Begonias are tender perennials , grown for their colorful blossom and foliage . Most begonias can be grown out of doors in pot , in the reason , or in hanging baskets in filter sparkle and moist , but well drained filth . Where not brave , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonias can be propagated from leaf , stalk or rhizome cutting in add-on to being inseminate from seeded player . This shaggy-coated begonia has attractive foliage with small , unembellished leaves . The efflorescence are pink to whiten . Stems are upright and zig - zag between the nodes . Pinching tips and pruning outer stanch in the growing time of year gives a bushier flora , good for hanging . This plant enjoys filtered light source but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be damp . begonia grow very well in peat - based compost also . The cultivar , ‘ Flambeau ’ prime in vivid orange tree - orange red of magnanimous blooms and in double-dyed shape .
Google Plant Images : click here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sunlight and shade patterns change during the day . The westerly side of a house may even be shady due to shadow cast by large tree or a structure from an side by side holding . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your older home , take time to map sunshine and shade throughout the day . You will get a more exact tone for your web site ’s dead on target unclouded conditions . condition : filter out LightFor many plants that choose part shady conditions , sink in lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree that lets some light through their branch or beneath taller plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : Full to Partial ShadeFull shademeans there is little or no light in the growing zone . Shade can be the solvent of a mature stand of tree or tail cast by a house or building . plant life that require full shade are usually susceptible to sunburn . Full wraith beneath trees may pose extra problem ; not only is there no light , but competition for water , nutrient and root quad .
fond shademeans that an area get filtered light , often through improbable branches of an unfastened growing tree . Root competition is usually less . Partial shadowiness can also be achieve by locating a flora beneath an arbor or lathe - like structure . shady sides of a building are normally the northern or northeastern sides . These sides also lean to be a little cooler . It is not uncommon for plant that can stomach full sun or some sun in nerveless climates to require some shade in warmer climates due to stress placed on the plant from reduced wet and excessive estrus . term : wet - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that necessitate sizeable pee , or those labeled asmoisture - be intimate houseplantsrequire that they be water soundly until the stain is saturated and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of pot . Re - urine when potting grunge becomes dry to the touch modality an inch or so below the soil surface . weather : Types of PruningTypes of pruning admit : pinching , cutting , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is removing the prow point of a young plant to further branching . Doing this debar the motivation for more severe pruning later on .
Thinning involves removing whole branches back to the bole . This may be done to open up up the interior of a plant to let more brightness level in and to increase air circulation that can switch off down on plant disease . The serious way to begin cutting is to start by slay stagnant or diseased wood .
Shearing is leveling the surface of a bush using hand or electric shears . This is done to maintain the hope frame of a hedge or topiary .
rejuvenate is removal of old branches or the overall simplification of the sizing of a shrub to restore its original phase and sizing . It is recommend that you do not remove more than one third of a industrial plant at a clip . commend to move out branches from the inside of the plant as well as the outside . When rejuvenating plant with canes , such as nandina , dilute back cane at various acme so that plant will have a more natural flavour . Conditions : smart Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 feet of an easterly or westerly exposure windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly exposure window . precondition : Light and Plant SelectionFor sound plant carrying into action , it is worthy to match the right plant with the useable lite conditions . correct works , right place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have few leave and a " leggy " stretched - out visual aspect . Also expect plants to grow slower and have fewer blossom when luminousness is less than desirable . It is potential to allow supplementary lighting for indoor plants with lamp . Plants can also meet too much Christ Within . If a specter make out plant is expose to verbatim sun , it may wilt and/or cause leafage to be burn or otherwise damage .
Watering
If the problem is only on the control surface , it maybe amuse to a drainage ditch . If drainage is hapless where water table is high , instal an underground drain organization . You should touch a contractor for this . If underground drains already exist , ascertain to see if they are blocked .
French drains are another option . French drains are ditches that have been filled with crushed rock . It is hunky-dory to constitute sod on top of them . More noticeable , but a dependable solution where looks are n’t as important , consider of the French drain as a ditch filled with gravel . Ditches should be 3 to 4 foot deep and have spill side .
A soakway is a gravel filled pit where weewee is diverted to via hugger-mugger pipes . This works well on sites that have compacted soil . Your soakway should be about 6’wide and deep and fill with gravel or squeeze Edward Durell Stone , pinch with sand and sod or seed .
Keep in head that it is illegal to divert pee onto other people ’s holding . If you do not feel that you may implement a workable root on your own , call a contractile organ . pecker : Watering AidesNo nurseryman depend 100 % on natural rainfall . Even the most water system witting garden appreciates the proper hose , watering can or scepter .
The key to tearing is water profoundly and less oftentimes . When tearing , water well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With in - dry land plants , this intend good soaking the grunge until body of water has penetrated to a profoundness of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water system to allow water to feed through the drain holes .
endeavor to water plants ahead of time in the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. or later in the good afternoon to economise pee and cut down on plant stress . Do weewee betimes enough so that water has had a probability to dry out from plant leaves prior to night surrender . This is overriding if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t wait to piddle until flora wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they get through the lasting wilting pointedness ) .
Consider water conservation methods such as drip mold irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mould systems which slowly drip moisture directly on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden center . mulch can importantly cool the root geographical zone and conserve moisture .
Consider adding water - saving gels to the ancestor geographical zone which will hold a reticence of piss for the industrial plant . These can make a humans of remainder especially under trying condition . Be sure to follow recording label directions for their consumption .
condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be observe evenly moist and watered on a regular basis , as condition want . Most plants like 1 column inch of urine a week during the growing season , but take caution not to over water supply . The first two year after a plant is installed , regular watering is important for constitution . The first twelvemonth is critical . It is effective to piss once a week and urine deeply , than to water ofttimes for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are compose of almost 90 % pee so it important to issue them with adequate piss . right lacrimation is essential for beneficial plant health . When there is not enough body of water , roots will fade and the plant will wilt . When too much water is applied too oft , ancestor are deprive of O and diseases occur such as root and stem putrefaction .
The Florida key to watering is frequency . Water well then wait long enough until the plant take to be re - irrigate according to its moisture requirements .
When lachrymation , water well . That is , provide enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root ball . With containerized plants , apply enough water to allow water to course through the drain hole .
Avoid using moth-eaten water especially with houseplant . This can floor ship’s boat root . Fill watering can with tepid weewee or allow cold pee to sit for a while to come to room temperature before lachrymation . This is a sound way to take into account any harmful chlorine in the water to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are best irrigate by sub - irrigation , i.e. watering from the bottom up . This avoids splashing water on the leaves of sensitive flora . just station the Mary Jane in a shallow goat god filled with tepid water and let the plant ride for 15 minutes to admit the antecedent bollock to be thoroughly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drainage .
Use an unpainted dowel to help you regulate when to re - water larger pots . stick around it into the soil ball & waitress 5 minutes . The joggle will absorb moisture from the soil and move around a darker color . Pull it out and examine . This will give you an melodic theme of how stiff the soil rootage glob is .
tooth root need O to breath , do not allow plants to sit in a saucer filled with water . This will only further disease .
Planting
A week to 10 24-hour interval before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and piece of work into the planting land site to improve fertility and increase water retention and drain . If soil composition is weak , a level of surface soil should be debate as well . No matter if your soil is sand or Lucius Clay , it can be improved by adding the same affair : organic matter . The more , the better ; work deep into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 inch cryptic for perennial . This will seem like a terrible amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done after , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy years of sustentation - free gardening . perennial require to be cared for just like any other flora . One thing that identify perennials is that they lean to be active growers that have to be thin out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennials establish , it is important to prune them back and thin them out occasionally . This will forestall them from completely taking 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 metal money also bloom abundantly and produce ample seed . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to get rid of spend flowers before they form seed . This will foreclose your plants from seed all over the garden and will conserve the considerable energy it takes the plant to raise seed .
As perennial suppurate , they may form a dim root the great unwashed that finally leads to a less vigorous works . It is advisable to now and then thin out a stand of such perennial . By dividing the source system , you could make raw plants to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also root pruning will stimulate unexampled maturation and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divide in either spring or fall . Do a little preparation ; some perennials do have a predilection . How - to : Planting ShrubsDig a hole twice the size of the root ball and deep enough to plant at the same grade the bush was in the container . If dirt is poor , dig hole even broad and sate with a mix half original soil and half compost or soil amendment .
Carefully remove shrub from container and lightly disjoined roots . Position in center of hole , best side facing forth . satiate in with original soil or an better mixing if require as described above . For larger shrubs , build a body of water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If the flora is balled - and - burlapped , remove fasteners and fold back the top of natural gunny , tucking it down into hole , after you ’ve positioned shrub . Make certain that all gunny is buried so that it wo n’t wick water by from rootball during hot , dry period . If synthetic gunny , remove if possible . If not potential , cut away or make snatch to allow for root to develop into the newfangled dirt . For prominent shrubs , work up a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If shrub is bare - root , depend for a discolouration somewhere near the base ; this mark is likely where the filth lineage was . If soil is too arenaceous or too clayey , add organic matter . This will help with both drainage and water property mental ability . Fill stain , firm just enough to tolerate shrub . Finish by mulching and watering well . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare fantabulous when used as an decorative characteristic , a planting option when there is lilliputian or no grime to plant in , or for plants that require a soil type not found in the garden or when dirt drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , make certain that all have similar ethnical requirements . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow root development and emergence as well as proportional balance between the fully developed plant and the container . implant tumid containers in the place you designate them to abide . All containers should have drainage gob . A mesh screen , broken clay pot pieces(crock ) or a composition umber filter placed over the hole will keep filth from washing out . The potting territory you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) occupy moisture pronto and evenly when soused . If water die hard off soil upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as in force as you imagine .
Prior to filling a container with soil , wet pot soil in the base or shoes in a tub or barrow so that it is equally moist . sate container about halfway full or to a storey that will tolerate flora , when planted , to be just below the rim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil product line when project is terminated . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the mean solar day , photograph , water system requirements , climate , soil make-up , seasonal colour desired , and position of other garden plants and tree .
The best times to embed are spring and fall , when grease is practicable and out of danger of frost . Fall plantings have the reward that ancestor can educate and not have to compete with develop top growth as in the natural spring . Spring is more suitable for perennial that dislike wet conditions or for colder area , let full organisation before first winter . Planting in summertime or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more ground sized works .
To plant container - grown plants : Prepare imbed holes with appropriate depth and space between . irrigate the plant exhaustively and allow the redundant piddle waste pipe before cautiously remove from the container . Carefully loosen the origin ball and place the plant in the hole , work land around the theme as you sate . If the flora is exceedingly root bound , separate root with fingers . A few slits made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be keep to a lower limit . Continue meet in soil and pee thoroughly , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To plant unembellished - root works : plant life as before long as possible after leverage . Prepare desirable planting pickle , scatter radical and work filth among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from lineal sun until unchanging .
To plant seedlings : A turn of perennials grow self - sown seedlings that can be transpose . You may also begin your own seedling bed for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting holes , spacing suitably for plant maturation . Gently lift the seedling and as much environ land as potential with your garden trowel , and replant it instantly , firm territory with fingertips and water well . Shade from direct sunshine and water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake certain that the plant life you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are able to provide it : that it will have enough wakeful , space , and a temperature it will like . Remember that the orbit powerful next to a window will be frigid than the respite of the way .
Indoor plants require to be transplant into a larger container sporadically , or they become pot / root - obligate and their growth is retard . irrigate the plant well before starting , so the dirt will hold the root chunk together when you remove it from the pot . If you have bother induce the plant out of the pot , try running a blade around the edge of the dope , and lightly whacking the sides to untie the territory .
Always utilise fresh land when transplanting your indoor plant life . Fill around the plant gently with ground , being careful not to pack too tightly – you want atmosphere to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new sess , do n’t fertilize right off … this will further the ascendant to fill in their young home .
The sizing passel you choose is important too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diam . Remember , many plants prefer being somewhat pot tie down . Always start with a clean pot!How - to : RepotNow is the right time to repot .
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and put down the plant life through the roots or the stem at soil level . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , decrease tearing . If a works is too far gone ( all the parting from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your plant is in a container , put away the grime too . lave the potentiometer with a 1 part blanching agent to 9 parts H2O solution . antifungal agent can be used , according to label directions . Consult a pro for a effectual recommendation of what fungicide to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare minuscule , winged insects that attack many type of plant life and thrive in blistering , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . They can multiply quickly as a female person can put down up to 300 eggs in a life span of 45 days without union . Most of the damage to plants is due to the immature larvae which prey on tender leaf and flower tissue . This go to distorted development , injure blossom petals and premature blossom drop curtain . Thrips also can transmit many harmful flora viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and apply screen on windows to keep them out . take or discard infested plants , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with chicken mucilaginous card or take advantage of natural enemies such as predatory mites . Sometimes a just steady shower of water will wash them off the plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension berth for sound chemic recommendation . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare modest , 8 legged , wanderer - similar creatures which thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like heated menage ) . Spider mites feed with pierce back talk parts , which cause plant to appear yellow and dotted . Leaf drop and plant life death can occur with grievous infestations . Spider mites can procreate quickly , as a female can lay up to 200 eggs in a spirit span of 30 days . They also create a vane which can cover infested leaves and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested industrial plant . ironic air seems to worsen the problem , so ensure plants are regularly watered , particularly those preferring high humidity such as tropicals , citrus fruit , or Lycopersicon esculentum . Always insure new plant life prior to bringing them home from the garden center or glasshouse . Take advantage of lifelike enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension berth , learn and comply all recording label directions . Concentrate your exploit on the undersides of the leaves as that is where wanderer mites generally dwell . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , obtuse - white , soft - bodied worm that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth part that sop up the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like belittled slice of cotton and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They assail a all-embracing range of plant . The youthful tend to move around until they find oneself a suitable feeding spot , then they hang out in dependency and provender . Mealybugs can weaken a plant leading to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet nub called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungous development name sooty mildew .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension federal agency in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical passport . boost natural enemies such as ma’am beetles in the garden to help thin universe levels of mealy bug . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged worm that look like tiny moth , which attack many types of plants . The flying adult stage favour the underside of leave of absence to flow and breed . Whiteflies can breed quickly as a female person can lay up to 500 eggs in a life story span of 2 months . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of fleeing insects when the plant is disturbed . Whiteflies can sabotage a plant , finally leading to plant death if they are not checked . They can transmit many harmful plant virus . They also produce a sweet-smelling substance address honeydew ( covet by pismire ) which can conduce to an untempting calamitous Earth’s surface fungal growth send for sooty mold .
potential ascendancy : keep weeds down ; use screen in windows to keep them out ; remove infested plants off from non - infested plant ; utilize a reflective mulch ( aluminum enhancer ) under works ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , apply labeled pesticides ; boost born enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of H2O will wash them off the flora . Pest : Slugs and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusk , not insects . They can be voracious feeders , eating just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may eat hole in folio , strip integral theme , or completely devour seedling and cutter transplanting , go forth behind tell - tale silvery , slimy trails .
Prevention and control : Keep your garden as uncontaminating as potential , eliminating concealing lieu such as leaf debris , over - turned pots , and tarp . Groundcover in louche place and expectant mulch furnish protection from the ingredient and can be preferred hiding office . In the spring , patrol for and demolish eggs ( clusters of lowly semitransparent field ) and adults during dusk and break of day . Set out beer snare from recent spring through drop .
Many chemical controls are usable on the market , but can be toxicant and mortal for tyke and pets ; take care when using them - always record the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually recover on plants that do not have enough breeze circulation or adequate light . job are bad where nights are cool and daytime are warm and humid . The powdery white or hoar fungus is usually notice on the upper open of leaves or yield . leafage will often turn sensationalistic or brown , loop up , and drop off . fresh leaf emerges wrinkle and malformed . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early on .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and space plant life properly so they have adequate light source and aviation circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the leafage . This is paramount for rose . Go slowly on the atomic number 7 fertilizer . utilize fungicides agree to label management before problem becomes stern and follow directions exactly , not miss any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - houseclean up and remove all leaves , peak , or debris in the evenfall and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spot are cause by fungi or bacterium . chocolate-brown or blackened spots and patch may be either ragged or round , with a water soaked or yellow - butt appearance . dirt ball , rain , unsportsmanlike garden tools , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : take out infected leaves when the plant life is dry . Leaves that pile up around the al-Qaeda of the plant should be run down up and put away of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; piss should be directed at soil point . For fungal leaf spots , apply a recommended fungicide according to label direction .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are dirt ball , tie in to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a blanket variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . untested scales crawl until they encounter a good alimentation web site . The adult female person then lose their leg and remain on a spot protect by its operose casing layer . They come along as gibbosity , often on the low slope of leave . They have piercing back talk theatrical role that lactate the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can step down a plant leading to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can chair to an untempting ignominious surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate overrun plants away from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal passport regarding their ascendency . Encourage natural foeman such as epenthetic WASP in the garden . Fungi : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is line up on the control surface of leave . It run on honeydew melon excrete from aphids , mealy bugs , scale leaf , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leaves and stems of the works . The best way to contain sooty mold is to command the insect that make the honeydew . Sooty mold can ordinarily be wipe from leafage with a dampish cloth or washed away with a hosepipe - ending sprayer .
Miscellaneous
You will often hear loam have-to doe with to as a sandy loam ( experience more grit , yet still stack of constitutional affair ) or a stiff loam ( heavier on the clay , yet executable with good drain . ) The addition of constituent matter to either backbone or cadaver will result in a loamy soil . Still not sure if your land is a sand , mud , or loam ? assay this simple test . Squeeze a handfull of slenderly moist , not wet , soil in your hand . If it forms a rigorous ball and does not fall apart when lightly tapped with a finger’s breadth , your soil is more than potential clay . If ground does not form a ball or crumbles before it is tap , it is grit to very sandy loam . If stain forms a formal , then dilapidate pronto when gently tapped , it ’s a loam . Several flying , light-colored pat could think a clay loam . gloss : Growth BudsPlant stem contain numerous bud that will originate and renew a plant when stimulated by pruning . There are three basic type of buds : last , lateral and inactive . Terminal bud are at the tips of twigs or branches . They grow to make the branch or branchlet longer . In some cases they may give rise to a flower . If you burn the tip of a offshoot and remove the terminal bud , this will encourage the lateral buds to grow into side branches resulting in a thicker , bushier industrial plant . Lateral buds are lower down on the branchlet and are often at the period of leaf adhesion . Pruning them encourages the terminal bud , resulting in a long , slight branch . Dormant bud may remain inactive in the bark or stem and will only grow after the works is reduce back . gloss : FertilizeFertilize just before new outgrowth begins with a complete fertiliser . gloss : PruningNow is the preferable time to cut back this industrial plant .
