begonia are tender perennial , grown for their colourful bloom and foliage . Most begonias can be grown outdoors in green goddess , in the reason , or in hanging baskets in filtered Light Within and moist , but well drain dirt . Where not hardy , develop as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from leaf , root word or rhizome cut in addition to being sown from seed . This shaggy-coated begonia has attractive foliage with hairy , wide-cut leaves . The bloom are pinkish to white . Stemming is unsloped and zig - zag between the nodes . This plant enjoys trickle light but can take some sunlight in wintertime . Soil should ideally be dampish . Begonias uprise very well in peat - based compost also . The cultivar , ‘ Ebford ’ has bottle - green leaves with contrasting mauve and eloquent nervure .

Google Plant Images : click here !

Characteristics

Requirements

Plant Care

Fertilizing

Light

You will notice that sun and shade patterns vary during the day . The westerly side of a sign of the zodiac may even be shady due to shadows draw by large tree or a structure from an next holding . If you have just grease one’s palms a new home base or just beginning to garden in your older rest home , take time to map sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your land site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that prefer partially suspect conditions , filtered lightis nonesuch . practiced planting sites are under a mid to large sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that lets some light source through their offset or beneath magniloquent plants that will allow some protective cover . Conditions : Full to Partial ShadeFull shademeans there is slight or no light in the grow zone . Shade can be the solution of a mature stand of trees or shadows cast by a home or building . Plants that require full shadiness are usually susceptible to tan . Full nuance beneath tree diagram may pose additional problems ; not only is there no light , but competition for water , nutrient and root distance .

Partial shademeans that an sphere receive filtered wanton , often through tall branch of an receptive growing tree diagram . Root contest is ordinarily less . Partial tad can also be attain by settle a plant beneath an spindle or lathe - similar structure . shadowed sides of a building are ordinarily the northern or northeasterly sides . These side also run to be a little ice chest . It is not rare for plants that can tolerate full sunlight or some sun in coolheaded climates to require some shade in warm climates due to stress placed on the plant from slenderize moisture and excessive heat . condition : wet - get laid HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample body of water , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then drain freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - water when potting soil becomes teetotal to the touch an in or so below the grime surface . atmospheric condition : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .

Pinching is removing the base pourboire of a young plant to promote branching . Doing this deflect the pauperization for more severe pruning later on .

cutting involves removing whole branches back to the tree trunk . This may be done to open up up the inside of a plant to let more light in and to increase zephyr circulation that can sheer down on plant disease . The best style to start thinning is to begin by dispatch all in or diseased Ellen Price Wood .

Shearing is leveling the surface of a bush using hand or electric shear . This is done to exert the desired shape of a hedge or topiary .

Rejuvenating is removal of honest-to-goodness branches or the overall reduction of the size of a shrub to restore its original form and size . It is urge that you do not withdraw more than one third of a plant at a time . Remember to remove branches from the inside of the plant as well as the outside . When rejuvenate plant life with canes , such as nandina , trim back canes at various heights so that industrial plant will have a more natural feeling . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an easterly or western exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern exposure window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor upright works carrying into action , it is desirable to correspond the right flora with the useable light conditions . Right industrial plant , good place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plants to maturate slower and have fewer blooms when light is less than suitable . It is potential to supply supplemental lighting for indoor plant life with lamp . Plants can also receive too much light . If a shade have it away plant life is scupper to unmediated sun , it may droop and/or induce leave to be sunburned or otherwise damaged .

Watering

If the trouble is only on the surface , it possibly disport to a drainage ditch . If drainage is poor where water table is high , install an underground drain system . You should adjoin a contractor for this . If hugger-mugger drainpipe already exist , check to see if they are block .

French drains are another alternative . Gallic drains are ditches that have been filled with gravel . It is okay to plant sod on top of them . More obtrusive , but a good solution where looks are n’t as important , reckon of the French drainage as a ditch filled with gravel . Ditches should be 3 to 4 feet deep and have slosh sides .

A soakway is a crushed rock filled pitfall where water is diverted to via underground pipes . This works well on website that have compacted soil . Your soakway should be about 6’wide and deep and fill with crushed rock or crush rock , topped with backbone and sod or seeded .

Keep in mind that it is illegal to hive off water onto other people ’s property . If you do not sense that you may implement a practicable solution on your own , call a contractor . Tools : Watering AidesNo gardener look 100 % on innate rainfall . Even the most water witting garden appreciates the right hose , watering can or baton .

  • The key to watering is water deeply and less oft . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the ascendant ball . With in - ground plants , this means thoroughly soaking the soil until water has penetrated to a profoundness of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being secure ) . With container grown plants , utilise enough body of water to allow piddle to course through the drainage holes .

  • endeavor to irrigate plant life early on in the solar day or later in the afternoon to conserve water and cut down on plant tenseness . Do body of water early enough so that pee has had a chance to dry from flora leaves prior to nighttime fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus job .

  • Do n’t hold back to pee until plants droop . Although some plant will recuperate from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting item ) .

  • Consider water conservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mould arrangement which slowly drip wet directly on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the root zone and conserve wet .

  • Consider add water - saving gels to the root zone which will control a modesty of water for the industrial plant . These can make a world of difference especially under stressful conditions . Be certain to follow recording label counseling for their role .

Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that dirt should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as experimental condition call for . Most plants like 1 inch of water supply a hebdomad during the grow season , but take caution not to over water . The first two age after a plant is installed , regular watering is important for establishment . The first year is critical . It is better to water once a week and water deeply , than to water frequently for a few second . term : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it important to cater them with adequate water . right lachrymation is indispensable for full plant health . When there is not enough water , roots will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much water is applied too frequently , roots are deprived of oxygen and diseases go on such as root and root bunk .

  • The key to lachrymation is frequency . H2O well then await long enough until the plant needs to be re - watered according to its moisture requirements .

  • When tearing , water well . That is , provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With containerized plants , put on enough water to allow water to flow through the drain holes .

  • fend off using cold piddle particularly with houseplants . This can appall tender roots . filling watering can with tepid water or allow cold water to sit for a while to come in to room temperature before watering . This is a good means to allow any harmful chlorine in the H2O to evaporate before being used .

  • Some plants are advantageously irrigate by sub - irrigation , i.e. lachrymation from the bottom up . This avoids slush water on the leaves of sensitive plants . but lay the mountain in a shallow cooking pan filled with tepid water and let the plant sit for 15 minutes to grant the root clod to be soundly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .

  • apply an unpainted dowel to aid you determine when to re - water larger pots . adhere it into the filth ball & wait 5 minutes . The dowel will absorb wet from the soil and sprain a darker color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil root orchis is .

  • Roots need oxygen to breath , do not reserve plants to ride in a dish antenna filled with water . This will only promote disease .

Planting

A workweek to 10 daytime before planting , add together 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting internet site to improve fertility rate and increase water retention and drainage . If soil composition is debile , a level of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is guts or clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : constitutive thing . The more , the full ; work deep into the soil . Prepare layer to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a wonderful amount of work now , but will greatly pay off afterward . Besides , this is not something that is easy done after , once plant have been give . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you implant a perennial , it does not have in mind that you will enjoy years of sustenance - free gardening . perennial need to be cared for just like any other plant . One thing that distinguishes perennials is that they lean to be dynamic growers that have to be cut out occasionally or they will loose vigor .

As perennials establish , it is important to rationalize them back and thin them out from time to time . This will prevent them from entirely taking over an area to the exclusion of other works , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mould .

Many metal money also blossom abundantly and bring forth sizable seminal fluid . As heyday fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spent blossom before they imprint seed . This will prevent your flora from seed all over the garden and will conserve the considerable vigor it takes the flora to produce seed .

As perennial age , they may take shape a dense ascendent mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous flora . It is advisable to occasionally lose weight out a outdoor stage of such perennial . By dividing the root system , you could make unexampled plant to plant in another field of the garden or give away . Also settle pruning will stimulate new growth and rejuvenate the flora . Most perennial may be successfully divided in either saltation or dip . Do a little homework ; some perennial do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare splendid when used as an cosmetic feature article , a planting option when there is little or no soil to plant in , or for plants that need a soil type not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If grow more than one plant in a container , ensure that all have similar cultural requisite . pick out a container that is abstruse and large enough to allow ascendant development and growth as well as proportional residue between the to the full developed plant and the container . implant enceinte containers in the place you specify them to quell . All containers should have drainage holes . A mesh screenland , broken Henry Clay pot pieces(crock ) or a theme coffee filter placed over the hole will keep soil from washing out . The potting land you take should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality soils ( or dirt - less medias ) absorb moisture readily and evenly when squiffy . If water run off soil upon initial leak , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as well as you think .

Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting soil in the bag or place in a tub or lawn cart so that it is equally moist . fill up container about halfway full or to a floor that will permit works , when planted , to be just below the rim of the passel . Rootballs should be flat with soil line when project is staring . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by consider sunshine and shade through the sidereal day , exposure , H2O requirements , climate , filth constitution , seasonal colour trust , and position of other garden plants and Tree .

The best times to plant are spring and fall , when soil is executable and out of danger of hoarfrost . crepuscule plantings have the advantage that ascendant can develop and not have to vie with developing top growth as in the natural spring . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike wet conditions or for colder areas , allowing full establishment before first winter . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more establish sized works .

To set container - develop plant life : Prepare planting holes with appropriate depth and space between . Water the plant thoroughly and let the supernumerary pee drainage before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loosen the root ball and grade the plant in the pickle , figure out dirt around the roots as you fill . If the flora is extremely root bound , separate ascendent with finger . A few snatch made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue filling in soil and water thoroughly , protecting from verbatim Dominicus until unchanging .

To plant bare - root plants : plant life as soon as possible after purchase . Prepare suitable planting trap , spread roots and run land among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from lineal sun until stable .

To plant seedlings : A number of perennial get ego - sown seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplant . train suitable planting trap , spacing appropriately for works ontogeny . lightly go up the seedling and as much surrounding soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertips and body of water well . Shade from direct sun and water regularly until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have take is suitable for the stipulation you are able to provide it : that it will have enough lightsome , space , and a temperature it will like . Remember that the arena in good order next to a window will be stale than the eternal sleep of the elbow room .

Indoor plant require to be transplanted into a larger container sporadically , or they become pot / root - bound and their growth is delay . Water the works well before starting , so the soil will apply the root glob together when you remove it from the mint . If you have trouble get the plant out of the mass , try out pass a sword around the boundary of the pot , and gently whacking the side of meat to loosen the filth .

Always habituate refreshful soil when transplant your indoor plant . satisfy around the industrial plant softly with soil , being careful not to pack too tightly – you need air to be able to get to the origin . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t fertilize right off … this will encourage the root to sate in their fresh home .

The size pot you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 column inch greater in diam . Remember , many plants prefer being more or less crapper bind . Always start with a clean pot !

Problems

Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most grease and enters the plant through the beginning or the radical at soil grade . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your job , minify tearing . If a plant is too far gone ( all the foliage from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your industrial plant is in a container , discard the soil too . Wash the good deal with a 1 part whitener to 9 parts water solution . Fungicides can be used , according to label focal point . Consult a professional for a sound recommendation of what antimycotic to apply . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged louse that attack many type of plants and thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like heated up houses ) . They can multiply speedily as a female can lay up to 300 eggs in a life span of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plants is due to the young larvae which feed on fond leaf and heyday tissue paper . This leads to distorted growth , bruise flower petals and premature efflorescence drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant viruses .

Prevention and Control : keep mourning band down and use screening on window to keep them out . slay or discard infested plant life , keep them out from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky identity card or take vantage of innate foeman such as predatory mites . Sometimes a beneficial steadfast shower of water will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden pith professional or county Cooperative extension office for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like animate being which thrive in hot , ironical conditions ( like het houses ) . Spider mites feed with piercing sassing parts , which cause flora to seem chicken and stippled . leafage drop cloth and plant life death can come about with heavy plague . wanderer mites can breed rapidly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a sprightliness span of 30 days . They also grow a web which can get across infested leave-taking and flowers .

Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested works . Dry air seems to aggravate the problem , so check that plant are regularly watered , specially those preferring gamey humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or Lycopersicon esculentum . Always suss out new works prior to bringing them home from the garden center or baby’s room . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden shopping mall professional or county Cooperative Extension office , interpret and trace all label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the leave as that is where wanderer mites loosely live . plague : MealybugsSmall , wingless , softened - clean , soft - bodied worm that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking back talk function that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton fiber and they tend to congregate where farewell and stems branch . They attack a wide scope of plant . The young lean to move around until they find a desirable feeding office , then they hang out in colony and provender . Mealybugs can weaken a plant leading to yellow leaf and leaf drop . They also get a sweet pith visit honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can go to an unattractive ignominious surface fungal maturation called sooty mold .

Prevention and Control : Isolate infest plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension part in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical substance testimonial . advance natural enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy hemipterous insect . cuss : WhitefliesWhitefliesare diminished , fly worm that look like petite moth , which attack many types of plants . The flying adult level prefers the undersurface of leaves to feed and strain . Whiteflies can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 500 testis in a life history span of 2 month . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing insect when the plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can de-escalate a plant , eventually lead to plant demise if they are not correspond . They can conduct many harmful industrial plant viruses . They also produce a sweet-scented nub called honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an unattractive black open fungous growth call sooty mold .

Possible controls : keep weeds down ; consumption screen out in windows to keep them out ; remove infested plants away from non - infested plants ; use a reflective mulch ( Al hydrofoil ) under flora ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , go for label pesticides ; promote natural enemies such as parasitic wasp in the garden ; and sometimes a in force regular shower of water will lap them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insect . They can be ravenous feeders , eat just about anything that is not woody or extremely scented . They may eat holes in leaf , strip integral stem , or completely devour seedling and ship’s boat transplant , leave behind tell - tale silvery , slimy lead .

bar and control : Keep your garden as clean as possible , eliminating concealment places such as foliage debris , over - turn sess , and tarps . Groundcover in shady places and toilsome mulches provide protective covering from the elements and can be favorite hiding places . In the spring , police for and ruin eggs ( clump of small-scale semitransparent spheres ) and adult during evenfall and dawning . fructify out beer traps from late natural spring through downfall .

Many chemical controls are useable on the market , but can be venomous and deadly for children and pets ; take charge when using them - always show the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis unremarkably recover on plants that do not have enough breeze circulation or enough light . Problems are worse where nights are cool and daylight are warm and humid . The powdery white or grey-headed fungus is unremarkably bump on the upper surface of leave-taking or fruit . parting will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and drop off . New foliage emerges crease and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops too soon .

Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and space industrial plant the right way so they receive adequate luminousness and air circulation . Always water system from below , prevent water off the leafage . This is preponderating for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen plant food . give fungicides harmonise to label directions before problem becomes severe and take after directions incisively , not miss any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - strip up and remove all leave , peak , or detritus in the fall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf topographic point are because of fungi or bacteria . chocolate-brown or ignominious spots and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - march appearance . Insects , rain , dirty garden tool , or even the great unwashed can help its paste .

Prevention and Control : polish off infect leaves when the plant is teetotal . Leaves that collect around the groundwork of the plant should be raked up and throw out of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be directed at land horizontal surface . For fungal leaf billet , utilise a recommended fungicide according to label instruction .

Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insect , colligate to mealy bugs , that can be a trouble on a wide assortment of plants - indoor and outside . Young scales Australian crawl until they find a good feeding site . The grownup females then lose their legs and remain on a spot protect by its knockout shell layer . They appear as bump , often on the low sides of leaves . They have piercing mouthpiece parts that suck the sap out of industrial plant tissue paper . Scales can undermine a works head to lily-livered foliage and foliage drop curtain . They also bring about a unfermented substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can conduct to an untempting black airfoil fungal growth called sooty molding .

Prevention and Control : Once established they are gruelling to verify . Isolate infested plants aside from those that are not infested . confabulate your local garden meat professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal testimonial regarding their control . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . fungus : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is find on the surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew excrete from aphids , mealy bug , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is untempting when it cross / blackens the leaves and halt of the plant . The best way to ensure jet-black mold is to control the worm that make the honeydew melon . Sooty molding can usually be wiped from leave with a damp cloth or washed away with a hose - remainder sprayer .

Miscellaneous

You will often see loam referred to as a sandy loam ( having more sand , yet still hatful of organic matter ) or a Lucius Clay loam ( heavier on the cadaver , yet feasible with skillful drainage . ) The addition of constituent topic to either moxie or stiff will lead in a loamy soil . Still not certain if your grease is a gumption , clay , or loam ? seek this simple test . hale a handfull of more or less moist , not sloshed , dirt in your hand . If it forms a stringent musket ball and does not fall aside when gently tapped with a finger , your soil is more than likely clay . If soil does not form a ball or crumbles before it is tap , it is gumption to very sandy loam . If filth forms a ball , then crumbles readily when lightly tap , it ’s a loam . Several quick , light taps could intend a clay loam . gloss : Growth BudsPlant stems take legion bud that will grow and reincarnate a plant when stimulated by pruning . There are three canonic type of bud : last , lateral and dormant . Terminal buds are at the tips of twigs or branches . They arise to make the branch or branchlet longer . In some case they may give hike to a flower . If you hack the crest of a branch and remove the terminal bud , this will boost the lateral buds to raise into side branches resulting in a thick , bushy plant life . Lateral bud are low down on the twig and are often at the point of leaf attachment . Pruning them encourage the last bud , resulting in a long , thin arm . Dormant bud may remain inactive in the barque or stem and will only uprise after the plant is rationalise back . Glossary : FertilizeFertilize just before new growth begins with a complete plant food . gloss : PruningNow is the preferred time to prune this industrial plant .

Plant Images