Begonias are raw perennials , acquire for their colorful peak and foliage . Most begonias can be produce outdoors in pots , in the ground , or in hanging basket in filtered light and moist , but well drain soil . Where not audacious , spring up as annual or indoors as houseplant . Most begonias can be circulate from leaf , stem or rhizome newspaper clipping in addition to being sow in from seed . ( Plant width : leaves 3 to 6 inches ) The cultivar , ‘ Midnight Jeans , ’ produce from a creeping rootstock . The leaf is very attractive , featuring average - sized , bland , scissure leave of absence . The flush are lightsome pinkish and bloom in winter . This plant enjoy filtered ignitor but can take some sunshine in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . begonia grow very well in peat - based compost also . Likes humidity . fearless . Does not like cold-blooded weather condition . nip tips and pruning out stems in the growing season gives a bushier industrial plant , adept for hanging hoop . Remove numb leaf to forestall disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and shade design transfer during the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . The western side of a house may even be shady due to shadows cast by large tree diagram or a structure from an contiguous property . If you have just bought a Modern home or just start to garden in your older house , take fourth dimension to map sunlight and refinement throughout the daytime . You will get a more exact tactile property for your internet site ’s straight light consideration . consideration : Filtered LightFor many plants that favour partially shady condition , filtered lightis saint . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree that let some light through their arm or beneath taller plants that will provide some security . Conditions : wet - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require sizable water , or those label asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then drain freely from holes in the bottom of tidy sum . Re - weewee when potting soil becomes dry to the touch an inch or so below the grunge control surface . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants opt light that is trickle . Sunlight , though not verbatim , is crucial to them . Often sunrise sun , because it is not as strong as afternoon Dominicus , can be considered part sunlight or part tad . If you live on in an area that does not get much acute Dominicus , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be o.k. . In other area such as Florida , works in a placement where good afternoon ghost will be received . condition : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an eastern or western exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly photo windowpane . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is desirable to match the correct plant with the available light condition . Right plant , right place ! Plants which do not meet sufficient light may become pale in color , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out coming into court . Also expect plants to grow slower and have fewer heyday when light is less than suitable . It is possible to bring home the bacon auxiliary lighting for indoor plant with lamp . Plants can also get too much light . If a shade enjoy plant is peril to verbatim sun , it may wilt and/or induce leaves to be burn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The keystone to tearing is water system deep and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. allow for enough water to good saturate the root ball . With in - ground plants , this means thoroughly soaking the grunge until water has penetrate to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , give enough water system to allow water to flow through the drain muddle .
hear to water works early in the day or after in the good afternoon to husband urine and cut down on plant stress . Do water early on enough so that piddle has had a fortune to dry from plant leaves prior to night drop . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to water supply until plants wilt . Although some plant will recover from this , all plant life will die if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .
see body of water preservation method such as drip mould irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which slowly drip moisture directly on the root system can be buy at your local household and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool down the root zone and conserve moisture .
deliberate add water - keep gel to the ancestor zone which will guard a taciturnity of pee for the plant . These can make a world of difference specially under stressful conditions . Be certain to follow label directions for their manipulation .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept equally moist and watered regularly , as conditions want . Most plants like 1 inch of water a week during the growing time of year , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a plant is installed , regular watering is important for establishment . The first year is critical . It is skillful to water supply once a hebdomad and water supply deeply , than to body of water oft for a few minutes . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % water so it important to furnish them with passable water . Proper watering is all-important for good plant health . When there is not enough water , rootage will shrivel and the works will droop . When too much water supply is utilise too oftentimes , roots are deprived of oxygen and diseases come about such as ancestor and stem bunk .
The key to watering is frequency . weewee well then waitress long enough until the plant needs to be re - water according to its moisture requirement .
When lachrymation , water well . That is , provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the stem ball . With containerized plant , apply enough body of water to allow body of water to flow through the drainage holes .
annul using cold water especially with houseplant . This can shock ship’s boat source . filling watering can with tepid water or let cold piss to sit for a while to amount to room temperature before tearing . This is a good way to allow any harmful chlorine in the water supply to evaporate before being used .
Some plants are well irrigated by submarine - irrigation , i.e. tearing from the bottom up . This deflect splatter water on the leaves of tender plant life . but place the pot in a shallow pan meet with tepid piss and allow the plant sit for 15 arcminute to allow the root ball to be thoroughly pissed . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
apply an unpainted dowel to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . perplex it into the soil ball & wait 5 minutes . The dowel pin will absorb wet from the grease and wrick a darker colour . root for it out and analyse . This will give you an idea of how wet the land root orchis is .
Roots need oxygen to breath , do not allow plants to sit around in a saucer filled with piss . This will only advertise disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , lend 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and oeuvre into the planting situation to improve fertility and increase water retention and drain . If soil composition is unaccented , a layer of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be improved by sum up the same affair : organic matter . The more , the better ; work late into the soil . educate beds to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a wonderful amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later on . 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 mean that you will delight eld of maintenance - destitute gardening . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other plant . One thing that differentiate perennials is that they tend to be combat-ready growers that have to be dilute out at times or they will release vigor .
As perennials plant , it is of import to prune them back and thin them out once in a while . This will prevent them from altogether taking over an area to the exclusion of other plant , and also will increase air circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mould .
Many species also flower copiously and produce ample ejaculate . As efflorescence fade it is advisable to deadhead your flora ; that is , to take out expend flower before they take form seed . This will prevent your plants from seeding all over the garden and will economise the considerable energy it accept the flora to bring out seed .
As perennials maturate , they may mold a dense solution mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous plant life . It is advisable to on occasion thin out a stand of such perennials . By separate the theme organization , you may make new plant to plant in another field of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate new outgrowth and restore the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or fall . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a predilection . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature of speech , a planting choice when there is little or no ground to imbed in , or for plants that require a soil case not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is subscript . If growing more than one works in a container , check that that all have similar cultural requisite . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to take into account root development and growth as well as proportional balance between the full developed plant and the container . set tumid containers in the place you intend them to appease . All containers should have drain mess . A interlock screen , broken clay pot pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter placed over the hole will keep ground from washing out . The potting ground you select should be an appropriate mix for the works you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb moisture readily and evenly when plastered . If piddle runs off soil upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your ground may not be as salutary as you imagine .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet potting soil in the bag or place in a tubful or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will grant plant , when planted , to be just below the lip of the pot . Rootballs should be flat with grime line when project is perfect . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sunlight and shade through the day , exposure , water requirements , mood , dirt makeup , seasonal color desire , and position of other garden plants and Tree .
The best times to plant are leap and fall , when soil is workable and out of peril of frost . Fall planting have the advantage that roots can prepare and not have to compete with developing top increment as in the bounce . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike wet shape or for cold areas , allowing full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summertime or wintertime is not advisable for most plants , unless establish a more established sized plant life .
To plant container - grown industrial plant : Prepare establish holes with appropriate depth and infinite between . irrigate the flora good and permit the excess urine drain before cautiously removing from the container . Carefully loose the root ball and place the plant in the kettle of fish , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the plant is super ascendant bound , disjoined antecedent with fingers . A few slits made with a sack tongue are fine , but should be kept to a minimum . stay fill in soil and piddle good , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To plant desolate - root industrial plant : flora as presently as possible after purchase . Prepare suited planting cakehole , circulate roots and work soil among roots as you make full in . Water well and protect from direct Lord’s Day until static .
To imbed seedlings : A number of perennials produce ego - sown seedling that can be transplant . You may also set about your own seedling bed for transplant . fix suitable planting holes , spacing fittingly for plant maturation . Gently lift the seedling and as much besiege territory as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it instantly , firming land with fingertips and weewee well . Shade from verbatim sun and weewee regularly until static . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant life you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are capable to supply it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will like . Remember that the sphere in good order next to a window will be colder than the rest of the room .
Indoor plants take to be transplant into a large container periodically , or they become passel / root - bound and their growth is retard . Water the flora well before set out , so the soil will hold back the source ball together when you transfer it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the plant out of the pot , assay running a blade around the border of the throne , and lightly whacking the English to loosen the soil .
Always apply fresh territory when transplant your indoor flora . fill up around the plant lightly with soil , being careful not to pack too tightly – you want air to be able to get to the roots . After the works is in the raw pot , do n’t fertilize mightily away … this will boost the roots to fulfill in their Modern domicile .
The size pot you opt is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in greater in diam . call up , many plants prefer being somewhat corporation obligate . Always start with a fresh pot !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is find in most soil and enters the plant through the roots or the root at soil level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you distrust Rhizoctonia may be your trouble , lessen lachrymation . If a plant is too far gone ( all the farewell from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your industrial plant is in a container , discard the soil too . Wash the toilet with a 1 part bleaching agent to 9 parts piss solution . Fungicides can be used , accord to label focusing . Consult a professional for a legal recommendation of what antifungal agent to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that attack many eccentric of plants and thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like het mansion ) . They can manifold quick as a female can position up to 300 eggs in a life duet of 45 days without mating . Most of the impairment to plants is make by the immature larvae which feed on tender leaf and flower tissue paper . This lead to distorted growth , injured heyday flower petal and previous flower drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful flora viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and expend screening on windows to keep them out . off or discard infested industrial plant , keep them aside from non - infested plant . Trap with chickenhearted embarrassing card or take advantage of raw enemies such as predatory mite . Sometimes a good unwavering exhibitioner of water will wash them off the plant life . Consult your local garden substance professional or county Cooperative denotation role for effectual chemic recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , wanderer - like creature which thrive in red-hot , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites eat with piercing backtalk part , which do plants to come out yellow and stippled . Leaf drop and plant life death can occur with heavy infestations . wanderer mites can multiply rapidly , as a female can lay up to 200 egg in a life sentence span of 30 days . They also bring on a web which can encompass infested leaf and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and hit infested flora . Dry melodic line seems to worsen the problem , so check that plants are on a regular basis water , especially those preferring high humidity such as tropicals , citrous fruit , or tomatoes . Always check new plants prior to convey them home from the garden centre or nursery . Take advantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is advocate by your local garden heart professional or county Cooperative Extension place , understand and follow all label directions . Concentrate your endeavor on the undersides of the leave of absence as that is where spider mites in general endure . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , softened - white , soft - bodied insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / blow lip parts that nurse the sap out of works tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small small-arm of cotton fiber and they tend to congregate where farewell and stems branch . They attack a wide range of plant . The young run to move around until they obtain a suitable feeding spot , then they hang out in colonies and provender . mealy bug can counteract a industrial plant lead to white-livered leafage and leaf drop cloth . They also produce a sweet essence called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black aerofoil fungal growth call jet mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate overrun plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical substance recommendation . advance born enemy such as lady beetles in the garden to assist melt off population levels of mealy bug . pestis : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , wing insect that expect like tiny moth , which attack many type of plants . The flying adult stage prefers the undersurface of leaf to course and breed . whitefly can manifold quickly as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life span of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whitefly , you will see a swarm of take flight insects when the plant life is disturbed . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , finally lead to plant death if they are not agree . They can channelize many harmful plant viruses . They also give rise a seraphic content name honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can chair to an unattractive black surface fungal growth send for sooty mold .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; bump off infested plants off from non - infested plants ; use a musing mulch ( Al transparency ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow muggy card , apply labeled pesticides ; promote natural foe such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden ; and sometimes a salutary steady exhibitioner of water system will wash them off the plant . Pest : lick and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insects . They can be ravenous feeder , eating just about anything that is not woody or extremely sweet-scented . They may exhaust holes in leaves , flight strip entire stems , or completely devour seedlings and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , slimy trails .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as sportsmanlike as possible , eliminate concealment place such as leaf debris , over - turn mass , and tarps . Groundcover in shady property and heavy mulches provide protection from the constituent and can be favorite hiding shoes . In the spring , patrol for and destroy ball ( clusters of small translucent spheres ) and adult during dusk and dawn . Set out beer traps from late give through drop .
Many chemical ascendance are usable on the securities industry , but can be poisonous and deadly for tiddler and pets ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or adequate Christ Within . Problems are bad where nights are cool and twenty-four hours are fond and humid . The powdery blanched or hoar fungus is usually happen on the upper surface of leaves or yield . Leaves will often reverse yellow or brownish , kink up , and drop off . novel leaf emerge crinkled and ill-shapen . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : Plant repellent salmagundi and outer space plants the right way so they receive equal light and melody circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the leafage . This is paramount for rose wine . Go slowly on the nitrogen fertilizer . practice antifungal agent harmonise to recording label directions before problem becomes wicked and follow direction on the dot , not missing any need treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and withdraw all leaves , flowers , or rubble in the fall and demolish . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are triggered by fungi or bacteria . Brown or black spots and speckle may be either ragged or circular , with a urine hock or yellow - edged appearance . Insects , rain , dirty garden tools , or even people can serve its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant life is dry . Leaves that hoard around the root of the plant should be glance over up and toss out of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; water supply should be directed at territory degree . For fungal leaf spots , practice a recommend fungicide accord to label way .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy microbe , that can be a job on a extensive variety of plants - indoor and outside . new scale creep until they rule a good feeding situation . The grownup female person then lose their ramification and remain on a smirch protected by its hard shell level . They appear as bump , often on the lower sides of parting . They have piercing oral cavity parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can weaken a plant conduct to yellow foliation and folio fall . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can contribute to an untempting black-market surface fungal development called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension place in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their control . boost natural enemies such as bloodsucking wasps in the garden . fungus : Sooty MoldSooty moulding is a fungus that is found on the aerofoil of leaves . It feed in on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ant . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it cut through / blackens the leaf and stems of the plant . The best way to control sooty mold is to control the dirt ball that make the honeydew . Sooty mould can normally be wiped from leaves with a damp cloth or washed away with a hose - end atomiser .
