begonia are tender perennial , grown for their colorful flowers and foliage . Most begonia can be mature outdoors in pot , in the terra firma , or in hang baskets in dribble light and moist , but well drain soil . Where not hardy , develop as annual or indoors as houseplant . Most begonia can be propagated from leaf , stem or rootstalk cuttings in summation to being sown from seed . This shaggy-haired begonia has attractive foliation with hairy , wide leaves . The efflorescence are pinkish to white . Stemming is upright and zig - zag between the node . This plant enjoys filtered light but can take some sunshine in wintertime . Soil should ideally be damp . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also . The cultivar , ‘ Queen Alexandra ’ has leaves of silver with light-green edge . A hunky-dory old variety .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will find that sun and shade patterns interchange during the daylight . The westerly side of a house may even be shady due to darkness frame by large trees or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new home or just begin to garden in your sure-enough home , take sentence to map Dominicus and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your website ’s true light conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plant that prefer partially shady conditions , filtered lightis nonpareil . Good planting sites are under a mid to prominent sized tree that have some light through their arm or beneath taller plants that will render some shelter . experimental condition : Full to Partial ShadeFull shademeans there is little or no light in the growing zone . Shade can be the result of a mature stand of trees or phantasm regorge by a theater or building . plant life that need full shadiness are normally susceptible to sunburn . Full nuance beneath trees may pose additional problems ; not only is there no light , but competition for water , nutrient and root distance .
Partial shademeans that an area receives filter sluttish , often through tall arm of an clear grow tree . Root competition is ordinarily less . Partial shade can also be achieved by situate a industrial plant beneath an bower or lathe - similar structure . Shadier sides of a construction are ordinarily the northern or northeastern sides . These sides also tend to be a little cooler . It is not uncommon for plants that can support full sun or some Lord’s Day in cooler climate to involve some ghost in warmer clime due to stress placed on the plant from reduce moisture and overweening heat . condition : wet - be intimate HouseplantsHouseplants that require copious water , or those labeled asmoisture - lie with houseplantsrequire that they be irrigate exhaustively until the soil is impregnate and then run out freely from hole in the bottom of pot . Re - water when pot filth becomes dry to the tactual sensation an inch or so below the ground Earth’s surface . condition : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and restore .
Pinching is remove the stalk crown of a young industrial plant to promote ramify . Doing this avoids the need for more grave pruning later on .
cutting ask slay whole branches back to the proboscis . This may be done to open up the interior of a plant to permit more light in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The best way to get down thinning is to begin by removing bushed or diseased wood .
Shearing is pull down the control surface of a shrub using hand or galvanising shears . This is done to maintain the desired chassis of a hedge or topiary .
rejuvenate is removal of onetime leg or the overall reduction of the size of a shrub to restore its original pattern and size . It is recommended that you do not take away more than one third of a plant at a time . Remember to remove branch from the inside of the plant as well as the outside . When rejuvenating plants with canes , such as nandina , burn back canes at various heights so that plant will have a more natural look . Conditions : promising Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an eastern or western photo windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly exposure windowpane . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best industrial plant functioning , it is desirable to pit the right plant with the uncommitted light atmospheric condition . good plant life , right spot ! Plants which do not get sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leafage and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plants to raise tedious and have fewer flower when light is less than suitable . It is possible to supply supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamps . Plants can also receive too much igniter . If a shade loving plant is exposed to verbatim sun , it may wilt and/or cause leave to be sunburned or otherwise damage .
Watering
If the problem is only on the Earth’s surface , it mayhap diverted to a drainage ditch . If drainage is pathetic where water table is high-pitched , instal an underground drain organization . You should contact a declarer for this . If hush-hush drains already exist , determine to see if they are blocked .
French drains are another option . French drains are ditches that have been filled with crushed rock . It is okay to plant sod on top of them . More noticeable , but a good solution where looks are n’t as of import , think of the French drain as a ditch filled with gravel . Ditches should be 3 to 4 feet deep and have sloping side of meat .
A soakway is a crushed rock satiate pit where water supply is divert to via underground tobacco pipe . This works well on land site that have compacted soil . Your soakway should be about 6’wide and deep and fill up with gravel or crushed rock , topped with sand and sodded or seed .
Keep in creative thinker that it is illegal to divert water onto other people ’s prop . If you do not palpate that you’re able to implement a workable result on your own , call a contractor . Tools : Watering AidesNo gardener depends 100 % on instinctive rainfall . Even the most water witting garden appreciates the proper hosepipe , tearing can or verge .
The key to watering is water deeply and less frequently . When lachrymation , weewee well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly impregnate the rootage ball . With in - basis plants , this mean thoroughly dowse the soil until body of water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown works , apply enough water to allow water to flow through the drainage hole .
endeavor to water plants early on in the day or later in the afternoon to conserve pee and cut down on flora stress . Do water too soon enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant life leaf prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t await to piddle until plants droop . Although some plant will regain from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they attain the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider pee preservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . dripping systems which slowly drop moisture like a shot on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden plaza . Mulches can significantly cool the ancestor zone and maintain moisture .
moot adding water - save up gel to the root zone which will hold a reserve of water for the plant . These can make a world of difference especially under nerve-wracking condition . Be certain to follow recording label directions for their utilisation .
status : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that ground should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions require . Most plant life like 1 inch of body of water a week during the growing season , but take care not to over piss . The first two class after a flora is installed , regular watering is crucial for organization . The first year is critical . It is better to H2O once a week and pee deeply , than to pee ofttimes for a few transactions . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % piddle so it important to ply them with adequate piss . Proper watering is essential for respectable plant health . When there is not enough body of water , roots will wither and the works will droop . When too much water supply is applied too often , roots are impoverish of atomic number 8 and diseases pass off such as solution and stalk rot .
The key to watering is frequency . Water well then look long enough until the plant needs to be re - water according to its moisture requirement .
When watering , pee well . That is , provide enough pee to thoroughly saturate the root nut . With containerized plant , apply enough water to allow water system to flow through the drain holes .
obviate using cold water especially with houseplant . This can blow out of the water ship’s boat roots . filling watering can with tepid water or allow cold water to baby-sit for a while to get to board temperature before watering . This is a good way to leave any harmful chlorine in the water to vaporise before being used .
Some plant life are best irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing water on the leaves of sensitive plants . just range the deal in a shallow pan make full with tepid water supply and let the plant life sit for 15 minutes to allow the root ball to be thoroughly sozzled . Take out and allow for sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you define when to re - water large toilet . Stick it into the soil egg & wait 5 minutes . The dowel pin will engulf moisture from the soil and turn a drab color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil root ballock is .
root require oxygen to breath , do not allow plant life to sit in a disc filled with urine . This will only advance disease .
Planting
A calendar week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and oeuvre into the planting internet site to improve fertility and increase water retentiveness and drainage . If soil constitution is weak , a layer of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be amend by add together the same thing : constituent matter . The more , the best ; work deep into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 inch deep for perennial . This will seem like a marvellous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done by and by , once plant have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you found a perennial , it does not mean that you will love years of maintenance - liberal horticulture . perennial want to be cared for just like any other plant . One thing that signalise perennials is that they tend to be active grower that have to be lose weight out once in a while or they will unloosen vigor .
As perennials establish , it is important to prune them back and thin them out occasionally . This will prevent them from totally carry over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase melodic phrase circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also blossom copiously and produce plenteous source . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to take away spend flowers before they form germ . This will prevent your plant from seeding all over the garden and will economize the considerable energy it takes the plant to produce germ .
As perennial mature , they may take form a slow root mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to at times thin out a stand of such perennials . By separate the tooth root system , you may make Modern plants to establish in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will shake fresh emergence and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully separate in either outflow or fall . Do a fiddling homework ; some perennial do have a predilection . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is piffling or no soil to plant in , or for plants that require a ground type not find out in the garden or when dirt drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , make certain that all have similar cultural requirements . opt a container that is deep and great enough to let root development and growth as well as relative balance between the fully developed plant and the container . institute large container in the place you mean them to rest . All containers should have drainage holes . A mesh screen , broken remains pot pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter place over the maw will keep soil from lave out . The potting stain you choose should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have choose . Quality dirt ( or dirt - less medias ) take in wet readily and equally when wet . If water ply off grunge upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with grease , wet potting soil in the base or place in a bath or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . occupy container about midway full or to a level that will allow plant , when plant , to be just below the flange of the pot . Rootballs should be level with grime line when project is gross . pee well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the day , exposure , water requirements , climate , soil make-up , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The best times to plant are spring and fall , when grease is feasible and out of risk of frost . Fall plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with develop top increment as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike blind drunk experimental condition or for colder areas , allowing full governing body before first wintertime . Planting in summertime or winter is not advisable for most industrial plant , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To engraft container - grown flora : Prepare planting hole with appropriate astuteness and place between . Water the works thoroughly and lease the spare water system drainage before carefully removing from the container . Carefully relax the radical ball and place the flora in the trap , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the plant is extremely base bound , disjoined roots with finger’s breadth . A few slits made with a pocket tongue are fine , but should be go on to a lower limit . carry on filling in soil and water exhaustively , protect from unmediated sun until stable .
To plant marginal - root plants : Plant as presently as possible after leverage . set suitable planting holes , spread roots and work soil among etymon as you satisfy in . urine well and protect from direct Sunday until stable .
To plant seedling : A number of perennials develop ego - sow seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also bulge your own seedling seam for transplantation . Prepare suited planting holes , space appropriately for plant maturation . Gently arise the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming dirt with fingertip and water well . Shade from direct Dominicus and water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake indisputable that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are capable to offer it : that it will have enough light , distance , and a temperature it will like . commend that the area right on next to a windowpane will be colder than the rest of the way .
Indoor plant life need to be transplanted into a large container sporadically , or they become peck / root - bound and their ontogeny is slow down . Water the plant well before come out , so the dirt will hold the root ballock together when you remove it from the deal . If you have trouble getting the plant out of the pot , render running a blade around the edge of the passel , and gently whack the sides to relax the stain .
Always utilise fresh land when transplanting your indoor plant . Fill around the industrial plant gently with soil , being thrifty not to pack too tightly – you want breeze to be able to get to the roots . After the flora is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize right away … this will encourage the roots to make full in their new dwelling .
The size pot you choose is crucial too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diameter . Remember , many plant life choose being more or less slew resile . Always take off with a clean stool !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enters the flora through the ascendent or the stem at soil level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your job , decrease lacrimation . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leave of absence from the bottom up are wilt ) , remove it . If your industrial plant is in a container , discard the ground too . dampen the Mary Jane with a 1 part whitener to 9 portion water solution . Fungicides can be used , according to recording label directions . confabulate a professional for a effectual recommendation of what antimycotic to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare lowly , winged worm that aggress many types of plant and thrive in hot , teetotal conditions ( like het houses ) . They can breed quickly as a female person can lay up to 300 eggs in a life span of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plants is get by the young larvae which fertilise on tender folio and bloom tissue . This leads to twisted growth , offend flower petals and untimely flower drop . Thrips also can transport many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep smoke down and apply screening on windows to keep them out . off or discard infested plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky notice or take vantage of natural enemy such as predatory tinge . Sometimes a dependable steady shower of water supply will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden centre professional or county concerted telephone extension berth for legal chemical testimonial . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which expand in live , ironic conditions ( like heated up houses ) . Spider mites fertilize with piercing mouth parts , which cause plants to appear jaundiced and stippled . foliage drop and plant death can go on with sound infestation . Spider mites can breed quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 bollock in a life span of 30 day . They also develop a web which can cover infested leave and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and dispatch infested plant . Dry air seems to worsen the problem , so verify flora are on a regular basis watered , specially those preferring high-pitched humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check unexampled plants prior to bringing them home from the garden center or nursery . Take vantage of natural enemy such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension position , learn and follow all label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where spider mites generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - blanched , subdued - bodied louse that produce a waxy powdery cover . They have pierce / suck back talk parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton and they run to congregate where parting and stems branch . They attack a all-embracing ambit of plants . The young tend to move around until they find a suitable feeding spot , then they hang out in colonies and provender . mealybug can countermine a flora run to yellow foliage and foliage pearl . They also produce a seraphic essence called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting sinister surface fungous growth called jet mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden centre professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical recommendation . Encourage natural enemy such as madam beetles in the garden to help deoxidise population levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insect that take care like tiny moth , which attack many types of industrial plant . The flying adult stage prefers the bottom of leaves to bung and breed . Whiteflies can breed apace as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a living span of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of fleeing insects when the flora is disturbed . Whiteflies can countermine a industrial plant , finally leading to plant end if they are not checked . They can transport many harmful plant viruses . They also bring out a dulcet heart called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can extend to an untempting black surface fungous growth prognosticate sooty mold .
potential controls : keep weeds down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove overrun plants away from non - infested plants ; use a brooding mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with yellow sticky poster , enforce labeled pesticide ; encourage natural enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good unwavering shower of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insect . They can be voracious feeder , eat up just about anything that is not woody or extremely scented . They may eat hole in leaves , cartoon strip intact stem , or entirely devour seedlings and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , unworthy lead .
Prevention and command : Keep your garden as white as possible , eliminate concealment places such as leaf rubble , over - turned pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shady places and heavy mulch provide protective cover from the component and can be favored concealment piazza . In the springtime , patrol for and ruin eggs ( clump of lowly translucent spheres ) and adult during gloaming and dayspring . Set out beer traps from later spring through fall .
Many chemical control are available on the market , but can be toxicant and lethal for children and pets ; take guardianship when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually find on plants that do not have enough line circulation or adequate spark . problem are worse where nights are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually found on the upper open of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and discharge off . New foliage go forth scrunch up and distorted . Fruit will be dwarf and often drop early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant variety and quad works the right way so they receive adequate sparkle and air circulation . Always water from below , maintain water off the leaf . This is paramount for roses . Go slowly on the N fertilizer . Apply fungicides concord to label counseling before problem becomes severe and follow management incisively , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all leafage , flower , or debris in the downfall and destroy . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are due to fungus kingdom or bacteria . dark-brown or black spot and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soak or yellow - edged coming into court . worm , rainfall , dirty garden creature , or even people can facilitate its paste .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leave when the works is teetotal . foliage that collect around the base of the plant should be raked up and disposed of . invalidate overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be aim at grease level . For fungous folio spots , expend a recommended fungicide concord to recording label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , bear on to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a broad variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . youthful scales creeping until they find a undecomposed feeding site . The grownup females then lose their legs and remain on a place protect by its hard shell layer . They look as bumps , often on the lower sides of leave of absence . They have piercing mouth part that suck the sap out of flora tissue . scale can de-escalate a plant life lead to yellow foliage and leaf driblet . They also produce a sweet message called honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can direct to an untempting black surface fungous development called pitchy mould .
Prevention and Control : Once base they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not overrun . refer your local garden centre professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitic WASP in the garden . kingdom Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty molding is a fungus that is found on the Earth’s surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew melon excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leaves and stem of the plant . The good way to control sooty mould is to control the dirt ball that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mould can usually be wiped from leafage with a moist cloth or washed off with a hose - end spray .
Miscellaneous
You will often hear loam referred to as a sandy loam ( having more Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin , yet still plenty of organic matter ) or a clay loam ( great on the clay , yet workable with good drainage . ) The addition of constitutional matter to either guts or mud will ensue in a loamy soil . Still not sure if your soil is a sand , clay , or loam ? Try this simple test . Squeeze a handfull of slightly moist , not besotted , soil in your paw . If it forms a tight clump and does not go down apart when gently tapped with a finger , your soil is more than probable Lucius DuBignon Clay . If grease does not form a ball or crumbles before it is tapped , it is sand to very sandy loam . If soil form a ball , then crumbles promptly when lightly tap , it ’s a loam . Several quick , light taps could mean a clay loam . gloss : Growth BudsPlant stems take numerous buds that will grow and renew a works when stimulated by pruning . There are three basic type of buds : terminal , sidelong and dormant . Terminal buds are at the top of twigs or branch . They develop to make the leg or twig longer . In some cases they may give rise to a heyday . If you cut the tip of a offshoot and take the terminal bud , this will encourage the lateral bud to grow into side branches resulting in a thicker , bushier plant life . sidelong buds are lower down on the twig and are often at the point of folio attachment . Pruning them encourages the concluding bud , resulting in a long , thin offshoot . Dormant buds may stay inactive in the barque or stem turn and will only grow after the plant is cut back . Glossary : FertilizeFertilize just before new growth begins with a complete plant food . Glossary : PruningNow is the preferred time to snip this plant .
