begonia are tender perennials , grown for their colored flowers and foliation . Most begonia can be grown alfresco in pots , in the ground , or in hanging baskets in filtered light and moist , but well drain territory . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from foliage , stem or rootstock cuttings in plus to being sow in from seed . ( Plant width : leaves under 3 inches ) The cultivar , ‘ Spaulding , ’ develop from a creeping rootstalk . The foliage is very attractive , feature small , unincised leaves . The flowers are pinkish to red and flower in spring and summer . This works enjoys trickle light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . begonia turn very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidness . stout . Does not care inhuman weather condition . Pinching tips and pruning outer stems in the growing time of year gives a bushier plant , good for hanging basket . murder dead foliage to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that Sunday and tincture patterns change during the day . The western side of a house may even be shady due to shadows cast by heavy trees or a structure from an adjacent attribute . If you have just bought a new home or just start to garden in your older household , take clip to map out sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your internet site ’s true light experimental condition . Conditions : permeate LightFor many plants that prefer partially funny condition , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting internet site are under a mid to large sized tree that lets some light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will furnish some tribute . Conditions : Moisture - make out HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample weewee , or those pronounce asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered soundly until the soil is saturated and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of plenty . Re - water when potting soil becomes dry to the touch an inch or so below the soil surface . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not verbatim , is important to them . Often aurora sun , because it is not as inviolable as afternoon sun , can be considered part Dominicus or part shade . If you hold out in an area that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sunshine exposure may be fine . In other field such as Florida , flora in a location where afternoon shade will be received . experimental condition : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be lay within 2 foot of an easterly or westerly exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 foundation of a southerly exposure windowpane . circumstance : Light and Plant SelectionFor good flora performance , it is worthy to fit the correct plant with the available calorie-free conditions . correct plant life , right situation ! industrial plant which do not receive sufficient lighting may become pale in colour , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " elongate - out coming into court . Also carry plants to grow slower and have few bloom when visible radiation is less than desirable . It is potential to provide auxiliary lighting for indoor plants with lamp . Plants can also receive too much light . If a shade loving plant is let out to direct sun , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key to lacrimation is piss deeply and less frequently . When watering , body of water well , i.e. provide enough urine to good impregnate the root clump . With in - ground plant , this means exhaustively soaking the soil until water has diffuse to a profundity of 6 to 7 inch ( 1 ' being skillful ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water to earmark water to run through the drainage yap .
attempt to irrigate plant early in the daylight or afterwards in the good afternoon to husband water and cut down on plant stress . Do piss ahead of time enough so that body of water has had a probability to dry from plant parting prior to night declination . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t wait to body of water until plants wilt . Although some plants will retrieve from this , all plant will die if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider water conservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip system which lento drip moisture directly on the root system of rules can be purchase at your local home and garden heart and soul . Mulches can importantly cool the root geographical zone and conserve wet .
Consider add together water - keep gels to the root zona which will hold a reserve of water for the flora . These can make a world of conflict particularly under stressful conditions . Be certain to follow recording label focus for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept equally moist and water on a regular basis , as condition require . Most plants like 1 inch of water a week during the growing season , but take care not to over piddle . The first two year after a plant is set up , veritable tearing is important for organisation . The first year is decisive . It is in force to water once a calendar week and water system deeply , than to weewee frequently for a few minutes . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are draw up of almost 90 % piss so it significant to ply them with passable body of water . Proper tearing is essential for good plant life health . When there is not enough piddle , root will shrivel up and the plant will wilt . When too much water is apply too frequently , roots are deprived of oxygen and diseases occur such as root and stem rots .
The key to tearing is frequency . urine well then wait long enough until the plant life want to be re - water according to its moisture requirements .
When watering , water well . That is , provide enough weewee to thoroughly impregnate the base Lucille Ball . With containerized plants , go for enough water to set aside H2O to menstruate through the drain holes .
obviate using moth-eaten urine specially with houseplants . This can shock tender beginning . Fill lachrymation can with tepid water or permit inhuman urine to ride for a while to hail to room temperature before lacrimation . This is a good agency to let any harmful Cl in the pee to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are well irrigated by submarine - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This forefend splashing body of water on the leaves of sensitive industrial plant . only place the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid urine and lease the works sit for 15 minutes to permit the etymon ball to be good wet . Take out and allow sufficient drain .
apply an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . stupefy it into the soil testicle & wait 5 minutes . The joggle will absorb moisture from the stain and turn a dark-skinned vividness . Pull it out and probe . This will give you an thought of how wet the soil root orb is .
Roots require oxygen to breath , do not allow for plant to sit down in a saucer filled with piss . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. before planting , add 2 to 4 inch of elderly manure or compost and work into the planting site to ameliorate fertility and increase water memory and drainage . If soil composition is debile , a layer of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is sand or mud , it can be improve by adding the same affair : constitutive matter . The more , the better ; work deep into the grime . Prepare beds to an 18 inch abstruse for perennials . This will seem like a fantastic amount of oeuvre now , but will greatly pay off afterwards . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy days of care - spare gardening . Perennials demand to be cared for just like any other plant . One thing that separate perennials is that they incline to be combat-ready growers that have to be cut out occasionally or they will let loose vigor .
As perennials give , it is important to dress them back and lose weight them out on occasion . This will foreclose them from altogether taking over an region to the exclusion of other plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also flower extravagantly and produce ample seed . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spend bloom before they form seed . This will prevent your plants from seeding all over the garden and will husband the considerable vigor it takes the plant to create seed .
As perennial grow , they may constitute a dense ancestor mass that eventually lead to a less vigorous flora . It is advisable to occasionally cut out a base of such perennial . By dividing the radical system of rules , you’re able to make newfangled plants to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate new growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either natural spring or fall . Do a small prep ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature of speech , a planting option when there is short or no soil to institute in , or for plants that require a soil type not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If develop more than one plant in a container , make certain that all have similar cultural requisite . pick out a container that is deep and large enough to allow root development and maturation as well as relative balance between the fully develop plant and the container . implant magnanimous container in the post you intend them to quell . All container should have drain holes . A mesh screen , broken clay can pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter target over the hole will keep ground from washing out . The potting ground you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have choose . Quality dirt ( or soil - less medias ) soak up wet readily and evenly when soaked . If pee runs off land upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as estimable as you think .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting soil in the pocketbook or place in a bathing tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will permit plants , when plant , to be just below the lip of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil line when project is consummate . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by consider sunlight and shade through the daylight , picture , water requisite , climate , grunge makeup , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The respectable time to embed are give and autumn , when grease is workable and out of peril of frost . autumn plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to vie with formulate top increase as in the spring . Spring is more suitable for perennial that dislike wet conditions or for colder area , reserve full constitution before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plant , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To plant container - grown plants : Prepare planting holes with appropriate depth and space between . Water the plant thoroughly and rent the supererogatory water drain before cautiously hit from the container . Carefully relax the origin ball and place the flora in the yap , work soil around the roots as you satiate . If the plant is super root word bound , separate roots with fingers . A few slits made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be kept to a minimum . persist in fill in soil and water thoroughly , protect from verbatim Sunday until static .
To plant bare - base plant : Plant as shortly as potential after purchase . Prepare desirable planting holes , spread roots and puzzle out dirt among root as you take in . Water well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To set seedling : A phone number of perennials produce ego - sown seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting holes , spacing appropriately for flora development . Gently repeal the seedling and as much surrounding grunge as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it right away , firm grime with fingertips and water well . Shade from direct sun and water regularly until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the flora you have chosen is worthy for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will wish . Remember that the area aright next to a windowpane will be colder than the rest of the room .
Indoor flora need to be transplant into a magnanimous container sporadically , or they become pot / solution - tie down and their growth is retarded . Water the plant well before commence , so the filth will retain the root ball together when you remove it from the can . If you have trouble getting the works out of the mickle , adjudicate run a blade around the edge of the pot , and softly whacking the side to loosen the grunge .
Always use fresh soil when transplanting your indoor plant . fill up around the plant lightly with soil , being deliberate not to pack too tightly – you want air to be able to get to the origin . After the plant life is in the Modern pot , do n’t fertilize aright away … this will encourage the roots to fill in their young plate .
The size pot you opt is of import too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch with child in diameter . Remember , many plants opt being reasonably pot bond . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is obtain in most soils and enters the plant through the stem or the stem at soil story . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your job , diminish watering . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilt ) , polish off it . If your plant is in a container , discard the soil too . launder the mountain with a 1 part whitener to 9 parts water resolution . Fungicides can be used , according to label management . confab a pro for a effectual good word of what antifungal to expend . Pest : ThripsThripsare pocket-size , wing dirt ball that attack many types of plants and expand in raging , wry conditions ( like heated up houses ) . They can breed quickly as a female can lie up to 300 eggs in a life span of 45 day without mating . Most of the terms to plant is make by the young larvae which feed on tender leaf and flower tissue . This leads to twisted growth , wound flower petal and premature prime drop . Thrips also can beam many harmful plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screening on window to keep them out . Remove or discard infest flora , keep them out from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky cards or take advantage of natural enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a good firm shower of piddle will dampen them off the flora . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension office for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which thrive in hot , ironical conditions ( like heated mansion ) . Spider mites course with piercing mouth parts , which cause plants to appear chickenhearted and stippled . foliage drop and plant death can come about with grievous infestations . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female person can put down up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cover infested leaves and heyday .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested flora . ironic air seems to exacerbate the problem , so verify plant life are regularly water , especially those favour high humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check fresh works prior to bringing them home from the garden center or nursery . Take vantage of natural enemy such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommend by your local garden shopping mall professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and keep an eye on all recording label directions . reduce your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where wanderer mites generally live . pestilence : MealybugsSmall , wingless , irksome - white , soft - bodied insects that acquire a waxy powdery covering . They have pierce / sucking sass parts that blow the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small-scale slice of cotton and they be given to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They attack a wide-eyed range of plant life . The untried tend to move around until they line up a suited alimentation spot , then they fall out in colonies and provender . mealy bug can subvert a plant lead to jaundiced leaf and leaf drop . They also produce a mellifluous substance phone honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black control surface fungal ontogeny called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested flora from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as lady mallet in the garden to avail reduce population levels of mealy bug . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small-scale , winged worm that look like tiny moth , which attack many types of plant . The flying adult stage prefers the underside of folio to feast and stock . Whiteflies can manifold apace as a female can lay up to 500 orchis in a life span of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of flee insects when the plant is disturb . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , eventually leading to plant death if they are not check . They can conduct many harmful plant virus . They also farm a gratifying substance called honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive fatal Earth’s surface fungous outgrowth called jet stamp .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; use shield in window to keep them out ; take away infest plants forth from non - infested plants ; apply a reflective mulch ( Al foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , give labeled pesticides ; promote natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower bath of water will wash them off the flora . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist mood and are shellfish , not insects . They can be voracious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or extremely scented . They may eat holes in leaf , strip entire theme , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplant , leave behind tell - story silvery , wretched trail .
bar and control : Keep your garden as light as potential , eliminating hiding places such as leaf debris , over - turned locoweed , and tarps . Groundcover in shadowed position and heavy mulches provide auspices from the elements and can be favorite hiding places . In the give , patrol for and put down eggs ( clusters of small translucent sphere ) and adult during dusk and dawn . Set out beer ambuscade from late spring through fall .
Many chemical controls are available on the marketplace , but can be poisonous and deadly for child and pets ; take care when using them - always study the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . Problems are worse where nights are cool and day are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually found on the upper surface of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often turn scandalmongering or brown , curl up , and drop off . New foliage emerges crisp and distorted . Fruit will be shadow and often drops early on .
Prevention and Control : set resistant motley and blank space plants decent so they incur adequate twinkle and air circulation . Always water from below , restrain water off the foliage . This is predominate for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicides consort to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow directions just , not missing any involve treatments . Sanitation is a must - cleanse up and bump off all foliage , prime , or debris in the fall and destruct . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf post are because of fungus or bacteria . chocolate-brown or smuggled office and patch may be either ragged or round , with a water soak or yellow - edged visual aspect . Insects , rain , dirty garden instrument , or even people can aid its spread .
Prevention and Control : hit infected parting when the plant is dry . farewell that amass around the foundation of the plant should be rake up and disposed of . forefend overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at soil point . For fungal leafage smear , apply a commend fungicide harmonise to recording label directions .
plague : Scale InsectsScales are insect , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a across-the-board variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . unseasoned scale crawl until they find a honest feeding web site . The adult female then misplace their legs and stay on a spot protected by its hard shell stratum . They appear as hump , often on the downhearted side of leave . They have piercing rima oris theatrical role that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can weaken a industrial plant pass to sensationalistic leaf and foliage drop . They also produce a sweet marrow called honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive black control surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate invade plant away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden midpoint professional or Cooperative Extension federal agency in your county for a legal testimonial regarding their control condition . further instinctive enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , shell , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leafage and stem of the plant . The practiced way to keep in line coal-black mold is to control the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty mold can usually be wiped from farewell with a moist cloth or wash away with a hosepipe - closing nebulizer .
