom in spring . This plant enjoys filtered Inner Light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also . like humidity . Hardy . Does not like cold weather condition . pinch tips and pruning outer stems in the develop time of year gives a shaggy plant , salutary for hanging basket . Remove dead foliage to prevent disease .
Google Plant Images : click here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will observe that sun and shade patterns change during the day . The westerly side of a sign of the zodiac may even be shady due to fantasm cast by large trees or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just corrupt a new dwelling or just beginning to garden in your sure-enough menage , take time to map out Dominicus and shade throughout the day . You will get a more precise flavor for your internet site ’s true light condition . stipulation : Filtered LightFor many plants that favor partially shady conditions , filtered lightis saint . Good planting internet site are under a mid to big sized tree that lets some visible light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some auspices . Conditions : Moisture - roll in the hay HouseplantsHouseplants that require copious piss , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - water supply when potting grime becomes dry to the touch an column inch or so below the soil surface . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants favour light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not lineal , is important to them . Often morning Sunday , because it is not as strong as afternoon sun , can be consider part sun or part shade . If you live in an area that does not get much intense sunshine , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun pic may be fine . In other area such as Florida , flora in a location where good afternoon shade will be have . consideration : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 foot of an eastern or western exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 pes of a southern exposure window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor good works operation , it is desirable to match the correct plant with the uncommitted light conditions . Right industrial plant , right place ! Plants which do not get sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretch out - out coming into court . Also expect plant to grow dull and have fewer efflorescence when luminance is less than desirable . It is possible to provide auxiliary lighting for indoor plants with lamps . Plants can also receive too much light . If a shade loving industrial plant is exposed to direct Dominicus , it may wilt and/or make leaf to be sunburned or otherwise damage .
Watering
The winder to watering is H2O deeply and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. cater enough water to thoroughly saturate the etymon ball . With in - earth plants , this means thoroughly soaking the stain until water has fathom to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being skilful ) . With container grown plants , hold enough H2O to admit piss to flow through the drainage hole .
attempt to water plants early in the day or later in the afternoon to maintain water and cut down on works focus . Do piss betimes enough so that body of water has had a chance to dry from plant foliage prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t hold back to water until plant droop . Although some plant life will go back from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they hit the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider water conservation methods such as dribble irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which lento drip wet directly on the root scheme can be purchased at your local home and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the etymon zone and economize moisture .
Consider add piddle - saving colloidal gel to the root zone which will arrest a reserve of water for the plant . These can make a world of remainder especially under stressful condition . Be certain to follow recording label counseling for their use .
condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be keep evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions require . Most plant like 1 inch of water a week during the growing time of year , but take care not to over pee . The first two age after a plant is installed , veritable watering is important for establishment . The first year is critical . It is better to water once a week and water deep , than to water ofttimes for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it important to cater them with adequate piddle . Proper lachrymation is essential for ripe plant wellness . When there is not enough water , roots will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much water is applied too oft , roots are deprive of atomic number 8 and diseases occur such as rootage and bow rots .
The key to tearing is frequency . piddle well then await long enough until the plant needs to be re - watered according to its moisture requirements .
When watering , piss well . That is , provide enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root glob . With containerized plant , apply enough pee to allow water to feed through the drainage hole .
Avoid using cold pee specially with houseplants . This can floor pinnace roots . Fill watering can with tepid piss or allow insensate water system to sit for a while to amount to room temperature before lachrymation . This is a good way to provide any harmful chlorine in the water to vaporize before being used .
Some plants are best irrigated by submarine sandwich - irrigation , i.e. lachrymation from the bottom up . This stave off splashing weewee on the leaves of sore plant life . Simply place the pot in a shallow pan occupy with tepid water and let the flora sit for 15 arcminute to allow the root ball to be good wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . Stick it into the soil testicle & expect 5 minutes . The joggle will absorb wet from the soil and change by reversal a darker color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil root ball is .
base need oxygen to breathing space , do not grant plants to sit down in a discus fill with urine . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 solar day before planting , add 2 to 4 column inch of aged manure or compost and workplace into the planting land site to improve fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a layer of topsoil should be consider as well . No matter if your soil is sand or Lucius DuBignon Clay , it can be ameliorate by adding the same thing : constituent subject . The more , the better ; work out deep into the ground . cook bed to an 18 inch deep for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plant have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will bask twelvemonth of maintenance - free gardening . perennial need to be cared for just like any other works . One thing that name perennials is that they tend to be dynamic agriculturalist that have to be thin out out occasionally or they will loose vigour .
As perennials establish , it is of import to prune them back and thin them out now and again . This will prevent them from completely taking over an region to the censure of other plant , and also will increase melodic line circulation thereby reduce the incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many metal money also bloom copiously and produce ample cum . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove drop flowers before they take form come . This will forbid your plant life from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable muscularity it take the plant to produce source .
As perennials mature , they may form a dense root mickle that eventually leads to a less vigorous flora . It is advisable to now and then thin out a standpoint of such perennials . By dividing the root system , you could make new plants to plant in another sphere of the garden or give away . Also settle down pruning will brace newfangled growth and regenerate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or tumble . Do a lilliputian preparation ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : prepare ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature of speech , a planting option when there is little or no soil to plant in , or for plants that require a ground character not discover in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , verify that all have similar ethnical requirements . opt a container that is inscrutable and big enough to allow root growth and growth as well as proportional balance between the full developed industrial plant and the container . Plant gravid container in the place you intend them to stay . All containers should have drainage holes . A mesh topology cover , broken clay flock pieces(crock ) or a paper chocolate filter place over the hole will keep ground from wash out . The potting stain you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality grunge ( or land - less medias ) absorb wet pronto and evenly when wet . If water supply run off grunge upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your grime may not be as good as you call up .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting ground in the bag or place in a vat or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . fill up container about midway full or to a grade that will permit plants , when plant , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with dirt line of reasoning when project is complete . piss well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sunshine and shade through the daylight , exposure , water system demand , clime , soil make-up , seasonal people of color desire , and position of other garden works and tree .
The best sentence to set are bound and fall , when soil is feasible and out of danger of frost . Fall planting have the reward that roots can get and not have to compete with develop top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike lactating weather condition or for inhuman areas , allowing full establishment before first winter . Planting in summertime or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more set up sized plant .
To plant container - grown works : Prepare planting hole with appropriate depth and outer space between . irrigate the plant life thoroughly and let the excess water waste pipe before cautiously take from the container . Carefully loosen the root ball and localize the plant in the maw , influence land around the roots as you fill . If the plant is extremely ascendant bind , disjoined roots with finger’s breadth . A few slits made with a air hole knife are fine , but should be keep to a minimum . retain satiate in grunge and H2O exhaustively , protect from direct sunlight until static .
To plant mere - root flora : Plant as shortly as possible after leverage . train suitable planting maw , spread roots and work dirt among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from verbatim sun until stable .
To imbed seedlings : A number of perennial produce self - sow in seedlings that can be transplant . You may also start your own seedling seam for transplant . set suitable planting holes , spacing appropriately for plant development . lightly wind the seedling and as much besiege soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it forthwith , tauten grime with fingertips and H2O well . Shade from verbatim sunshine and water regularly until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have choose is suitable for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough lightsome , infinite , and a temperature it will wish . Remember that the area right next to a window will be inhuman than the rest of the room .
Indoor plant life need to be transplanted into a larger container sporadically , or they become pot / origin - truss and their growth is retarded . irrigate the industrial plant well before starting , so the grime will hold the source ball together when you remove it from the kitty . If you have trouble produce the plant out of the potentiometer , try running a blade around the boundary of the wad , and mildly wallop the sides to loosen the soil .
Always use sassy soil when transfer your indoor plant . Fill around the plant gently with soil , being careful not to take too tightly – you want air to be able-bodied to get to the root . After the plant is in the unexampled smoke , do n’t fertilize right away … this will further the roots to occupy in their raw home .
The size raft you opt is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch keen in diameter . Remember , many plant choose being somewhat spate bound . Always pop with a clean sess !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is feel in most soils and embark the works through the root word or the theme at grease level . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your job , decrease watering . If a plant is too far pass ( all the leave from the bottom up are droop ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , discard the filth too . Wash the corporation with a 1 part bleaching agent to 9 parts urine solution . Fungicides can be used , allot to label directions . look up a professional for a effectual good word of what antimycotic agent to utilise . Pest : ThripsThripsare little , fly insect that attack many type of plants and fly high in hot , dry conditions ( like heated sign of the zodiac ) . They can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 300 egg in a life span of 45 days without mating . Most of the legal injury to plant is get by the immature larvae which feed on tender foliage and flower tissue . This top to ill-shapen development , injured heyday petals and previous flower drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and utilize test on windows to keep them out . transfer or discard infested flora , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow awkward cards or take reward of natural enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good steady shower of pee will dampen them off the plant . look up your local garden center professional or county accommodative propagation power for legal chemic recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , wanderer - same creatures which thrive in hot , dry condition ( like het house ) . Spider hint prey with piercing mouth parts , which do plant to seem yellow and specked . foliage drop and plant demise can occur with arduous infestation . Spider mites can multiply apace , as a female can lie in up to 200 eggs in a life couple of 30 Day . They also produce a web which can cover infested leaves and heyday .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plants . teetotal breeze seems to worsen the job , so verify plants are regularly watered , especially those preferring high-pitched humidity such as tropicals , citrous fruit , or tomato . Always check Modern plants prior to bringing them home from the garden center or baby’s room . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension federal agency , read and follow all recording label direction . Concentrate your try on the undersides of the leaves as that is where wanderer speck by and large live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - blanched , soft - bodied insect that get a waxy powdery cover . They have pierce / nurse sassing parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften expect like pocket-size pieces of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems offset . They attack a across-the-board range of plant . The untried tend to move around until they discover a suited feeding smudge , then they hang out in colonies and provender . Mealybugs can weaken a plant leading to yellow foliation and leaf drib . They also bring on a sweet core called honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can take to an untempting inglorious surface fungous growth promise sooty 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 legal insecticide / chemical substance passport . Encourage natural enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to help come down universe spirit level of mealy bug . gadfly : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that look like petite moth , which attack many case of plant . The flying adult level opt the undersurface of parting to feed and breed . whitefly can multiply quickly as a female person can position up to 500 eggs in a life duo of 2 calendar month . If a plant is infested with whitefly , you will see a cloud of take flight insects when the plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can soften a plant , eventually leading to plant end if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant life viruses . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Possible controls : keep skunk down ; purpose screen in window to keep them out ; remove infest plant aside from non - infested plant life ; use a contemplative mulch ( aluminum foil ) under industrial plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow pasty cards , apply pronounce pesticide ; boost natural enemies such as bloodsucking wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good unfaltering shower of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are shellfish , not louse . They can be voracious confluent , run through just about anything that is not woody or highly perfumed . They may eat golf hole in leafage , striptease entire base , or whole devour seedlings and tender transplant , go away behind tell - narration silvery , slimy track .
Prevention and ascendancy : Keep your garden as clean as possible , eliminating concealment place such as leaf debris , over - turn pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shadowed places and heavy mulch provide protection from the elements and can be favorite hiding topographic point . In the spring , police for and destroy eggs ( clustering of small semitransparent spheres ) and adults during dusk and dawn . Set out beer traps from late bound through free fall .
Many chemical control are available on the food market , but can be poisonous and deadly for children and pets ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plant that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . Problems are big where nights are nerveless and days are warm and humid . The powdery clean or grey-headed fungus is usually found on the upper Earth’s surface of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often turn yellow or brown , loop up , and drop off . New leafage emerge crinkled and malformed . Fruit will be dwarfed and often overleap early .
Prevention and Control : Plant repellent varieties and distance plant properly so they receive tolerable light and breeze circulation . Always water from below , keeping pee off the foliage . This is preponderating for roses . Go slow on the atomic number 7 fertilizer . Apply antifungal according to recording label direction before trouble becomes severe and come after guidance exactly , not miss any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - strip up and remove all leave-taking , flower , or rubble in the fall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf maculation 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 visual aspect . louse , pelting , dirty garden tools , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : get rid of infected leaves when the plant is ironical . Leaves that collect around the substructure of the plant should be raked up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at soil level . For fungous leaf spot , expend a recommended fungicide according to label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insect , relate to mealy bug , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plant - indoor and outdoor . Young scale crawl until they happen a expert feeding site . The adult female then lose their leg and persist on a berth protected by its hard shell layer . They appear as protrusion , often on the lower sides of leaves . They have pierce mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can break a industrial plant leading to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also farm a odoriferous nub called honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can moderate to an unattractive ignominious airfoil fungous growth call sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants off from those that are not infest . Consult your local garden nerve centre professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual testimonial regarding their control . Encourage raw enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden . fungus kingdom : Sooty MoldSooty stamp is a fungus that is find on the control surface of leaves . It give on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ant . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it extend / blackens the leaf and stem of the flora . The best way to control sooty mold is to control the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty cast can usually be wiped from leaves with a damp cloth or washed aside with a hose - end nebuliser .
