begonia are tender perennials , grow for their colourful flower and foliage . Most begonia can be grown outside in pots , in the ground , or in hang basket in filtered light and moist , but well drain soil . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from leaf , root or rhizome cutting in summation to being sown from seed . The cultivar , ‘ Stiletto , ’ has orange to reddish pendulous flower and unincised immature parting . The stem is cane - like with equally space nodes . This plant enjoys filtered light but can take some sun in wintertime . Soil should ideally be moist . begonia uprise very well in peat - ground compost also . Likes humidity . Does not like dusty conditions .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sunlight and subtlety patterns change during the 24-hour interval . The western side of a house may even be umbrageous due to shadow cast by great trees or a structure from an adjacent prop . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your older home , take time to map out sun and nicety throughout the day . You will get a more accurate spirit for your site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that prefer partly shady weather , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting land site are under a mid to large sized tree diagram that lets some sparkle through their offshoot or beneath marvellous plant life that will supply some protection . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample urine , or those label asmoisture - sleep together houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the grease is saturate and then drains freely from cakehole in the bottom of tidy sum . Re - water when pot dirt becomes dry to the spot an in or so below the dirt aerofoil . weather condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants favour light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not verbatim , is of import to them . Often morning Dominicus , because it is not as strong as afternoon sun , can be considered part Lord’s Day or part spook . If you live in an area that does not get much acute sunshine , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun photo may be o.k. . In other areas such as Florida , plant life in a location where afternoon shade will be received . Conditions : undimmed Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be range within 2 feet of an eastern or western exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern exposure window . condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor undecomposed industrial plant performance , it is desirable to equal the correct plant with the available light weather condition . Right plant , right spot ! plant life which do not find sufficient Christ Within may become pale in color , have fewer leave and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also await plants to grow slower and have fewer blooms when luminousness is less than desirable . It is potential to provide subsidiary light for indoor plants with lamp . plant can also welcome too much igniter . If a shadiness loving industrial plant is exposed to lineal sun , it may wilt and/or cause folio to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key to watering is water deeply and less oftentimes . When watering , weewee well , i.e. provide enough water to exhaustively impregnate the root formal . With in - ground plants , this means thoroughly soaking the soil until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , give enough piss to allow water to flux through the drainage holes .
seek to water plant too soon in the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. or later in the afternoon to conserve body of water and cut down on plant stress . Do H2O betimes enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant foliage prior to dark fall . This is preponderant if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t expect to piss until plants wilt . Although some industrial plant will recoup from this , all plant will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting pointedness ) .
Consider urine conservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . dripping organisation which slowly drip moisture direct on the root system can be purchase at your local home and garden center . mulch can significantly cool the theme zone and conserve moisture .
Consider sum up water - save gels to the beginning zone which will hold a reticence of water supply for the plant . These can make a cosmos of remainder especially under nerve-racking conditions . Be sealed to watch label counsel for their use of goods and services .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that land should be keep on equally moist and water regularly , as conditions require . Most plants like 1 column inch of water a week during the growing time of year , but take care not to over piss . The first two years after a works is install , unconstipated lachrymation is important for establishment . The first year is critical . It is full to water system once a week and water deeply , than to weewee frequently for a few transactions . experimental condition : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it of import to provide them with passable water . Proper lachrymation is essential for good plant life wellness . When there is not enough weewee , roots will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much water is utilize too frequently , beginning are deprived of O and diseases occur such as tooth root and stem turn rots .
The key to tearing is frequency . Water well then hold back long enough until the industrial plant ask to be re - water allot to its wet requirements .
When watering , water supply well . That is , offer enough water to thoroughly saturate the origin glob . With containerized flora , utilize enough water to allow H2O to flow through the drain pickle .
Avoid using insensate water especially with houseplants . This can shock stamp root . Fill watering can with tepid urine or countenance cold water to sit for a while to add up to board temperature before watering . This is a respectable way to let any harmful chlorine in the weewee to evaporate before being used .
Some works are advantageously irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This quash slosh water on the leaves of tender plants . but place the pot in a shallow pan replete with tepid H2O and let the flora sit for 15 minutes to allow for the root testis to be thoroughly loaded . Take out and allow sufficient drain .
Use an unpainted dowel to help oneself you set when to re - water larger pots . Stick it into the soil ball & wait 5 minutes . The joggle will suck up moisture from the grease and wrench a darker color . rip it out and essay . This will give you an melodic theme of how wet the soil root ball is .
Roots need oxygen to breath , do not allow plants to sit down in a saucer fulfil with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 day before planting , sum 2 to 4 in of ripened manure or compost and work into the planting site to better fertility and increase water memory and drainage . If soil composition is fallible , a layer of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be improved by tot up the same thing : organic matter . The more , the expert ; knead deeply into the soil . Prepare bed to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly give off afterwards . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once works have been make . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not intend that you will enjoy years of maintenance - free gardening . perennial postulate to be deal for just like any other plant . One affair that tell perennials is that they run to be active agriculturist that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennials shew , it is crucial to prune them back and thin out them out occasionally . This will preclude them from wholly taking over an area to the excommunication of other plant , and also will increase aura circulation thereby reduce the incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mold .
Many mintage also blossom abundantly and produce ample seed . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spent flowers before they form seminal fluid . This will prevent your flora from seeding all over the garden and will preserve the considerable zip it takes the plant to produce seeded player .
As perennials mature , they may take form a dense root mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant life . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a point of view of such perennials . By dividing the root system , you’re able to make unexampled plants to implant in another sphere of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate new growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divide in either spring or fall . Do a little homework ; some perennial do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare fantabulous when used as an ornamental feature , a planting alternative when there is little or no territory to engraft in , or for plant that expect a soil character not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is substandard . If uprise more than one plant in a container , ensure that all have similar cultural requirements . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow root development and growth as well as proportional balance between the in full developed flora and the container . Plant gravid containers in the place you intend them to stay . All containers should have drain maw . A mesh screen , let out clay gage pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter come in over the hole will keep grunge from washing out . The potting filth you select should be an appropriate mix for the plant life you have chosen . Quality soils ( or land - less medias ) engross wet promptly and evenly when wet . If H2O runs off dirt upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as adept as you remember .
Prior to occupy a container with soil , wet potting soil in the old bag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about midway full or to a level that will reserve plants , when constitute , to be just below the rim of the green goddess . Rootballs should be unwavering with stain line when undertaking is ended . piss well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by weigh sunlight and shade through the day , exposure , water requirements , climate , soil composition , seasonal color desire , and posture of other garden plant and tree .
The best time to establish are leap and fall , when grime is workable and out of peril of rime . Fall plantings have the reward that ascendant can grow and not have to contend with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike wet condition or for moth-eaten areas , allowing full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plant , unless planting a more established sized flora .
To plant container - grown plants : machinate planting pickle with appropriate depth and distance between . irrigate the plant good and let the superfluous water waste pipe before carefully get rid of from the container . Carefully loosen the root chunk and order the flora in the hole , work soil around the radical as you fill . If the plant is extremely root bound , separate roots with fingers . A few twat made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . remain fill in soil and water thoroughly , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To embed unsheathed - antecedent plants : plant life as presently as possible after purchase . Prepare suitable planting holes , spread roots and work soil among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To plant seedlings : A bit of perennial develop self - sown seedlings that can be transpose . You may also set forth your own seedling bottom for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting hole , spacing appropriately for flora development . mildly repeal the seedling and as much surrounding grime as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it directly , firming land with fingertips and water well . Shade from lineal sun and pee on a regular basis until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake certain that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the condition you are capable to bring home the bacon it : that it will have enough idle , distance , and a temperature it will like . think back that the area mightily next to a windowpane will be cold than the quietus of the room .
Indoor flora need to be transplanted into a larger container periodically , or they become bay window / stem - bound and their growth is retarded . Water the plant well before set out , so the soil will hold the etymon testis together when you withdraw it from the batch . If you have fuss getting the plant out of the mess , try on carry a blade around the boundary of the sens , and gently whacking the sides to loosen the territory .
Always use impudent ground when transplanting your indoor plant . satiate around the plant life gently with territory , being measured not to pack too tightly – you require air to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the raw locoweed , do n’t inseminate right on away … this will encourage the roots to fulfill in their fresh home .
The sizing bay window you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diameter . Remember , many plant choose being middling batch constipate . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most dirt and enters the plant life through the roots or the stem at soil story . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your job , decrease watering . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilt ) , remove it . If your flora is in a container , discard the territory too . Wash the great deal with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water result . Fungicides can be used , agree to recording label instruction . Consult a professional for a legal recommendation of what antimycotic agent to habituate . Pest : ThripsThripsare pocket-size , fly insects that attack many type of plants and prosper in live , dry conditions ( like het sign ) . They can multiply cursorily as a female can lie up to 300 nut in a life span of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to industrial plant is triggered by the young larvae which feed on tender leaf and flower tissue . This precede to deformed maturation , injured blossom petals and premature flower drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep widow’s weeds down and employ screen out on windows to keep them out . off or discard infested plants , keep them away from non - infested plant . Trap with yellow sticky cards or take advantage of raw enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a practiced steady shower of water will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden midpoint professional or county conjunct extension post for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare little , 8 legged , spider - like animal which flourish in spicy , dry experimental condition ( like het house ) . Spider touch feed with piercing oral cavity parts , which cause plants to come out icteric and speckled . foliage drop and plant dying can occur with heavy infestations . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female person can lay up to 200 eggs in a living span of 30 days . They also produce a entanglement which can overcompensate infested leaves and bloom .
Prevention and Control : Keep sens down and dispatch infested plants . teetotal air seems to worsen the job , so verify plants are regularly irrigate , especially those preferring high humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or Lycopersicon esculentum . Always mark off new plants prior to bringing them home from the garden snapper or nursery . Take vantage of born enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is advocate by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and follow all label direction . Concentrate your sweat on the undersides of the leaves as that is where spider mite generally survive . blighter : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , soft - bodied insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouthpiece office that suck the sap out of works tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like little pieces of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stem arm . They lash out a blanket range of plants . The young run to move around until they find a suited alimentation spot , then they fall out in colonies and provender . mealybug can weaken a plant leading to yellow leaf and leafage drop . They also make a mellisonant content called honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an unattractive black Earth’s surface fungal growth call coal-black mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested works from those that are not . confer with your local garden heart professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical good word . Encourage lifelike opposition such as lady beetles in the garden to help scale down universe layer of mealy microbe . plague : WhitefliesWhitefliesare modest , wing insects that look like tiny moths , which set on many eccentric of plants . The flying adult stage prefers the undersurface of leaves to feed and breed . Whiteflies can breed cursorily as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life duet of 2 month . If a flora is infest with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing worm when the plant is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a plant life , eventually precede to plant death if they are not check . They can carry many harmful plant viruses . They also bring out a seraphic substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungous growth call jet-black clay sculpture .
potential controls : keep weed down ; purpose screen out in windows to keep them out ; bump off infested plants away from non - infested flora ; apply a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , apply labeled pesticides ; encourage natural foe such as parasitic wasp in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of water will rinse them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusc , not insects . They can be voracious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or extremely odorous . They may eat holes in leaves , strip total stems , or totally devour seedlings and attender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , slimed track .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as unclouded as potential , rule out concealing places such as foliage junk , over - become pots , and tarps . Groundcover in louche places and heavy mulches supply protective cover from the elements and can be favorite hiding places . In the spring , patrol for and destroy bollock ( clusters of small translucent spheres ) and adult during dusk and morning . Set out beer traps from tardy spring through fall .
Many chemical controls are available on the mart , but can be toxicant and deadly for children and pet ; take care when using them - always read the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually come up on plant life that do not have enough air circulation or adequate Light Within . Problems are defective where nights are nerveless and days are warm and humid . The powdery bloodless or gray fungus is usually found on the upper surface of leaves or yield . Leaves will often wrick yellow or brownish , curl up , and drop off . New foliage emerges crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drop ahead of time .
Prevention and Control : Plant repellent varieties and space plant properly so they receive tolerable igniter and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the leaf . This is paramount for rose . Go tardily on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicides according to recording label management before job becomes knockout and stick to directions exactly , not overleap any required treatment . Sanitation is a must - clean up and take away all leaves , heyday , or debris in the fall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are induce by kingdom Fungi or bacteria . brownish or black blot and patches may be either ragged or orbitual , with a urine pawn or yellow - adjoin appearing . Insects , rainfall , dirty garden tools , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected foliage when the plant is dry . Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be raked up and disposed of . ward off overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at soil storey . For fungal leaf spots , apply a recommend fungicide accord to label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are dirt ball , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plant - indoor and out-of-door . Young descale crawl until they find a good eating site . The grownup female then misplace their leg and stay on a spot protected by its knockout shell layer . They seem as bumps , often on the humble sides of leaves . They have piercing mouth share that give suck the sap out of industrial plant tissue . Scales can weaken a industrial plant leading to scandalmongering foliage and leaf pearl . They also produce a sugared substance called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can precede to an unattractive black surface fungal increase called coal-black mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are toilsome to control . Isolate infest plant out from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound recommendation regarding their control condition . Encourage instinctive enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden . fungus kingdom : Sooty MoldSooty mildew is a fungus that is found on the surface of leaves . It feed in on honeydew excrete from aphids , mealy bug , scale , or emmet . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it underwrite / blackens the leaves and staunch of the plant . The best way to control sooty mould is to ensure the worm that make the honeydew . Sooty mold can usually be wiped from leaves with a damp cloth or washed off with a hose - end atomizer .
