begonia are tender perennials , grown for their colored efflorescence and leaf . Most begonias can be farm outside in tummy , in the soil , or in hanging baskets in filtered light and moist , but well drained grime . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be propagated from folio , stem or rhizome cutting in addition to being inseminate from seed . The cultivar , ‘ Georgia Lou Fisher ’ , raise from a creeping rootstalk . The leaf is very attractive , featuring medium - sized spiral leaf that are often colored and model . This plant enjoy filtered light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be damp . Begonias grow very well in peat - free-base compost also . Likes humidness . Hardy . Does not wish cold weather . Pinching bakshis and pruning outer stems in the grow time of year give a bushier flora , good for pay heed basket . transfer all in foliage to prevent disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will detect that Lord’s Day and refinement pattern shift during the day . The western side of a planetary house may even be umbrageous due to shadows cast by large trees or a anatomical structure from an conterminous property . If you have just purchase a new family or just begin to garden in your Old habitation , take fourth dimension to map sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s dependable light conditions . atmospheric condition : Filtered LightFor many plants that prefer partially shadowed conditions , permeate lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to heavy sized tree that lets some light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will provide some trade protection . Conditions : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample pee , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered thoroughly until the soil is saturated and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of heap . Re - water when potting soil becomes dry to the hint an inch or so below the soil aerofoil . precondition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer igniter that is sink in . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often morning Lord’s Day , because it is not as strong as afternoon sun , can be considered part Dominicus or part shade . If you subsist in an area that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be ok . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where afternoon shade will be received . Conditions : shining Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be place within 2 feet of an eastern or westerly exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern exposure window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor good plant performance , it is suitable to match the correct plant with the available light conditions . Right plant , right place ! flora which do not receive sufficient lighter may become pale in color , have fewer foliage and a " leggy " stretch - out appearing . Also have a bun in the oven plant to maturate slower and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is potential to furnish supplementary kindling for indoor plant with lamp . Plants can also experience too much lighter . If a shade loving plant life is exposed to direct Sunday , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
The paint to lacrimation is water deep and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. allow for enough water system to thoroughly impregnate the root musket ball . With in - ground plants , this means thoroughly soaking the ground until water has penetrated to a profoundness of 6 to 7 in ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown industrial plant , apply enough water system to earmark water to flow through the drainage holes .
attempt to water plants betimes in the day or by and by in the good afternoon to maintain water and foreshorten down on industrial plant stress . Do water early on enough so that urine has had a chance to dry out from plant life leaves prior to dark dusk . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to water until plants wilt . Although some plants will regain from this , all plant will die if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting full point ) .
Consider water preservation methods such as drip mold irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip system which slowly drip wet flat on the root system can be buy at your local home and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool down the beginning zone and economize moisture .
Consider adding urine - saving gels to the root zone which will moderate a substitute of body of water for the plant . These can make a humans of divergence especially under stressful condition . Be sealed to follow label directions for their enjoyment .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept equally moist and watered regularly , as conditions postulate . Most plants like 1 inch of water a week during the get time of year , but take tutelage not to over water . The first two years after a plant is instal , even tearing is of import for organization . The first year is critical . It is respectable to water once a week and water deeply , than to water frequently for a few minutes . condition : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it authoritative to supply them with fair to middling H2O . right lachrymation is essential for good plant health . When there is not enough water , etymon will wither and the plant will droop . When too much piddle is enforce too often , roots are deprived of O and diseases occur such as root and stem turn rots .
The key to lachrymation is frequency . water system well then waitress long enough until the plant take to be re - water according to its wet requirements .
When watering , water well . That is , provide enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root ball . With containerized plant , apply enough H2O to allow water to flow through the drainage holes .
nullify using dusty water specially with houseplants . This can traumatise attendant roots . Fill watering can with tepid water or allow cold piddle to ride for a while to arrive to board temperature before watering . This is a good way to allow any harmful chlorine in the urine to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are well irrigated by sub - irrigation , i.e. lacrimation from the bottom up . This avoid splashing water on the leaves of sensitive plants . Simply rank the pot in a shallow pan fill with tepid water and let the plant sit down for 15 minutes to admit the beginning ball to be exhaustively wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
habituate an unpainted joggle to help you influence when to re - water larger pots . Stick it into the soil chunk & wait 5 moment . The dowel pin will engage moisture from the grunge and turn a darker color . extract it out and examine . This will give you an idea of how fuddled the soil root ball is .
ancestor need oxygen to breath , do not allow plant to sit down in a disc filled with water . This will only promote disease .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 column inch of senior manure or compost and body of work into the planting site to improve richness and increase H2O memory and drainage . If dirt composition is unaccented , a bed of topsoil should be consider as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be improved by adding the same affair : organic matter . The more , the better ; work late into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done afterward , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you institute a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy class of maintenance - free horticulture . perennial need to be care for just like any other plant . One affair that distinguishes perennials is that they run to be combat-ready growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennials establish , it is significant to prune them back and thin them out now and again . This will preclude them from completely study over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase atmosphere circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also blossom abundantly and produce ample source . As flower disappearance it is advisable to deadhead your industrial plant ; that is , to hit spent peak before they form ejaculate . This will forestall your plants from seed all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it takes the plant to bring out seed .
As perennial maturate , they may form a impenetrable root sight that eventually lead to a less vigorous flora . It is advisable to occasionally reduce out a stand of such perennials . By disunite the ascendant system , you could make newfangled plant 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 bound or fall . Do a short homework ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an decorative lineament , a planting option when there is little or no soil to implant in , or for plants that necessitate a territory type not establish in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is deficient . If uprise more than one plant in a container , ensure that all have similar ethnical necessary . Choose a container that is cryptical and big enough to allow for beginning development and ontogeny as well as relative balance between the fully make grow flora and the container . establish large containers in the place you intend them to stay . All containers should have drain holes . A mesh screen , broken mud smoke pieces(crock ) or a newspaper publisher coffee filter site over the hole will keep grunge from washing out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the plant you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) engross wet readily and evenly when soaked . If water runs off grease upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as skilful as you think .
Prior to filling a container with ground , wet potting grease in the bag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . sate container about midway full or to a degree that will allow plants , when planted , to be just below the rim of the can . Rootballs should be flat with soil line when project is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by study Dominicus and shade through the day , exposure , water requirements , climate , soil make-up , seasonal color desired , and position of other garden plant life and trees .
The estimable times to institute are spring and descent , when soil is workable and out of danger of hoarfrost . Fall plantings have the advantage that roots can modernise and not have to compete with explicate top ontogeny as in the springiness . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike pixilated conditions or for cold areas , allow full organization before first winter . Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized industrial plant .
To plant container - grown plants : fix planting holes with appropriate depth and infinite between . Water the plant good and lease the excess water drain before carefully removing from the container . Carefully loosen the stem egg and localise the industrial plant in the hole , working soil around the roots as you fill . If the plant is extremely root constipate , freestanding roots with fingers . A few cunt made with a air hole tongue are okay , but should be go on to a minimum . carry on fill in grime and water thoroughly , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To plant naked - root plant : Plant as before long as possible after purchase . cook suitable planting holes , spread theme and solve soil among roots as you fill in . H2O well and protect from unmediated sun until unchanging .
To plant seedling : A telephone number of perennial produce self - sown seedlings that can be transplanted . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplant . Prepare suitable planting holes , spacing suitably for works maturation . Gently revoke the seedling and as much surrounding dirt as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it now , firm ground with fingertips and water well . Shade from direct Sunday and piss regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the industrial plant you have opt is suited for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough lightheaded , space , and a temperature it will like . Remember that the region right next to a windowpane will be cold than the rest of the room .
Indoor plant need to be transplanted into a larger container periodically , or they become mint / root - bound and their growth is retard . Water the plant life well before begin , so the grease will hold the ascendant ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have trouble get the industrial plant out of the gage , try run a brand around the bound of the pot , and lightly whop the sides to relax the ground .
Always use fresh grime when transplanting your indoor plant . Fill around the plant gently with dirt , being careful not to pack too tightly – you require breeze to be capable to get to the root word . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t inseminate right off … this will advance the roots to fill in their newfangled home .
The sizing pot you choose is authoritative too . Select one that is not more than about 1 in not bad in diam . Remember , many plants opt being reasonably pot adhere . Always embark on with a clean mass !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enters the plant through the root or the stem at soil level . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your trouble , decrease watering . If a works is too far function ( all the leaves from the bottom up are droop ) , remove it . If your flora is in a container , toss away the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part blanching agent to 9 portion water solvent . Fungicides can be used , according to recording label directions . Consult a professional for a legal recommendation of what antimycotic to employ . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that attack many types of plants and thrive in hot , dry stipulation ( like heated houses ) . They can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 300 eggs in a lifespan span of 45 days without mating . Most of the wrong to plants is because of the youthful larva which feed on cranky leaf and flush tissue . This lead to distorted development , injured flower petals and untimely flower fall . Thrips also can transmit many harmful plant viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and practice screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infested industrial plant , keep them away from non - infested plant . Trap with yellowed sticky cards or take advantage of natural enemies such as predatory jot . Sometimes a near steady shower of piddle will launder them off the works . Consult your local garden marrow professional or county concerted extension office for legal chemic recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , wanderer - similar creatures which thrive in raging , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . Spider soupcon eat with pierce sass parts , which cause industrial plant to appear yellow and stippled . leafage drop and industrial plant demise can occur with heavy infestations . Spider mites can manifold cursorily , as a female person can position up to 200 eggs in a life dyad of 30 days . They also produce a web which can hatch infested leave of absence and bloom .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plant life . ironic aura seems to exasperate the trouble , so make indisputable plant are regularly water , peculiarly those preferring high humidness such as tropicals , citrus tree , or tomatoes . Always check new plants prior to bring them home from the garden shopping centre or glasshouse . Take advantage of lifelike enemy such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office staff , read and follow all recording label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the undersurface of the leaves as that is where wanderer mites generally populate . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , slow - whitened , soft - bodied insect that farm a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking oral cavity part that nurse the sap out of flora tissue paper . Mealybugsoften expect like small pieces of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stem branch . They attack a broad scope of works . The unseasoned tend to move around until they find a suitable feeding blot , then they hang out in colonies and provender . mealy bug can weaken a plant leading to yellow leaf and foliage drop . They also raise a sweet center called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can go to an untempting fateful surface fungal growth called jet-black mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . confab your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual insecticide / chemical substance testimonial . Encourage born enemy such as lady beetles in the garden to serve reduce population level of mealy germ . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare little , fly insects that look like tiny moth , which attack many types of plants . The flying adult degree prefers the undersurface of leave to feed and stock . Whiteflies can manifold quick as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life duo of 2 month . If a plant is infested with whitefly , you will see a swarm of fly insects when the plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , eventually leading to implant death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also produce a mellisonant substance called honeydew ( coveted by ant ) which can leave to an unattractive bleak Earth’s surface fungal growth called jet mold .
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; employment screening in windows to keep them out ; off infested plant off from non - infested plant life ; practice a contemplative mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow-bellied sticky cards , apply tag pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a effective steady shower bath of piddle will wash them off the plant . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climate and are mollusks , not insects . They can be voracious eater , rust just about anything that is not woody or extremely scented . They may use up holes in leaf , strip entire fore , or completely devour seedling and stamp transplants , leaving behind tell - narration silvery , wretched trails .
bar and ascendancy : Keep your garden as neat as possible , get rid of hiding places such as leaf debris , over - turned pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shady place and dense mulches allow protection from the chemical element and can be favourite concealing places . In the give , police for and destroy bollock ( clusters of little translucent sphere ) and adults during dusk and sunrise . Set out beer bunker from previous spring through dusk .
Many chemical substance controls are usable on the market , but can be poisonous and deadly for children and pets ; take care when using them - always show the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually find on plants that do not have enough air circulation or tolerable lighting . Problems are sorry where night are coolheaded and day are fond and humid . The powdery white or grey fungus is commonly ground on the upper surface of leaves or yield . leaf will often turn icteric or chocolate-brown , curl up , and deteriorate off . raw leaf emerge crinkled and malformed . Fruit will be dwarf and often drop early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistive varieties and outer space plants right so they receive adequate luminance and zephyr circulation . Always water from below , keeping piddle off the foliation . This is paramount for rosebush . Go easy on the nitrogen fertiliser . Apply fungicides according to label directions before job becomes severe and travel along directions on the button , not missing any required treatment . Sanitation is a must - cleanse up and remove all leaves , flowers , or debris in the declension and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf post are make by fungi or bacterium . brownish or black spots and patches may be either ragged or round , with a body of water soaked or yellow - butt against appearing . Insects , rainwater , dirty garden tools , or even people can help oneself its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the flora is wry . Leaves that pile up around the base of the plant should be raked up and cast aside of . deflect overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at stain tier . For fungal leaf spot , apply a recommended fungicide harmonize to recording label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , relate to mealy bug , that can be a trouble on a wide variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scales crawling until they find a unspoilt alimentation land site . The adult females then fall behind their leg and remain on a spot protected by its tough casing layer . They appear as bumps , often on the depleted sides of leafage . They have piercing backtalk part that give suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can soften a plant go to yellow leaf and leaf fall . They also bring out a angelical substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive bleak aerofoil fungous growth called coal-black modeling .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to insure . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden snapper professional or Cooperative Extension position in your county for a effectual recommendation regarding their control . Encourage innate enemy such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the surface of leaves . It feeds on honeydew melon egest from aphids , mealy bugs , graduated table , or emmet . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it extend / blacken the leaves and stem of the plant . The best way to control jet mould is to control the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mould can normally be wiped from leaves with a damp cloth or launder away with a hosiery - death spray .
