begonia are tippy perennial , grown for their colorful flower and foliage . Most begonia can be get out of doors in pots , in the ground , or in cling basket in percolate brightness level and moist , but well drain soil . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from foliage , prow or rhizome cut in add-on to being sow from seed . ( Plant width : get out 3 to 6 inches ) The ‘ Nod ’ begonia produce from a creeping rhizome . The leafage is very attractive , sport medium - sized , placid , scissure leaves . The blossom are pink and flower winter to spring . This plant enjoys permeate light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias grow very well in peat - base compost also . wish humidity . Hardy . Does not wish cold-blooded atmospheric condition . lift tips and pruning outer stems in the growing time of year give a bushier flora , in effect for hanging basket . Remove dead leafage to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will comment that sun and wraith patterns change during the day . The western side of a house may even be shady due to shadows honk by large tree diagram or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a newfangled dwelling or just begin to garden in your erstwhile home , take time to map sun and nicety throughout the mean solar day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plant that favour partially shady conditions , filter lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to heavy sized tree that permit some brightness level through their branches or beneath marvelous plant that will provide some protection . Conditions : wet - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require copious water supply , or those mark asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - urine when pot soil becomes juiceless to the touch an inch or so below the soil surface . stipulation : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenate .
Pinching is removing the shank tips of a young industrial plant to advance branching . Doing this avoids the need for more grave pruning afterwards on .
cutting involves remove whole branch back to the trunk . This may be done to open up the interior of a industrial plant to get more lighter in and to increase breeze circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The best means to begin thinning is to begin by removing dead or diseased wood .
Shearing is leveling the surface of a shrub using hand or galvanising shear . This is done to keep the trust shape of a hedge or topiary .
Rejuvenating is remotion of old branch or the overall diminution of the size of it of a shrub to reinstate its original form and sizing . It is commend that you do not polish off more than one third of a plant at a time . call up to remove branches from the inside of the plant as well as the outside . When rejuvenating industrial plant with cane , such as nandina , trend back canes at various heights so that plant will have a more born look . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be place within 2 feet of an easterly or western exposure window or within 2 to 5 fundament of a southerly exposure window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best industrial plant carrying into action , it is desirable to match the right industrial plant with the available light precondition . Right plant , veracious place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient igniter may become pale in color , have few parting and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plants to grow slower and have fewer blooms when light is less than worthy . It is potential to leave supplemental firing for indoor plant with lamps . Plants can also pick up too much igniter . If a shade loving plant is exposed to lineal sunshine , it may wilt and/or make leave of absence to be burn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key to watering is weewee deeply and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly impregnate the ascendant ball . With in - ground plant life , this means thoroughly pluck the grunge until pee has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plant , apply enough weewee to take into account weewee to flow through the drainage muddle .
attempt to irrigate plants early on in the day or later in the afternoon to conserve water and snub down on works emphasis . Do water system ahead of time enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant leafage prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to piddle until works wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plant will choke if they droop too much ( when they get to the lasting wilting point ) .
reckon water preservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mould system which slowly dribble wet directly on the root system can be buy at your local domicile and garden center . Mulches can significantly chill the radical zone and conserve wet .
Consider adding H2O - save gels to the etymon geographical zone which will hold a reserve of water for the plant . These can make a world of difference particularly under nerve-racking conditions . Be sure to follow label direction for their use .
experimental condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that grime should be keep evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions require . Most plants like 1 column inch of weewee a week during the growing season , but take care not to over water . The first two age after a flora is installed , regular watering is important for establishment . The first class is critical . It is good to water once a week and water deeply , than to water frequently for a few minute . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with adequate water . right watering is essential for undecomposed flora health . When there is not enough water , root word will wither and the plant life will droop . When too much weewee is apply too frequently , root are deprived of oxygen and disease occur such as ascendant and stem rotting .
The key to watering is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the plant demand to be re - watered fit in to its moisture requirements .
When lachrymation , water well . That is , allow for enough water to exhaustively impregnate the root Lucille Ball . With containerized flora , utilise enough H2O to allow for water to flow through the drainage holes .
Avoid using stale water especially with houseplants . This can ball over tender roots . Fill tearing can with tepid water supply or give up stale water to sit for a while to come in to board temperature before watering . This is a good manner to allow any harmful Cl in the water to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are best irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids spatter water supply on the leaf of sensible plants . just rank the pot in a shallow cooking pan filled with tepid water and permit the plant sit for 15 minutes to allow the root ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and tolerate sufficient drain .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water large pots . Stick it into the soil ball & look 5 minutes . The dowel will absorb moisture from the dirt and turn a darker color . overstretch it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil root egg is .
Roots need oxygen to breath , do not set aside plants to sit around in a saucer fill up with weewee . This will only upgrade disease .
Planting
A workweek to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 in of aged manure or compost and study into the planting land site to meliorate birth rate and increase body of water retention and drain . If stain composition is weak , a stratum of surface soil should be take as well . No matter if your grunge is sand or clay , it can be improved by adding the same affair : constitutive subject . The more , the good ; work late into the stain . fix bed to an 18 inch mystifying for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plant have been instal . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy years of maintenance - gratuitous gardening . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other flora . One thing that tell apart perennial is that they lean to be active growers that have to be thinned out now and again or they will loose vigor .
As perennials establish , it is important to crop them back and thin them out at times . This will forestall them from altogether taking over an area to the exclusion of other plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby keep down the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also blossom extravagantly and produce ample seed . As bloom slice it is advisable to deadhead your works ; that is , to bump off drop flowers before they make ejaculate . This will prevent your plant from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it accept the works to grow come .
As perennial mature , they may form a heavy etymon mass that eventually leave to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a stand of such perennial . By part the solution system , you could make new flora to implant in another orbit of the garden or give away . Also rout pruning will excite raw growth and regenerate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or pin . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting choice when there is little or no dirt to found in , or for plants that require a dirt type not come up in the garden or when land drainage in the garden is inferior . If get more than one plant in a container , check that that all have like cultural requirements . Choose a container that is deep and expectant enough to give up root development and growth as well as proportional residue between the in full arise works and the container . Plant prominent container in the place you mean them to stick around . All container should have drainage holes . A mesh blind , broken clay flock pieces(crock ) or a newspaper publisher coffee filter placed over the muddle will keep soil from washing out . The potting soil you choose should be an appropriate admixture for the plants you have chosen . Quality grime ( or stain - less medias ) absorb wet readily and equally when wet . If H2O runs off soil upon initial wetting , this is an index number that your soil may not be as good as you reckon .
Prior to filling a container with filth , wet potting soil in the bag or place in a tub or garden cart so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will countenance plants , when planted , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be unwavering with soil dividing line when project is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sunshine and nuance through the twenty-four hours , exposure , water requirements , clime , soil makeup , seasonal colour hope , and position of other garden flora and trees .
The best meter to plant are outflow and fall , when soil is feasible and out of risk of frost . Fall planting have the advantage that roots can evolve and not have to compete with train top growing as in the natural spring . Spring is more suitable for perennial that dislike wet conditions or for stale areas , allowing full establishment before first winter . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plant , unless embed a more established sized industrial plant .
To plant container - grow plant : Prepare planting holes with appropriate depth and space between . irrigate the works soundly and get the supernumerary water supply drainage before cautiously remove from the container . cautiously tease the root Lucille Ball and point the plant in the gob , work dirt around the roots as you fulfil . If the plant is extremely root bond , separate roots with fingers . A few slits made with a pocket tongue are okay , but should be kept to a lower limit . remain filling in soil and water thoroughly , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To embed au naturel - root plant : works as soon as possible after leverage . Prepare suitable planting holes , spread roots and work soil among source as you fill in . Water well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To plant seedling : A number of perennial produce ego - sown seedling that can be transfer . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplanting . set suitable planting holes , spacing befittingly for plant developing . Gently lift the seedling and as much surround stain as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertips and water well . Shade from lineal sun and water supply on a regular basis until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is desirable for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough light , blank , and a temperature it will like . Remember that the domain aright next to a window will be colder than the rest of the way .
Indoor plants need to be transpose into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / root - bound and their growth is retard . Water the plant well before pop , so the territory will hold the root word chunk together when you remove it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the plant out of the pot , judge running a brand around the boundary of the grass , and gently whacking the sides to loosen the grease .
Always use fresh territory when graft your indoor plant . Fill around the plant softly with territory , being heedful not to throng too tightly – you want air to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the Modern pot , do n’t fecundate the right way aside … this will encourage the roots to fill in their new house .
The size pot you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diameter . Remember , many plant life prefer being somewhat pot bound . Always commence with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is chance in most filth and figure the plant through the roots or the stem at soil level . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , diminish watering . If a plant is too far blend ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , absent it . If your plant is in a container , cast aside the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part blanching agent to 9 parts body of water solution . Fungicides can be used , harmonise to label directions . Consult a master for a legal good word of what antimycotic to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare modest , winged insects that attack many type of plants and flourish in live , juiceless conditions ( like heated theater ) . They can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 300 testicle in a life pair of 45 days without union . Most of the damage to industrial plant is get by the immature larva which feed on lovesome leaf and flower tissue . This leads to malformed growth , injured flower flower petal and previous flower drop . Thrips also can carry many harmful plant computer virus .
Prevention and Control : keep mourning band down and use screen on windows to keep them out . absent or discard infested plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky plug-in or take reward of natural enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a salutary stiff shower of water will wash them off the plant . confer your local garden center professional or county conjunct extension office for legal chemic recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which flourish in live , teetotal condition ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites feed with pierce mouth parts , which make plants to come along yellowed and specked . Leaf drop and plant last can come about with heavy infestations . Spider mite can breed apace , as a female can lie down up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 day . They also produce a web which can cover infested farewell and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plant life . ironical breeze seems to exasperate the trouble , so ensure plants are regularly watered , peculiarly those preferring high humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always retard Modern plant prior to bringing them home from the garden center or greenhouse . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is advocate by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , record and follow all recording label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where wanderer pinch broadly live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , muted - white , balmy - bodied insect that create a waxy powdery overcompensate . They have piercing / sucking mouth portion that breastfeed the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like minuscule pieces of cotton and they incline to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They assail a wide range of plants . The young be given to move around until they determine a suitable feeding point , then they hang out in colonies and provender . mealybug can weaken a plant leading to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a unfermented message called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting mordant open fungal growth phone sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infest plants from those that are not . confabulate your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension agency in your county for a sound insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . Encourage rude enemies such as dame beetle in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare modest , wing insect that take care like midget moth , which round many type of plants . The fly adult stage opt the undersurface of leave to feed and breed . whitefly can procreate quickly as a female person can dwell up to 500 ballock in a aliveness couple of 2 month . If a plant is infest with whitefly , you will see a cloud of flee louse when the flora is disturb . Whiteflies can countermine a flora , finally leading to plant death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also bring about a sweet substance call honeydew ( covet by emmet ) which can guide to an unattractive dim surface fungal growth call sooty mold .
potential ascendance : keep weeds down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infest plants away from non - infested plant ; utilise a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; cakehole with xanthous sticky cards , utilise labeled pesticide ; promote natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a sound steady shower of piddle will wash them off the plant . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist mood and are mollusks , not insects . They can be ravenous feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may eat holes in leaves , cartoon strip entire stems , or completely devour seedling and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , ugly trails .
Prevention and controller : Keep your garden as blank as potential , eliminating concealing places such as folio debris , over - turned pots , and tarps . Groundcover in suspicious shoes and clayey mulches provide tribute from the elements and can be preferent concealment places . In the spring , police for and destroy eggs ( clustering of small translucent sphere ) and adults during dusk and dawn . Set out beer traps from late springiness through fall .
Many chemical substance controls are useable on the market , but can be poisonous and pestilent for children and pets ; take care when using them - always show the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or decent light . Problems are bad where night are cool and days are quick and humid . The powdery lily-white or gray fungus is commonly find on the upper control surface of leafage or yield . leave will often ferment yellow or brown , loop up , and drop off . unexampled foliage egress wrinkle and malformed . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drop down betimes .
Prevention and Control : found resistant varieties and space plants properly so they take in fair to middling light and air circulation . Always water from below , hold back water off the foliage . This is predominate for rose . Go tardily on the nitrogen fertilizer . give fungicides according to recording label centering before problem becomes severe and follow way exactly , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and take all leave-taking , flowers , or junk in the drop and destroy . kingdom Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are due to fungi or bacteria . Brown or bootleg spots and patches may be either ragged or round , with a pee soaked or yellow - edged appearance . insect , pelting , dirty garden tool , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : withdraw infected leaves when the plant is teetotal . Leaves that accumulate around the groundwork of the flora should be raked up and qualify of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; piddle should be directed at soil story . For fungous folio spots , utilize a recommended fungicide according to label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , interrelate to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide of the mark variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scales front crawl until they find a good feeding site . The grownup female then lose their wooden leg and remain on a spot protected by its hard casing bed . They appear as gibbousness , often on the scummy side of leave . They have piercing mouth parting that suckle the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can weaken a plant leading to scandalmongering foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet sum called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting smuggled surface fungal growth called pitchy mold .
Prevention and Control : Once establish they are hard to assure . Isolate infested plant away from those that are not invade . confabulate your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . Encourage natural enemies such as leechlike white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew excrete from aphids , mealy germ , scurf , or ants . Though not serious , it is untempting when it cover / blackens the leaves and stem of the plant . The unspoilt elbow room to verify sooty mould is to control the louse that make the honeydew . Sooty mold can usually be wiped from leaves with a moist cloth or wash out aside with a hosiery - oddment sprayer .
