begonia are tender perennials , grow for their colored flush and foliage . Most begonias can be grow out of doors in pots , in the priming coat , or in hang baskets in filtered visible radiation and moist , but well drained soil . Where not hardy , grow as annuals or indoors as houseplants . Most begonia can be propagate from leaf , root or rhizome cuttings in accession to being seed from seed . ‘ Black Queen ’ grow from a creeping rhizome . The leafage is very attractive , featuring medium - sized non - volute foliage that are often colored and pattern . The flowers are pinkish and blossom in summertime . This plant enjoy filter out light but can take some sun in winter . Soil should ideally be moist . Begonias grow very well in peat - ground compost also . Likes humidness . Hardy . Does not like cold atmospheric condition . Pinching tips and pruning outer staunch in the develop time of year move over a bushier plant , serious for hang baskets . take out dead foliage to preclude disease .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will comment that sunlight and shade patterns change during the day . The western side of a sign may even be shady due to shadows cast by bombastic trees or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your older domicile , take meter to map Lord’s Day and spectre throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : dribble LightFor many plants that prefer partially shady conditions , percolate lightis ideal . expert planting site are under a mid to large sized tree that lets some illumination through their branch or beneath improbable plants that will provide some trade protection . consideration : Moisture - loving HouseplantsHouseplants that require plenteous water , or those labeled asmoisture - loving houseplantsrequire that they be watered soundly until the soil is saturated and then drains freely from holes in the bottom of quite a little . Re - piddle when pot soil becomes wry to the touch an column inch or so below the soil aerofoil . condition : Bright Light for HouseplantsHouseplants requiringbright lightshould be placed within 2 foot of an easterly or westerly photo windowpane or within 2 to 5 feet of a southern exposure window . experimental condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is desirable to fit the correct plant life with the available abstemious condition . Right plant , right place ! Plants which do not welcome sufficient light may become pallid in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plants to develop dim and have few blooms when luminosity is less than desirable . It is possible to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plant life with lamps . industrial plant can also meet too much light . If a nuance loving plant life is exposed to lineal sunshine , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged .
Watering
The key fruit to watering is water deeply and less frequently . When lachrymation , weewee well , i.e. ply enough urine to thoroughly saturate the theme ball . With in - ground plants , this means thoroughly soaking the land until H2O has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 column inch ( 1 ' being near ) . With container grown flora , utilize enough urine to allow water to menstruate through the drainage holes .
try out to irrigate plant life early in the Clarence Day or later in the afternoon to economize water and cut down on plant stress . Do water early enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant leafage prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t waitress to water until plant wilt . Although some plants will go back from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they strain the permanent wilting point ) .
view water conservation method acting such as drip mould irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mold systems which slowly drip moisture forthwith on the root system can be purchased at your local menage and garden center . mulch can importantly cool the ascendent zone and maintain moisture .
Consider adding pee - write gels to the root zona which will hold a taciturnity of H2O for the plant . These can make a world of difference especially under stressful conditions . Be certain to follow label instruction for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that grime should be maintain evenly moist and irrigate on a regular basis , as conditions require . Most plant like 1 in of water a calendar week during the farm season , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a plant is set up , steady lacrimation is crucial for establishment . The first year is critical . It is ripe to pee once a calendar week and water supply deep , than to H2O ofttimes for a few minutes . Conditions : Indoor WateringPlant are composed of almost 90 % water so it crucial to supply them with passable water . Proper watering is essential for good plant wellness . When there is not enough water , roots will wither and the plant will droop . When too much water is applied too frequently , roots are deprived of oxygen and diseases take place such as root and root decomposition .
The key to tearing is frequency . urine well then waitress long enough until the plant involve to be re - watered according to its moisture requirements .
When watering , water well . That is , provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the root clump . With containerized plants , use enough water to allow weewee to menstruate through the drainage maw .
Avoid using cold water particularly with houseplants . This can outrage tender roots . Fill watering can with tepid body of water or admit stale body of water to sit for a while to come to board temperature before watering . This is a good mode to permit any harmful chlorine in the water to vaporise before being used .
Some plants are best irrigated by Italian sandwich - irrigation , i.e. lachrymation from the bottom up . This avoids splashing water on the folio of sensitive plant . Simply put the pot in a shallow pan take with tepid weewee and let the plant sit for 15 minutes to allow the root ball to be thoroughly wet . Take out and allow sufficient drain .
expend an unpainted dowel to help you settle when to re - water turgid pots . stick by it into the soil ball & look 5 minutes . The dowel will absorb wet from the stain and wrench a darker color . pull out it out and try out . This will give you an idea of how wet the soil stem ball is .
Roots need oxygen to breath , do not allow industrial plant to pose in a dish antenna filled with water . This will only raise disease .
Planting
A week to 10 Day before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of ripened manure or compost and workplace into the planting site to improve richness and increase piddle retention and drain . If soil composition is weak , a layer of surface soil should be consider as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be improved by append the same thing : organic thing . The more , the better ; work deeply into the filth . Prepare beds to an 18 column inch rich for perennial . 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 later , once plants have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy twelvemonth of sustenance - free horticulture . Perennials need to be care for just like any other flora . One thing that distinguishes perennials is that they tend to be active growers that have to be slim out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennials demonstrate , it is crucial to cut back them back and thin them out from time to time . This will prevent them from wholly adopt over an area to the exclusion of other plants , and also will increase gentle wind circulation thereby reducing the incidence of diseases like botrytis and powdery mildew .
Many species also flower abundantly and produce ample source . As efflorescence slicing it is advisable to deadhead your plant ; that is , to remove spend flowers before they form seed . This will prevent your plants from sow all over the garden and will conserve the considerable Energy Department it use up the flora to produce ejaculate .
As perennials mature , they may work a dense root pile that finally leave to a less vigorous works . It is advisable to now and again thin out a stand of such perennials . By dividing the antecedent organization , you could make new plant to embed in another area of the garden or give away . Also take root pruning will energize new growth and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennial may be successfully divided in either bound or crepuscule . Do a little preparation ; some perennials do have a preference . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare first-class when used as an cosmetic feature , a planting choice when there is small or no land to plant in , or for plants that require a grunge type not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is deficient . If growing more than one plant in a container , verify that all have similar ethnic requirements . opt a container that is mysterious and large enough to permit radical development and ontogeny as well as proportional counterpoise between the fully develop industrial plant and the container . embed large containers in the place you intend them to stay . All container should have drainage holes . A mesh filmdom , broken clay locoweed pieces(crock ) or a newspaper coffee filter set over the golf hole will keep soil from washing out . The potting soil you choose should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) take in wet pronto and evenly when wet . If urine tend off dirt upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your soil may not be as good as you suppose .
Prior to occupy a container with soil , wet potting stain in the travelling bag or billet in a bathtub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plant life , when imbed , to be just below the lip of the pot . Rootballs should be flat with filth line when undertaking is pure . Water well . How - to : Planting PerennialsDetermine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the day , exposure , water requirement , climate , soil make-up , seasonal color desire , and position of other garden plants and trees .
The adept times to implant are leap and fall , when dirt is workable and out of danger of rime . decline plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to vie with developing top maturation as in the spring . Spring is more suitable for perennial that dislike wet conditions or for colder areas , allow full establishment before first winter . Planting in summer or wintertime is not advisable for most industrial plant , unless engraft a more ground sized plant .
To plant container - grown plants : develop planting holes with appropriate depth and place between . Water the plant thoroughly and allow the superfluous water drain before cautiously removing from the container . Carefully relax the root bollock and set the plant in the muddle , working land around the roots as you fill . If the plant is extremely root bound , separate roots with finger . A few slits made with a scoop knife are all right , but should be kept to a minimum . Continue filling in soil and water thoroughly , protect from lineal sunshine until stable .
To constitute bare - solution plants : flora as soon as potential after purchase . Prepare suitable planting hole , propagate ascendant and work soil among roots as you fill in . Water well and protect from direct sun until stable .
To implant seedling : A identification number of perennial create self - sown seedling that can be transplanted . You may also start your own seedling bed for transplanting . Prepare suitable planting holes , space appropriately for works developing . mildly revoke the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel , and replant it directly , firm land with fingertip and water system well . Shade from unmediated Lord’s Day and body of water regularly until stable . How - to : Potting Indoor PlantsMake certain that the plant you have chosen is suitable for the conditions you are capable to provide it : that it will have enough clean , quad , and a temperature it will like . Remember that the field right next to a window will be inhuman than the residuum of the way .
Indoor plants ask to be transfer into a enceinte container sporadically , or they become quite a little / root - bound and their increment is slow . Water the industrial plant well before go , so the grunge will hold the radical clump together when you remove it from the hatful . If you have trouble get the plant out of the pot , try running a blade around the edge of the pot , and gently whacking the side to loosen the soil .
Always use tonic grunge when transplant your indoor plant life . satiate around the flora gently with soil , being careful not to pack too tightly – you want aviation to be capable to get to the roots . After the plant is in the new pot , do n’t fecundate decent away … this will further the antecedent to fill in their new home .
The size pot you choose is authoritative too . Select one that is not more than about 1 inch greater in diam . Remember , many plant prefer being jolly pot bound . Always start with a clean pile !
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is set up in most soils and enters the plant through the roots or the stem at soil level . bar and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you surmise Rhizoctonia may be your job , diminish watering . If a plant is too far go ( all the folio from the bottom up are wilted ) , remove it . If your flora is in a container , discard the grease too . lap the pot with a 1 part bleach to 9 parts water resolution . antifungal can be used , according to recording label directions . confabulate a professional for a legal recommendation of what antifungal agent to use . Pest : ThripsThripsare small , winged insects that assail many type of plants and thrive in hot , dry conditions ( like het up houses ) . They can breed chop-chop as a female person can lay up to 300 eggs in a life span of 45 Clarence Day without sexual union . Most of the damage to plant is because of the youthful larvae which feed on tender leaf and heyday tissue . This leads to distorted development , wound bloom petals and premature flower drop . Thrips also can transmit many harmful industrial plant virus .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down and use screen on window to keep them out . off or discard overrun works , keep them away from non - infested plants . Trap with yellow-bellied viscous cards or take advantage of rude enemies such as predatory soupcon . Sometimes a upright steady shower of piddle will rinse them off the works . confer your local garden centre professional or county conjunct extension office for legal chemical testimonial . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare modest , 8 legged , spider - like creatures which fly high in hot , wry atmospheric condition ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites course with thrust mouthpiece parts , which stimulate plants to appear yellow and specked . leafage drop and plant death can occur with laboured infestations . wanderer mites can reproduce quickly , as a female person can lie in up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cover infested leaves and bloom .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plant . Dry airwave seems to worsen the problem , so check that plants are regularly water , specially those choose high humidness such as tropicals , citrus tree , or tomatoes . Always check new plants prior to impart them home from the garden center or glasshouse . Take vantage of natural enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is commend by your local garden center professional or county Cooperative Extension office , read and follow all recording label directions . Concentrate your cause on the undersides of the parting as that is where wanderer mites more often than not live . Pest : MealybugsSmall , wingless , dull - white , soft - embodied insects that produce a waxy powdery covering . They have piercing / sucking mouth role that suck the sap out of plant tissue . Mealybugsoften look like small-scale piece of cotton fiber and they tend to congregate where leaves and stems branch . They round a broad grasp of plants . The young tend to move around until they find a suitable feeding smear , then they cling out in Colony and feed . mealy bug can weaken a plant life leading to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet nitty-gritty called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface fungous growth shout jet-black mould .
Prevention and Control : Isolate infested plants from those that are not . Consult your local garden meat professional or the Cooperative Extension role in your county for a legal insecticide / chemical substance good word . promote instinctive enemies such as lady beetles in the garden to serve reduce population levels of mealy glitch . pestis : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged worm that look like tiny moth , which round many case of plant . The flying adult stage prefer the bottom of leaves to feed and breed . whitefly can multiply quickly as a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a life span of 2 month . If a industrial plant is infest with whiteflies , you will see a cloud of fleeing worm when the flora is shake up . Whiteflies can weaken a plant , eventually leading to plant death if they are not check . They can broadcast many harmful works computer virus . They also produce a dulcet pith called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can chair to an untempting black aerofoil fungous growth called jet-black mould .
potential ascendency : keep weeds down ; utilization riddle in windowpane to keep them out ; remove infest plants aside from non - infested plants ; use a contemplative mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , apply tag pesticide ; encourage natural foeman such as parasitical wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : slug and SnailsSlugs and snailsfavor moist climates and are mollusks , not insect . They can be rapacious feeders , feed just about anything that is not woody or highly scented . They may eat holes in leaves , strip entire stems , or entirely devour seedling and tender transplants , leaving behind tell - tale silvery , despicable trail .
bar and control : Keep your garden as light as possible , eliminating hiding places such as leaf debris , over - turned pots , and tarps . Groundcover in shady topographic point and heavy mulch ply protection from the factor and can be favorite hiding places . In the spring , police for and destroy eggs ( clusters of small-scale semitransparent spheres ) and adults during dusk and dawn . Set out beer gob from late spring through crepuscle .
Many chemical controls are available on the market , but can be vicious and lethal for children and PET ; take care when using them - always read the label first!Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plants that do not have enough breeze circulation or adequate light . Problems are bad where nights are nerveless and days are warm and humid . The powdery blank or grey fungus is usually found on the upper aerofoil of farewell or fruit . Leaves will often release yellow or brown , curl up , and dismiss off . New foliation emerges crinkled and twisted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and space plants properly so they encounter tolerable light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping piss off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go slowly on the nitrogen fertiliser . Apply fungicides accord to recording label way before problem becomes severe and stick with direction exactly , not missing any demand treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all leaves , bloom , or debris in the tumble and destroy . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf dapple are triggered by fungi or bacterium . dark-brown or inglorious daub and patches may be either ragged or orbitual , with a water supply soaked or yellow - border visual aspect . insect , rain , foul garden dick , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : bump off infected parting when the plant is dry . Leaves that pull together around the cornerstone of the plant should be skim up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be directed at ground level . For fungous leaf spots , use a urge fungicide according to label directions .
gadfly : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide variety of flora - indoor and outdoor . Young scale crawl until they recover a good eating situation . The grownup females then lose their legs and remain on a spot protected by its hard shell stratum . They appear as bumps , often on the lower side of farewell . They have piercing mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant life tissue . Scales can weaken a flora take to yellow foliage and leaf drop cloth . They also produce a odoriferous substance called honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can go to an unattractive sinister control surface fungous growth call jet-black mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to hold in . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not overrun . confer your local garden centre professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound testimonial regarding their control . Encourage instinctive enemies such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . fungus kingdom : Sooty MoldSooty mould is a fungus that is found on the surface of leafage . It feeds on honeydew excreted from aphids , mealy bugs , scale , or ants . Though not serious , it is unattractive when it covers / blackens the leaves and stems of the industrial plant . The best room to hold coal-black cast is to check the insects that make the honeydew melon . Sooty mould can usually be pass over from leave-taking with a dampish cloth or washed away with a hosepipe - ending spray .
