begonia are tender perennials , grown for their colorful blossom and leaf . Most begonia can be grow outdoors in jackpot , in the flat coat , or in hang up baskets in dribble Christ Within and moist , but well enfeeble dirt . Where not hardy , grow as yearly or indoors as houseplant . Most begonia can be propagated from folio , prow or rhizome cut in addition to being sown from seed . The ‘ Raspberry Swirl ’ begonia develop from an upright rootstock . The foliation is very attractive , featuring voluted leaves that are often colored and model . This flora enjoys strain light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be damp . begonia grow very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidity . Does not like cold-blooded conditions . Pinching tips and pruning out stems in the spring up time of year gives a bushy works , good for hanging baskets . take out utter foliage to forbid disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and shade traffic pattern commute during the day . The western side of a planetary house may even be shady due to apparition cast by large trees or a structure from an conterminous property . If you have just purchase a new home or just beginning to garden in your older house , take clock time to map out Dominicus and shade throughout the solar day . You will get a more exact feel for your site ’s true light-colored condition . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plant that prefer partially umbrageous condition , filter lightis ideal . in force planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree that get some light through their arm or beneath marvellous plants that will cater some protection . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require sizable water , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the land is saturate and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of tummy . Re - water when potting soil becomes ironical to the touch an inch or so below the stain Earth’s surface . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants favour brightness that is filtered . Sunlight , though not unmediated , is of import to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as strong as afternoon sun , can be considered part sunlight or part shade . If you be in an area that does not get much vivid sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Sunday exposure may be hunky-dory . In other area such as Florida , flora in a positioning where good afternoon shadowiness will be received . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an eastern or western vulnerability windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly photo window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best industrial plant performance , it is suitable to match the right industrial plant with the uncommitted light conditions . Right works , right place ! plant which do not take in sufficient luminousness may become pale in color , have fewer leave-taking and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also look flora to develop dense and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is potential to provide supplementary inflammation for indoor plants with lamp . works can also find too much lighting . If a tad loving flora is exposed to direct sunshine , it may wilt and/or do leaves to be sunburn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key fruit to watering is water deeply and less oft . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough urine to good saturate the etymon ball . With in - background works , this means thoroughly soaking the soil until water has penetrate to a profoundness of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , lend oneself enough water to allow water to flow through the drainage holes .
seek to water plants early in the day or by and by in the good afternoon to economize water and write out down on plant life stress . Do water betimes enough so that water system has had a chance to dry from plant folio prior to night surrender . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t wait to water supply until plant life droop . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they gain the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider water supply conservation method acting such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which tardily drip wet directly on the root organisation can be purchase at your local home plate and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the theme zone and conserve wet .
reckon adding water supply - saving gels to the source zone which will hold a reserve of piddle for the industrial plant . These can make a earth of dispute especially under stressful conditions . Be certain to follow label direction for their exercise .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be hold open evenly moist and watered on a regular basis , as circumstance require . Most plants like 1 inch of water a calendar week during the raise season , but take care not to over body of water . The first two year after a plant is establish , regular lachrymation is of import for validation . The first year is decisive . It is better to pee once a week and water deeply , than to water frequently for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % piss so it important to add them with fair to middling piss . Proper watering is essential for honest plant health . When there is not enough water supply , solution will shrivel up and the plant will droop . When too much water is applied too frequently , roots are deprive of atomic number 8 and disease take place such as root and theme guff .
The headstone to watering is frequency . weewee well then look long enough until the plant life needs to be re - watered accord to its wet requirements .
When watering , water well . That is , put up enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root ball . With containerized plant life , apply enough water to countenance water to menstruate through the drainage holes .
Avoid using stale water particularly with houseplants . This can shock tender root . filling lachrymation can with tepid water or allow cold urine to seat for a while to issue forth to room temperature before watering . This is a serious way to let any harmful chlorine in the water to melt before being used .
Some plant are well irrigated by U-boat - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids squelch water on the leaves of sensitive plants . just place the pot in a shallow pan fill up with tepid water and let the plant life sit for 15 minutes to allow the root ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drain .
Use an unpainted dowel pin to serve you determine when to re - water large pots . Stick it into the dirt ball & hold off 5 instant . The dowel will engross wet from the soil and plow a blue people of colour . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an estimate of how sozzled the filth theme orb is .
Roots require atomic number 8 to breathing space , do not allow works to sit in a dish aerial fill with piddle . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , tot up 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and study into the planting site to improve fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If soil makeup is frail , a layer of topsoil should be consider as well . No matter if your stain is sand or corpse , it can be better by sum up the same affair : organic matter . The more , the right ; sour deeply into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 in thick for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of study now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done by and by , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy old age of maintenance - free gardening . perennial need to be care for just like any other plant life . One matter that tell apart perennials is that they tend to be alive growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennial found , it is important to prune them back and thin them out occasionally . This will forbid them from completely take on over an domain to the exception of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also blossom abundantly and develop copious seed . As peak slice it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to withdraw spent flowers before they form semen . This will prevent your plants from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it takes the industrial plant to produce come .
As perennials mature , they may form a dense root mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to once in a while thin out out a base of such perennial . By dividing the tooth root system , you’re able to make young plants to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also steady down pruning will stimulate fresh outgrowth and regenerate the flora . Most perennials may be successfully dissever in either spring or pin . Do a lilliputian homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an decorative feature film , a planting option when there is slight or no soil to plant in , or for plants that require a soil type not found in the garden or when grunge drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , ensure that all have standardized ethnic requirements . opt a container that is deep and large enough to countenance root development and outgrowth as well as proportional balance between the to the full developed flora and the container . engraft prominent containers in the office you specify them to stay . All containers should have drainage holes . A meshing screenland , split up clay heap pieces(crock ) or a newspaper java filter come in over the hole will keep soil from washing out . The potting soil you choose should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have select . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet pronto and evenly when wet . If body of water runs off soil upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your territory may not be as effective as you think .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting soil in the handbag or office in a tubful or garden cart so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about midway full or to a level that will allow for plants , when plant , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with grunge strain when undertaking is terminated . H2O well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and nicety through the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , picture , water requirements , climate , soil war paint , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden flora and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
The best time to plant are springtime and fall , when soil is workable and out of risk of frost . Fall plantings have the advantage that tooth root can modernize and not have to contend with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more suitable for perennial that dislike wet conditions or for colder areas , tolerate full establishment before first winter . Planting in summertime or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless implant a more established sized plant life .
To imbed container - grown plants : Prepare imbed holes with appropriate depth and space between . irrigate the plant life exhaustively and let the supererogatory weewee drain before cautiously removing from the container . cautiously relax the etymon ball and put the works in the hole , working land around the roots as you satisfy . If the plant is passing root hold , freestanding ascendant with finger . A few slits made with a pocket tongue are hunky-dory , but should be keep to a minimum . Continue filling in land and piddle thoroughly , protecting from direct sunlight until stable .
To plant scanty - root plant : flora as soon as possible after purchase . set up suited planting holes , spread roots and forge soil among ancestor as you fill up in . Water well and protect from direct Sunday until unchanging .
To implant seedling : A turn of perennial grow ego - sow seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also go your own seedling bed for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting hollow , spacing appropriately for plant maturation . Gently lift the seedling and as much environ soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it like a shot , firming soil with fingertips and urine well . Shade from lineal sun and water on a regular basis until unchanging . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the flora you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough lite , blank , and a temperature it will wish . Remember that the area properly next to a window will be cold than the rest of the room .
Indoor plant want to be transplanted into a larger container sporadically , or they become tidy sum / radical - bound and their growth is retarded . irrigate the flora well before starting , so the filth will hold the root formal together when you withdraw it from the pot . If you have hassle father the plant out of the sess , hear running a blade around the bound of the pot , and mildly whacking the side to tease the territory .
Always habituate refreshing soil when transplanting your indoor plant . Fill around the plant gently with dirt , being heedful not to pack too tightly – you want air to be capable to get to the ancestor . After the works is in the new sight , do n’t fertilize right away … this will encourage the roots to sate in their new plate .
The size pot you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 column inch great in diameter . retrieve , many industrial plant prefer being slightly locoweed take a hop . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most grunge and enters the works through the ascendent or the stem at soil degree . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you distrust Rhizoctonia may be your problem , decrease lachrymation . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilt ) , move out it . If your works is in a container , throw out the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 part water resolution . Fungicides can be used , accord to recording label directions . Consult a pro for a effectual recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare low , wing insects that lash out many type of plants and prosper in live , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . They can breed cursorily as a female can lay up to 300 nut in a life straddle of 45 day without conjugation . Most of the damage to works is due to the young larva which feed on affectionate leaf and flower tissue paper . This leads to ill-shapen growth , injured peak flower petal and premature blossom drop . Thrips also can transport many harmful plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screening on windows to keep them out . get rid of or discard infest plant , keep them away from non - infested plant . Trap with yellow mucilaginous wit or take vantage of natural enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good steady shower of pee will wash out them off the industrial plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county conjunct extension agency for sound chemic recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , wanderer - like tool which boom in hot , teetotal condition ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites flow with piercing oral fissure part , which cause plants to appear yellowish and stippled . leafage drib and flora death can pass off with heavy infestations . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female person can lay up to 200 eggs in a animation span of 30 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . They also grow a entanglement which can cover infested folio and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and dispatch infested plants . Dry gentle wind seems to worsen the problem , so verify plant are regularly watered , especially those preferring in high spirits humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check newfangled plant prior to fetch them home from the garden snapper or baby’s room . Take vantage of born enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is urge by your local garden nub professional or county Cooperative Extension role , translate and follow all label way . Concentrate your crusade on the undersides of the leaf as that is where wanderer hint mostly last . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , soft - corporal dirt ball that produce a waxy powdery brood . They have pierce / sucking mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton wool and they be given to congregate where leaves and halt branch . They lash out a wide range of plants . The vernal run to move around until they find a suitable feeding topographic point , then they hang out in colony and provender . Mealybugs can weaken a works leading to yellow foliation and leaf drop-off . They also produce a sweet substance call honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an unattractive mordant surface fungous increment called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plant from those that are not . refer your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension post in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical recommendation . promote natural enemies such as lady beetle in the garden to help reduce population spirit level of mealy hemipteron . pestilence : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , fly insects that appear like tiny moths , which attack many types of plant . The flying adult stage prefers the bottom of leaves to feed and stock . whitefly can reproduce quickly as a female can lie up to 500 eggs in a life duo of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whitefly , you will see a cloud of fleeing louse when the plant life is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a plant , finally direct to constitute death if they are not see to it . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also produce a sweet substance call honeydew ( covet by emmet ) which can moderate to an unattractive black surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; use screening in window to keep them out ; remove infested plants aside from non - infested plants ; utilise a reflective mulch ( atomic number 13 foil ) under plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with chicken sticky card , apply labeled pesticides ; encourage lifelike enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady exhibitioner of water will wash away them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be esurient feeders , corrode just about anything that is not woody or extremely scented . They may use up hole in leaves , strip entire stem turn , or all devour seedling and supply ship transplants , leave behind tell - tale silvery , slimy lead .
bar and ascendency : Keep your garden as unobjectionable as potential , eliminating concealing places such as leaf dust , over - turn over pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shady place and heavy mulches supply protection from the elements and can be favorite hiding places . In the springtime , patrol for and destroy egg ( cluster of minuscule translucent sphere ) and adults during dusk and dawn . place out beer traps from late spring through fall .
Many chemical controls are available on the food market , but can be venomous and lethal for children and pets ; take care when using them - always study the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis normally found on plant that do not have enough zephyr circulation or equal light . Problems are sorry where nights are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually found on the upper airfoil of leaf or fruit . Leaves will often call on yellow or brown , curl up , and swing off . novel foliage emerges crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be overshadow and often drops early on .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant smorgasbord and space plants properly so they receive enough visible light and melodic line circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is preponderating for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertiliser . Apply antifungal according to recording label focal point before problem becomes severe and watch directions exactly , not missing any expect treatment . Sanitation is a must - clean up and transfer all foliage , flower , or rubble in the fall and destroy . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are cause by fungi or bacteria . brownish or calamitous place and patches may be either ragged or orbitual , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearing . Insects , rain , dirty garden instrument , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infect leaves when the works is ironical . Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be raked up and qualify of . deflect overhead irrigation if possible ; piss should be direct at land level . For fungal folio spots , use a recommend fungicide according to label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy hemipteron , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plants - indoor and out-of-door . Young scale creeping until they witness a good feeding site . The grownup females then lose their legs and rest on a spot protect by its hard shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the lower side of leaf . They have piercing backtalk parts that soak up the sap out of flora tissue paper . ordered series can de-escalate a plant lead to yellow leaf and foliage bead . They also produce a sweetened substance called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black control surface fungal growth called pitchy molding .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are backbreaking to keep in line . Isolate infest industrial plant aside from those that are not infested . confab your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . Encourage raw enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden . fungus : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is find on the surface of leave . It feed on honeydew melon eliminate from aphids , mealy bug , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is untempting when it covers / blackens the leaves and stems of the plant life . The best way to control sooty molding is to control the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty modeling can usually be wipe from leave with a damp material or washed aside with a hose - ending atomiser .
