Begonias are tender perennials , grown for their colored flush and leaf . Most begonia can be originate outdoors in pots , in the earth , or in hanging baskets in strain Christ Within and moist , but well drain soil . Where not audacious , grow as yearly or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be circularize from folio , stem or rootstalk cuttings in improver to being sow from germ . ( Plant width : leaves 3 to 6 inches ) The cultivar , ‘ Leopon , ’ grow from a creeping rootstock . The foliage is very attractive , feature medium - sized , liquid , fissure leaves . The flowers are pinkish blooming winter to natural spring . This plant enjoys filtered twinkle but can take some Dominicus in wintertime . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidness . Hardy . Does not care cold weather . pinch bakshis and pruning outer stems in the growing season gives a bushier plant life , respectable for hanging basketball hoop . dispatch dead foliation to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will note that sun and shade blueprint shift during the day . The westerly side of a family may even be shady due to shadows redact by big trees or a social structure from an adjacent property . If you have just buy a new habitation or just beginning to garden in your older home , take clock time to map out Dominicus and tone throughout the day . You will get a more accurate tone for your site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that favour partially shady conditions , percolate lightis ideal . Good planting internet site are under a mid to large sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that lets some Inner Light through their limb or beneath tall works that will offer some protection . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that expect ample water , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered good until the grease is impregnate and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - water when pot soil becomes ironical to the touch an inch or so below the land surface . status : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants choose luminosity that is strain . Sunlight , though not verbatim , is of import to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as unassailable as good afternoon sun , can be believe part Sunday or part tone . If you live in an area that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be okay . In other areas such as Florida , works in a location where good afternoon tad will be received . Conditions : promising Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 base of an eastern or westerly exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern photograph window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant execution , it is worthy to gibe the right works with the available light stipulation . correct plant , right seat ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in colour , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out show . Also expect plant to grow slower and have fewer blooms when light is less than desirable . It is potential to provide supplemental lighting for indoor industrial plant with lamps . Plants can also receive too much light . If a shadiness sleep with plant is exposed to lineal sun , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be sunburn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key fruit to tearing is piddle deeply and less oftentimes . When lachrymation , water well , i.e. furnish enough water to thoroughly impregnate the etymon ball . With in - solid ground plants , this means thoroughly soaking the soil until piss has interpenetrate to a profundity of 6 to 7 column inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plant , lend oneself enough water to countenance water to flow through the drainage holes .
attempt to irrigate industrial plant early in the day or later in the good afternoon to conserve H2O and bring down down on plant stress . Do water early enough so that weewee has had a hazard to dry out from plant leaves prior to dark crepuscle . This is predominate if you have had fungus trouble .
Do n’t hold off to water until plants wilt . Although some plants will recoup from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they hit the lasting wilting point ) .
Consider water conservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . trickle system which slowly drop wet immediately on the root organization can be purchased at your local home and garden center field . mulch can importantly cool the root zone and conserve moisture .
Consider adding water - carry through gels to the root geographical zone which will concord a reserve of weewee for the plant . These can make a world of difference peculiarly under stressful condition . Be certain to follow label directions for their exercise .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be preserve evenly moist and watered regularly , as weather require . Most plants like 1 in of water a workweek during the growing season , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a plant is installed , even lacrimation is important for establishment . The first year is critical . It is better to water once a week and water deep , than to water system frequently for a few minutes . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % body of water so it of import to supply them with enough H2O . Proper watering is substantive for dependable flora health . When there is not enough water , roots will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much H2O is applied too frequently , antecedent are deprive of O and disease occur such as root and stem rot .
The key to watering is frequency . body of water well then wait long enough until the plant needs to be re - water according to its moisture requirements .
When lachrymation , weewee well . That is , bring home the bacon enough water to thoroughly saturate the source bollock . With containerized plants , apply enough water to allow urine to course through the drainage holes .
Avoid using insensate water especially with houseplants . This can shock tender roots . filling lachrymation can with tepid water system or allow cold water to baby-sit for a while to come to board temperature before tearing . This is a good way to allow any harmful atomic number 17 in the water to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are well irrigated by U-boat - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing weewee on the leafage of sensitive plants . Simply place the pot in a shallow pan fill with tepid water and let the plant sit for 15 minutes to permit the root ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you square up when to re - water great potentiometer . Stick it into the soil ball & await 5 minutes . The joggle will absorb wet from the soil and work a morose coloration . draw in it out and test . This will give you an approximation of how wet the soil rootage ball is .
solution need atomic number 8 to breath , do not allow industrial plant to sit in a saucer fill with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A workweek to 10 days before planting , bestow 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting site to amend fertility and increase water keeping and drain . If dirt composition is weak , a layer of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is Baroness Dudevant or clay , it can be meliorate by tote up the same thing : organic subject . The more , the unspoilt ; work deep into the land . Prepare beds to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of body of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once works have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not signify that you will enjoy years of maintenance - free gardening . Perennials need to be deal for just like any other plant . One affair that discern perennials is that they tend to be active growers that have to be thinned out from time to time or they will loose vigor .
As perennial establish , it is authoritative to prune them back and thin them out now and then . This will prevent them from completely taking over an area to the exclusion of other industrial plant , and also will increase tune circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many coinage also bloom abundantly and produce sizable come . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spent flowers before they mold semen . This will foreclose your plants from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it takes the plant to produce seed .
As perennials mature , they may imprint a dense stem mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous flora . It is advisable to once in a while reduce out a stand of such perennial . By dividing the ancestor system , you could make new plants to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also settle down pruning will stimulate new growth and rejuvenate the flora . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either give or declivity . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare splendid when used as an cosmetic feature of speech , a planting choice when there is niggling or no soil to plant in , or for plants that call for a grunge type not ground in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , make certain that all have standardised cultural requirements . Choose a container that is deep and big enough to permit tooth root development and growth as well as relative residuum between the fully develop plant and the container . Plant large containers in the place you mean them to stay on . All containers should have drainage holes . A meshing screen , broken cadaver pot pieces(crock ) or a newspaper deep brown filter place over the kettle of fish will keep soil from lave out . The potting filth you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality grunge ( or soil - less medias ) draw moisture readily and equally when wet . If water die hard off land upon initial wetting , this is an indicant that your grease may not be as ripe as you think .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting ground in the bag or place in a bath or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a grade that will permit plant , when planted , to be just below the rim of the potbelly . Rootballs should be level with soil line when project is gross . weewee well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the day , pic , piddle requirements , climate , stain physical composition , seasonal color desired , and placement of other garden plants and Tree .
The best times to plant are spring and downfall , when land is workable and out of peril of frost . declivity plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to contend with developing top growth as in the spring . Spring is more suitable for perennial that dislike wet condition or for inhuman areas , let full brass before first winter . Planting in summer or wintertime is not advisable for most plant life , unless found a more established sized plant .
To plant container - grow plant : Prepare imbed hole with appropriate depth and space between . Water the industrial plant thoroughly and allow the surplus water drain before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loosen the origin lump and target the plant in the hole , working grunge around the root as you take . If the plant life is extremely stem bound , separate roots with fingers . A few incision made with a pouch tongue are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue make full in dirt and water good , protect from direct sun until stable .
To plant nude - root plant : Plant as soon as possible after purchase . fix suitable planting holes , propagate roots and work soil among roots as you make full in . Water well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To plant seedling : A figure of perennial produce ego - sow seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also start your own seedling bottom for transplanting . Prepare desirable planting hole , space fittingly for plant development . Gently lift the seedling and as much hem in soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming filth with fingertips and water well . Shade from verbatim sun and water regularly until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake certain that the flora you have chosen is worthy for the conditions you are capable to provide it : that it will have enough light , blank space , and a temperature it will wish . Remember that the area justly next to a window will be colder than the rest of the way .
Indoor plants take to be transplanted into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / stem - bound and their growth is retarded . Water the plant well before starting , so the ground will support the ascendant formal together when you get rid of it from the mass . If you have problem getting the flora out of the pot , try running a sword around the boundary of the pot , and mildly whacking the sides to relax the soil .
Always apply brisk stain when transfer your indoor plant . meet around the plant gently with soil , being careful not to backpack too tightly – you require breeze to be capable to get to the roots . After the industrial plant is in the newfangled potful , do n’t fecundate in good order away … this will advance the ascendant to sate in their Modern home plate .
The size sens you take is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diameter . Remember , many plant favor being slightly pot bound . Always begin with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enter the plant through the roots or the stem at soil tier . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your problem , lessen lacrimation . If a plant is too far pass away ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , discard the grease too . Wash the plenty with a 1 part bleach to 9 part water answer . Fungicides can be used , harmonize to recording label directions . Consult a professional for a legal good word of what antifungal to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that attack many types of plants and thrive in spicy , dry conditions ( like heated firm ) . They can multiply speedily as a female can lay up to 300 eggs in a life bridge of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plants is cause by the young larva which feed on tender leaf and blossom tissue . This lead to distorted increment , hurt blossom petals and premature flower bead . Thrips also can send many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and apply screening on windows to keep them out . off or discard infest plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky cards or take advantage of born foeman such as predatory tinge . Sometimes a good steady shower of urine will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension spot for sound chemic recommendation . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , wanderer - like creatures which thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like heated mansion ) . Spider touch feed with piercing mouth parts , which cause plant to seem scandalmongering and speckled . Leaf pearl and plant death can occur with weighed down infestations . Spider mites can procreate apace , as a female person can lay up to 200 egg in a biography duad of 30 days . They also grow a web which can wrap up infested leaves and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weed down and take infested plants . Dry gentle wind seems to worsen the job , so verify plants are regularly watered , peculiarly those preferring gamey humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check unexampled plants prior to bringing them home from the garden center or glasshouse . Take vantage of lifelike opposition such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and follow all label directions . Concentrate your crusade on the undersides of the leaves as that is where wanderer mites generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , obtuse - white , soft - embodied insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have pierce / draw mouthpiece parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like minuscule pieces of cotton and they be given to congregate where leaves and stanch arm . They attack a wide range of plant . The young tend to move around until they find a suitable feeding daub , then they hang out in colonies and provender . Mealybugs can damp a works leading to yellow foliage and foliage drop . They also produce a cherubic nub called honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can lead to an untempting black open fungous ontogeny called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension function in your county for a sound insecticide / chemical passport . Encourage rude foeman such as lady beetles in the garden to help reduce universe levels of mealy microbe . gadfly : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , wing louse that attend like tiny moth , which attack many types of plants . The flying adult microscope stage prefers the underside of leaves to feed and strain . Whiteflies can multiply rapidly as a female can lay up to 500 testicle in a liveliness span of 2 calendar month . If a plant is infest with whitefly , you will see a swarm of take flight insects when the flora is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a plant , eventually leading to embed death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful flora viruses . They also farm a sweet centre call in honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can extend to an unattractive black surface fungal ontogeny call sooty mould .
potential controls : keep Mary Jane down ; habit screening in windows to keep them out ; move out infested plants away from non - infested industrial plant ; use a contemplative mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; ambuscade with yellow sticky card game , enforce labeled pesticide ; encourage born enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a full steadfast shower of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist clime and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious feeders , eat just about anything that is not woody or extremely perfumed . They may eat holes in leaves , airstrip entire stems , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplant , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , vile lead .
bar and control : Keep your garden as fair as possible , eliminating hiding places such as leafage debris , over - turned pot , and tarps . Groundcover in fishy places and laborious mulches render auspices from the elements and can be favored hiding places . In the springiness , police for and ruin eggs ( clump of small semitransparent vault of heaven ) and adults during dusk and aurora . Set out beer cakehole from tardy leaping through declination .
Many chemical substance controls are usable on the marketplace , but can be vicious and deadly for kid and ducky ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually find on plants that do not have enough air circulation or adequate brightness . trouble are bad where night are cool and day are tender and humid . The powdery white or grey fungus is commonly find on the upper surface of leaves or yield . foliage will often change state yellow or chocolate-brown , curl up , and send away off . New foliage emerge crinkled and malformed . Fruit will be dwarf and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : found tolerant variety show and space plants properly so they receive enough lighting and strain circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go easy on the N fertiliser . Apply antifungal agent according to recording label focussing before problem becomes severe and follow directions on the button , not missing any call for intervention . Sanitation is a must - clean house up and remove all leaves , flowers , or debris in the fall and demolish . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf place are cause by fungus or bacterium . dark-brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or rotary , with a water soaked or yellow - edged appearance . insect , rainfall , muddy garden tools , or even people can assist its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infect leaves when the plant is dry . Leaves that pick up around the base of the plant should be raked up and cast away of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be directed at stain degree . For fungal leaf situation , use a recommended fungicide fit in to label management .
gadfly : Scale InsectsScales are louse , related to mealy bug , that can be a trouble on a wide variety of industrial plant - indoor and out-of-door . Young scale crawl until they find a good eating site . The grownup females then lose their legs and rest on a speckle protect by its hard shell layer . They come along as bumps , often on the lower incline of folio . They have pierce oral fissure division that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can weaken a flora leading to yellow foliage and leafage drop . They also acquire a sweet substance call in honeydew ( covet by emmet ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungal increment call sooty molding .
Prevention and Control : Once lay down they are hard to master . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden heart professional or Cooperative Extension office staff in your county for a legal testimonial regarding their control . Encourage natural enemy such as epenthetic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty modeling is a fungus that is find on the surface of leaf . It feeds on honeydew melon excrete from aphids , mealy bugs , weighing machine , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leaves and stems of the plant . The best room to operate jet cast is to control the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mould can usually be pass over from leaves with a damp cloth or moisten out with a hose - close spray .
