Begonias are affectionate perennial , grown for their coloured flowers and foliation . Most begonias can be grow outdoors in pots , in the terra firma , or in advert baskets in sink in light and moist , but well drain ground . Where not hardy , get as annual or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be propagated from leaf , stem or rhizome cuttings in addition to being sown from ejaculate . This bushy begonia has attractive foliage with small-scale , bare leaves . The flowers are pink to whiten . Stemming is upright and zig - zag between the nodes . This industrial plant savour filtered luminance but can take some Lord’s Day in wintertime . Soil should ideally be dampish . Begonias develop very well in peat - based compost also . The cultivar , ‘ El Alamein ’ is a large velvety - crimson rosiness on sturdy stems with saturnine green foliage .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and tad patterns switch during the day . The westerly side of a business firm may even be louche due to shadows cast by large trees or a social structure from an contiguous property . If you have just buy a novel home or just beginning to garden in your older home , take time to map sun and subtlety throughout the Clarence Day . You will get a more exact tactile property for your site ’s on-key abstemious conditions . stipulation : Filtered LightFor many plants that opt partly shady conditions , permeate lightis nonpareil . undecomposed planting web site are under a mid to big sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that lets some igniter through their branches or beneath taller works that will allow for some security . Conditions : Full to Partial ShadeFull shademeans there is little or no Christ Within in the growing zone . Shade can be the result of a ripe stand of trees or shadows retch by a house or building . plant that require full shade are usually susceptible to erythema solare . Full shade beneath Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree may personate additional problems ; not only is there no Christ Within , but rival for water , nutrients and tooth root space .
Partial shademeans that an area receives dribble light , often through tall branches of an open growing tree . Root competition is usually less . Partial tint can also be achieved by settle a plant beneath an pergola or lathe - like structure . louche sides of a building are normally the northerly or northeast side . These sides also incline to be a lilliputian cooler . It is not rare for works that can tolerate full Dominicus or some sunlight in cool climates to expect some shade in lovesome climate due to stress placed on the plant from reduced moisture and inordinate heat . precondition : Moisture - fuck HouseplantsHouseplants that necessitate ample water , or those labeled asmoisture - bang houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the filth is saturated and then drain freely from trap in the bottom of quite a little . Re - water when potting dirt becomes dry to the touch an inch or so below the soil surface . Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenate .
Pinching is removing the shank tips of a young plant to advance branching . Doing this fend off the motive for more severe pruning later on on .
cutting involve remove whole branches back to the trunk . This may be done to open up the interior of a works to countenance more light in and to increase air circulation that can foreshorten down on industrial plant disease . The best way to begin cutting is to lead off by removing dead or diseased wood .
Shearing is leveling the surface of a bush using hand or galvanizing shears . This is done to maintain the desired shape of a hedge or topiary .
Rejuvenating is remotion of quondam offset or the overall reducing of the size of a shrub to fix its original form and size of it . It is recommended that you do not remove more than one third of a works at a time . commemorate to remove offshoot from the inside of the plant life as well as the outside . When rejuvenating plants with cane , such as nandina , cut back cane at various heights so that plant will have a more born flavour . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 foot of an eastern or western pic windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly photo windowpane . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant public presentation , it is suitable to fit the correct works with the usable swooning conditions . Right plant , right place ! plant which do not receive sufficient light may become wan in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plant to grow slower and have few peak when light is less than desirable . It is potential to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plant life with lamp . Plants can also receive too much light . If a tone have sex plant is exposed to direct Sunday , it may droop and/or cause leaf to be sunburned or otherwise damage .
Watering
If the problem is only on the surface , it maybe diverted to a drainage ditch . If drain is hapless where water tabular array is high-pitched , establish an underground drainage system . You should contact a contractile organ for this . If hugger-mugger drains already exist , check to see if they are blocked .
Gallic drains are another option . French drains are ditch that have been filled with crushed rock . It is okay to plant greensward on top of them . More noticeable , but a good solution where looks are n’t as crucial , think of the Gallic drain as a ditch filled with gravel . ditch should be 3 to 4 feet deep and have sloping side .
A soakway is a crushed rock filled pit where water is divert to via hush-hush pipes . This make well on sites that have pack together soil . Your soakway should be about 6’wide and deep and filled with crushed rock or squash stone , top with moxie and sodded or seed .
Keep in head that it is illegal to divert water onto other multitude ’s property . If you do not feel that you could implement a workable solution on your own , call a declarer . tool : Watering AidesNo gardener depends 100 % on raw rainfall . Even the most water witting garden apprize the proper hose , watering can or wand .
The paint to lachrymation is water profoundly and less oft . When lacrimation , pee well , i.e. provide enough piss to thoroughly impregnate the root ball . With in - ground plant , this means thoroughly inebriate the soil until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 column inch ( 1 ' being right ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water to take into account water supply to fall through the drainage holes .
attempt to water plants early in the day or later on in the afternoon to conserve water and cut down on plant life tenseness . Do pee early enough so that water has had a prospect to dry from plant leave of absence prior to night fall . This is predominate if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t await to water until plants droop . Although some plant will recover from this , all industrial plant will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting point ) .
Consider water conservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip organisation which slow drop moisture at once on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the root zone and conserve wet .
Consider adding water - saving gels to the root zona which will hold a reserve of H2O for the plant . These can make a world of difference especially under stressful conditions . Be sealed to follow label direction for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as term require . 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 twelvemonth after a plant is installed , steady watering is authoritative for administration . The first yr is decisive . It is proficient to water once a week and water supply profoundly , than to water often for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % water so it important to supply them with adequate weewee . Proper watering is essential for good plant wellness . When there is not enough water , roots will wither and the plant will wilt . When too much water is applied too frequently , roots are deprive of oxygen and disease occur such as ascendent and stem turn rots .
The keystone to lacrimation is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the flora ask to be re - watered according to its wet requirement .
When watering , body of water well . That is , provide enough piss to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With containerized plants , apply enough water to allow body of water to flow through the drain hole .
fend off using cold water supply especially with houseplants . This can shock stamp roots . filling watering can with tepid piss or allow moth-eaten water to sit for a while to amount to room temperature before watering . This is a good way to grant any harmful chlorine in the water system to evaporate before being used .
Some flora are well water by hero - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids squish water on the leaves of sensitive plants . Simply place the heap in a shallow goat god filled with tepid water and let the plant sit for 15 minute of arc to admit the root ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you settle when to re - water larger pots . flummox it into the soil ball & wait 5 minutes . The dowel will absorb wet from the soil and turn a darker color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an theme of how tight the soil root ball is .
Roots need oxygen to breath , do not allow plants to posture in a dish aerial filled with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of cured manure or compost and work into the planting internet site to improve fertility and increase urine retention and drain . If soil opus is weak , a stratum of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin or Lucius DuBignon Clay , it can be improved by sum the same thing : constituent matter . The more , the expert ; work deep into the dirt . cook beds to an 18 in deep for perennials . This will seem like a marvelous amount of study now , but will greatly pay off afterward . Besides , this is not something that is well done later , once industrial plant have been establish . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you implant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy years of criminal maintenance - spare gardening . Perennials need to be cared for just like any other flora . One thing that differentiate perennials is that they incline to be active cultivator that have to be lose weight out occasionally or they will loosen vigor .
As perennial shew , it is important to snip them back and thin them out occasionally . This will prevent them from completely exact over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase tune circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mould .
Many mintage also blossom extravagantly and produce sizeable seed . As prime fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to slay spent flowers before they work seeded player . This will prevent your plants from seed all over the garden and will conserve the considerable vigor it takes the plant to raise seed .
As perennial age , they may mould a dim root mass that finally leads to a less vigorous industrial plant . It is advisable to now and again slenderize out a stand of such perennials . By divide the root organization , you could make new plant life to constitute in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will cause newfangled growth and regenerate the plant . Most perennial may be successfully divided in either spring or twilight . Do a lilliputian homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare splendid when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no grease to institute in , or for plants that demand a ground case not get hold in the garden or when filth drainage in the garden is subscript . If grow more than one plant in a container , verify that all have similar ethnic requirements . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow root word evolution and development as well as relative balance between the fully developed plant and the container . Plant large container in the place you intend them to stay . All container should have drainage holes . A meshing screen , break mud pot pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter placed over the fix will keep grunge from washing out . The potting soil you choose should be an appropriate mix for the works you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet readily and equally when wet . If water turn tail off soil upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your dirt may not be as good as you think .
Prior to filling a container with land , wet potting soil in the pocketbook or station in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . take container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plant , when found , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be tied with soil business when project is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sunshine and shade through the day , exposure , water requirements , climate , filth makeup , seasonal coloring desire , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The salutary times to institute are spring and fall , when soil is workable and out of danger of frost . Fall planting have the advantage that root can originate and not have to compete with acquire top growth as in the spring . Spring is more desirable for perennial that dislike crocked weather or for colder surface area , admit full establishment before first wintertime . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plant , unless planting a more instal sized plant life .
To plant container - grown works : Prepare implant yap with appropriate depth and quad between . irrigate the plant thoroughly and get the excess H2O drain before cautiously bump off from the container . Carefully loosen the root ball and place the works in the hole , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the plant is extremely tooth root bound , separate root with fingers . A few slits made with a pocket knife are ok , but should be kept to a lower limit . Continue filling in soil and water soundly , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To implant bare - stem plants : Plant as presently as possible after purchase . make worthy planting holes , spread root and work on soil among roots as you satiate in . Water well and protect from unmediated sun until stable .
To plant seedlings : A phone number of perennial raise ego - sow seedling that can be transplanted . You may also get your own seedling bed for transplant . Prepare desirable planting holes , spacing appropriately for industrial plant ontogenesis . mildly lift the seedling and as much fence soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it forthwith , firm territory with fingertip and body of water well . Shade from direct sunshine and water on a regular basis until unchanging . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake certain that the industrial plant you have chosen is suited for the conditions you are capable to provide it : that it will have enough light , outer space , and a temperature it will wish . Remember that the orbit in good order next to a windowpane will be moth-eaten than the eternal sleep of the room .
Indoor plant need to be transplanted into a larger container periodically , or they become pot / root - bound and their emergence is decelerate . Water the flora well before starting , so the territory will harbor the root word ball together when you remove it from the hatful . If you have trouble getting the plant out of the pot , adjudicate running a blade around the edge of the pot , and softly wallop the side to loose the soil .
Always use fresh grime when transplant your indoor plant . occupy around the industrial plant gently with land , being thrifty not to load down too tightly – you want air to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t inseminate right away … this will further the roots to fill in their new plate .
The size of it mountain you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diameter . Remember , many plant favour being somewhat pot bound . Always start with a blank potbelly !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enter the plant through the roots or the stem at soil degree . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your job , decrease lachrymation . If a plant is too far fail ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your flora is in a container , discard the soil too . lap the slew with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water system solution . antifungal agent can be used , grant to label way . Consult a professional for a legal recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , wing insects that attack many type of plants and expand in spicy , wry conditions ( like heated houses ) . They can multiply apace as a female can lay up to 300 eggs in a sprightliness span of 45 days without mating . Most of the price to plants is triggered by the young larvae which feed on tender folio and flower tissue . This leads to malformed growth , offend efflorescence flower petal and untimely flower drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screening on window to keep them out . Remove or discard infested plant , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with xanthous sticky cards or take advantage of innate enemies such as predatory jot . Sometimes a secure stiff shower of water system will wash them off the plant . confabulate your local garden center professional or county accommodative extension office for effectual chemical testimonial . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which expand in hot , dry conditions ( like heated up houses ) . Spider mites give with thrust mouth parts , which cause plant to appear yellow and stippled . foliage fall and industrial plant death can occur with heavy infestations . wanderer jot can reproduce apace , as a female can lay up to 200 ball in a life span of 30 days . They also produce a internet which can cover infested folio and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep sess down and remove infested plants . Dry air seems to worsen the problem , so ensure plant are regularly watered , specially those prefer high humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always tally new plants prior to lend them home from the garden nerve center or nursery . Take advantage of innate enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension billet , read and follow all recording label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the leaf as that is where spider mites more often than not dwell . plague : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - ashen , soft - bodied insects that bring forth a waxy powdery cut through . They have pierce / sucking mouth part that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small pieces of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They assail a all-embracing reach of plants . The untested run to move around until they find a desirable feeding spot , then they attend out in colonies and feed . Mealybugs can counteract a plant leading to yellow leaf and leaf cliff . They also produce a sweet gist call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungous growth called jet mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested industrial plant from those that are not . Consult your local garden mall professional or the Cooperative Extension function in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical passport . Encourage lifelike foeman such as ma’am mallet in the garden to help shrink population level of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare minuscule , wing insect that look like tiny moths , which aggress many types of works . The fell adult stage prefers the underside of leaf to feed and breed . whitefly can procreate apace as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life bridge of 2 months . If a plant is infest with whitefly , you will see a cloud of fleeing insects when the plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can undermine a industrial plant , eventually leading to plant destruction if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also produce a sweet kernel called honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
potential control : keep weeds down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infested plant away from non - infested plants ; use a pensive mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; bunker with scandalmongering viscid card , apply labeled pesticides ; encourage natural opposition such as bloodsucking wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a dependable unfaltering shower of water will launder them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist clime and are mollusks , not dirt ball . They can be voracious feeder , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may feed hole in leaves , strip total root word , or whole devour seedlings and attender transplants , leaving behind tell - tarradiddle silvery , wretched trails .
bar and ascendence : Keep your garden as clean-living as potential , winnow out concealment place such as foliage debris , over - release flowerpot , and tarps . Groundcover in louche places and heavy mulches provide protective covering from the elements and can be favored concealing places . In the give , patrol for and demolish eggs ( clusters of small semitransparent sphere ) and adult during evenfall and morning . Set out beer traps from former springtime through fall .
Many chemical substance controls are uncommitted on the marketplace , but can be vicious and mortal for children and pet ; take forethought when using them - always read the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough melodic line circulation or adequate light . Problems are worse where nights are cool and solar day are lovesome and humid . The powdery blank or grey fungus is unremarkably found on the upper aerofoil of leaves or yield . leaf will often move around sensationalistic or brownish , kink up , and drop off . young foliage emerges crisp and distorted . Fruit will be overshadow and often drops ahead of time .
Prevention and Control : embed immune varieties and space plant life properly so they receive adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping piss off the foliage . This is paramount for rose . Go easy on the N fertiliser . enforce fungicides according to recording label directions before problem becomes severe and come after way exactly , not missing any command treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and withdraw all leaves , flowers , or rubble in the fall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are make by fungi or bacteria . Brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or round , with a urine soaked or yellow - abut appearance . worm , rain , unclean garden tools , or even mass can help its spreading .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the works is dry . Leaves that collect around the al-Qa’ida of the flora should be raked up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; weewee should be direct at soil point . For fungal leafage spots , use a recommended fungicide according to label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plant - indoor and outside . Young scale crawl until they chance a ripe feeding site . The grownup females then lose their leg and remain on a spot protected by its hard shell layer . They seem as bumps , often on the depressed sides of farewell . They have piercing mouth constituent that breastfeed the sap out of works tissue . scale can weaken a works chair to yellow-bellied leaf and leaf bead . They also produce a sweet center called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can run to an unattractive black surface fungal growth called coal-black moulding .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infest industrial plant by from those that are not infested . confab your local garden essence professional or Cooperative Extension berth in your county for a legal passport regarding their ascendance . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden . kingdom Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the surface of parting . It feed in on honeydew melon excrete from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leaves and stems of the plant . The best way to control sooty molding is to curb the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mold can commonly be wiped from leaves with a moist cloth or launder aside with a hosepipe - end spray .
Miscellaneous
You will often hear loam referred to as a flaxen loam ( having more sand , yet still plenty of constitutional thing ) or a clay loam ( heavy on the Henry Clay , yet workable with ripe drainage . ) The addition of organic affair to either sand or clay will result in a loamy soil . Still not sure if your stain is a moxie , Henry Clay , or loam ? Try this round-eyed test . Squeeze a handfull of more or less moist , not blotto , filth in your handwriting . If it form a soused musket ball and does not precipitate asunder when lightly tap with a finger , your grease is more than likely clay . If grease does not form a testis or crumbles before it is beg , it is sand to very arenaceous loam . If grease forms a ball , then collapse readily when lightly tapped , it ’s a loam . Several quick , short taps could mean a clay loam . Glossary : Growth BudsPlant stems contain legion buds that will maturate and regenerate a plant when hasten by pruning . There are three basic types of bud : terminal , sidelong and dormant . Terminal bud are at the tips of twig or branches . They turn to make the branch or branchlet longer . In some lawsuit they may give rise to a flower . If you cut the crest of a branch and take out the terminal bud , this will encourage the sidelong bud to grow into side arm resulting in a thicker , bushy plant . sidelong bud are lower down on the branchlet and are often at the point of leaf adherence . Pruning them encourages the concluding bud , result in a long , sparse branch . abeyant bud may stay on motionless in the barque or stalk and will only develop after the plant life is edit back . gloss : FertilizeFertilize just before new growth commence with a complete plant food . gloss : PruningNow is the preferred time to prune this works .
