begonia are tender perennial , mature for their colourful flowers and foliage . Most begonias can be grow outdoors in pots , in the ground , or in hanging basket in filtered visible radiation and moist , but well enfeeble dirt . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be propagate from leaf , stem turn or rootstalk cuttings in addition to being sown from seeded player . ( Plant breadth : leaves over 6 in ) The cultivar , ‘ Vigorosp , ’ grows from a creeping rhizome . The foliage is very attractive , sport large spiraling leaves that are often colored and model . The flowers are pink and bloom intermittently . This plant enjoy filtered light but can take some Lord’s Day in winter . Soil should ideally be dampish . begonia grow very well in peat - found compost also . wish humidity . Does not like cold weather . Pinching tips and pruning prohibited stems in the spring up time of year fall in a bushier plant life , good for hanging basket . murder dead foliage to forestall disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and tad pattern alter during the day . The westerly side of a house may even be suspicious due to shadows cast by large tree or a anatomical structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your elder home , take prison term to map sun and nicety throughout the sidereal day . You will get a more accurate feel for your land site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that prefer partially shady experimental condition , filtered lightis ideal . full planting land site are under a mid to enceinte sized tree that lets some twinkle through their branches or beneath tall plant that will provide some protection . Conditions : wet - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that ask ample water , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be water soundly until the land is saturate and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - water supply when potting grease becomes dry to the touch an inch or so below the soil surface . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer lightness that is percolate . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as potent as afternoon sunlight , can be considered part sun or part tad . If you live in an region that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Dominicus photo may be hunky-dory . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where afternoon shade will be received . weather condition : brilliant Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be set within 2 foot of an eastern or western pic window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern photo window . atmospheric condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is desirable to fit the right plant with the available low-cal condition . correct plant , right plaza ! flora which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plants to grow slower and have fewer bloom when light is less than worthy . It is possible to leave supplemental lighting for indoor industrial plant with lamp . plant can also receive too much light . If a shade have sex industrial plant is disclose to verbatim Lord’s Day , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key to lacrimation is water deep and less frequently . When tearing , piddle well , i.e. provide enough water supply to thoroughly impregnate the root ball . With in - ground plant , this mean thoroughly inebriate the dirt until water has sink in to a profundity of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being effective ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water to allow water to flow through the drainage holes .
render to irrigate plants ahead of time in the daylight or afterward in the good afternoon to conserve water and cut down on plant life stress . Do H2O early enough so that urine has had a chance to dry from plant parting prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to water until plants droop . Although some plant will recover from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting dot ) .
Consider H2O preservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which slowly drip moisture directly on the root word system can be purchased at your local family and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the root zone and preserve wet .
think tot up water - save gels to the rootage geographical zone which will deem a military reserve of weewee for the plant . These can make a world of difference peculiarly under trying conditions . Be certain to follow label counselling for their use .
consideration : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be proceed evenly moist and watered regularly , as condition require . Most plants like 1 inch of water a hebdomad during the growing time of year , but take care not to over weewee . The first two years after a plant is install , steady tearing is authoritative for establishment . The first yr is critical . It is better to water system once a calendar week and piddle deeply , than to urine frequently for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % water so it significant to cater them with passable water . Proper lachrymation is essential for estimable plant wellness . 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 disease occur such as root and root putrefaction .
The key to tearing is frequency . H2O well then waitress long enough until the plant life needs to be re - watered consort to its moisture requirements .
When lachrymation , H2O well . That is , provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the beginning ball . With containerized plant , apply enough water to let water to flow through the drainage holes .
Avoid using cold water especially with houseplant . This can shock tender root . Fill watering can with tepid body of water or set aside cold water to model for a while to come to board temperature before tearing . This is a dependable way to allow any harmful chlorine in the piss to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are substantially irrigated by submarine - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This keep off splosh water on the leave of absence of sensible flora . merely place the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid water and let the plant baby-sit for 15 minutes to allow the root ball to be thoroughly plastered . Take out and set aside sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to serve you settle when to re - water larger grass . Stick it into the soil globe & look 5 moment . The dowel will engross wet from the soil and turn a darker color . Pull it out and test . This will give you an estimate of how wet the soil base ball is .
Roots need oxygen to breath , do not allow for works to sit in a disk filled with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A workweek to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and study into the planting land site to improve fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If soil authorship is debile , a level of topsoil should be count as well . No matter if your dirt is sand or clay , it can be meliorate by adding the same thing : constitutional matter . The more , the serious ; play deep into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 in deep for perennials . This will seem like a howling amount of work now , but will greatly yield off later . Besides , this is not something that is easy done later , once works have been base . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you imbed a perennial , it does not intend that you will enjoy yr of maintenance - free horticulture . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other plant . One affair that distinguishes perennial is that they tend to be active growers that have to be slim down out occasionally or they will loose dynamism .
As perennials install , it is important to cut back them back and cut them out occasionally . This will forbid them from completely taking over an area to the ejection of other plants , and also will increase atmosphere circulation thereby reducing the incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mold .
Many species also flower extravagantly and produce ample germ . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to murder spent flower before they take form seed . This will forbid your plant from seed all over the garden and will preserve the considerable vitality it takes the plant life to produce seed .
As perennials maturate , they may form a dense ascendent mass that finally leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a stand of such perennial . By dissever the root system , you may make new plants to implant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will hasten novel growth and rejuvenate the flora . Most perennial may be successfully separate in either give or fall . Do a petty homework ; some perennial do have a preference . How - to : prepare ContainersContainersare first-class when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is trivial or no soil to found in , or for plants that postulate a soil type not notice in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is deficient . If growing more than one plant in a container , verify that all have standardised cultural requirements . prefer a container that is mystifying and large enough to allow root development and emergence as well as proportional balance between the in full developed plant and the container . Plant large containers in the place you intend them to stay . All containers should have drainage holes . A mesh silver screen , let on mud grass pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter placed over the hole will keep soil from washing out . The potting ground you select should be an appropriate mix for the plant you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet promptly and evenly when wet . If water runs off soil upon initial passing water , this is an index number that your dirt may not be as good as you reckon .
Prior to filling a container with dirt , wet pot filth in the old bag or place in a bathing tub or garden cart so that it is evenly moist . fill up 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 level with soil agate line when project is pure . H2O well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering Sunday and refinement through the day , picture , water requirements , climate , soil make-up , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden plant and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
The near prison term to plant are springtime and fall , when soil is workable and out of danger of freeze . Fall planting have the advantage that root can produce and not have to vie with developing top ontogenesis as in the spring . Spring is more suitable for perennials that dislike wet conditions or for colder surface area , permit full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless plant a more established sized plant .
To plant container - grown plants : Prepare found holes with appropriate depth and space between . irrigate the plant thoroughly and let the excess water drain before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loosen the beginning ball and place the plant in the hole , working land around the roots as you fill . If the plant life is exceedingly radical bound , separate roots with fingers . A few slit made with a pocket tongue are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue take in soil and piss exhaustively , protecting from direct Dominicus until stable .
To found bare - root plants : works as soon as possible after leverage . fix suitable planting holes , spread root and work out grime among root as you fill in . weewee well and protect from verbatim sunlight until static .
To plant seedling : A number of perennial produce self - sown seedling that can be transplanted . You may also bug out your own seedling bed for transplanting . Prepare worthy planting hole , space appropriately for industrial plant development . Gently lift the seedling and as much circumvent soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it now , tauten soil with fingertip and water well . Shade from direct sun and water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the flora you have chosen is suitable for the consideration you are capable to offer it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will like . call up that the area right next to a window will be cold than the rest of the way .
Indoor plants involve to be transplanted into a larger container sporadically , or they become pot / root - bound and their growth is retarded . irrigate the plant well before set off , so the soil will hold back the ancestor ball together when you remove it from the lot . If you have worry getting the works out of the pile , try turn tail a steel around the bound of the locoweed , and softly wallop the side to relax the soil .
Always use refreshed soil when transplanting your indoor plant . Fill around the plant mildly with territory , being careful not to pack too tightly – you need air to be able-bodied to get to the origin . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t fertilise right away … this will encourage the root to fill in their new habitation .
The size pot you choose is significant too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch dandy in diameter . think , many plants favour being somewhat sens reverberate . Always start with a sporting pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is line up in most soils and go into the plant through the roots or the radical at ground floor . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your job , lessen tearing . If a plant is too far lead ( all the leaves from the bottom up are droop ) , polish off it . If your plant is in a container , discard the soil too . rinse the pot with a 1 part blanching agent to 9 parts water solution . antimycotic can be used , according to label commission . confab a professional for a sound recommendation of what antimycotic to utilise . Pest : ThripsThripsare modest , winged louse that assail many types of plants and thrive in hot , wry experimental condition ( like heated houses ) . They can multiply quickly as a female person can lay up to 300 egg in a life span of 45 twenty-four hour period without mating . Most of the damage to plants is because of the young larva which give on tender foliage and efflorescence tissue paper . This leads to ill-shapen development , injured flower petal and premature flower drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and expend screening on windows to keep them out . take or discard infest flora , keep them off from non - infested plants . Trap with icteric sticky cards or take reward of raw opposition such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good stiff rain shower of water will wash them off the plant . confab your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension agency for legal chemic recommendation . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , wanderer - alike brute which thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like het star sign ) . Spider tinge bung with piercing mouth parts , which cause plants to come out yellow and stippled . Leaf drop and plant death can occur with heavy infestations . wanderer soupcon can multiply quickly , as a female can lie up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 sidereal day . They also produce a entanglement which can get over infested leave of absence and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plants . Dry atmosphere seems to worsen the job , so ensure plants are on a regular basis watered , especially those preferring high humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check new plants prior to bringing them home from the garden centre or baby’s room . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and follow all recording label guidance . condense your sweat on the undersides of the folio as that is where spider mites generally know . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , wearisome - white , soft - bodied insects that bring forth a waxy powdery covering . They have thrust / suck up mouth parts that go down on the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small small-arm of cotton plant and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They attack a wide range of plant life . The young tend to move around until they receive a desirable alimentation spot , then they cling out in settlement and feed . Mealybugs can break a plant precede to yellow foliation and leafage drop . They also produce a sweet essence called honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can run to an unattractive mordant surface fungal growing call sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . confab your local garden shopping mall professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . Encourage instinctive enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to help reduce population floor of mealy bugs . pestilence : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , fly insect that look like tiny moths , which attack many types of plants . The flying adult stage choose the underside of leaves to feed and stock . Whiteflies can multiply quickly as a female person can lay up to 500 eggs in a life pair of 2 month . If a plant is overrun with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of fleeing insects when the plant is disturbed . whitefly can damp a works , eventually leading to plant death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also grow a unfermented meaning called honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an unattractive black Earth’s surface fungal growth telephone sooty mold .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; slay infest plants away from non - infested industrial plant ; use a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plant life ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with chicken viscid cards , apply labeled pesticide ; encourage natural foeman such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady cascade of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are shellfish , not worm . They can be ravening feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or extremely sweet-smelling . They may eat hole in leaf , strip intact bow , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - taradiddle silvery , unworthy trails .
bar and control condition : Keep your garden as clear as possible , eliminating concealing places such as leaf debris , over - turned gage , and tarp . Groundcover in shady place and heavy mulches furnish protection from the element and can be favorite concealment blank space . In the spring , patrol for and destroy ballock ( clusters of small semitransparent spheres ) and adults during crepuscle and dawn . Set out beer traps from late spring through declination .
Many chemical controls are uncommitted on the marketplace , but can be venomous and deadly for children and favourite ; take tending when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis normally find on plants that do not have enough air circulation or passable light . problem are tough where nights are cool and day are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually discover on the upper surface of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and drop off . New foliage come forth crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be shadow and often drops early on .
Prevention and Control : Plant immune varieties and space industrial plant properly so they find adequate igniter and aura circulation . Always water from below , observe water off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go soft on the nitrogen fertiliser . put on antifungal according to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow counsel precisely , not missing any required intervention . Sanitation is a must - clean up and get rid of all leaves , flowers , or dust in the fall and destruct . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are because of fungi or bacterium . brownish or black office and fleck may be either ragged or circular , with a water pawn or yellow - border coming into court . Insects , rain , foul garden tools , or even people can help its spreading .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant is teetotal . Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be graze up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be organise at soil level . For fungal leafage spots , use a recommend fungicide according to label direction .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , relate to mealy bugs , that can be a job on a encompassing miscellany of plants - indoor and outdoor . new scales crawl until they find a good alimentation 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 crushed side of foliage . They have pierce mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can weaken a plant lead to yellow foliage and foliage fall . They also create a sweet subject matter called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can lead to an untempting pitch-dark surface fungous increment called pitchy mould .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to contain . Isolate infest plants by from those that are not infested . look up your local garden center field professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal testimonial regarding their dominance . Encourage natural enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty modeling is a fungus that is regain on the airfoil of leaves . It feeds on honeydew melon excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale of measurement , or emmet . Though not serious , it is untempting when it cover / blackens the leaves and stem of the plant life . The serious way to control sooty mould is to operate the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty mold can usually be pass over from leaves with a damp cloth or lap off with a hose - end atomizer .