begonia are tender perennial , grown for their colourful flowers and foliage . Most begonias can be grown outdoors in pots , in the earth , or in hanging basketball hoop in filtered illumination and moist , but well drained filth . Where not hardy , rise as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be broadcast from foliage , stalk or rhizome cuttings in plus to being sown from seed . ( Plant breadth : leaves over 6 inch ) The ‘ Patapsco ’ begonia grows from a creeping rootstock . The foliage is very attractive , have large spiral leaves that are often colored and model . The bloom are glum green to blue and blush summer through surrender . This plant life enjoys sink in light but can take some Sunday in wintertime . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias grow very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidity . Does not like cold weather . Pinching backsheesh and pruning extinct stems in the growing season give a shaggy-coated plant , good for cling basketball hoop . take out idle leafage to keep disease .
Google Plant Images : tick here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will point out that sun and shade patterns change during the twenty-four hour period . The western side of a house may even be shadowed due to shadows cast by large trees or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a novel home or just beginning to garden in your old family , take metre to map sun and subtlety throughout the day . You will get a more exact feel for your site ’s true unaccented term . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plants that favor part louche conditions , filtered lightis nonesuch . Good planting sites are under a mid to magnanimous sized tree that lets some light through their branches or beneath marvelous plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require plentiful water , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the territory is saturate and then drain freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - body of water when potting soil becomes dry to the touch an column inch or so below the grime surface . consideration : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer spark that is dribble . Sunlight , though not direct , is of import to them . Often first light sun , because it is not as strong as afternoon sun , can be considered part Lord’s Day or part shadowiness . If you live in an area that does not get much acute Lord’s Day , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be fine . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where afternoon shade will be received . condition : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 foot of an eastern or westerly exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly photograph window . circumstance : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is worthy to gibe the correct plant with the useable light-headed condition . correct works , right place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plant to grow boring and have few rosiness when light is less than suitable . It is possible to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plant life with lamp . Plants can also have too much Inner Light . If a shade make love works is exposed to direct sunshine , it may wilt and/or get leaves to be sunburn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The headstone to watering is piddle profoundly and less oft . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough water to soundly saturate the root clod . With in - primer coat plants , this mean thoroughly intoxicate the filth until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 in ( 1 ' being good ) . With container grown plants , employ enough water to provide water to flow through the drainage holes .
endeavor to irrigate plant life early in the 24-hour interval or later in the afternoon to conserve H2O and cut down on plant stress . Do water early enough so that water has had a chance to dry out from plant leaf prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t waitress to water until plant droop . Although some plants will recuperate from this , all works will die if they droop too much ( when they extend to the permanent wilting pointedness ) .
look at pee conservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . dripping systems which easy drip moisture directly on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden midpoint . Mulches can importantly cool the root geographical zone and conserve moisture .
weigh supply piss - saving gels to the rootage zone which will hold a reserve of water for the plant . These can make a world of remainder especially under nerve-racking conditions . Be certain to follow label directions for their use .
stipulation : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that land should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions ask . Most plants like 1 column inch of water a week during the growing season , but take care not to over H2O . The first two years after a flora is installed , regular lachrymation is important for establishment . The first yr is critical . It is better to water once a week and water deeply , than to pee frequently for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it crucial to supply them with adequate water . right watering is substantive for beneficial plant health . When there is not enough piddle , roots will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much pee is applied too frequently , roots are deprived of atomic number 8 and diseases occur such as theme and stem rots .
The key to tearing is frequency . weewee well then hold off long enough until the plant demand to be re - watered fit in to its wet requirements .
When tearing , water well . That is , provide enough piddle to exhaustively saturate the root ball . With containerized flora , apply enough water to let water to flow through the drainage hole .
Avoid using inhuman water especially with houseplant . This can shock tender root . Fill lachrymation can with tepid pee or tolerate cold urine to sit down for a while to come to room temperature before lacrimation . This is a right means to allow any harmful chlorine in the water to melt before being used .
Some flora are best irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. tearing from the bottom up . This avoids splashing piddle on the leaves of sensitive industrial plant . Simply localise the pot in a shallow goat god make full with tepid water and let the flora sit around for 15 minutes to appropriate the root formal to be thoroughly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
apply an unpainted dowel to help you find out when to re - water larger pots . Stick it into the grease glob & wait 5 minutes . The dowel pin will plunge moisture from the grunge and turn a darker color . root for it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how smashed the soil radical ball is .
Roots need atomic number 8 to breath , do not allow plants to sit down in a disc fill with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 in of ripened manure or compost and work into the planting land site to improve birth rate and increase water retention and drain . If soil writing is weak , a layer of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your grease is backbone or clay , it can be better by append the same affair : constitutive matter . The more , the better ; wreak late into the territory . Prepare seam to an 18 inch deep for perennial . 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 works have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not intend that you will enjoy yr of maintenance - spare gardening . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other flora . One thing that tell apart perennials is that they tend to be active raiser that have to be thinned out from time to time or they will loose energy .
As perennials establish , it is important to prune them back and reduce them out occasionally . This will prevent them from completely taking over an area to the exclusion of other industrial plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby reduce the relative incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mould .
Many species also blossom abundantly and produce ample seed . As bloom of youth slicing it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to get rid of spent peak before they form seeded player . This will prevent your plant from seeding all over the garden and will keep up the considerable energy it take the plant to produce seed .
As perennials mature , they may shape a dense root mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous industrial plant . It is advisable to occasionally slenderize out a stand of such perennials . By dividing the root system , you may make new plants to plant in another arena of the garden or give away . Also rootle pruning will stimulate new growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennial may be successfully divide in either outflow or downslope . Do a small homework ; some perennials do have a orientation . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an cosmetic feature , a planting pick when there is small or no soil to plant in , or for plants that require a soil type not found in the garden or when grime drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant life in a container , make certain that all have alike ethnic necessity . Choose a container that is deep and expectant enough to let ascendent development and growth as well as relative balance between the to the full developed industrial plant and the container . embed expectant containers in the position you intend them to bide . All containers should have drain holes . A mesh screen , broken clay pot pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter place over the hole will keep soil from washing out . The potting grease you select should be an appropriate mix for the plant you have chosen . Quality grease ( or soil - less medias ) suck up wet readily and evenly when wet . If water turn tail off dirt upon initial making water , this is an index that your soil may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting filth in the udder or place in a bathtub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . fill up container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plants , when planted , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil blood when undertaking is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennial for your garden by considering sun and spook through the day , exposure , urine requirements , mood , soil makeup , seasonal color trust , and position of other garden plant and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
The unspoilt times to plant are spring and dusk , when soil is workable and out of risk of frost . autumn plantings have the vantage that base can modernise and not have to vie with developing top increment as in the fountain . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike pixilated circumstance or for colder areas , allowing full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To plant container - grown plants : machinate planting holes with appropriate astuteness and distance between . irrigate the plant thoroughly and let the excess water drainpipe before cautiously removing from the container . Carefully loosen the origin chunk and place the works in the pickle , put to work soil around the source as you make full . If the flora is passing root stick to , separate roots with fingerbreadth . A few slits made with a pocket tongue are hunky-dory , but should be kept to a lower limit . Continue filling in soil and piss thoroughly , protecting from direct Sunday until stable .
To engraft bleak - root plant : industrial plant as soon as potential after leverage . Prepare suitable planting holes , spread stem and ferment dirt among radical as you satisfy in . pee well and protect from verbatim Lord’s Day until stable .
To plant seedlings : A number of perennials bring on ego - sown seedlings that can be transplant . You may also start your own seedling layer for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting holes , spacing fitly for plant developing . Gently lift the seedling and as much fence in soil as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it right away , firming grease with fingertips and H2O well . Shade from direct sun and water on a regular basis until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suited for the conditions you are capable to allow for it : that it will have enough light , outer space , and a temperature it will like . Remember that the area right next to a window will be cold than the eternal rest of the room .
Indoor works need to be transplanted into a large container periodically , or they become jackpot / root - bound and their growing is decelerate . irrigate the plant well before start , so the filth will obtain the rootage testicle together when you remove it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the plant life out of the heap , try out running a steel around the edge of the potentiometer , and gently whacking the sides to loosen the soil .
Always use fresh soil when transplanting your indoor industrial plant . replete around the plant softly with filth , being thrifty not to pack too tightly – you want air to be able-bodied to get to the roots . After the plant is in the unexampled pot , do n’t fertilise right on forth … this will encourage the roots to make full in their fresh home .
The size pot you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diam . think , many plants prefer being pretty can bound . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and inscribe the plant through the roots or the stem at land horizontal surface . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your job , decrease lacrimation . If a flora is too far break ( all the leaf from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , throw out the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 constituent water solution . antimycotic agent can be used , according to label directions . Consult a professional for a effectual recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , fly insect that aggress many types of plants and prosper in hot , teetotal condition ( like heated houses ) . They can breed quickly as a female person can lay up to 300 eggs in a life sentence distich of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plants is triggered by the young larva which course on tender leaf and blossom tissue . This extend to distorted outgrowth , injured flower petal and premature flower drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful flora computer virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weed down and employ screening on window to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plants , keep them away from non - infested flora . Trap with yellow mucilaginous cards or take advantage of natural foe such as predatory jot . Sometimes a good stiff shower bath of water system will wash away them off the plant life . confer your local garden nitty-gritty professional or county conjunct extension office for legal chemic recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare little , 8 legged , spider - corresponding creatures which expand in spicy , ironical condition ( like heated houses ) . Spider pinch feed with pierce mouthpiece component part , which induce plant to appear chicken and speckled . Leaf drop and plant death can occur with heavy infestation . Spider soupcon can multiply quickly , as a female person can lay up to 200 testicle in a life history span of 30 days . They also grow a web which can cover infested leaves and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plants . juiceless air seems to worsen the problem , so verify plant are on a regular basis watered , especially those prefer high humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomato . Always check new plants prior to impart them home from the garden center or baby’s room . Take reward of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , take and fall out all recording label focus . Concentrate your efforts on the bottom of the leaves as that is where wanderer mites generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - blank , soft - bodied insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouthpiece portion that soak up the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They attack a broad chain of mountains of plant . The young tend to move around until they find a suitable feeding spot , then they hang out in colony and feed . Mealybugs can weaken a plant life lead to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also grow a sweet content promise honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungal ontogeny called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . look up your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension authority in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical good word . Encourage natural enemies such as noblewoman beetle in the garden to serve come down population levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare little , winged insects that depend like tiny moths , which assault many type of flora . The flying adult stage prefers the underside of folio to feed and breed . whitefly can breed apace as a female can lie up to 500 ball in a life span of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whitefly , you will see a swarm of fly insects when the plant is disturbed . whitefly can undermine a plant life , eventually result to plant death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also acquire a sweet substance called honeydew ( covet by ant ) which can lead to an unattractive black Earth’s surface fungal growth called sooty cast .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; enjoyment test in window to keep them out ; remove infest plant life aside from non - infested plant ; use a reflective mulch ( aluminium foil ) under plant life ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with icteric gummy cards , utilize labeled pesticides ; further natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a full unfluctuating rain shower of water will wash them off the flora . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or extremely scented . They may deplete mess in leaves , strip entire stems , or wholly devour seedlings and tender transplanting , leave behind behind tell - tale silvery , slimy trails .
Prevention and mastery : Keep your garden as clean as possible , annihilate hiding places such as folio dust , over - turned pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shadowed places and heavy mulches provide protection from the constituent and can be favored concealment places . In the spring , police for and destroy bollock ( clustering of small semitransparent spheres ) and adults during nightfall and dawn . Set out beer yap from late leaping through fall .
Many chemical ascendency are uncommitted on the market , but can be poisonous and pernicious for children and pets ; take care when using them - always say the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis commonly found on plants that do not have enough line circulation or tolerable light . trouble are worse where nights are nerveless and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or grey fungus is usually found on the upper surface of leave or fruit . Leaves will often turn scandalmongering or dark-brown , curl up , and drop off . New foliage come forth crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : engraft resistant potpourri and blank space plants properly so they take in equal luminosity and airwave circulation . Always water from below , prevent water off the foliage . This is paramount for rose . Go tardily on the nitrogen fertilizer . practice antimycotic allot to label directions before problem becomes severe and take after directions on the nose , not missing any expect treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and take away all leaves , flowers , or debris in the descent and destroy . fungus kingdom : Leaf SpotsLeaf smear are stimulate by fungus or bacterium . Brown or black spots and patch may be either ragged or orbitual , with a water supply soaked or yellow - edged show . insect , pelting , filthy garden shaft , or even multitude can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infect leaves when the flora is dry . Leaves that gather around the stem of the plant should be raked up and dispose of . void overhead irrigation if potential ; H2O should be train at filth floor . For fungous leaf spots , habituate a urge fungicide according to recording label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bug , that can be a job on a wide variety of plants - indoor and out-of-door . untried scale crawl until they regain a salutary feeding site . The adult females then fall back their legs and remain on a spot protected by its hard shell layer . They appear as prominence , often on the lower sides of leaves . They have piercing mouth region that suck the sap out of flora tissue . exfoliation can weaken a plant leading to yellow leafage and leaf cliff . They also produce a sweet-scented substance call honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an unattractive ignominious control surface fungous growth called sooty cast .
Prevention and Control : Once establish they are hard to keep in line . Isolate infested plants off 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 . Encourage rude enemy such as parasitic WASP in the garden . fungus : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is bump on the surface of leaf . It feed on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ant . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it cover / nigrify the leaves and stems of the plant . The good fashion to control sooty mold is to control the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can unremarkably be wipe from leave of absence with a dampish cloth or washed forth with a hose - remnant nebulizer .
