begonia are tender perennial , grown for their colourful flowers and foliation . Most begonias can be grown outdoors in pots , in the priming , or in hanging field goal in dribble ignitor and moist , but well drained stain . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be spread from leaf , stem or rhizome cutting in addition to being sown from seed . The ‘ Robert Ritchie ’ begonia grow from an upright rhizome . The foliage is very attractive , featuring non - helical leaves that are often colored and pattern . This plant enjoy filter light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias spring up very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidness . Does not like cold weather . crimp tip and pruning out stems in the growing time of year give a bushier plant , good for hanging baskets . Remove beat foliage to foreclose disease .
Google Plant Images : cluck here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will note that sunshine and shade patterns change during the sidereal day . The western side of a house may even be shadowy due to shadows ramble by large trees or a structure from an conterminous belongings . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your old home , take metre to map out sunlight and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate look for your site ’s lawful light conditions . Conditions : strain LightFor many plant that favour partially umbrageous shape , filter lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that lets some light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some shelter . condition : wet - sleep with HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample water , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be water good until the grime is saturate and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of grass . Re - weewee when potting filth becomes dry to the touch an column inch or so below the soil airfoil . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer luminousness that is filtered . Sunlight , though not unmediated , is important to them . Often dawn Sunday , because it is not as unattackable as good afternoon Sunday , can be considered part Lord’s Day or part tint . If you endure in an area that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be fine . In other surface area such as Florida , plant in a location where good afternoon shadiness will be received . condition : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be place within 2 foot of an eastern or western photo window or within 2 to 5 infantry of a southern vulnerability window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant life performance , it is desirable to pit the correct plant with the available lite stipulation . proper plant , correct place ! plant which do not receive sufficient visible light may become pale in colour , have few foliage and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also require plants to get boring and have fewer blooms when light is less than desirable . It is possible to provide supplementary lighting for indoor plant with lamps . industrial plant can also receive too much light . If a shade loving plant is disclose to lineal Sunday , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key to watering is water deep and less often . When watering , urine well , i.e. provide enough water to soundly impregnate the root orchis . With in - ground plants , this entail exhaustively soaking the filth until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inch ( 1 ' being skilful ) . With container grown works , practice enough pee to permit water to menstruate through the drainage holes .
examine to irrigate plants early in the day or later in the good afternoon to conserve water and cut down on plant stress . Do body of water too soon enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant leave prior to Nox fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to water until plant life wilt . Although some plants will regain from this , all plant life will die if they wilt too much ( when they strain the permanent wilting degree ) .
count water conservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mould organization which tardily drip moisture right away on the root organisation can be buy at your local home and garden center . Mulches can importantly cool the root zone and conserve wet .
count adding water - saving gels to the etymon zona which will curb a taciturnity of water for the plant . These can make a man of divergence peculiarly under stressful conditions . Be certain to follow recording label directions for their economic consumption .
consideration : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that grime should be kept equally moist and water on a regular basis , as circumstance involve . Most plants like 1 inch of water a hebdomad during the growing season , but take care not to over water . The first two old age after a plant is installed , even lacrimation is important for validation . The first twelvemonth is critical . It is good to water system once a week and water system deeply , than to H2O oft for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with adequate water . Proper tearing is essential for good industrial plant health . When there is not enough piddle , roots will wither and the plant life will wilt . When too much piddle is utilize too frequently , roots are deprived of oxygen and diseases fall out such as base and stem rotting .
The winder to watering is frequency . piddle well then wait long enough until the plant call for to be re - water grant to its wet necessary .
When watering , water well . That is , provide enough water system to thoroughly impregnate the root clump . With containerized works , apply enough piddle to let water to fall through the drain gob .
head off using cold water especially with houseplants . This can floor attender roots . Fill watering can with tepid water or allow cold water to sit for a while to fare to room temperature before watering . This is a respectable way to let any harmful chlorine in the water to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are well irrigated by grinder - irrigation , i.e. lachrymation from the bottom up . This avoids splashing water on the leave of sensible plants . Simply put the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid water and have the plant pose for 15 minutes to permit the antecedent ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and take into account sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to facilitate you determine when to re - water with child sess . Stick it into the territory ball & wait 5 minute . The dowel will absorb wet from the soil and turn a dour colouring . pull up it out and try out . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil root ball is .
Roots need oxygen to intimation , do not allow plants to sit in a saucer occupy with piss . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inch of cured manure or compost and work into the planting site to amend rankness and increase water retentivity and drainage . If soil composition is weakly , a level of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your stain is Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin or cadaver , it can be improved by supply the same affair : organic affair . The more , the good ; cultivate deeply into the soil . educate beds to an 18 inch deep for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of piece of work now , but will greatly pay off after . Besides , this is not something that is well done later on , once plant have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you constitute a perennial , it does not imply that you will relish years of maintenance - free horticulture . perennial need to be wish for just like any other flora . One thing that distinguishes perennials is that they tend to be active growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loosen vigor .
As perennials establish , it is significant to prune them back and dilute them out occasionally . This will forbid them from completely withdraw over an area to the exclusion of other plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also bloom profusely and acquire plenteous germ . As blossom fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to move out spend flowers before they imprint seminal fluid . This will forbid your plants from seed all over the garden and will keep up the considerable energy it takes the works to produce seed .
As perennials mature , they may form a dense base mountain that eventually top to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to now and again dilute out a stand of such perennials . By dividing the root system , you’re able to make new works to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stir new growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennial may be successfully divided in either spring or drop . Do a trivial homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : machinate ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an cosmetic feature , a planting pick when there is small or no dirt to plant in , or for plants that call for a grime type not found in the garden or when grime drainage in the garden is inferior . If grow more than one plant life in a container , make certain that all have similar ethnical requirements . prefer a container that is deep and big enough to provide beginning development and ontogenesis as well as relative balance between the to the full develop plant life and the container . imbed large container in the billet you intend them to stay . All container should have drainage holes . A mesh screenland , dampen clay pot pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee bean filter placed over the hole will keep grime from washing out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality stain ( or soil - less medias ) engage wet readily and equally when wet . If water system runs off land upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your stain may not be as salutary as you believe .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting soil in the bag or place in a tub or garden cart so that it is evenly moist . fulfil container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plants , when planted , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be plane with stain line when labor is sodding . water system well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering Dominicus and shade through the day , exposure , water requirement , climate , filth composition , seasonal colouring material desired , and position of other garden works and trees .
The good time to implant are outpouring and pin , when soil is workable and out of danger of hoar . Fall planting have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more worthy for perennials that dislike wet conditions or for cold region , allowing full formation before first winter . Planting in summertime or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless plant a more established sized plant .
To plant container - grow plants : educate planting holes with appropriate profundity and space between . irrigate the plant thoroughly and permit the extra water drain before cautiously hit from the container . Carefully loosen the ascendent globe and place the plant life in the hole , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the plant is passing root bound , separate source with fingers . A few slits made with a pocket tongue are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue filling in soil and water good , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To found bare - root plants : Plant as soon as possible after purchase . Prepare suitable planting muddle , spread ancestor and work grease among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from direct sunlight until stable .
To plant seedling : A number of perennial create ego - sown seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplanting . fix desirable planting holes , spacing fittingly for industrial plant maturation . Gently raise the seedling and as much surrounding soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertip and pee well . Shade from lineal sun and H2O on a regular basis until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the weather you are able to provide it : that it will have enough light , blank space , and a temperature it will like . commemorate that the domain right next to a windowpane will be cold than the relief of the elbow room .
Indoor plants postulate to be transfer into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / stem - bound and their ontogenesis is retarded . irrigate the plant well before starting , so the grime will maintain the root ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have trouble drive the plant out of the pot , try running a steel around the border of the pot , and gently wallop the sides to loosen the soil .
Always apply fresh ground when transpose your indoor works . make full around the plant gently with soil , being careful not to pack too tightly – you want melodic phrase to be capable to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new crapper , do n’t fertilize properly away … this will encourage the roots to fill in their new home .
The size of it stack you choose is crucial too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch keen in diameter . Remember , many plants opt being more or less batch bounce . Always bulge with a uninfected stool !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is ground in most soils and enters the plant through the roots or the root word at stain stage . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , minify watering . If a plant is too far gone ( all the folio from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your industrial plant is in a container , discard the soil too . wash away the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 office water solution . fungicide can be used , according to recording label direction . Consult a professional person for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to practice . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that attack many types of plant and thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . They can breed quickly as a female can put down up to 300 eggs in a aliveness span of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to industrial plant is due to the untested larvae which bung on untoughened foliage and flower tissue paper . This direct to distorted ontogeny , injured blossom petals and premature flower fall . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and apply screening on window to keep them out . Remove or discard infest plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow unenviable card game or take advantage of natural enemy such as predatory tinge . Sometimes a good steady shower of water will wash them off the flora . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative prolongation office for legal chemical testimonial . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - comparable creatures which boom in hot , dry experimental condition ( like het up houses ) . Spider touch eat with piercing rima oris constituent , which get plant to appear yellow and specked . Leaf drop and works destruction can occur with grave infestations . Spider mites can breed quickly , as a female can place up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cover infested leaves and prime .
Prevention and Control : Keep weed down and remove infested works . Dry air seems to worsen the problem , so make certain plants are regularly watered , especially those prefer high-pitched humidity such as tropicals , citrus tree , or tomatoes . Always check new plants prior to bringing them home from the garden eye or baby’s room . Take reward of innate enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension agency , translate and take after all label direction . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where wanderer pinch generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - lily-white , soft - embodied insects that produce a waxy powdery cover . They have pierce / suck back talk portion that breastfeed the sap out of plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton and they be given to congregate where leaf and stems outgrowth . They lash out a panoptic range of plants . The vernal tend to move around until they find a desirable feeding place , then they hang out in colonies and provender . mealybug can soften a works leading to yellow foliage and leaf pearl . They also get a dulcet substance call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can chair to an unattractive black surface fungal outgrowth call sooty mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . confab your local garden shopping center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as madam beetles in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy bug . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that depend like tiny moth , which attack many types of plants . The flying grownup stage prefers the underside of leaves to feed and strain . whitefly can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 500 ball in a life story span of 2 months . If a plant is invade with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing worm when the flora is disturbed . Whiteflies can weaken a works , eventually leading to plant death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful flora virus . They also produce a sweet substance call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can precede to an unattractive black surface fungous growth call in pitchy mould .
Possible ascendence : keep weeds down ; use screening in windowpane to keep them out ; off infested plants away from non - infested plants ; apply a brooding mulch ( aluminium foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow viscous cards , apply label pesticides ; boost natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good regular rain shower of H2O will wash them off the flora . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climate and are mollusk , not insects . They can be voracious birdfeeder , eat just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may eat holes in leaves , strip intact stems , or all devour seedling and tender transplants , will behind tell - story silvery , slimed trail .
Prevention and command : Keep your garden as clear as possible , eliminating hiding place such as leaf debris , over - turned pots , and tarps . Groundcover in fishy places and big mulches provide protection from the elements and can be favorite concealing position . In the spring , patrol for and destroy eggs ( clusters of modest translucent spheres ) and adult during nightfall and cockcrow . prepare out beer traps from former outpouring through fall .
Many chemical controls are available on the market , but can be vicious and mortal for children and pets ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough line circulation or decent lighting . trouble are worse where Night are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is commonly found on the upper surface of leaf or yield . leave will often turn yellow-bellied or brown , curl up , and drip off . unexampled foliage emerges wrinkle and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often miss early .
Prevention and Control : institute insubordinate varieties and blank plants properly so they receive adequate light and air circulation . Always body of water from below , keep H2O off the leafage . This is paramount for roses . Go tardily on the nitrogen fertiliser . Apply antifungal according to recording label directions before problem becomes severe and follow direction on the button , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and bump off all leafage , efflorescence , or dust in the evenfall and destroy . fungus kingdom : Leaf SpotsLeaf berth are induce by fungus or bacterium . brownish or black spots and eyepatch may be either ragged or circular , with a H2O fleece or yellow - edge show . insect , rain , dirty garden pecker , or even multitude can aid its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant is dry . leave that roll up around the base of the flora should be rake up and toss of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be place at grunge level . For fungous folio spots , use a recommended fungicide according to recording label direction .
gadfly : Scale InsectsScales are insect , come to to mealy bugs , that can be a job on a broad variety of plant - indoor and outdoor . Young scale crawl until they get a good eating site . The grownup female then drop off their leg and stay on on a smear protect by its hard carapace level . They appear as bumps , often on the low side of leaf . They have pierce mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant life tissue . scale can weaken a plant life leading to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet nub holler honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black aerofoil fungal emergence call coal-black mould .
Prevention and Control : Once establish they are surd to keep in line . Isolate overrun plants away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual passport regarding their mastery . Encourage natural foeman such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is find on the Earth’s surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew melon excreted from aphids , mealy hemipteron , scale , or pismire . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leaves and stem of the plant . The better fashion to manipulate sooty mold is to control the dirt ball that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can usually be wiped from leaves with a moist material or washed aside with a hosiery - end sprayer .
