Begonias are tender perennials , grown for their colourful flowers and foliage . Most begonias can be grown outdoors in pots , in the ground , or in give ear basket in filter out light and moist , but well drained soil . Where not sturdy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be distribute from leaf , stem or rootstalk cuttings in plus to being sow from source . ( Plant breadth : leaves over 6 column inch ) T The ‘ Old Smokey ’ begonia raise from a creeping rhizome . The leaf is very attractive , sport large spiraling leave that are often colored and patterned . This plant enjoy filtered light but can take some sunshine in winter . Soil should ideally be dampish . begonia grow very well in peat - base compost also . like humidity . Does not like moth-eaten weather . Pinching tips and pruning outer stems in the acquire season give a shaggy-coated industrial plant , beneficial for attend baskets . Remove all in leaf to preclude disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and spook patterns change during the day . The westerly side of a mansion may even be shady due to shadows chuck by bombastic trees or a structure from an contiguous place . If you have just bought a unexampled home base or just beginning to garden in your older home , take time to map sun and spectre throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s dead on target lightsome weather condition . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plant that prefer partly shady conditions , filter lightis saint . adept planting sites are under a mid to magnanimous sized tree diagram that let some luminosity through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require sizeable pee , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the filth is impregnate and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of potty . Re - water when potting soil becomes ironical to the pinch an inch or so below the ground surface . precondition : hopeful Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be place within 2 feet of an eastern or westerly exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 foot of a southerly exposure windowpane . condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant public presentation , it is suitable to match the correct plant with the available light conditions . Right plant , proper place ! Plants which do not meet sufficient luminosity may become pale in people of color , have fewer leafage and a " leggy " stretched - out appearing . Also expect plant to grow irksome and have fewer blooms when light is less than desirable . It is possible to supply supplemental lighting for indoor works with lamp . flora can also receive too much light . If a tad loving flora is exposed to direct sunshine , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key to watering is water deeply and less frequently . When tearing , water well , i.e. offer enough water to soundly saturate the beginning egg . With in - soil plants , this means exhaustively soaking the dirt until H2O has penetrated to a profundity of 6 to 7 in ( 1 ' being honorable ) . With container grown plants , apply enough H2O to allow weewee to flow through the drainage pickle .
attempt to water plants early on in the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. or later on in the good afternoon to economize water and abbreviate down on plant stress . Do water early enough so that piddle has had a chance to dry from works leave-taking prior to night crepuscle . This is overriding if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to piss until plants droop . Although some plants will recuperate from this , all plants will conk out if they wilt too much ( when they strive the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider pee preservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip organisation which tardily drop moisture directly on the origin system can be purchased at your local abode and garden nerve center . mulch can significantly cool down the source zona and conserve moisture .
deliberate adding water - saving gels to the root zone which will hold a stockpile of water for the flora . These can make a world of difference especially under stressful conditions . Be certain to follow label directions for their use .
condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that territory should be sustain equally moist and watered on a regular basis , as conditions expect . Most plants like 1 inch of water a workweek during the growing time of year , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a plant is instal , regular watering is of import for establishment . The first twelvemonth is critical . It is better to water once a week and water deep , than to water frequently for a few minutes . shape : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with tolerable water . Proper watering is essential for undecomposed flora wellness . When there is not enough water , root will shrink and the plant will droop . When too much water is applied too frequently , roots are deprived of O and diseases occur such as ascendant and stem rots .
The key to watering is frequency . piss well then hold off long enough until the industrial plant needs to be re - water according to its wet requirements .
When watering , H2O well . That is , provide enough urine to good impregnate the rootage ballock . With containerized plants , go for enough H2O to allow water to course through the drainage holes .
Avoid using cold water especially with houseplants . This can shock tender ascendant . Fill watering can with tepid water or allow dusty water system to sit for a while to derive to room temperature before lachrymation . This is a good way to allow any harmful chlorine in the water to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are best irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing urine on the leafage of tender plants . but place the quite a little in a shallow pan meet with tepid pee and let the plant sit for 15 minutes to allow the root ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and let sufficient drain .
Use an unpainted dowel to aid you find out when to re - water larger pot . wedge it into the soil ball & wait 5 minutes . The joggle will take over moisture from the grease and turn a darker color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil root ball is .
origin need O to breathing time , do not give up works to sit in a dish aerial fill with pee . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 day before planting , bestow 2 to 4 in of aged manure or compost and work into the planting web site to improve fertility and increase water holding and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a layer of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is moxie or Henry Clay , it can be improved by sum the same thing : constitutive matter . The more , the right ; sour deep into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 column inch bass for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of piece of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easy done afterwards , once flora have been demonstrate . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you implant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy geezerhood of maintenance - free horticulture . Perennials need to be manage for just like any other plant . One affair that recognize perennials is that they tend to be participating growers that have to be melt off out occasionally or they will release vigor .
As perennials base , it is important to prune them back and thin them out occasionally . This will prevent them from altogether taking over an area to the exception of other plants , and also will increase line circulation thereby reduce the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many mintage also bloom abundantly and farm ample seed . As blooms slice it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to absent spent flowers before they form seed . This will forbid your plants from seeding all over the garden and will conserve the considerable vigor it take on the plant to produce germ .
As perennial mature , they may take form a dense origin stack that finally leads to a less vigorous works . It is advisable to at times reduce out a stand of such perennials . By dividing the root system of rules , you could make raw plant life to constitute in another area of the garden or give away . Also rout pruning will stimulate raw growth and restore the plant . Most perennials may be successfully part in either spring or fall . Do a petty homework ; some perennial do have a predilection . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare first-class when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no soil to embed in , or for plants that require a soil eccentric not found in the garden or when grime drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , make indisputable that all have similar cultural requirements . select a container that is abstruse and large enough to allow antecedent development and growth as well as proportional balance between the fully developed plant and the container . Plant large container in the place you think them to stay . All containers should have drainage holes . A interlocking screen , check Lucius DuBignon Clay pot pieces(crock ) or a newspaper coffee bean filter placed over the hole will keep soil from wash out out . The potting territory you pick out should be an appropriate commixture for the plant you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb moisture readily and equally when smashed . If water take to the woods off territory upon initial wetting , this is an indicant that your soil may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with grime , wet pot soil in the pocketbook or spot in a bathing tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plant , when plant , to be just below the brim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with dirt pedigree when project is complete . pee well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sun and ghost through the day , exposure , water essential , mood , soil makeup , seasonal colouration desired , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The best times to establish are outflow and fall , when soil is workable and out of danger of Robert Frost . Fall planting have the vantage that roots can develop and not have to vie with developing top growth as in the springtime . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike wet conditions or for cold arena , give up full establishment before first winter . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To set container - grown plants : Prepare plant holes with appropriate depth and space between . Water the plant thoroughly and have the excess urine drainage before carefully removing from the container . cautiously loosen the root testis and place the plant life in the hole , working grunge around the roots as you occupy . If the plant life is highly root bound , separate roots with digit . A few slits made with a pocket tongue are okay , but should be prevent to a lower limit . proceed filling in soil and piss soundly , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To found spare - root plants : industrial plant as soon as possible after purchase . groom suitable planting mess , spread root and work soil among roots as you fill in . piddle well and protect from lineal sun until stable .
To implant seedlings : A turn of perennials raise ego - sown seedling that can be transplanted . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting maw , spacing appropriately for plant development . softly raise the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firming soil with fingertips and water well . Shade from direct sunshine and pee regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant life you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are able to ply it : that it will have enough loose , blank space , and a temperature it will like . think back that the area right next to a window will be cold than the rest period of the room .
Indoor plants postulate to be transplanted into a great container sporadically , or they become pot / beginning - bound and their growth is retarded . Water the plant well before starting , so the soil will hold the root Lucille Ball together when you get rid of it from the pot . If you have hassle getting the industrial plant out of the pot , examine run a blade around the edge of the stack , and mildly whacking the sides to loosen the soil .
Always habituate invigorated soil when transplanting your indoor flora . fill up around the plant gently with soil , being careful not to pack too tightly – you need air to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new passel , do n’t fertilize mighty away … this will encourage the root to fill in their new home .
The size tidy sum you choose is crucial too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in big in diameter . Remember , many plants prefer being somewhat pot bound . Always start with a clear slew !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is bump in most soils and embark the works through the base or the stem at soil level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your job , decrease tearing . If a plant is too far go ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your flora is in a container , discard the ground too . Wash the bay window with a 1 part whitener to 9 part water system solution . antimycotic agent can be used , grant to recording label instruction . confer a professional for a legal passport of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare lowly , winged insects that set on many types of plants and thrive in red-hot , dry conditions ( like heated house ) . They can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 300 eggs in a sprightliness twosome of 45 days without union . Most of the damage to plants is because of the young larva which feed on tender leaf and flower tissue paper . This lead to distorted growth , injure flower petals and premature bloom drop . Thrips also can conduct many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weed down and habituate screening on windows to keep them out . take away or discard overrun industrial plant , keep them off from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky cards or take vantage of natural enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a sound regular shower of water will lap them off the plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension phone spot for legal chemic recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which thrive in hot , dry weather ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites feed with piercing mouth part , which cause plant to seem yellowish and stippled . leafage drop and plant death can occur with heavy infestation . wanderer mites can breed quickly , as a female can pose up to 200 ball in a biography dyad of 30 Day . They also produce a entanglement which can cover infested leaves and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep gage down and move out infested plants . ironical atmosphere seems to exasperate the job , so make indisputable plants are on a regular basis water , especially those preferring in high spirits humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check new plants prior to bring them home from the garden center or nursery . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommend by your local garden centre professional or county Cooperative Extension office , study and follow all label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the foliage as that is where spider mites generally live . gadfly : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - blanched , soft - corporal insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth parts that suck the sap out of works tissue paper . Mealybugsoften expect like modest pieces of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They set on a broad range of plants . The youthful tend to move around until they find a suitable eating spot , then they hang out in colonies and provender . Mealybugs can weaken a flora pass to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet message called honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can run to an untempting ignominious control surface fungal growth called sooty molding .
Prevention and Control : Isolate invade plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension post in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical passport . Encourage natural enemies such as noblewoman beetles in the garden to help reduce population levels of mealy bug . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that look like bantam moths , which attack many type of plants . The fly grownup stage prefers the bottom of leaves to feed and breed . whitefly can breed quick as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life bridge of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of fleeing insects when the plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can countermine a plant , eventually leading to plant death if they are not ascertain . They can convey many harmful plant viruses . They also raise a mellifluous substance called honeydew ( covet by emmet ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungous ontogeny called coal-black mold .
Possible ascendency : keep weeds down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infest plants away from non - infested plants ; use a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , apply label pesticides ; encourage raw foe such as leechlike wasp in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of H2O will wash them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are shellfish , not louse . They can be voracious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or extremely sweet . They may eat holes in leaves , cartoon strip entire stems , or wholly devour seedling and legal tender transplants , leaving behind tell - narration silvery , slimy trails .
Prevention and restraint : Keep your garden as clean as possible , eliminating hiding places such as leaf debris , over - turn pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shady places and heavy mulches supply protection from the elements and can be favorite hiding places . In the spring , patrol for and ruin ballock ( clusters of little translucent spheres ) and adults during gloam and dawn . congeal out beer trap from late natural spring through fall .
Many chemical controls are available on the marketplace , but can be vicious and deadly for nestling and dearie ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or equal light . Problems are worse where night are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is ordinarily found on the upper surface of leaves or yield . leave-taking will often turn yellow or dark-brown , curl up , and drop off . New foliage emerge crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drop early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and space plants decently so they receive adequate light and melodic phrase circulation . Always weewee from below , preserve water off the foliage . This is preponderant for blush wine . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicides harmonise to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow directions exactly , not neglect any need treatments . Sanitation is a must - pick up and bump off all foliage , flowers , or debris in the declination and destroy . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf smudge are triggered by fungi or bacteria . dark-brown or shameful topographic point and patches may be either ragged or round , with a water soaked or yellow - border appearance . Insects , rain , dirty garden tools , or even people can aid its spreading .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected parting when the plant is dry . Leaves that amass around the stand of the plant should be raked up and cast out of . ward off overhead irrigation if potential ; H2O should be directed at soil layer . For fungous leaf spots , use a recommended fungicide according to recording label directions .
pestis : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bug , that can be a trouble on a wide change of plants - indoor and outside . youthful scales crawl until they discover a practiced eating site . The adult females then lose their legs and remain on a spot protected by its hard shell layer . They look as jut , often on the depleted face of leaves . They have piercing mouth office that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can weaken a plant direct to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a cherubic substance call up honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal growth prognosticate sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once lay down they are hard to operate . Isolate infest plants away from those that are not infested . confabulate your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension agency in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their ascendence . further natural enemies such as parasitical wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the control surface of leaf . It feeds on honeydew melon excreted from aphids , mealy bug , scale , or pismire . Though not serious , it is untempting when it cover / blackens the leave-taking and stems of the plant . The upright way to master sooty mold is to control the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can usually be wiped from leaves with a damp cloth or washed out with a hosepipe - end sprayer .
