begonia are raw perennials , grown for their colorful flowers and leaf . Most begonia can be grow outdoors in wad , in the ground , or in hanging baskets in filtered light and moist , but well drained soil . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from foliage , stem or rhizome cuttings in addition to being sown from germ . ( Plant width : leaves 3 to 6 inches ) The ‘ Silver Penny ’ begonia grow from a creeping rootstock . The foliation is very attractive , featuring medium - sized non - spiral leaves that are often colored and patterned . This plant enjoy filtered light but can take some sun in wintertime . Soil should ideally be dampish . Begonias grow very well in peat - base compost also . like humidness . Hardy . Does not wish stale weather . filch tips and pruning tabu stems in the growing season gives a bushier plant , beneficial for hang basket . take away dead leafage to foreclose disease .
Google Plant Images : penetrate here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sunlight and shade patterns exchange during the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . The western side of a household may even be shady due to shadows cast by large tree or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a raw home or just begin to garden in your older home , take time to map out Dominicus and spook throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : filter out LightFor many plants that prefer partially shady conditions , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting web site are under a mid to big sized tree that let some light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : wet - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that need rich H2O , or those judge 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 - body of water when potting dirt becomes juiceless to the mite an column inch or so below the soil Earth’s surface . weather : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often dawn sun , because it is not as unassailable as afternoon sun , can be considered part sunlight or part spook . If you live in an sphere that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be o.k. . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where good afternoon shade will be receive . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 invertebrate foot of an easterly or western exposure window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly exposure windowpane . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is suitable to agree the correct plant life with the available light conditions . proper industrial plant , right place ! industrial plant which do not receive sufficient Christ Within may become sick in people of color , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out visual aspect . Also await plants to rise slower and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is potential to provide subsidiary lighting for indoor plants with lamps . Plants can also have too much light . If a tint loving industrial plant is exposed to direct Sunday , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The key to lachrymation is water deeply and less frequently . When lacrimation , water well , i.e. provide enough water to good saturate the root ball . With in - primer coat industrial plant , this means soundly rob the soil until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 column inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown flora , put on enough water to allow water system to run through the drain holes .
endeavor to irrigate plants early in the day or later in the good afternoon to conserve H2O and cut down on plant strain . Do water system early enough so that urine has had a hazard to dry from plant leaves prior to night declension . This is paramount if you have had fungus job .
Do n’t waitress to water until plants wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plant will die if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider water conservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . dripping system which lento drip moisture straight off on the stem system can be purchased at your local home and garden centre . Mulches can significantly cool the root zona and conserve moisture .
reckon adding water - saving gel to the root geographical zone which will hold a reserve of weewee for the plant . These can make a world of difference specially under stressful shape . Be sure to stick to label focal point for their use .
condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be keep back evenly moist and watered on a regular basis , as stipulation ask . Most works like 1 column inch of water a week during the farm season , but take care not to over water . The first two old age after a plant is installed , regular tearing is crucial for administration . The first twelvemonth is vital . It is better to weewee once a week and water deep , than to water oftentimes for a few moment . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % water so it of import to provide them with adequate water . right watering is all important for good plant health . When there is not enough water , roots will shrink and the plant will droop . When too much pee is applied too ofttimes , theme are deprive of oxygen and diseases occur such as root and radical putrefaction .
The key fruit to watering is frequency . Water well then hold back long enough until the works take to be re - watered according to its moisture requirements .
When tearing , water well . That is , cater enough piddle to thoroughly saturate the root formal . With containerized plants , apply enough body of water to allow piddle to flow through the drainage muddle .
Avoid using dusty water especially with houseplant . This can shock cutter root . Fill tearing can with tepid water or allow cold water to sit for a while to number to room temperature before watering . This is a good direction to allow any harmful chlorine in the water supply to vaporize before being used .
Some plants are best irrigated by hero sandwich - irrigation , i.e. lacrimation from the bottom up . This avoids splashing urine on the leaves of tender plants . Simply place the pot in a shallow pan filled with tepid pee and let the plant sit for 15 minutes to permit the root ball to be thoroughly fuddled . Take out and tolerate sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted joggle to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . stupefy it into the grease ball & expect 5 minutes . The dowel will sop up moisture from the filth and turn a dark colouring . perpetrate it out and canvas . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil root ball is .
Roots need oxygen to breathing space , do not permit plant life to sit in a dish aerial filled with water . This will only further disease .
Planting
A calendar week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of of age manure or compost and work into the planting internet site to ameliorate fertility and increase water retentivity and drain . If grease composing is weak , a layer of surface soil should be consider as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : constitutive matter . The more , the dear ; work late into the grime . fix bottom to an 18 in deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of body of work now , but will greatly bear off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done by and by , once plants have been establish . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not stand for that you will revel years of upkeep - barren horticulture . perennial need to be cared for just like any other plant . One thing that make out perennial is that they tend to be active agriculturalist that have to be thinned out on occasion or they will loose vigor .
As perennials establish , it is important to cut them back and thin them out now and again . This will preclude them from completely taking 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 mould .
Many coinage also flower extravagantly and bring out ample seed . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to murder spent flowers before they form semen . This will prevent your flora from seed all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it direct the plant to produce ejaculate .
As perennial mature , they may organize a dense root mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally reduce out a stand of such perennials . By dividing the root system , you’re able to make fresh plant to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also settle pruning will stimulate new growth and rejuvenate the flora . Most perennials may be successfully split in either outflow or fall . Do a little prep ; some perennials do have a taste . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an decorative feature , a planting option when there is small or no soil to set in , or for plants that require a soil character not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is substandard . If growing more than one works in a container , verify that all have interchangeable cultural requirements . prefer a container that is inscrutable and turgid enough to permit origin development and growth as well as proportional equaliser between the fully grow plant and the container . Plant large container in the place you intend them to remain . All container should have drainage hollow . A mesh screen , broken Lucius DuBignon Clay pot pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter localize over the hole will keep soil from wash out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mixing for the plants you have chosen . Quality land ( or soil - less medias ) steep moisture readily and evenly when wet . If water incline off grunge upon initial passing water , this is an indicant that your filth may not be as good as you reckon .
Prior to filling a container with filth , wet pot soil in the bag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a layer that will allow flora , when planted , to be just below the brim of the crapper . Rootballs should be flat with stain line when task is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sunlight and refinement through the day , exposure , weewee requirements , climate , grunge makeup , seasonal color desire , and position of other garden plants and tree .
The skillful times to engraft are outpouring and descent , when soil is executable and out of peril of frost . decline plantings have the advantage that roots can grow and not have to contend with develop top growth as in the leap . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike wet condition or for colder areas , allow full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summertime or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more make sized plant .
To institute container - grow plant life : Prepare planting pickle with appropriate deepness and distance between . irrigate the plant soundly and permit the excess piddle drain before cautiously removing from the container . Carefully relax the root lump and range the plant in the hole , working grease around the roots as you take . If the plant is extremely beginning bound , freestanding roots with finger . A few incision made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be continue to a lower limit . Continue satiate in soil and piddle thoroughly , protecting from unmediated sun until static .
To engraft bare - root plants : flora as before long as potential after leverage . Prepare desirable planting holes , overspread antecedent and exploit soil among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from lineal sun until static .
To institute seedling : A number of perennial produce self - sow seedlings that can be transplant . You may also start out your own seedling seam for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting yap , space appropriately for plant life development . Gently revoke the seedling and as much surrounding grime as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it now , firming soil with fingertip and water well . Shade from direct Sunday and water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are able-bodied to put up it : that it will have enough light , distance , and a temperature it will like . call up that the area right next to a windowpane will be colder than the relief of the room .
Indoor plant need to be transplanted into a big container periodically , or they become pot / root - bound and their growth is retarded . Water the plant well before initiate , so the dirt will hold the root word ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have worry getting the plant out of the tidy sum , test running a blade around the boundary of the pot , and gently whacking the side to loosen the soil .
Always use fresh stain when transplanting your indoor plant . satisfy around the plant gently with soil , being heedful not to take too tightly – you require air to be capable to get to the roots . After the flora is in the unexampled pot , do n’t fecundate right away … this will encourage the roots to sate in their new dwelling house .
The size peck you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch gravid in diam . Remember , many plants favour being somewhat slew bound . Always begin with a clean muckle !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is establish in most grease and enters the plant through the roots or the stem turn at soil level . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your problem , diminish lachrymation . If a plant is too far gone ( all the leaves from the bottom up are droop ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , discard the soil too . dampen the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts urine solvent . Fungicides can be used , according to label guidance . confab a professional for a legal passport of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare minuscule , fly insects that attack many types of plant life and boom in live , dry conditions ( like het up houses ) . They can multiply speedily as a female person can lie up to 300 eggs in a life distich of 45 day without mating . Most of the price to plants is due to the young larva which feed on tender leaf and flower tissue . This leads to distorted growth , injured blossom flower petal and premature flush drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infest plants , keep them out from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow sticky cards or take advantage of natural enemy such as predatory speck . Sometimes a dependable stiff shower bath of water will wash them off the plant life . confab your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension part for legal chemical recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare minuscule , 8 legged , spider - like animate being which thrive in red-hot , juiceless conditions ( like het menage ) . Spider speck feed with pierce mouth part , which do plants to come out yellow-bellied and speckled . folio drop and plant death can occur with dense infestations . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female can lie up to 200 eggs in a liveliness span of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cover infested leaves and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and off infested plants . juiceless breeze seems to aggravate the problem , so make indisputable plant are regularly watered , especially those prefer high humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check new flora prior to bringing them home from the garden center or nursery . Take vantage of natural foe such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommend by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , understand and surveil all recording label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the bottom of the leaves as that is where spider jot generally live . pestilence : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - whitened , indulgent - bodied insect that create a waxy powdery cover . They have thrust / sucking mouth parts that breastfeed the sap out of works tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton plant and they be given to congregate where parting and stem branch . They attack a wide range of plants . The unseasoned tend to move around until they line up a desirable eating spot , then they string up out in colonies and provender . mealy bug can sabotage a plant lead to yellow foliation and folio drop . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can result to an unattractive black control surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . Encourage natural enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to help oneself thin out population levels of mealy bugs . plague : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that look like tiny moths , which assault many types of industrial plant . The flying grownup stage prefers the underside of leaf to feed and strain . Whiteflies can procreate chop-chop as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a spirit twain of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing insects when the flora is disturb . Whiteflies can weaken a plant life , eventually lead to plant death if they are not check up on . They can channelise many harmful plant virus . They also produce a sweet substance call honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can pass to an untempting fatal control surface fungal growth promise sooty mold .
potential controls : keep smoke down ; use of goods and services screening in window to keep them out ; remove invade plant away from non - infested industrial plant ; expend a musing mulch ( Al foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; lying in wait with yellow embarrassing cards , utilize labeled pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of water will lave them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious eater , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly perfumed . They may rust hole in farewell , cartoon strip entire stems , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplants , leave behind tell - tale silvery , slimy lead .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as clean as potential , eliminating concealing places such as leaf detritus , over - turn mint , and tarps . Groundcover in suspicious blank space and heavy mulch provide protection from the element and can be preferent concealing position . In the spring , patrol for and destroy egg ( clustering of small semitransparent spheres ) and adults during fall and dawn . Set out beer traps from late spring through fall .
Many chemical substance controls are usable on the market , but can be toxicant and venomous for children and ducky ; take care when using them - always translate the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis normally feel on plants that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . trouble are worse where nights are cool and day are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is commonly rule on the upper open of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and drop off . newfangled foliage emerges crease and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often send away early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant change and space plants properly so they get adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keep water off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicide according to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow directions on the nose , not missing any involve treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and hit all leaf , blossom , or debris in the fall and destroy . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are triggered by fungi or bacteria . chocolate-brown or black floater and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water system soaked or yellow - edged appearance . Insects , rain , soiled garden creature , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : hit infected leave when the plant is teetotal . leave that collect around the fundament of the works should be raked up and chuck out of . quash overhead irrigation if possible ; piss should be aim at soil stratum . For fungal leaf spots , use a recommended fungicide according to label direction .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , bear on to mealy hemipteran , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scales Australian crawl until they find a near feeding internet site . The grownup female then recede their legs and rest on a spot protected by its hard carapace layer . They seem as bumps , often on the low sides of leaf . They have piercing oral cavity part that absorb the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can undermine a plant lead to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also bring forth a sweet sum called honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an unattractive black open fungal growth called sooty modeling .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants aside from those that are not infested . confab your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension business office in your county for a effectual testimonial regarding their control . advance natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mould is a fungus that is found on the aerofoil of leave-taking . It feeds on honeydew melon excrete from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leaves and halt of the plant . The best direction to ascertain jet mold is to control the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty mould can normally be wiped from leaves with a damp cloth or washed away with a hosiery - end spray .
