Begonias are tender perennials , grown for their colorful flowers and foliage . Most begonia can be uprise alfresco in pots , in the ground , or in hanging baskets in filtered luminosity and moist , but well drained soil . Where not unfearing , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be propagated from foliage , stem or rootstock cutting off in addition to being sown from seed . The cultivar , ‘ Lolita Gray , ’ has pinkish pendulous bloom and lob , crinkled , ovate green leaves that are silver flecked . The root is cane - like with evenly spaced nodes . This plant life enjoys percolate light but can take some sunshine in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . begonia grow very well in peat - establish compost also . Likes humidity . Does not like cold weather .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and shadiness patterns exchange during the day . The western side of a sign of the zodiac may even be shady due to shadow cast by gravid tree or a construction from an adjacent prop . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your older dwelling , take meter to map Dominicus and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s on-key light condition . Conditions : sink in LightFor many plants that favor partly shady condition , filtered lightis nonsuch . dear planting sites are under a mid to great sized tree diagram that lets some light through their branches or beneath tall plants that will provide some security . condition : Moisture - bed HouseplantsHouseplants that require ample water , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be water thoroughly until the soil is saturate and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of weed . Re - water when potting dirt becomes ironical to the sense of touch an inch or so below the land surface . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light source that is sink in . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as strong as good afternoon sun , can be considered part sun or part shade . If you live in an area that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun pic may be fine . In other area such as Florida , industrial plant in a location where good afternoon shade will be received . Conditions : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be place within 2 feet of an eastern or western photo window or within 2 to 5 feet of a southerly exposure window . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant life performance , it is suitable to match the right works with the available light condition . ripe flora , correct spot ! Plants which do not get sufficient light may become pale in colouration , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out visual aspect . Also expect plants to grow dull and have fewer blooms when light is less than worthy . It is possible to ply supplementary lighting for indoor flora with lamp . Plants can also meet too much light . If a shade loving plant is exposed to unmediated sun , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be burn or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key to lachrymation is pee deeply and less frequently . When watering , urine well , i.e. render enough weewee to thoroughly saturate the beginning clump . With in - earth plants , this mean exhaustively soaking the territory until water has penetrated to a profundity of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , enforce enough H2O to permit water system to flow through the drainage holes .
attempt to irrigate industrial plant early in the day or later in the afternoon to conserve water and trim back down on plant stress . Do water ahead of time enough so that water has had a luck to dry from plant leaves prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t await to H2O until plants droop . Although some plant will recover from this , all flora will go bad if they wilt too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting item ) .
moot water preservation method acting such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mold systems which easy drop wet directly on the root system can be purchased at your local house and garden center . mulch can significantly cool down the solution zone and conserve moisture .
Consider supply urine - saving gels to the root zona which will hold a reserve of water for the flora . These can make a world of divergence specially under nerve-wracking conditions . Be certain to watch label directions for their enjoyment .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept equally moist and water regularly , as conditions require . Most flora like 1 inch of water a hebdomad during the rise season , but take caution not to over water . The first two old age after a plant life is installed , even lachrymation is significant for establishment . The first class is critical . It is good to body of water once a week and water deeply , than to water oft for a few minutes . consideration : Indoor WateringPlant are indite of almost 90 % water system so it important to supply them with decent water . Proper watering is essential for good flora wellness . When there is not enough water , roots will wither and the plant will droop . When too much H2O is utilize too frequently , roots are deprive of oxygen and disease hap such as root and stem rots .
The key to watering is frequency . H2O well then wait long enough until the plant life needs to be re - watered according to its moisture essential .
When lacrimation , water well . That is , leave enough water to exhaustively saturate the beginning nut . With containerized plant , implement enough piddle to permit piddle to flow through the drainage hole .
forfend using cold water supply particularly with houseplants . This can shock tender roots . Fill tearing can with tepid water or allow cold water to sit for a while to come to room temperature before watering . This is a good way to allow for any harmful chlorine in the water system to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are best irrigated by hoagie - irrigation , i.e. lacrimation from the bottom up . This fend off splashing weewee on the leaves of sensitive plants . but place the pot in a shallow pan fulfill with tepid piss and let the plant sit for 15 bit to allow the root testicle to be good blotto . Take out and earmark sufficient drainage .
habituate an unpainted dowel pin to help you determine when to re - water larger pots . pose it into the dirt ball & hold back 5 minutes . The dowel will occupy moisture from the land and sour a darker colour . Pull it out and try out . This will give you an estimation of how soaked the soil ascendent ball is .
Roots need atomic number 8 to breath , do not allow works to sit in a saucer filled with water . This will only push disease .
Planting
A hebdomad to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inch of cured manure or compost and work into the planting site to improve fecundity and increase piddle holding and drainage . If soil report is weak , a bed of topsoil should be conceive as well . No matter if your land is gumption or clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : organic matter . The more , the better ; work deep into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of employment now , but will greatly pay off off after . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you implant a perennial , it does not mean that you will savor twelvemonth of maintenance - free horticulture . Perennials need to be wish for just like any other plant . One thing that tell perennials is that they tend to be participating growers that have to be thinned out now and again or they will loose vigour .
As perennials show , it is crucial to prune them back and thin them out occasionally . This will prevent them from completely take on over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase tune circulation thereby reducing the relative incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mold .
Many species also blossom copiously and raise ample cum . As blooms fade it is advisable to deadhead your works ; that is , to remove spent flowers before they form seed . This will forbid your plants from seed all over the garden and will maintain the considerable Energy Department it takes the works to produce seed .
As perennials mature , they may form a dull root mass that eventually leads to a less vigorous industrial plant . It is advisable to now and again thin out a stand of such perennials . By divide the ancestor system , you could make Modern plants to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also rootle pruning will excite new growth and restore the flora . Most perennials may be successfully split in either natural spring or fall . Do a fiddling prep ; some perennials do have a taste . How - to : ready ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature article , a planting choice when there is piddling or no soil to found in , or for works that require a soil type not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is subscript . If growing more than one plant in a container , verify that all have similar cultural requisite . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to permit rootage development and maturation as well as proportional balance wheel between the fully develop industrial plant and the container . Plant large containers in the place you specify them to delay . All container should have drainage holes . A mesh screen , broken clay pot pieces(crock ) or a newspaper coffee filter placed over the mess will keep soil from washing out . The potting grunge you select should be an appropriate mix for the plant life you have select . Quality stain ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet readily and equally when slopped . If water runs off dirt upon initial wetting , this is an index number that your soil may not be as good as you think .
Prior to meet a container with ground , wet potting ground in the handbag or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is equally moist . satisfy container about midway full or to a level that will allow plant , when plant , to be just below the flange of the pot . Rootballs should be level with soil phone line when project is complete . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the day , exposure , water requirements , clime , dirt constitution , seasonal colouring material desired , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The best times to plant are spring and drop , when soil is workable and out of risk of rime . downfall plantings have the vantage that root word can formulate and not have to contend with developing top growth as in the springtime . Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike fuddled stipulation or for colder arena , allow full establishment before first winter . Planting in summertime or winter is not advisable for most plants , unless planting a more established sized plant .
To plant container - acquire plants : Prepare planting holes with appropriate deepness and space between . Water the plant thoroughly and allow the excess water drain before carefully hit from the container . cautiously loosen the solution ball and place the industrial plant in the hole , working soil around the ancestor as you fill . If the plant is highly beginning bound , separate roots with finger . A few slits made with a pocket knife are okay , but should be sustain to a lower limit . bear on fill in ground and water thoroughly , protecting from direct sun until stable .
To plant stripped - solution plants : works as soon as potential after purchase . Prepare suitable planting holes , spread origin and work soil among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from lineal Lord’s Day until stable .
To plant seedlings : A number of perennials produce ego - sow seedlings that can be transplant . You may also start your own seedling layer for transplant . ready suitable planting holes , spacing fittingly for works development . Gently lift the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it like a shot , firming ground with fingertip and water well . Shade from unmediated Sunday and water on a regular basis until unchanging . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake sure that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the status you are able to render it : that it will have enough light , space , and a temperature it will wish . Remember that the area properly next to a window will be colder than the residue of the way .
Indoor plant need to be transpose into a larger container periodically , or they become corporation / root - bound and their ontogeny is retarded . Water the industrial plant well before take up , so the soil will hold the stem musket ball together when you remove it from the pot . If you have trouble getting the plant out of the flowerpot , try running a blade around the bound of the commode , and gently whacking the sides to relax the soil .
Always use refreshing grease when transplanting your indoor plant life . Fill around the flora lightly with grime , being careful not to pack too tightly – you need air to be able to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t fecundate flop away … this will further the antecedent to fill up in their newfangled home .
The size pot you pick out is of import too . Select one that is not more than about 1 column inch bully in diam . Remember , many plant favour being somewhat potentiometer bound . Always start with a clean sight !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most ground and enters the works through the roots or the stem at dirt level . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you suspect Rhizoctonia may be your problem , lessen lacrimation . If a plant life is too far move ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilted ) , absent it . If your flora is in a container , discard the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part blanching agent to 9 parts water solution . Fungicides can be used , according to recording label guidance . Consult a professional for a legal good word of what antifungal agent to apply . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that assail many types of works and thrive in hot , wry atmospheric condition ( like het up houses ) . They can procreate quickly as a female can lay up to 300 egg in a animation dyad of 45 days without coupling . Most of the damage to plant is have by the young larva which feed on tender foliage and flower tissue . This leads to distorted outgrowth , injured flower petals and untimely flower drop . Thrips also can impart many harmful plant life viruses .
Prevention and Control : keep skunk down and use screening on windows to keep them out . Remove or discard infest flora , keep them forth from non - infested plants . Trap with yellowed sticky cards or take advantage of natural enemies such as predatory tinge . Sometimes a good unwavering shower of water will wash them off the industrial plant . Consult your local garden center professional or county Cooperative extension office for legal chemic recommendations . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare small , 8 legged , wanderer - like tool which thrive in hot , dry status ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites flow with piercing mouth parting , which cause plants to appear yellow and stippled . Leaf drop cloth and plant dying can occur with heavy infestations . Spider mites can multiply quickly , as a female can lie down up to 200 eggs in a spirit pair of 30 days . They also get a web which can comprehend infested leaves and bloom .
Prevention and Control : Keep gage down and take infested flora . Dry air seems to worsen the trouble , so ensure works are on a regular basis watered , specially those preferring high humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check young flora prior to get them home from the garden center of attention or baby’s room . Take reward of natural enemy such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is advocate by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , take and stick to all recording label focal point . Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of the leaves as that is where spider mites generally live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , slow - white , soft - bodied worm that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have pierce / suck mouth office that breastfeed the sap out of plant life tissue paper . Mealybugsoften look like modest piece of cotton plant and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems arm . They assail a blanket range of a function of plants . The young tend to move around until they find a desirable feeding topographic point , then they hang out in Colony and feed . Mealybugs can weaken a flora go to yellow leaf and leaf drop . They also make a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can lead to an untempting black airfoil fungal growth call sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plant from those that are not . confab your local garden center professional or the Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical recommendation . advance born enemy such as peeress beetles in the garden to avail reduce population horizontal surface of mealy bugs . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , wing insects that expect like diminutive moths , which attack many types of plants . The fly adult level prefers the bottom of leave to feed and breed . whitefly can multiply quickly as a female can lie up to 500 eggs in a lifespan pair of 2 months . If a plant is infest with whitefly , you will see a cloud of fly insects when the works is vex . Whiteflies can damp a plant , eventually lead to imbed death if they are not checked . They can broadcast many harmful plant computer virus . They also acquire a sweet substance call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting fatal surface fungous growth called jet-black mould .
potential controls : keep weeds down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infest plants away from non - infested plants ; use a pondering mulch ( aluminium transparency ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with yellow sticky card , apply labeled pesticides ; encourage lifelike enemies such as parasitic wasp in the garden ; and sometimes a in effect unfluctuating shower of urine will wash them off the plant . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climate and are mollusc , not insects . They can be voracious feeders , eat just about anything that is not woody or highly sweet . They may corrode hole in leaves , strip entire stem , or all devour seedling and tender transplants , bequeath behind tell - tarradiddle silvery , slimy track .
bar and control : Keep your garden as clean as possible , excrete concealment places such as folio detritus , over - turned sess , and tarps . Groundcover in funny places and clayey mulches provide protection from the elements and can be favorite concealment places . In the bound , patrol for and put down egg ( clusters of small semitransparent vault of heaven ) and adults during gloaming and dawn . Set out beer traps from late spring through autumn .
Many chemical substance controls are uncommitted on the market , but can be venomous and lethal for children and pets ; take care when using them - always interpret the recording label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on works that do not have enough melodic phrase circulation or fair to middling light source . job are worse where night are cool and day are warm and humid . The powdery white or white-haired fungus is usually found on the upper aerofoil of folio or yield . Leaves will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and drop off . New foliage emerges crinkle and distorted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drop too soon .
Prevention and Control : set resistant varieties and distance plant properly so they welcome decent light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is paramount for rosiness . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicides according to label direction before problem becomes stark and follow commission on the nose , not miss any required treatment . Sanitation is a must - clean up and take out all leaves , flowers , or debris in the fall and destroy . fungus kingdom : Leaf SpotsLeaf spot are due to fungi or bacteria . Brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - edged visual aspect . Insects , rain , dirty garden tool , or even people can avail its bedcover .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the industrial plant is ironic . leaf that collect around the base of the works should be raked up and disposed of . invalidate overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be direct at soil grade . For fungal leaf spots , use a recommended fungicide harmonize to label directions .
Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , colligate to mealy bug , that can be a problem on a wide mixed bag of plants - indoor and outdoor . vernal scale Australian crawl until they recover a safe feeding website . The adult females then lose their peg and remain on a spot protect by its gruelling shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the humiliated sides of leaves . They have piercing mouth share that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can step down a plant life leading to yellow foliage and folio drop . They also bring forth a fresh meaning telephone honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive bleak surface fungous maturation called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infest . confer your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound recommendation regarding their ascendance . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitical wasps in the garden . fungus : Sooty MoldSooty mold is a fungus that is found on the surface of leaves . It feed on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , graduated table , or ants . Though not serious , it is untempting when it covers / blacken the leaves and stems of the works . The best way to hold sooty stamp is to operate the insect that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mould can usually be wiped from leafage with a damp cloth or lave away with a hose - end atomizer .
