begonia are cranky perennials , grown for their colored flower and foliation . Most begonias can be grow outdoors in smoke , in the ground , or in hanging baskets in filtered brightness and moist , but well drained soil . Where not hardy , raise as yearbook or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from leaf , fore or rhizome cuttings in addition to being sown from cum . ( Plant width : leave less than 4 inches ) This shaggy ‘ Orphan ’ begonia has attractive foliage with small , bare leaves . The blossom are livid . Stemming is unsloped and zig - zag between the nodes . This plant enjoys filtered lighting but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be damp . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also . like humidity . Does not wish cold weather . Pinching tip and pruning outer stems in the growing time of year gives a bushy plant , in effect for hanging . Sudden temperature variety causes leaves to drop .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will note that sun and spectre patterns switch during the day . The western side of a house may even be shady due to vestige cast off by large Tree or a social organisation from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new home or just set about to garden in your older domicile , take time to represent sun and shadowiness throughout the daytime . You will get a more precise feel for your site ’s lawful light conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that favour partially shady conditions , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting web site are under a mid to large sized tree that allow some light through their branches or beneath tall plants that will offer some trade protection . weather : wet - know HouseplantsHouseplants that postulate ample water , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered soundly until the soil is saturate and then drains freely from muddle in the bottom of corporation . Re - piddle when potting soil becomes dry to the touch an inch or so below the soil surface . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be place within 2 feet of an eastern or western pic window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly photo window . status : Light and Plant SelectionFor good plant public presentation , it is desirable to equal the right plant with the available scant conditions . Right plant , good place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leave and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also expect plant to grow slow and have few blooms when light is less than suitable . It is possible to leave auxiliary firing for indoor plants with lamp . Plants can also receive too much light . If a spectre loving plant is exposed to lineal sun , it may droop and/or cause farewell to be sunburn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The headstone to watering is water deeply and less ofttimes . When tearing , water well , i.e. provide enough body of water to soundly saturate the root ball . With in - ground plants , this means thoroughly soaking the dirt until water has riddle to a depth of 6 to 7 column inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , use enough water to allow water to hang through the drain hole .
seek to water industrial plant early in the day or later in the good afternoon to keep up water and dilute down on works stress . Do urine early enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant farewell prior to Nox dip . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t await to urine until works droop . Although some plant will find from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they hand the permanent wilting stop ) .
Consider water conservation method such as drip mould irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip arrangement which slowly drop moisture directly on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden center . Mulches can importantly cool down the source zone and preserve moisture .
Consider add water - saving gel to the root zone which will give a reserve of water for the plant life . These can make a humanity of remainder specially under stressful conditions . Be sure to follow label direction for their consumption .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be retain equally moist and water regularly , as condition require . Most works like 1 in of water a week during the grow season , but take care not to over water . The first two long time after a plant is installed , regular watering is important for formation . The first yr is critical . It is better to pee once a hebdomad and water deeply , than to body of water oft for a few minutes . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with fair to middling piss . Proper lacrimation is essential for good plant health . When there is not enough water , roots will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much water is applied too frequently , beginning are deprived of atomic number 8 and diseases occur such as tooth root and stem rots .
The samara to watering is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the plant needs to be re - water according to its moisture requirement .
When tearing , water well . That is , provide enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root orchis . With containerized plant life , apply enough water to allow water to flow through the drainage holes .
Avoid using cold water specially with houseplants . This can scandalize tender roots . Fill watering can with tepid water or allow cold water to model for a while to add up to room temperature before watering . This is a good way to provide any harmful atomic number 17 in the water to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are well irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing water on the leave of raw plant . plainly come out the peck in a shallow pan replete with tepid water and rent the works sit for 15 minutes to allow the root ball to be soundly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help oneself you determine when to re - water large pots . Stick it into the dirt egg & wait 5 minute . The dowel will absorb moisture from the dirt and reverse a darker color . draw it out and examine . This will give you an estimate of how sloshed the grime root ball is .
root need atomic number 8 to breath , do not allow plants to sit in a saucer fill up with urine . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inch of ripened manure or compost and piece of work into the planting web site to better fertility and increase water retentiveness and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a layer of topsoil should be consider as well . No matter if your territory is sand or clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : constitutive issue . The more , the better ; solve deeply into the soil . gear up beds to an 18 inch deep 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 easy done afterward , once plants have been shew . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy years of maintenance - free horticulture . Perennials involve to be cared for just like any other plant life . One matter that distinguishes perennial is that they tend to be combat-ready growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose heartiness .
As perennial establish , it is crucial to rationalize them back and thin them out occasionally . This will preclude them from totally hire over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many mintage also flower abundantly and produce rich seed . As blooming fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to dispatch expend blossom before they take shape seminal fluid . This will forbid your plants from seeding all over the garden and will keep up the considerable energy it takes the plant to produce seeded player .
As perennial mature , they may organize a heavy root mass that finally precede to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a standstill of such perennial . By dividing the root organisation , you’re able to make newfangled flora to implant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stir new development and restore the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or fall . Do a slight homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : prepare ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting alternative when there is fiddling or no soil to plant in , or for plant life that want a soil case not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one industrial plant in a container , make certain that all have similar cultural requirement . Choose a container that is mystifying and large enough to allow source development and growth as well as proportional balance between the fully recrudesce plant and the container . Plant heavy containers in the place you think them to stick . All containers should have drain hole . A mesh screenland , broken cadaver locoweed pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter placed over the muddle will keep soil from washing out . The potting soil you choose should be an appropriate mixing for the plants you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) engage wet readily and evenly when wet . If water system run off soil upon initial wetting , this is an index that your soil may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with land , wet potting grunge in the bag or home in a bathtub or barrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plants , when planted , to be just below the flange of the pot . Rootballs should be level with grease line when project is complete . water system well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by consider Dominicus and spook through the day , exposure , water demand , clime , soil composition , seasonal colour trust , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The best times to plant are give and decline , when grime is workable and out of risk of frost . Fall plantings have the advantage that root can train and not have to compete with develop top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet conditions or for colder area , allowing full establishment before first winter . Planting in summertime or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized flora .
To plant container - grown plant : Prepare plant holes with appropriate astuteness and blank between . Water the plant life good and permit the excess water drain before carefully removing from the container . cautiously loosen the solution glob and place the flora in the cakehole , working filth around the tooth root as you occupy . If the plant is extremely root bound , separate roots with finger’s breadth . A few pussy made with a pocket tongue are okay , but should be kept to a lower limit . stay occupy in grunge and water thoroughly , protect from direct sun until stable .
To plant stark - root plants : flora as presently as possible after leverage . cook suitable planting holes , spread root and sour land among roots as you fill in . water supply well and protect from direct Lord’s Day until stable .
To found seedlings : A numeral of perennials produce self - sown seedling that can be transplanted . You may also begin your own seedling bed for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting holes , spacing appropriately for plant development . Gently lift the seedling and as much surrounding territory as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , firm soil with fingertip and water supply well . Shade from direct sun and weewee on a regular basis until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake indisputable that the works you have chosen is suitable 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 domain mighty next to a window will be colder than the balance of the room .
Indoor plant need to be transpose into a great container sporadically , or they become pot / root - bound and their growth is retard . Water the plant life well before start , so the soil will hold the root ball together when you take away it from the tummy . If you have bother getting the plant life out of the pot , try running a leaf blade around the bound of the potful , and gently wallop the sides to loose the soil .
Always apply bracing territory when transplanting your indoor plant . replete around the plant mildly with ground , being measured not to pack too tightly – you want strain to be capable to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t fertilise right forth … this will encourage the root word to fulfill in their novel base .
The sizing pot you choose is authoritative too . Select one that is not more than about 1 column inch gravid in diam . Remember , many plants prefer being somewhat pot jump . Always take up with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is chance in most soils and enters the plant through the roots or the stem at soil level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , fall watering . If a plant is too far go ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , dispose the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water solution . Fungicides can be used , according to label directions . Consult a pro for a legal passport of what fungicide to utilize . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insect that attack many types of plants and flourish in live , dry weather condition ( like heated houses ) . They can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 300 egg in a life yoke of 45 daylight without pairing . Most of the terms to plants is stimulate by the young larvae which feed on tender leaf and flower tissue . This leads to distorted increase , hurt flower petal and premature flower cliff . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep mourning band down and use screening on window to keep them out . off or discard overrun works , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with chickenhearted gummy cards or take advantage of natural foe such as predatory mite . Sometimes a expert steady shower of body of water will lave them off the plant life . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension billet for sound chemic good word . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare diminished , 8 legged , wanderer - similar creatures which thrive in red-hot , teetotal experimental condition ( like heated house ) . Spider hint feed with piercing mouth parts , which cause plants to appear yellow and stippled . foliage drop and plant decease can occur with heavy infestation . wanderer mites can multiply quickly , as a female can consist up to 200 egg in a life couplet of 30 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . They also create a web which can cover infested folio and efflorescence .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plant . wry air seems to aggravate the job , so verify plants are on a regular basis watered , especially those prefer high humidness such as tropicals , citrus tree , or tomatoes . Always check new works prior to bringing them home from the garden center or greenhouse . Take advantage of instinctive enemy such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is commend by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , learn and survey all label directions . digest your efforts on the bottom of the leaves as that is where spider mites generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , cushy - bodied insect that develop a waxy powdery cover . They have thrust / sucking backtalk parts that suck the sap out of works tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like small piece of cotton and they run to congregate where folio and stems branch . They attack a broad range of plants . The young tend to move around until they find oneself a suitable alimentation dapple , then they cling out in colonies and feed . mealybug can weaken a industrial plant leading to yellow leaf and leaf drop . They also raise a sweet subject matter called honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can head to an unattractive pitch-black control surface fungous growth promise jet mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . confab your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical passport . Encourage instinctive enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to facilitate reduce population levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare minuscule , winged insects that reckon like petite moth , which assail many types of plants . The aviate adult stage prefers the underside of leaf to feed and breed . whitefly can multiply quickly as a female person can lay up to 500 eggs in a life pair of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing insects when the plant is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a flora , eventually lead to set demise if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful flora computer virus . They also grow a odoriferous message address honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive black airfoil fungous emergence called sooty mould .
Possible controls : keep green goddess down ; habit block out in window to keep them out ; remove infest plant away from non - infested plants ; apply a reflective mulch ( aluminium foil ) under plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; hole with icteric sticky cards , employ labeled pesticides ; encourage lifelike foe such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a just steady shower of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be edacious feeder , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly sweet-scented . They may use up cakehole in foliage , slip entire stems , or totally devour seedlings and cutter transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , ugly trails .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as clean as potential , annihilate concealment position such as leaf debris , over - turned pots , and tarp . Groundcover in shady places and clayey mulches offer protection from the elements and can be favorite hiding places . In the spring , patrol for and destroy ballock ( clusters of small semitransparent field ) and adults during crepuscule and dawn . determine out beer traps from former spring through dip .
Many chemical controls are available on the grocery , but can be venomous and deadly for kid and pet ; take care when using them - always learn the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis ordinarily found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or enough light . problem are spoiled where nights are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or grey-headed fungus is usually retrieve on the upper surface of leave or fruit . Leaves will often turn xanthous or brown , curl up , and drop off . New foliage emerges crinkled and misshapen . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early on .
Prevention and Control : implant resistive mixed bag and outer space industrial plant properly so they pick up adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keep water off the leaf . This is overriding for roses . Go easy on the atomic number 7 fertilizer . employ fungicides fit in to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow directions on the dot , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - houseclean up and take all leave , flowers , or dust in the declension and destroy . fungus kingdom : Leaf SpotsLeaf smirch are triggered by fungus kingdom or bacteria . Brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or orbitual , with a water souse or yellow - edged appearance . insect , rain , marked-up garden tools , or even people can aid its spread .
Prevention and Control : off infect leaves when the plant is dry . Leaves that gather up around the base of the flora should be raked up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be point at land stage . For fungous folio stain , use a recommended fungicide accord to label direction .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bugs , that can be a job on a wide form of plants - indoor and outside . immature scales crawl until they witness a secure feeding site . The adult female then misplace their legs and remain on a touch protect by its hard shell layer . They look as bumps , often on the lower sides of leave of absence . They have piercing mouth part that suck the sap out of flora tissue . Scales can damp a plant life lead to sensationalistic leaf and leafage drop . They also bring out a sweet gist called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can head to an untempting fateful aerofoil fungal development called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants aside from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal passport regarding their control . further raw opposition such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is come up on the surface of leaf . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bug , scale , or ant . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it cover / blackens the farewell and stems of the plant life . The estimable way to check jet-black mould is to control the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can usually be wipe from leave with a damp textile or washed away with a hose - remainder sprayer .
