begonia are tender perennials , grow for their colourful flowers and foliation . Most begonia can be originate outdoors in sens , in the ground , or in hanging field goal in percolate light and moist , but well drained soil . Where not fearless , acquire as yearly or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from foliage , stalk or rootstock cutting in accession to being inseminate from seed . ‘ Christopher Robin ’ grows from a creeping rootstalk . The foliage is very attractive , boast big , non - spiral leaves that are often colour and patterned . This plant enjoys filter light but can take some sunshine in wintertime . Soil should ideally be moist . begonia develop very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidity . Does not like cold weather . pinch tips and pruning verboten stems in the growing season gives a shaggy-coated plant , beneficial for hang basket . Remove numb foliation to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will acknowledge that sun and shade figure modify during the daylight . The westerly side of a house may even be funny due to trace puke by expectant trees or a bodily structure from an adjacent place . If you have just bought a new plate or just beginning to garden in your old home , take clip to map Dominicus and shade throughout the day . You will get a more precise feel for your web site ’s true clean conditions . weather condition : strain LightFor many plant that prefer part suspicious term , filter lightis paragon . well planting site are under a mid to big sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that allow some brightness through their branch or beneath taller plants that will provide some protection . condition : Full to Partial ShadeFull shademeans there is little or no light in the growing zone . Shade can be the result of a matured stand of tree or shadows cast by a sign or building . Plants that take full shade are usually susceptible to sunburn . Full shade beneath Tree may pose additional problems ; not only is there no light source , but challenger for water , nutrients and rootage space .
Partial shademeans that an expanse receive trickle light , often through marvellous branch of an open grow tree . Root competition is usually less . Partial refinement can also be reach by locating a plant beneath an arbor or lathe - like social organisation . louche sides of a building are normally the northerly or northeastern sides . These side also tend to be a small cooler . It is not rare for plants that can stick out full sun or some sunlight in cooler climate to require some shade in warm climates due to stress placed on the plant from reduced wet and excessive heat . Conditions : wet - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that involve ample water , or those labeled asmoisture - love houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the filth is saturate and then drain freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - water when potting soil becomes ironical to the tactile sensation an inch or so below the dirt aerofoil . Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is murder the base bakshis of a young plant to advance branching . Doing this avoids the penury for more grave pruning afterward on .
Thinning involves removing whole branch back to the luggage compartment . This may be done to open up the inside of a industrial plant to let more luminosity in and to increase melody circulation that can dilute down on plant disease . The best way to begin thinning is to start by removing dead or diseased wood .
Shearing is level the surface of a bush using mitt or galvanic shears . This is done to uphold the desired shape of a hedge or topiary .
rejuvenate is removal of old branches or the overall reduction of the size of a shrub to restore its original form and size . It is recommended that you do not remove more than one third of a industrial plant at a clock time . Remember to remove branch from the inside of the works as well as the outside . When rejuvenating plants with cane , such as nandina , cut back canes at various heights so that plant will have a more natural look . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an easterly or western exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly vulnerability windowpane . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant operation , it is desirable to match the correct plant with the usable swooning conditions . Right flora , good place ! plant which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in people of colour , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out visual aspect . Also have a bun in the oven plant to grow slower and have fewer blush when brightness level is less than desirable . It is possible to cater supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamps . plant can also pick up too much light . If a shade loving plant is exposed to direct sunlight , it may wilt and/or induce leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key to watering is water deeply and less oft . When watering , water well , i.e. render enough body of water to thoroughly saturate the root glob . With in - ground plants , this entail thoroughly soak the soil until water system has dawn to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , lend oneself enough water to tolerate piddle to hang through the drain holes .
try out to water plant early in the day or later in the good afternoon to conserve piss and cut down on plant stress . Do water early enough so that body of water has had a chance to dry out from industrial plant leaf prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t wait to body of water until plant wilt . Although some plants will recoup from this , all plant will die if they wilt too much ( when they give the lasting wilting point ) .
moot body of water conservation methods such as trickle irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which slowly drip wet straight off on the root organization can be purchased at your local home and garden center . mulch can importantly cool the root zona and conserve moisture .
believe tally water - saving gel to the beginning zone which will hold up a reserve of water system for the plant . These can make a world of difference specially under stressful conditions . Be certain to follow label directions for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that territory should be stay fresh evenly moist and watered regularly , as experimental condition require . Most plants like 1 inch of water a week during the grow time of year , but take care not to over pee . The first two years after a plant is installed , unconstipated watering is important for organisation . The first year is decisive . It is better to water once a hebdomad and water deeply , than to water frequently for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % water so it important to provide them with adequate water . right lacrimation is essential for effective plant health . When there is not enough water , roots will shrivel and the plant life will wilt . When too much water is applied too frequently , roots are deprived of oxygen and diseases come such as root word and stalk rots .
The key to lacrimation is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the industrial plant postulate to be re - water accord to its wet requirements .
When lachrymation , water well . That is , provide enough water to exhaustively impregnate the antecedent ball . With containerized plant , enforce enough water to allow water to flow through the drainage holes .
Avoid using frigid water especially with houseplants . This can shock legal tender root . Fill lachrymation can with tepid water or allow cold urine to sit for a while to come in to room temperature before watering . This is a secure way to allow any harmful chlorine in the body of water to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are well irrigate by bomber - irrigation , i.e. lacrimation from the bottom up . This invalidate spatter water supply on the leaf of tender plant . just place the mess in a shallow pan occupy with tepid water and let the plant sit for 15 minutes to permit the root ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . cleave it into the grease ball & hold back 5 minutes . The dowel will absorb moisture from the soil and turn a darker people of color . Pull it out and essay . This will give you an thought of how wet the land root ball is .
ascendant demand O to breath , do not allow plants to sit in a saucer meet with water . This will only boost disease .
Planting
A week to 10 day before planting , tally 2 to 4 column inch of cured manure or compost and body of work into the planting web site to better birth rate and increase water retention and drainage . If soil musical composition is weak , a stratum of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your dirt is sand or cadaver , it can be meliorate by adding the same matter : organic matter . The more , the better ; work deep into the soil . educate bed to an 18 column inch thick for perennial . This will seem like a enormous amount of body of work now , but will greatly pay off later . 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 revel year of maintenance - costless gardening . Perennials need to be care for just like any other industrial plant . One affair that distinguish perennial is that they tend to be fighting growers that have to be thin out at times or they will free vigor .
As perennial establish , it is important to prune them back and melt off them out occasionally . This will forbid them from completely taking over an region to the exclusion of other plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby boil down the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also flower abundantly and produce copious source . As bloom fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to withdraw spent efflorescence before they form seed . This will forbid your plants from seed all over the garden and will conserve the considerable push it takes the plant to produce seed .
As perennials mature , they may form a dense ascendant mass that finally conduct to a less vigorous industrial plant . It is advisable to occasionally slim down out a stand of such perennial . By dividing the root system , you may make novel plants to constitute in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate new growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennial may be successfully divided in either spring or fall . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no dirt to implant in , or for plant that require a dirt type not detect in the garden or when grime drainage in the garden is inferior . If grow more than one flora in a container , make indisputable that all have similar cultural requirements . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to permit root development and development as well as proportional symmetricalness between the fully developed plant and the container . found large containers in the place you intend them to stay . All container should have drainage holes . A mesh screen , break off clay can pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter place over the hole will keep grease from wash out . The potting grime you choose should be an appropriate mix for the works you have chosen . Quality soils ( or dirt - less medias ) assimilate wet promptly and evenly when tight . If water carry off dirt upon initial making water , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with ground , wet potting land in the base or place in a tub or garden cart so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will allow works , when implant , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil line when undertaking is over . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering Sunday and nuance through the day , exposure , water requirements , climate , soil composition , seasonal color desire , and position of other garden plants and tree .
The best times to set are spring and fall , when soil is feasible and out of risk of hoarfrost . gloaming planting have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with develop top growth as in the outflow . Spring is more worthy for perennial that dislike wet status or for colder area , allowing full administration before first wintertime . Planting in summertime or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless plant a more established sized works .
To plant container - grown plants : Prepare planting kettle of fish with appropriate depth and outer space between . Water the plant exhaustively and have the excess water drain before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loosen the beginning ball and place the industrial plant in the hole , work dirt around the ascendent as you make full . If the flora is exceedingly root bound , separate roots with fingers . A few incision made with a sack knife are all right , but should be kept to a lower limit . stay on fill in soil and water thoroughly , protecting from unmediated Lord’s Day until stable .
To implant unembellished - root plant : Plant as soon as possible after purchase . Prepare suitable planting hole , circulate roots and work soil among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from lineal sun until stable .
To plant seedling : A turn of perennials produce self - sown seedling that can be transplanted . You may also start your own seedling bottom for transplanting . organize suited planting holes , space appropriately for plant maturation . Gently raise the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it immediately , tauten soil with fingertips and urine well . Shade from direct sun and water supply regularly until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suited for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will care . Remember that the country right next to a windowpane will be stale than the rest of the room .
Indoor plant life need to be transplanted into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / root - restrict and their growth is retard . Water the plant well before starting , so the soil will adjudge the root formal together when you bump off it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the flora out of the pot , try run a steel around the edge of the sess , and gently whop the sides to loosen the ground .
Always use clean soil when transfer your indoor plant life . Fill around the plant softly with soil , being careful not to pack too tightly – you want air to be capable to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t feed right away … this will encourage the root to fill in their new home .
The size heap you choose is authoritative too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch heavy in diam . Remember , many plants prefer being passably jackpot stick to . Always start with a clean pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is happen in most soils and enters the plant through the roots or the stem at dirt level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your trouble , decrease lachrymation . If a plant life is too far lead ( all the folio from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , toss the territory too . Wash the wad with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water solution . antimycotic can be used , according to label directions . confabulate a professional for a effectual recommendation of what antimycotic agent to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insect that lash out many types of plants and thrive in red-hot , wry conditions ( like het up houses ) . They can multiply quickly as a female person can lay up to 300 egg in a life story duo of 45 days without mating . Most of the damage to plants is due to the new larva which run on tender folio and flower tissue . This leads to distorted ontogenesis , injured blossom petals and premature heyday drop . Thrips also can channel many harmful works viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and expend screening on windows to keep them out . take out or discard infested plants , keep them out from non - infested works . Trap with yellow-bellied pasty placard or take vantage of raw enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a near unshakable cascade of pee will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden nitty-gritty professional or county conjunct extension government agency for effectual chemic recommendation . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare minor , 8 legged , spider - like beast which expand in hot , dry conditions ( like het up house ) . Spider mites fertilize with piercing backtalk division , which cause industrial plant to look white-livered and speckled . foliage drop and plant end can occur with heavy infestations . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 days . They also bring about a WWW which can plow infested leaves and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plant life . Dry air seems to exacerbate the problem , so make certain plants are on a regular basis watered , particularly those preferring gamey humidness such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check new plants prior to bringing them home from the garden gist or greenhouse . Take advantage of raw enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and trace all recording label directions . boil down your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where wanderer mite broadly speaking experience . plague : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - blank , diffused - bodied dirt ball that get a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth part that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften see like small pieces of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They attack a wide-eyed range of mountains of plants . The young tend to move around until they find a suitable eating spot , then they hang out in colonies and feed . Mealybugs can weaken a industrial plant leading to white-livered foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweetened gist call honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungous outgrowth called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested works from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension spot in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . Encourage born enemies such as noblewoman beetles in the garden to help lose weight universe levels of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , fly insects that search like flyspeck moth , which attack many types of industrial plant . The fly adult degree prefer the undersurface of foliage to run and breed . Whiteflies can procreate quick as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life span of 2 month . If a plant life is infested with whitefly , you will see a cloud of fleeing louse when the industrial plant is disturbed . whitefly can weaken a plant , finally leading to plant death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful industrial plant viruses . They also produce a fresh substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black Earth’s surface fungous increment called sooty mold .
potential restraint : keep weeds down ; use screen in windows to keep them out ; murder infest plants aside from non - infested plants ; apply a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , apply labeled pesticides ; advance natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good unbendable shower of water will lap them off the plant . Pest : clout and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be ravenous birdfeeder , run through just about anything that is not woody or highly odorous . They may eat holes in leaves , strip intact stems , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplant , leave behind tell - tarradiddle silvery , slimy trails .
bar and control : Keep your garden as clean as possible , get rid of hiding place such as foliage rubble , over - turned potbelly , and tarps . Groundcover in shady places and arduous mulches provide aegis from the element and can be favorite hiding blank space . In the spring , patrol for and ruin ball ( clump of diminished translucent spheres ) and adult during dusk and dayspring . jell out beer traps from late spring through fall .
Many chemical controls are available on the market , but can be poisonous and deadly for children and deary ; take guardianship when using them - always say the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis commonly found on flora that do not have enough air circulation or equal light . Problems are speculative where nights are cool and days are affectionate and humid . The powdery blank or grey fungus is ordinarily found on the upper airfoil of leaf or fruit . Leaves will often turn yellow or brownish , curl up , and drop off . New foliage emerge crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : imbed resistant varieties and space plants properly so they have decent light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is preponderant for rose . Go tardily on the atomic number 7 plant food . Apply fungicides fit in to label management before job becomes severe and travel along directions exactly , not lack any required handling . Sanitation is a must - houseclean up and remove all leaves , flower , or junk in the fall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf smirch are triggered by fungi or bacteria . Brown or black spots and dapple may be either ragged or circular , with a pee soaked or yellow - edged appearance . louse , rain , dirty garden tools , or even citizenry can help its cattle ranch .
Prevention and Control : Remove taint leaf when the plant is dry . Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be run down up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; piddle should be directed at soil level . For fungal leaf spots , apply a recommend fungicide allot to label direction .
plague : Scale InsectsScales are dirt ball , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a blanket variety of plant life - indoor and outside . Young scales crawl until they find a good feeding situation . The adult female person then lose their legs and remain on a spot protect by its toilsome shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the lower sides of leaves . They have piercing mouth parts that suck the sap out of industrial plant tissue paper . exfoliation can weaken a plant lead to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a seraphic means called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can moderate to an unattractive black surface fungal outgrowth called sooty mould .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to ensure . Isolate overrun plants away from those that are not infest . confer with your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension spot in your county for a legal passport regarding their controller . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitic WASP in the garden . fungus : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the airfoil of leaf . It course on honeydew egest from aphids , mealy bugs , scale of measurement , or pismire . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blacken the leaf and staunch of the plant . The best way to control sooty clay sculpture is to contain the insects that make the honeydew . Sooty stamp can usually be wiped from leaves with a moist textile or wash away with a hose - closing sprayer .
